View Full Version : Survivorman Gone?
Les Stroud’s Survivorman show doesn’t seem to be on lately, it always seemed like a good show. Did it get dropped?
Bear Grylls’s Man Vs Wild is still on, but his show seems more about what not to do. Its more about Bear showing how much of a man he thinks he is then it is about survival in the wild. And I find it hard to watch.
He did not get out in 5 days got lost they still looking for him
He did not get out in 5 days got lost they still looking for him
That was funny!:banana
freefall
06-11-2008, 00:59
That was funny!:banana
He "found a Wii" and has been chasing "lions and tigers" for weeks thanks to Nintendo.
At Least Bear Grylls tells you he's being followed by a camera crew. Whooo hooo! Go Bear! Man vs Wild Rules!!!! Yeah!!1 Ok, where's my tent???
drastic_quench
06-11-2008, 01:26
I believe it's shown on The Science Channel now. From Wikipedia:
Currently, season three is under production. Northern Canada, Sierra Nevada (U.S.), Papua New Guinea, Madagascar are some of the confirmed locations. According to Survivorman newsletter, the Sierra Nevada episode is completed with filming as of May 17, 2008. Les wrote in his web log that Sierra Nevada episode is based upon a backpackers scenario, having to survive with only the few basic tools a backpacker presumably would carry; a tent, sleepingbag and a flashlight. Oh, and I couldn't tell if the previous poster was joking, but apart from his drop off and extraction, Stroud films completely on his own. His camera gear weighs about 50lbs. as well.
Frolicking Dinosaurs
06-11-2008, 05:06
Reality shows in general are not doing well and are dropping off the air on entertainment-type channels. Since Stroud does his own production work for Surviviorman and sells the finished product, his show likely does not enjoy the sort of contract protections (meaning unionized production staff contracts) that Man versus Wild would enjoy. I predict it will go away soon as well.
AlwaysHiking
06-11-2008, 05:15
Les is so much better than Bear.
Bear sleeps in hotels, he doesn't really always stay out overnight like he claims.
Remember the episode with the 'wild horse' he tried to catch and ride? Yep, a local rancher brought in the horse for the filming.
Les's show has less wow and more real world application. Bear is better known because he does have wow.
4eyedbuzzard
06-11-2008, 08:24
Les is so much better than Bear.
Bear sleeps in hotels, he doesn't really always stay out overnight like he claims.
Remember the episode with the 'wild horse' he tried to catch and ride? Yep, a local rancher brought in the horse for the filming.
Les's show has less wow and more real world application. Bear is better known because he does have wow.
If you, I, anyone was lost in wild, that Les guy would be handy to have around.
jersey joe
06-11-2008, 08:27
Les is very boring...I saw him talk for 5 straight minutes about how his feet were soggy. Bear does do a lot of stunts, like eating eyeballs and huge spiders, but he is much more entertaining.
The Cheat
06-11-2008, 09:18
Les is very boring...I saw him talk for 5 straight minutes about how his feet were soggy. Bear does do a lot of stunts, like eating eyeballs and huge spiders, but he is much more entertaining.
But, if you had issues in the 'wilds' it would probably be more likely due to soggy feet than the need to eat eyeballs and huge spiders. Les is real-world, Bear is entertainment.
AlwaysHiking
06-11-2008, 09:36
But, if you had issues in the 'wilds' it would probably be more likely due to soggy feet than the need to eat eyeballs and huge spiders. Les is real-world, Bear is entertainment.
Right on!
mark.k.watson
06-11-2008, 09:52
I saw it on two nights ago. It may have been a rerun. I think it was the outdoor channel or Vs. but I am not sure, but it was on.
drastic_quench
06-11-2008, 10:00
But, if you had issues in the 'wilds' it would probably be more likely due to soggy feet than the need to eat eyeballs and huge spiders. Les is real-world, Bear is entertainment.
Well said. Bear also has the odd habit of consistently running down mountains and steep gravel inclines. What purpose could that have other than entertainment. He'd be safer doing cartwheels.
cavedive2
06-11-2008, 10:10
Les is very boring...I saw him talk for 5 straight minutes about how his feet were soggy. Bear does do a lot of stunts, like eating eyeballs and huge spiders, but he is much more entertaining.
How many time's do we jump int the woods from 25ft in the air on a helicopter or how many time's do we jump out a plane with your hammock on your back into the woods. really does not show me anything I would need in the woods. now les stroud on the other hand has very good info that I would and could use in the woods and also if your break you bike on the trail you can use it to live off of for 7 day's
Bulldawg
06-11-2008, 10:18
I think I saw Les on the season finale of the Alaska show on Discovery channel last night. He had all the folks in a lodge talking about the experience. Maybe he has been off doing that show.
RITBlake
06-11-2008, 10:20
Reality shows in general are not doing well and are dropping off the air on entertainment-type channels.
Source??
actually bear's survival skills outmatch anyone posting here. so stop dissing him ok? he simply poses situations one may encounter and how to survive them. so what if he has some showmanship. so did the croc hunter. just b/c he's entertaining shouldn't take away from the fact that dude got skills
Always carry a deck of cards.
If you become lost, start playing solitaire.
Within ..oh 20 minutes, someone will come behind you and tell you what cards to play and where. You will no longer be lost and have made a friend!
A little survival tip.
doggiebag
06-11-2008, 11:46
Another survival tip:
I usually time my arrival at shelters early in the morning right after a weekend. There's a good chance the weekenders packed to much food and just leave things behind.
Lone Wolf
06-11-2008, 11:48
I usually time my arrival at shelters early in the morning right after a weekend. There's a good chance the weekenders packed to much food and just leave things behind.
that's what shelters are for. leaving stuff. like a big ass hiker box
naturejunkie
06-11-2008, 11:56
actually bear's survival skills outmatch anyone posting here. so stop dissing him ok?
Interesting assumption.
But, if you had issues in the 'wilds' it would probably be more likely due to soggy feet than the need to eat eyeballs and huge spiders. Les is real-world, Bear is entertainment.
Trust me, Bear is just as knowledgeable as Les, he is just 100 times more entertaining....GO BEAR
Bear may be just as skilled in outdoor survival, but that’s not what you see on his show. You see testosterone filled dangerous stunts.
He climes rock walls for seemingly no reason (for the entertainment value)
He jumps across a ravine (for the entertainment value)
He jumps out of a helicopter that’s 25 feet in the air into a stream (for the entertainment value)
And a lot of other dumb things that only a stupid person with a death wish would do (also for the entertainment value)
His show is about entertainment, not survival. If a person did what he did all the time you would end up dead or very seriously hurt.
The Cheat
06-11-2008, 13:15
Bear is entertaining, and I am not disrespecting his skills. I like Les because I learn stuff, I like Bear because it's fun. I really like his old shows where he had to edit in comments about his crew catching fish for him or bringing a butchered rabbit. We try to guess the new parts, comparing our memory for what was said previously.
And, I know full well it's called 'Man vs. Wild', not 'Man communes with Wild', or 'Man works well with, but not in an annoying way, Wild'. :D:D
Actually, that would be a cool show: 'Man negotiates a truce with, but reneges on his end of the deal, Wild'. That I would watch in a heartbeat.
Chance09
06-11-2008, 13:39
I think Les is twice the badass that Bear is. I mean in a survival situation calories are crucial right? Anyone disagree?
Carrying around 50 pounds of camera gear, setting it up, walking past it then walking back probably burns twice the amount of calories right? I'd say its comparable to ohhh i don't know :-? hiking the AT with a really heavy pack???
I think that simple fact is one of the most impressive.
Also in a survival situation having another person there ( like Bear does) has to be a HUGE morale booster. Even if they're not supposed to talk/help you just the presence of another human being has to be incredibly comforting.
I think one of the reason that Les spends "5 min talking about his feet" is because he is simply lonely after a week in the wild and at least he has something to talk to in the form of his camera.
But anyways to answer the original point of this post. I've noticed that when Man v. Wild is on survivor man is not. I feel like they rotate in the other show every month or so.
tlbj6142
06-11-2008, 13:41
Stroud films completely on his own. His camera gear weighs about 50lbs. as well.Which is one reason why I no longer watch it. I got tired of him whining about the 50# of camera gear he had to carry.
tlbj6142
06-11-2008, 13:52
Which is one reason why I no longer watch it. I got tired of him whining about the 50# of camera gear he had to carry.And he also turned me off in his 2nd or 3rd episode in which he had a fake broken arm (plane crash), but decided on day 4 it was too tough, so he removed his arm from the sling.
While Bear is the king of doing stupid things, Les does them as well (though not as often). Like the time he was living large (food, water, shelter, etc.) on some beach only to decide to hike into jungle where he had no food, water, shelter, couldn't make a fire and was attacked by bugs (ants??). Even he (les) admitted it was sort of stupid to leave the beach in the brief narration in the waning seconds of the episode.
I watch Bear once and Les 3-4 times before I stopped watching. Either I'm getting more picky or TV has just gone to h3ll the last few years.
Tennessee Viking
06-11-2008, 13:53
Bear is always backed up if something goes wrong. Les is on his own, and has walk much of his adventure twice, to setup the camera and to film him walking it. Les the man...
From what I hear, its just the season break for Survivorman. Love to see him do like the rugid section of the AT with a tarp, 2 matches, and a powerbar.
mnof1000v
06-11-2008, 13:58
I like Bear, but there is a lot about his show that is overly produced. It's good that he's now being honest about some details.
Les is definitely more authentic. I've actually spoken with him, and he's also a genuinely nice guy.
That said, both have a ton of survival knowledge to share. Bear has a special forces background, and spent some time as a combat survival instructor. Les spent a year living off the grid in the Boreal forests of northern Ontario. Say what you will about their shows, I don't think it's fair to question either person's credentials.
actually bear's survival skills outmatch anyone posting here. so stop dissing him ok? he simply poses situations one may encounter and how to survive them. so what if he has some showmanship. so did the croc hunter. just b/c he's entertaining shouldn't take away from the fact that dude got skills
But most of the stuff Bear does would be borderline suicidal if any of us non Special Forces vets attempted it in a survival situation. Climbing down a waterfall, swimming under the sticks blocking a river, rafting a river by holding his backpack, jumping off cliffs, climbing up cliffs, the list goes on! All of this stuff is dangerous and unnecessary. Why jump off a waterfall when you could just walk around? Sure it's entertaining, but it is stunts and not survival tactics that any sane person would use.
I’m not questioning either person's credentials, I’m sure they both know a lot more then I do or ever will. I just don’t like Bear’s reckless style, and the foolish stunts for the camera. Every show he seems to find a way to show how much of a man he is. In a survival situation, you don’t climb a shear rock wall that’s 150 foot tall when all you have to do is follow the river down to civilization. And pretty much all rivers lead to civilization.
The Cheat
06-11-2008, 14:45
I like Bear, but there is a lot about his show that is overly produced. It's good that he's now being honest about some details.
Les is definitely more authentic. I've actually spoken with him, and he's also a genuinely nice guy.
That said, both have a ton of survival knowledge to share. Bear has a special forces background, and spent some time as a combat survival instructor. Les spent a year living off the grid in the Boreal forests of northern Ontario. Say what you will about their shows, I don't think it's fair to question either person's credentials.
See? That's what proves Les is no showman. 'Man vs. Boreal forests' just doesn't have the right ring to it. :banana:banana:banana
AlwaysHiking
06-11-2008, 14:58
Always carry a deck of cards.
If you become lost, start playing solitaire.
Within ..oh 20 minutes, someone will come behind you and tell you what cards to play and where. You will no longer be lost and have made a friend!
A little survival tip.
I'm never friends with anyone who ruins a good game of solitaire! ;)
But most of the stuff Bear does would be borderline suicidal if any of us non Special Forces vets attempted it in a survival situation. Climbing down a waterfall, swimming under the sticks blocking a river, rafting a river by holding his backpack, jumping off cliffs, climbing up cliffs, the list goes on! All of this stuff is dangerous and unnecessary. Why jump off a waterfall when you could just walk around? Sure it's entertaining, but it is stunts and not survival tactics that any sane person would use.
I’m not questioning either person's credentials, I’m sure they both know a lot more then I do or ever will. I just don’t like Bear’s reckless style, and the foolish stunts for the camera. Every show he seems to find a way to show how much of a man he is. In a survival situation, you don’t climb a shear rock wall that’s 150 foot tall when all you have to do is follow the river down to civilization. And pretty much all rivers lead to civilization.
Bear reminds me sometimes of a teenage boy pulling stunts in front of a camera all for some YouTube fame.
I realize that entertainment gets viewers, viewer #'s sell ad spots, and ads put money in network's pockets, but sometimes Bear is over the top.
I still watch it though, but as far as useful knowledge, I'd rather watch Les.
And he also turned me off in his 2nd or 3rd episode in which he had a fake broken arm (plane crash), but decided on day 4 it was too tough, so he removed his arm from the sling.
While Bear is the king of doing stupid things, Les does them as well (though not as often). Like the time he was living large (food, water, shelter, etc.) on some beach only to decide to hike into jungle where he had no food, water, shelter, couldn't make a fire and was attacked by bugs (ants??). Even he (les) admitted it was sort of stupid to leave the beach in the brief narration in the waning seconds of the episode.
I watch Bear once and Les 3-4 times before I stopped watching. Either I'm getting more picky or TV has just gone to h3ll the last few years.
I actually thought it was appropriate to mimic a realist injury following a plane crash. Sure, he bailed on it, but he at least attempted it. That doesn't mean he's less of a man for it.
And, showing people what not to do is as beneficial as showing them what they should do. The bad choice to go into the jungle got it's point across to some people I'm sure.
Doughnut
06-11-2008, 16:10
Always carry a deck of cards.
If you become lost, start playing solitaire.
Within ..oh 20 minutes, someone will come behind you and tell you what cards to play and where. You will no longer be lost and have made a friend!
A little survival tip.
I was a pilot in Alaska, and we always said if you were lost or stranded on the ground, take out your gill net and throw it in a stream. The game Warden would be along directly to write a citation...
jersey joe
06-11-2008, 17:22
How many time's do we jump int the woods from 25ft in the air on a helicopter or how many time's do we jump out a plane with your hammock on your back into the woods. really does not show me anything I would need in the woods. now les stroud on the other hand has very good info that I would and could use in the woods and also if your break you bike on the trail you can use it to live off of for 7 day's
Despite bear's crazy stunts, he does give valuable information. The stunts keep him on the air and give him a bigger audience, which is more people that hear the good stuff, like follow rivers down stream to civilization, or how to recover from falling in ice. It is TV and TV is still entertainment, not just who has the better survivor skills. Don't forget, Bear climbed everest too!
the siberia episode when it was like -22 out in the day and he jumped into that frozen lake was crazy. often he just presents situations to show what to do "if..." - he shows survival skills in interesting fashion and is entertaining enough to keep me from flipping the channel, something les is not. his plant and animal/insect knowledge is sick as well. some of you people are just haters, honestly
Just remember, it is entertainment. :)
The beauty of television is you turn it off and pick up a book if you want. Tom Brown perhaps?
AlwaysHiking
06-11-2008, 17:48
his plant and animal/insect knowledge is sick as well. some of you people are just haters, honestly
Not hating... but I doubt he knows all that off the top of his head.
Chances are, he's got a crew of people who spend months researching these places before he goes in. They know ahead of time the types of creepy crawlies and flora native to the area. They give him the equivalent of 'study guides' and they also coach him during the filming. I'd also bet you he's got a laptop nearby full of research. He's admitted as much in a few of the episodes by talking about the 'experts' he's consulted. He's mentioned tribesmen and a few other 'locals'.
They also shoot in takes. I'm sure he does his damn best to get the 'eating bugs' scenes right the first take though! I know I would! :eek:
It's the same as shows with naturalists. They have research available during filming and don't always know everything off the top of their heads.
I'm not hating, there's nothing wrong at all with doing things that way, but he's learning all this stuff for the purpose of filming.
It's really truly a production. And again, there's nothing wrong with that, but Bear isn't likely a walking encyclopedia. Climbing Mt. Everest doesn't make him an expert on everything. :rolleyes:
i'm not saying that he's an expert on everything, but the way this thread was going it seemed that a lot of people here were more knowledgeable about such things than him - doubtful
also most 'backpackers' aren't experts on every piece of gear or nook and cranny of the AT. they have to consult guidebooks/maps/ and other data to give accurate info. so do doctors and vets. they often use laptops to get accurate info on hand. does that make them any less credible as you've done w/ bear?
mnof1000v
06-11-2008, 20:06
I don't know what Bear does for pre-show prep, but Les spends a few weeks with local experts before heading out on his week long adventures.
i think they are both good i watch them both allthe time even reruns on my tivo. these show are what got me into hiking. and yes they are different but good in there own respect. bears show is a guide and lesses show is a documentry. so i figure it is an obvinousnes that they are different.
cavedive2
06-11-2008, 21:08
For those who like and would like to know what's up here is a link
http://www.lesstroudonline.com/index.php
http://survivorman.ca/forum/
http://www.lesstroudonline.com/blog/
The Cheat
06-11-2008, 22:01
i'm not saying that he's an expert on everything, but the way this thread was going it seemed that a lot of people here were more knowledgeable about such things than him - doubtful
also most 'backpackers' aren't experts on every piece of gear or nook and cranny of the AT. they have to consult guidebooks/maps/ and other data to give accurate info. so do doctors and vets. they often use laptops to get accurate info on hand. does that make them any less credible as you've done w/ bear?
Ok, I like watching both of them, and I've said that before. Can't find in the thread where anybody said he wasn't credible.
I watch them both, like them both. :) They both know their stuff. :) I learn more from Les, get more entertained by Bear. :)
Hmm, "more from Les", awesome. :)
AlwaysHiking
06-11-2008, 22:10
i'm not saying that he's an expert on everything, but the way this thread was going it seemed that a lot of people here were more knowledgeable about such things than him - doubtful
also most 'backpackers' aren't experts on every piece of gear or nook and cranny of the AT. they have to consult guidebooks/maps/ and other data to give accurate info. so do doctors and vets. they often use laptops to get accurate info on hand. does that make them any less credible as you've done w/ bear?
Not a single person has claimed to be more knowledgeable than Bear. People are comparing styles between him and Les. No one's accusing him of being like the guys from Strange Wilderness! :p
I'm not discrediting Bear. You said his plant and animal/insect knowledge is sick. I just pointed out that his knowledge is rehearsed beforehand so it's not just a camera following him around and him spouting off his wisdom. He's an actor who happens to be a tough guy and an extreme athlete, he's got skills a lot of us combined couldn't match, but still, he's playing a role in every single episode. Doesn't mean he doesn't have real experience though.
The over production of Bear's show is what I don't care for. I still watch it because it is entertaining, and he ain't so bad to look at either ;-), but I don't like that he tries to pass stuff off as real when most of it is staged and scripted.
Les' show could very well be the same, but it doesn't come off that way. His show seems more realistic and less scripted/rehearsed.
It's about style and personal preference. My preference is for Les' style, even though he's not as cute as Bear!
Not a single person has claimed to be more knowledgeable than Bear. People are comparing styles between him and Les. No one's accusing him of being like the guys from Strange Wilderness! :p
reread the 1st page of this thread
mark.k.watson
06-11-2008, 22:30
It is on in 30 min. here. On SCI. repeat 2007 Alaska
The Cheat
06-11-2008, 22:34
reread the 1st page of this thread
Read it once more, that makes a third time. Still don't see it. I think the worst thing anybody said on the first page was me saying he was entertaining.
He is. That's what I like about his show.
:)
Bulldawg
06-11-2008, 22:36
Ya know who I like, Mike Rowe. I love those dirty jobs!!!
AlwaysHiking
06-11-2008, 22:37
reread the 1st page of this thread
Well, there's a lot of making fun of Les on that page as well. No one discrediting Bear, just stating facts about how he films. That's again style.
You can't deny he goes for theatrics, that's not a 'dis'.
Guess I'm just not reading into it like you are.
Wise Old Owl
06-11-2008, 22:38
that's what shelters are for. leaving stuff. like a big ass hiker box
Hey I am going to do a LW.....
Survivor... Boring... So unreal bunch of packsniffers ... go hang with 7 sistas!
Am I close?
The Cheat
06-11-2008, 22:39
Ya know who I like, Mike Rowe. I love those dirty jobs!!!
Mike Rowe rules. They need to drop him, Les, and Bear on a deserted island and let the two survivor dudes show him filthy things to do.
The Cheat
06-11-2008, 22:40
Hey I am going to do a LW.....
Survivor... Boring... So unreal bunch of packsniffers ... go hang with 7 sistas!
Am I close?
Too many words.
Try this:
"TV sucks!"
The Cheat
06-11-2008, 22:45
Well, there's a lot of making fun of Les on that page as well. No one discrediting Bear, just stating facts about how he films. That's again style.
You can't deny he goes for theatrics, that's not a 'dis'.
Guess I'm just not reading into it like you are.
I read it the same as AlwaysHiking.
AlwaysHiking
06-11-2008, 23:08
Mike Rowe rules. They need to drop him, Les, and Bear on a deserted island and let the two survivor dudes show him filthy things to do.
Don't think they could clear a family rating for a show like that! :eek:
Mind's in the gutter, must be time for bed.
I like les.
Theres a youtube video comparing the two shows, it cites bear showing you how to poison yourself drinking urine while les shows you the real way to use urine in the desert.
both are great entertainment either way, and bear does some amazing things as well.
cavedive2
06-11-2008, 23:22
Survivorman - Sierra Nevada
Day 2
Well, so far this survival ordeal in the Sierra Nevada has been a little easier on me than usual. For this first shoot of the season, I’m not far outside of the town of Oakhurst, California, somewhere in the bush, a short ways after crossing Willow Creek, a popular hiking trail. Due to an overwhelming amount of viewer requests to both ‘head out there with the same gear as a backpacker, angler or hunter would have,’ and to stay on the continent and show some survival techniques in the areas most of us go to, I am, in essence, simulating a backpacker in the Sierra Nevada.
No one’s allowed to film in parks here so I couldn’t get into the beautiful Yosemite, but I’m on its doorstep in equally beautiful cedar and pine woods, about a quarter mile from Willow Creek. There’s a fantastic view of the falls here called ‘Devil’s Slide. I have a tent and sleeping bag with me this time — the lap of luxury! It’s a huge advantage in that I don’t have to worry about making a shelter at night. But I set up the scenario for this show so that I would come out prepared for just an overnight — a regular backpacker, out for a night in the wilderness. I spent day one hiking in; day two was spent ‘getting lost.’ So now, into my second night, I have only one peanut butter cup and a small chunk of cheese left in terms of food. I’m out of water, and though I’m by a stream, they say to watch for Giardia (a parasite) in the water here. I had one flameless boil-in-the-bag meal container left, so I used it to boil water and make some pine tea — lots of vitamin C and nutritional sulphur. I have no matches, but I have a flashlight. I have all my usual camera gear so I have to make a survival base camp to see what the area offers me for survival. There are mountain lions around, and two days ago someone was mauled not that far from here. In fact, I had to move some deer bones left over from an old lion kill in order to set up my tent. There are also black bears and rattlesnakes, but it’s highly unlikely I’ll see any. I’m most worried about stumbling into poison oak, there’s tons of it here.
Thanks to the tent, I’ve finally been able to get a decent night’s sleep on a survival trek. But this time I have a surprise planned. On day six, I’m going to head deeper into the bush and on day seven, the local SAR (search and rescue) is going to try to find me. If they can’t, I’ll stay in another day to give them a second chance.
Day 3 – Morning
I’ve forgotten how vivid my dreams become when my stomach is empty. I’m able to be comfortable in the tent but the lack of food makes it so that I don’t sleep very deeply. The dreams come strong and clear. There should be some wild edibles I can find today.
Day 3 – Night
What a day. I harvested a lot of wild edibles today — for breakfast I found a big patch of miner’s lettuce. I hiked across the creek and foraged for wild onions, Manzanita flowers, pine buds and acorns. I actually found some original mortise holes — six holes in the rock made by natives 500 to 1000 years ago. I even found a pestle. So I guess I’m the first human in hundreds of years to actually grind acorns into flour in those holes. The flour is soaking overnight in an effort to leech out the tannins.
Fire! I took my flashlight, actually a headlamp, took off the lens, attached the wires and turned it on, with a cotton ball from my backpacker’s first aid kit nestled on top. It got hot enough to ignite the cotton and now I have fire!! Although, now it means getting up throughout the night to keep it going. Tomorrow I’ll hope to make some acorn cake and set some traps over where I saw some squirrel activity.
Day 4 – Night
This is probably a good time to write in my journal, seeing as how I’m stuck in my tent in a thunderstorm. I sure wasn’t ready for this — what a classic mistake! All that time to put away firewood and prepare for a storm and I got lulled into forgetfulness by the good weather and the fortune of having a tent. So now I’ve scrambled to put firewood and dry tinder under my tent vestibule and I put a big punky log on the fire in the hopes that it will protect it and keep it going. Now I sit and wait and hope that no monster branches come down on the tent in the storm; some of the ones above me would be big enough to kill me.
In spite of all that, today was a good day; I got lots done. I started out by cooking some acorn flour ash-cakes. They were great! I followed that with some harvested cambium bark from a pine tree and some miner’s lettuce. The afternoon was spent setting up several Piute deadfalls to try for squirrels and gathering some pitch wood for a torch.
Late in the day I tried to use my water bladder bag to boil water. Unfortunately, I ended up burning pinholes in it. I know it can work but I must have got it too close to the heat this time. So there goes my water-carrier. I still have two of the tin foil boil-in-a-bag pouches, but they won’t close tightly anymore. I gathered a few pine nuts, made a pitch wood torch, and that’s when the storm came. It’s really coming down now.
Day 6 – Night
Well, the storm on day four didn’t do much. Four hours of light rain and wind, not even enough to soak the ground through the pine needle duff. So, day five ended up being all about setting up another Piute deadfall, but no luck catching any squirrels so far. I also took the strings off my guitar and used them to set up a squirrel pole set of snares. I then buried the body of my guitar under the forest floor duff and duct-taped my empty Pringles chip container in the hole so that mice could get in after the bait of leftover peanut butter cup, but not out. I then gathered some snow plant and attempted to boil it in the boil-in-a-bag pouch. I never got a rolling boil by suspending it over the flames but it steamed enough to make a meal out of the snow plant.
Today I started something different, a surprise for the show. I left my primary base camp and hiked farther into the mountains. Tomorrow, the SAR is sending 35 crew in to see if they can find me.
The hike up the 1200 feet to the vista I am on now was tough but invigorating. Some of it is quite steep, so I had to get down on my belly to climb through the thick bush. Unfortunately, some of that thick bush was large patches of Manzanita trees. They’re beautiful trees but very strong and even though they have no thorns their twigs cut like razors. To make matters worse, they’re a favourite hangout of lime disease-bearing ticks. In some spots I was literally reduced to crawling on the forest floor to get through the tangle. But, as always, the view from the top was worth it. And tonight there is no moon so the stars will be amazing — an entire star field, without light pollution to minimize it.
I’ve taken a twenty-hour head start on the search and rescue teams to head deeper into the thick of it and give them a good challenge. Of course, that means that all my safety nets are gone. I’ve used my Spot device so that only my safety team can track me — but it would be impossible for them to hike to me safely during the night.
Day 7
During the first few hours of the day I continued deeper into the bush. At one point I found myself with a very slippery and fast-moving creek to cross. The slick rocks here claim a life every year so this is not the time, while I’m completely alone, to take chances. I spent a good deal of time trying to find a safe place to cross. In the process, the SAR helicopter flew overhead looking for me and I was unable to signal it through the trees. They are out looking for me with dogs, on horseback, on ATVs, in Jeeps, in a chopper and on foot. It’s about three hours into their search time so far and I’ve had no sign of them. I won’t hide from them, I’ll be fair, but I won’t make it easy for them either. The Sierra Nevada is pretty rugged bush in spots.
We’ll see.
Posted: May 21st, 2008 under Les' Journals from the Field (http://www.lesstroudonline.com/blog/?cat=1).
Tennessee Viking
06-12-2008, 00:02
We need a season of Survivor just between Bear and Les to see who the true wilderness man is.
Bear is a bit of the showman, and do anything for shock value. But Les is more the adventure guy.
But I am not going to venture into the backcountries like these guys do. But its a fun learn how to build a small survival shelter out of brush and limbs and how to use a rock for heat deflection when its burr cold.
i agree. both of them willingly put themselves in situations in places on earth i'd never even think about going to. no f'in way
The Cheat
06-12-2008, 05:54
Don't think they could clear a family rating for a show like that! :eek:
Mind's in the gutter, must be time for bed.
umm, eew
Jason of the Woods
06-12-2008, 07:45
Bear just looks for different ways to drink his pee. That's just not interesting to me. Les actually does things a bit more practical.
This is a minor gripe, but here goes,....I have only seen maybe two episodes of Man vs. Wild. I was watching the episode where he is trying to get out of "grizzly" country and he is, in my mind, sliding, nearly, out of control down a slope and then, a minute later, he is jumping, without investigating, into a creek?? Now, this, in my mind, is a wonderful way to break a limb, and putting yourself into a real jam. I can see that it is only entertainment, but what about our testosterone filled teenagers? They go around thinking this is the way to "survive" in the wild.
Survivorman feeds the head above the shoulder, the other feeds the one below the belt...Just my humble opinion.....
Incahiker
06-12-2008, 14:28
Both these shows are great, and my wife and I love watching both of them. Yes, Bear is more entertaining with his shock value - he's a nut!! Also I learn a lot of things from him. Though common sense will tell you when not to do the things he does. Like tying yourself up with vines from a tree as a harness and repelling down a waterfall about 200 feet. Thats when its fun to watch.
I think Les is also fun to watch, way more real though. Also, hes just out there by himself.
Everytime you see Les climbing a huge mountain about 500 feet away, remember that he has to go back down that mountain, get the camera he used for filming himself, and then go back up the mountain. He is always backtracking for shots. Thats gotta be grueling!
ScubaDooba
06-12-2008, 15:16
One of my peeves with Bear is that he likes to chew large squishy bugs with his mouth open, upclose to the camera. ewww
I like Les, he's a real nice guy. On his old forums (a couple years ago), he used to log on and answer questions. (i.e. there was an episode where at the end he was hitchhiking, and a car pulled over. He told us it was his wife.) :) You could even talk to him right before/after he would film. He even would post job openings to be on his crew. Too bad I lived in GA.
AlwaysHiking
06-12-2008, 15:21
Everytime you see Les climbing a huge mountain about 500 feet away, remember that he has to go back down that mountain, get the camera he used for filming himself, and then go back up the mountain. He is always backtracking for shots. Thats gotta be grueling!
I've read or heard somewhere that when he does those long shots sometimes he leaves cameras and his clean up crew comes behind him later to retrieve.
Another thing I've heard about both shows is their cleanup crews do a great job at restoring anything they've messed with.
Incahiker
06-12-2008, 15:32
I've read or heard somewhere that when he does those long shots sometimes he leaves cameras and his clean up crew comes behind him later to retrieve.
Another thing I've heard about both shows is their cleanup crews do a great job at restoring anything they've messed with.
Wow, if I was him I would MAKE my clean up crew get the camera. There was one shot where he walked completely around a lake. It looked like at least a 30-45 minute walk. The whole time I was like "Man, now hes gotta go back and get that camera."
Also, did you guys know that he makes all the music in the shows too. The opening theme music is him, and so is all the rest of the music in the shows. Les is the man.
mnof1000v
06-12-2008, 22:59
Les did an interview with a Boston radio station a couple months ago...
http://wrko.everyzing.com/viewMedia.jsp?dedupe=1&res=0&col=en-all-pod_wrko-ep&index=84&e=13642473&playIndex=78&il=en&num=6&start=79&q=economy&expand=true&match=none&filter=0
Bare Bear
06-13-2008, 00:21
When the TV moguls let the contestants kill and eat the other contestants to see who survives.....................that is a show I'll watch. Put 3000 felons on a aircraft carrier without a motor anchored 150 miles out in the Gulf.......last one gets a pardon.
mnof1000v
06-13-2008, 02:18
I think George Carlin had that idea years ago. :p
well i saw Les, cut himself , burn his wooden shelter down while sleeping in it,being next to water and starving,(he`s a vegetarian survivalist)...but what pissed me of the most was the episode in Alaska, when he had to walk 1 mile to get fresh water uphill, on rocks, and he finds a empty bottle on the shore of the lake , breaks it to show how to make a fishing hook from the shards... I mean DO-ooh just clean it and put water in it(don`t smash it). so Les is a nice guy but his a dumb a$$ survivalist.
double d
06-22-2008, 17:59
Gaga, Les is not a vegetarian, saw him eat a rattlesnake and turtle down in the swamps of Ga. I like it when he gets depressed and plays music, while Bear is a cheerleader, always smiling when he sleeps under the skin of some dead animal in -40 below weather.
oldfivetango
06-22-2008, 18:02
While we are on the subject of survival-I wonder just how many of the
regulars here have ever successfully made fire by friction.I would guess
that quite a few have.
But in any event I would be willing to wager that the anti-sheathknife
crowd would fare very well in a survival situation when the chips go down.
As for the survival shows,they are interesting but are more entertainment
than substance like most of the other reality programs.I dont have a preference
for either MvW or S-man.
Oldfivetango
notorius tic
06-22-2008, 18:08
Well said. Bear also has the odd habit of consistently running down mountains and steep gravel inclines. What purpose could that have other than entertainment. He'd be safer doing cartwheels.
NOw that was funny
Bulldawg
06-27-2008, 23:47
Les is on right now, I'm watching him eat lizards on Discovery channel!!
I think that some one watching survivor man, if in a survival situation, would fair better than one who watched man vs wild. In his early shows les did make some mistakes, but he would say what the mistake was. I've watched man vs wild wondering how he is alive. I remember one episode he drank water in the amazon without any method of purification and the next day he was vomiting and all that stuff. He has also drank urine saying that it rehydrates you, which it does the opposite. In one episode he ate raw zebra meat that he found and said it was good because vultures were eating it, and they never eat bad meat. He certainly would do much worse than les in a survival situation.
Oh, one more thing
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Proenneke
rusty075
07-06-2008, 01:55
Has anyone caught Les' special, "Off The Grid" on the Green Channel? The blurb from Les' site: "This new and captivating show will highlight Les' family's move to their 150 acre bush lot with solar power, rain harvesting systems, and many new technologies for living an energy-conscious and self-sustaining life. " It's really quite good. Kinda wish it was a weekly show and not just a one-off.
Oh, one more thing
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_ProennekeHe was definitely the real deal. Some cool info on Proenneke in this thread:http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=33330
Odd Thomas
07-06-2008, 05:33
When the TV moguls let the contestants kill and eat the other contestants to see who survives.....................that is a show I'll watch. Put 3000 felons on a aircraft carrier without a motor anchored 150 miles out in the Gulf.......last one gets a pardon.
Unfortunately, the last one standing would be the one least deserving of that pardon. ;)
It's the same as shows with naturalists. They have research available during filming and don't always know everything off the top of their heads.
The best example I've ever seen of this in action was one of Steve Irwin's episodes in Africa when he was bitten by the snake he was trying to catch. He caught the snake, it got him and he didn't know what kind it was.
With snake in hand he calmly walked over to the truck, got out his handy dandy African Snake ID guide and flipped pages comparing photos with the critter in his hand until he triumphantly declared, "Here it is!! Whew!! Not poisonous!!"
:banana
I read that book and saw the show on Richard Proenneke. Cool stuff. Those people on The Alaska Experiment can't hold a candle to him.
Wise Old Owl
07-06-2008, 10:54
This is a minor gripe, but here goes,....I have only seen maybe two episodes of Man vs. Wild. I was watching the episode where he is trying to get out of "grizzly" country and he is, in my mind, sliding, nearly, out of control down a slope and then, a minute later, he is jumping, without investigating, into a creek?? Now, this, in my mind, is a wonderful way to break a limb, and putting yourself into a real jam. I can see that it is only entertainment, but what about our testosterone filled teenagers? They go around thinking this is the way to "survive" in the wild.
Survivorman feeds the head above the shoulder, the other feeds the one below the belt...Just my humble opinion.....
Keep in mind it is highly edited for entertainment value, if you had seen all the shows,- I remember he pointed out that he jumped in once and broke something, leg etc. In another he could not see the bottom of the pool and made a measuring tape with a weight & vine to figure out the bottom.