Yukon Men - on A&E

[2rocky]

Since Thursday I've been down sick with the flu and so I have watched more than my fair share of television in that time. But as I was watching this show that focused on folks in the Tanana river valley getting ready for winter by catching salmon and hunting moose for winter meat.

I was struck by the fact that these folks whose lives depend on hunting and fishing success, have a completely different approach to gear , and values than we do as sport hunters.

No fancy "name brand" performance clothing except for HH raingear or Carhartt Jackets or pants.

No high dollar optics. Not a spotting scope to be seen. Saw a couple of young men using their rifle scopes to look for game.

No ultra lightweight tents

Pack frames from last century

Motor Vehicles were at LEAST 20 years old, except for 4 wheelers, Boats or Snowmobiles. Those were TOP SHELF...


I guess I expected the Subsistence hunter to invest more in his hunting, camping setup that those of us who hunt because we want to.

So can some AK folks give me their perspective on whether the families portrayed are accurate?

as an aside, I love the fella with the East coast accent. He is so damn resourceful. Small scale Hydro electric in Fish camp, Gear, pulley winch system for the Fish wheel, etc.

 

[dotman]

Well I believe if they could afford the gear they would have it, is it necessary, no but it does make life easier.

I did find it interesting a few use AR's as their weapon of choice except for when moose hunting.

 

[OR Archer]

I think its a pretty interesting show. No made up drama. Just living life as best they can in that area.

 

[Daniel_M]

Yukon Men is filmed in Tanana, a rural village NOT on the road system. Subsistence life IS their way of life, income and job availability is NOT like the big city. Most of the events portrayed on the show are SUPER hyped up and very dramatized, like all reality shows. I have been to Tanana several times, it is kind of a rough and tumble sort of place, rough around the edges. I spent a few days there in September while waiting for a flight and after talking with folks, the gist even amongst those that reside there is that they don't even like the show.

Personally, I think the show sucks. I watch it. I get a crack out of it, but very little is all that real, that's just my perspective. Out of the now 7? reality shows filmed in Alaska; each and every one shows a skewed perspective and leaves people thinking Alaskans are a bunch of morons. You have to watch them knowing ahead of time that most of it is amped up for ratings.

Yes, they hunt to put food on the table. Yes, they do depend on a good fish run. Yes, it is a lot of work. But again, it's dramatized.

Yukon Men
Gold Rush
Wild Alaska
Bering Sea Gold
Alaska State Troopers
Alaska: The Last Frontier
R5 Sons

Make that 8, Deadliest Catch. Which, however, I am a HUGE fan of. What you see is what you get!

 

[jherald]

The shows are entertaining but VERY over dramatized with unreal drama and hyped up a lot. Que the dramatic music and angry yell.

 

[OR Archer]

Well I stand corrected on the drama haha. I guess compared to other so called reality shows it seems to be less than those shows.

 

[dotman]

Hey these shows have zero drama compared to what my wife is watching tonight, makes women look evil, lol. The Bachelor, horrible show.

 

[bowuntr]

Forgot about Wild West Alaska and the other Taxidermy show... Ed F

 

[Floorguy]

And "mounted in Alaska" the taxidermy show

 

[fillthefreezer]

Hey these shows have zero drama compared to what my wife is watching tonight, makes women look evil, lol. The Bachelor, horrible show.

women are evil...

 

[focker34]

Parents briefly moved us up to Tanana. Lived there for all of 4 days before Mom called it off. I was real young but I recognize most of the buildings on the show. We settled in Southeast Alaska, I guess Mom thought it was a little more habitable.

Don't think much of the show, but it is fun to think "what if" we had stayed there.

 

[Daniel_M]

My experiences in Tanana haven't been too positive, perhaps my POV is skewed.