Man vs Wild

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silverbullets

silverbullets

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I posted this on another forum but thought it would be fitting here because of the nature of RAT Cutlery, anyway I am curious to hear your thoughts.
Okay, how many of you guys watch this show and what are your thoughts on it and Bear and more importantly what is his screen name here. To me it seems like a really entertaining show, he seems to be the real deal as far as survival goes...... thoughts....
 
I like the show, but its pure entertainment. The point of the show is to generate ad revenue for the network, not to teach survival skills. Many seem not to recognize that. As I have brilliantly noted before, Its just a tv show. And Jack Bauer doesn't really defuse nuclear bombs with his teeth, either. :)

I much preferred Les Stroud, but alas he his gone.

 
I think Bear's antics are more for entertainment than for education. Unless you look at his actions as "don't do what I just did" scenario. I think Bear has skills and knows how to survive, but his actions are too over the top.
 
silverbullets said:
... he seems to be the real deal as far as survival goes...... thoughts....
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:: Pats SB on the head:: Then you have a lot to learn, my boy...;)

BG's show is pure entertainment. There's nothing educational in it (well, there might be, but I can never stomach it long enough to find out). It's like Fear Factor for Discovery. I'm not knocking BG, I wish him all the luck in the world and I hope he doesn't manage to get himself perished (though at the rate he's going...stay tuned). Atleast it isn't American Idol...

If you really want good survival information, check out people like John McCann, Ron Hood over at www.hoodswoods.net, Chris Nyerges, John and Geri McPhereson, Cody Lundin or check your area for bushcraft schools or survival courses...

Once you learn from somebody who actually knows what they're doing, the next time you watch BG's show your jaw will drop at the sheer stupidity of some of the stuff he does.
 
KEmSAT-Survival said:
:: Pats SB on the head:: Then you have a lot to learn, my boy...;)

BG's show is pure entertainment. There's nothing educational in it (well, there might be, but I can never stomach it long enough to find out). It's like Fear Factor for Discovery. I'm not knocking BG, I wish him all the luck in the world and I hope he doesn't manage to get himself perished (though at the rate he's going...stay tuned). Atleast it isn't American Idol...

If you really want good survival information, check out people like John McCann, Ron Hood over at www.hoodswoods.net, Chris Nyerges, John and Geri McPhereson, Cody Lundin or check your area for bushcraft schools or survival courses...

Once you learn from somebody who actually knows what they're doing, the next time you watch BG's show your jaw will drop at the sheer stupidity of some of the stuff he does.
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I never said they didn't dress the show up for entertainment, I just said that he seemed like he knew what he was doing and was the real deal not just a hollywood actor. Whether or not he carries on for entertainment purposes or not is a different story all together. :confused:
 
I love the show, very entertaining.
I think he probably does know survival -- from more of a military perspective (rather than the others mentioned which come from more of a woodsman type perspective).

BUT, I think most of what he shows (versus what he knows) is for entertainment value, and I wouldn't do most of it (like pissing in a snake skin and then drink it) unless I ABSOFREAKINGLUTELY HAD TO, and then, I might just rather die (elephant poop kool-aid comes to mind).
 
silverbullets said:
I never said they didn't dress the show up for entertainment, I just said that he seemed like he knew what he was doing and was the real deal not just a hollywood actor. Whether or not he carries on for entertainment purposes or not is a different story all together. :confused:
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No it isn't. If he was the "real deal", as you said, he'd know better than to do the stuff he does (jumping from cliffs into raging, freezing water. eating caterpillars, raw fish, live snakes...etc). Anybody who knows anything about survival tech, especially those of us who instruct it will tell you how dangerous it is to eat raw and wriggling animals (how do like your parasites: extra rare or rare?) Not to mention that you can live quite a few days without food before it becomes a big enough a concern that you decide to chow down on deer carcass in the snow.
Another thing that proves to me that he doesn't know shit from shinola: Elephant. Turd. Water.
He climbs sheer faces and then acts like he's giving practical advice, when IRL that kind of skill takes quite a bit of work to be able to do well. It's a lot more than just keeping three points of contact at all times.
Another thing that will show he's an over-hyped stuntman: he batoned a folder (knife) with A ROCK.

If he knows anything, he knows enough to be dangerous. That's about it.
Alot of his "fans" make the excuse for him that he does that stuff to show you what not to do, or what to do if you must face that situation--which is bullshit. If you use your head you won't have to face those situations. BG forgets the most important tool everytime he goes out his front door: his brain.
 
KEmSAT-Survival said:
No it isn't. If he was the "real deal", as you said, he'd know better than to do the stuff he does (jumping from cliffs into raging, freezing water. eating caterpillars, raw fish, live snakes...etc). Anybody who knows anything about survival tech, especially those of us who instruct it will tell you how dangerous it is to eat raw and wriggling animals (how do like your parasites: extra rare or rare?) Not to mention that you can live quite a few days without food before it becomes a big enough a concern that you decide to chow down on deer carcass in the snow.
Another thing that proves to me that he doesn't know shit from shinola: Elephant. Turd. Water.
He climbs sheer faces and then acts like he's giving practical advice, when IRL that kind of skill takes quite a bit of work to be able to do well. It's a lot more than just keeping three points of contact at all times.
Another thing that will show he's an over-hyped stuntman: he batoned a folder (knife) with A ROCK.

If he knows anything, he knows enough to be dangerous. That's about it.
Alot of his "fans" make the excuse for him that he does that stuff to show you what not to do, or what to do if you must face that situation--which is bullshit. If you use your head you won't have to face those situations. BG forgets the most important tool everytime he goes out his front door: his brain.
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I didn't think Bear carried a folder I thought it was one of these
http://www.bayleyknife.com/site/bear.aspx
I didn't ask this to start a fight or get patted on the head by a survival guru such as yourself I wanted an opinion not a patronizing pat on the head give me a break :jerkit: I guess all forums have their know it alls..... :rolleyes:
 
I also think he knows how to survive in a real situation if he had to. I also think his show is purely for entertainment value rather than survival education.

And the knives he uses are ridicioulsy over priced.
 
You asked for opinions. I gave you mine.
I'm not a survival "guru". But I do teach people and I get this same question in almost every class from somebody (in case you're wondering: I teach boyscouts, privately and this spring I start working with the American Red Cross).
I'm not trying to fight with you, if that's how it reads then I appologize because that is not my intention.
I've seen many of BG's shows and I've never seen him carry the "Baileyknife". I've seen him carry what looks like a version of Ontario's Airforce Survival Knife, a Gerber Gator and a Buck Knife.

But really, how much can a guy know when he goes into a cave that floods with water at certain points of the month, or into an "ice cave" that could shift and kill him at any moment?
If anything I'd take him out of the "survival" category and put him in the "adventure" category and then stop having him try to give nuggets of wisdom that will only get people hurt. But what do I know? I'm not the guy with the tv series...
 
I just watch it to see what disgusting thing he'll eat next.:D

I take his show with a grain of salt for the most part.

I've gained a lot more useful information from Survivorman(Les Stroud)
 
sorry I read your post wrong, I retract my comments. To me it is obviously glorified, but I guess I was wondering how true some of the things he says are. For instance, if it is a life or death situation would it benefit a person to eat the bone marrow out of a deer carcus, if it would then there is "some" merrit to it. Is the water/fluid on the inside of a vine or stuff that drips in a cave safe to drink, if it is then again there is merrit. Granted, how many of us are going to find ourselves in a situation where we are stranded in the Amazon or on the polar ice caps, not too many I would guess and that makes for the entertainment portion of it. Again sorry I jumped on you ;)
 
As fakey and choreographed that the show is ("woah, I fell into quicksand!"), "Bear" could certainly survive longer in harsh environs than the average person, and he can climb a tree like a monkey.

More important - never trust anyone who names their child Marmaduke. Link.

:barf:
 
Oooh see, now you're talkin' my language!!
Every survival situation is life or death. Eating the bone marrow of a deer carcass is a bad idea. Especially if you don't know how long it has been lying where it has. Obviously if you're in a place where it stays cold enough year round that it wouldn't hurt, then you probably could. At that point it's a judgement call (how long have you been without food, how long has the deer been dead, how long has it been cold enough to "keep meat", what has fed off the deer, what killed the deer...etc...)
I'd be more concerned about shelter, fire and water before food. Exposure & Dehydration will kill you long before starvation.
If you must eat any kind of meat you find, then cook it. Don't eat it raw. Cooking kills parasites and germs, and the last thing you want in a survival situation is bad guts...some parasites can even kill you.
Water vines are good sources of water, but at certain times of the year they can go dry. The best way to get water from one of them is to cut it as low as you can, then as high as you can (safely...remember, you're using a knife). let some of the water run into your hand, if it's milky or foul smelling don't drink it. Other than that...drink away it's some of the best tasting water you'll ever find.
Treat all sources of ground water as though they're dangerous. Boil any water that comes from the ground. Remember, whatever is in the dirt, will be in your water. If you drink water from a cave with a high deposit of alkaline then your water will have the same.
If you have to drink water from a pool in a cave (though why on Earth you'd do that is beyond me. Just walk downhill to the lowest point, you'll find water..even if it's only a sip)--smell it, try to look around the cave for animal remains or signs that something might contaminate it, then boil it anyway.

Water in the form of precipitation (snow, ice, rain, dew, sleet, condensation) is the only form of water that is remotely safe enough to drink without boiling. And never, never, ever, ever, f--king ever, drink your urine.

Don't worry about it. Sometimes I come off as an asshole (which I am...but spending four years of your life at a prison, working with the scum of the country will do that to you...)
 
I have seen BG carry and use the Bailey knife on a number of episodes. However, he often uses a large folder. I'm not sure what knife he was using when he decided to baton into a tree trunk using a large chunk of granite but it made me literally squirm in my seat and look away.

Anyway, I love the show because of the hilarious abuse he voluntarily puts himself through. I never get tired of seeing him dig into an old rotting carcasse that's blown with maggots in order to get to the "good parts" to eat raw. And who can forget fresh pachyderm squeezins. mmmm! I always feel sorry for the poor bastards holding the heavy camera who have to follow him off a cliff into 33f. water or into an unstable glacial cave. One thing I find amusing is that in the closing credits, BG is listed as the presenter. After his name scrolls by, the credits list several survival expert advisors. Bear's name is not in that list.
 
KEmSAT-Survival said:
No it isn't. If he was the "real deal", as you said, he'd know better than to do the stuff he does (jumping from cliffs into raging, freezing water. eating caterpillars, raw fish, live snakes...etc).
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You know, you cite Ron Hood and then bang on someone else for eating raw fish in the field. Apparently you have not viewed all of Ron's DVDs. :D

I have never viewed one episode of this goofball's show and probably never will, I can get dead well enough on my own. I have heard enough about him and have the common sense to realize that Bear Gryll's, even though he might be former British Special Air Service (I don't know and don't care), is just in it for the money and it's just infotainment, at best, and just bullshit at the worst.

The one thing that is nice about Les Stroud, for example, is there is no hyped up Ninja bullshit about his past, he was in the music industry and it just goes to show that you don't have to create the whole Ninja mystique about yourself in order to know what you are doing.

And Les Stroud did some stupid shit on his show as well. Looking at a mushroom and then saying he's not sure if it's edible or not so he eats the damned thing.

Even the "experts" start bellyaching about mushrooms and other stuff, you know, like nightshade, right? ;)
 
powernoodle said:
And Jack Bauer doesn't really defuse nuclear bombs with his teeth, either.
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What's more disturbing is asshole talk show hosts and politicians who cite Jack Bauer antics and think there should be national policies along the same vein, for shit's sake. The inmates are running the asylum.

I much preferred Les Stroud, but alas he his gone.
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I think Les should come back and do reviews of gear in the wilds, that would alleviate his problem of starving and dehydrating himself as a major reason why he is (justifiably) ending his show.
 
troutfisher13111 said:
This is stupid
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Hey I just recently discovered the show and know there is a lot of survivalist types here, especially on the RAT site and wanted to know what their thoughts were on it since I have not seen anyone post about it before. Makes for an interesting discussion
 
Don Rearic said:
You know, you cite Ron Hood and then bang on someone else for eating raw fish in the field. Apparently you have not viewed all of Ron's DVDs. :D

I have never viewed one episode of this goofball's show and probably never will, I can get dead well enough on my own. I have heard enough about him and have the common sense to realize that Bear Gryll's, even though he might be former British Special Air Service (I don't know and don't care), is just in it for the money and it's just infotainment, at best, and just bullshit at the worst.

The one thing that is nice about Les Stroud, for example, is there is no hyped up Ninja bullshit about his past, he was in the music industry and it just goes to show that you don't have to create the whole Ninja mystique about yourself in order to know what you are doing.

And Les Stroud did some stupid shit on his show as well. Looking at a mushroom and then saying he's not sure if it's edible or not so he eats the damned thing.

Even the "experts" start bellyaching about mushrooms and other stuff, you know, like nightshade, right? ;)
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Hi Don!
Nope, I haven't seen all of Ron's vids. I only own a few (I don't want/need some of them, hence I don't buy them. I wish Cody Lundin or the McPheresons would do a video series...especially the McPheresons).
Yeah, about the raw fish thing...that one may just be my preference (I don't like any kind of raw meat and I don't like taking chances with it...know what I mean? If I had to I could eat it...but if I have a choice I'm cookin' that motherf--ker)
Oh God...mushrooms and nightshade (if it's poison, it's poison...I don't play with it! That said, some folks do, it's like Poke...I've eaten it my entire life and love it...but there are books that will tell you it's poison and to stay away from it...)...simple rule of thumb for me: If I can't identify it...I don't eat it. PERIOD.
I don't know shit about mushrooms, I'd like to learn them...but I won't debate with somebody when I don't know the subject.

That said, good to speak to you again...haven't seen you around the Hoodlums forum any. I've been lurking around here for a little while ( I created this account recently after my other got banned, but then that was right about the time my other puter got hacked, not to mention I browsed this site while I was bored at work sometimes and I'm not the only cat who uses this computer...so I'm just thankful to be able to get back in! I am curious as to what happened though...not that I'm that worried about it...sometimes my curiosity gets the better of me!)

Nightshade is one of those things that is best left for the "experts", I think...as for me....I'm staying away from it and I'm teaching the same edict.
 
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