History Channel: Alone

[Stid2677]

Those folks are just not bear savvy, act like prey,, get treated like food. IMHO they were just sniffing around, they all have been eating in their shelter and cooking on their camp fire. Should have a cooking / hangout fire and another near a sleeping area. Piss everywhere, this is animal speak for this Fing place is mine. Clear back the camp sight so you have some visibility.

But then again,, how much is just TV drama????

 

[JPD350]

Those folks are just not bear savvy, act like prey,, get treated like food. IMHO they were just sniffing around, they all have been eating in their shelter and cooking on their camp fire. Should have a cooking / hangout fire and another near a sleeping area. Piss everywhere, this is animal speak for this Fing place is mine. Clear back the camp sight so you have some visibility.

But then again,, how much is just TV drama????

Exactly!

I think the premise of the show is pretty cool, I was hoping to see some guy's establishing themselves in their areas and showing some common sense long term survival skills but unfortunately that doesn't seem to be the case. I want to see some real survivalist that survive for months and months, some of these dudes just flat out shouldn't be on the show and IMO they ruin and make a mockery of the whole premise.

 

[aggieland]

I like how that one guy was about to build himself a nice big cabin, he had trees down and everything. Then decided the clay he found for a fireplace was not of the proper mixture and just quit.. I thought WTH?

 

[Stid2677]

I like how that one guy was about to build himself a nice big cabin, he had trees down and everything. Then decided the clay he found for a fireplace was not of the proper mixture and just quit.. I thought WTH?

I thought that guy had a plan similar to what I would do. I believe he is the bipolar type,, he even mentioned that his Mom was worries he would have issues.

Being alone like that,, I would try to work all day everyday at improving shelter, water, food situation. This keeps me busy and focused on task, not suffering. Tired I sleep better and have more energy.

The Georgia fellow is, has IMHO the right mindset so far and his willingness to eat about anything helps.

 

[Where's Bruce?]

I would be building a solid log/moss structure everyday and looking for flat rocks I could stack to make a small fireplace/stovetop/oven. I would also be setting snares/traps for game. I would not try to live in a tarp for weeks or months. And cooking and eating in the flimsy shelter where you sleep? WTF? I thought these guys were supposed to know stuff. I'm a total amateur and know better. My firestarter would be on a lanyard around my neck and I would capture rainwater for drinking.

Items I would take would be:

Shovel
Ax
Saw
Knife
Wiggys synthetic bag
cordage
firestarter
Archery gear
Fishing gear
Tarp

I would eventually build a deadfall trap or 3 around my shelter in hopes of eating some bear or lion meat.

 

[Jazzdog]

don't understand why they are still living under tarps for the most part after 5 or 6 days. It's raining most of the time so water is not a major issue but shelter is.
I was really hoping the guy that cut the logs was going to start notching them. be pretty cool to see one of them in a rough cabin while the rest are still out in the open under tarps-won't be long before the mice have ate those sleeping bags to crap.

 

[Stid2677]

I did think that guy carbonizing tinder in that tin was genius. Smartest thing I have seen so far.

 

[aggieland]

I did think that guy carbonizing tinder in that tin was genius. Smartest thing I have seen so far.

Agree 100%!!!

 

[Jeff Martin]

Agree 100% -

Speaking of firestarter, have you guys ever seen this? I know it is just a different play on a standard rod, but kinda cool and seems to work very well.

http://youtu.be/eMenhsyFVes

 

[Where's Bruce?]

They all have bear spray...but choose to run away instead of stand their ground. I just don't get it. If you are alone in the wilderness, you better act like the dominent predator.

 

[HawkCreek]

Agree 100% -

Speaking of firestarter, have you guys ever seen this? I know it is just a different play on a standard rod, but kinda cool and seems to work very well.

http://youtu.be/eMenhsyFVes

Seen it on several different forums. I still dont see that it does anything that any other decent fire steel does other than add size and weight. By holding your striker (I just use the back of my knife) close to the tinder pile and pulling the fire steel toward yourself you contain and direct the spark the same way that thing does.

 

[Brandon Pattison]

They all have bear spray...but choose to run away instead of stand their ground. I just don't get it. If you are alone in the wilderness, you better act like the dominent predator.

When I run for a workout and a dog(s) gets too close I turn and run straight at them in an explosion and usually they change their tune. I wonder what a bear would do. I also heard from a bear guide that they are afraid of nothing at night.

 

[rhunter424]

When I run for a workout and a dog(s) gets too close I turn and run straight at them in an explosion and usually they change their tune. I wonder what a bear would do. I also heard from a bear guide that they are afraid of nothing at night.

Are we talking chiuaua or land shark?

 

[tipsntails7]

When I run for a workout and a dog(s) gets too close I turn and run straight at them in an explosion and usually they change their tune. I wonder what a bear would do. I also heard from a bear guide that they are afraid of nothing at night.

I wouldn't say they are not afraid. Their eye site is already shit, couple that with the night and it's tuff for them to see anything.

 

[Brandon Pattison]

Are we talking chiuaua or land shark?

Huh? Your average pissed off dog in the yard with his teeth showing and hackles up. I run in the country and they spot you from a long ways off.

 

[Where's Bruce?]

When I run for a workout and a dog(s) gets too close I turn and run straight at them in an explosion and usually they change their tune. I wonder what a bear would do. I also heard from a bear guide that they are afraid of nothing at night.

If the guy (and I say if because I sorta doubt it) was actually charged by a big black bear there is no way he outran it. Pulling up a can of spray would have been the correct move. Fleeing would trigger a predator-prey instinct and turn you into biped tar tar. Bears are like people, each with a unique personality so you never really know what they are gonna do but running away is never advisable and you'd expect these guys to know that much.

 

[Brandon Pattison]

Badass starter!

Agree 100% -

Speaking of firestarter, have you guys ever seen this? I know it is just a different play on a standard rod, but kinda cool and seems to work very well.

http://youtu.be/eMenhsyFVes

 

[RCA Dog]

The firestarter charring thing was neat, but that was about the only good thing about that episode. Why didn't the dude drinking brackish water just go upstream a bit until he got clean water ? Also, the barred out chum that the one guy caught and then cooked in the middle of the night... what was he thinking ?

 

[Where's Bruce?]

The firestarter charring thing was neat, but that was about the only good thing about that episode. Why didn't the dude drinking brackish water just go upstream a bit until he got clean water ? Also, the barred out chum that the one guy caught and then cooked in the middle of the night... what was he thinking ?

I think most of us on this site would have lasted considerably longer.

 

[ChrisS]

I think these guys are just taking a beating in the rain and everything being wet in addition to having to film everything. I am surprised that after 5 days, five guys have already dropped out, though.

There was a very long thread on Bushcraft USA where three of the guys (Dustin, Joe, and Sam) talked about the experience (as much as they could) and answered some questions. It was enlightening, but it was deleted because of a lot of rude monday morning quarterbacking. Joe (he was the one that lost his firestarter) said that they weren't allowed several things and he quit because he thought there were 9 other guys out there with their firestarters doing just fine and that without his, he was just prolonging the inevitable by a day or two. He just lost his willpower. He also said that knowing what he does now, he would go back in a heartbeat.

I don't know what's going on with the shelter building. Seems like a lean-to with three walls out in front would be fairly easy and quick to get up in three days - even with filming. I don't know. I wasn't there.