Mears Gear

[PlaceKnives]

I was told that the Berhaus style pack Ray uses was made for him by a firm in Scotland.

 

[kel_aa]

Indeed, some of it has Mears carry so much equipment that it is hard to call it teaching a sole focus survival or bushcraft, who for example carries an ice auger into the woods on an extended hike.

He is not teaching survival skills in this series. He is helping you understand nature and it's natural resources. If you can only replicate what you have seen Ray Mears or Les Strous do, or any author wrote, then I think their deeper message would have been lost. Their sharing of knowledge provides a basis for you to adapt to your situation, to be innovative, to make the best choices you can, be generally confident in human ingenuity.

With the ice auger in Sweden wasn't he showcasing winter fishing? To the local population, having an ice auger might be just be a practical thing if you derive signifcant food from the river each winter. I would think most people don't make their knife or their ax, nor do they get it from the "village blacksmith", so they have to import those tools from outside their way of life. The auger is another of of those imports that I think is within the spirit his message, which to me is the additional persective to history and civilization from having a connection with the land.

 

[Temper]

Hi Folks,

I spoke with John "LOFTY" Wiseman just before Christmas last year, He calls him Ray "CHUBBY" Mears, who couldn't survive in a supermarket.

Well he probably could, if he had one of Loftys' books (which he does) but has Lofty got one of his, I doubt it!

S1

Sounds like sour grapes to me. We have clearly seen Ray's skill with tools and his knowledge of edible plants and the cooking of other food stuff. If he came out of a situation heavier than when he went in, well I think I would be more inclined to listen to him.

Being in the SAS does not really give one a superior knowledge of this subject. Ray is what mid 30's? He has been studying this for about 20+ years. Thats 5 college degrees worth of one subject. Another example is the obvious quality of the things he makes, compare that to Ron Hood. Granted Ron abides by the 'Nuff' principle (good enough, strong enough etc) but still, Mears skill with fashioning things is very interesting to watch.

 

[Cliff Stamp]

With the ice auger in Sweden wasn't he showcasing winter fishing?

While I do agree in general that you should not be just learning the exact methods illustrated, fishing without an auger is very different than with one, and I really see him at times being discontinuous with the Bushcraft idea that he generally describes as being able to make your tools, and then using methods which rely critically on specific tools, try making an auger or use an axe to cut through multiple feet of ice. Even if you can do it with an axe, just consider the energy drain vs the caloric reward.

Mears skill with fashioning things is very interesting to watch.

Indeed, the rotating fishing lure he carved was very intricate, I wish he had showed the full process, often times he skips a lot and you see the bare outline of a rough project and then a finished one. He seems quite capable to me on screen, though Superman flies on screen too. The only way to really know would be to spend some time with him in person. There really is a pretty big difference though between the Bushcraft and Survival camps and it isn't surprising if someone watched Mears in an episode where he literally has dozens of people with him and hundreds of pounds of gear including individual ration packs, a full stove (!), etc. . Somone teaching minimalist survival would really be shaking their head after watching that as it would not be survival to them but really well stocked camping.

-Cliff

 

[stuartyr]

Indeed, the rotating fishing lure he carved was very intricate, I wish he had showed the full process, often times he skips a lot and you see the bare outline of a rough project and then a finished one. He seems quite capable to me on screen, though Superman flies on screen too. The only way to really know would be to spend some time with him in person.

-Cliff

I'm pretty sure it wouldn't make commercial sense to have a 2 hour episode of Ray (or anyone for that matter) carving a fishing lure...... :foot:


As for the superman comment, well the same could be said for your reviews.... :yawn:

 

[Cliff Stamp]

I'm pretty sure it wouldn't make commercial sense to have a 2 hour episode of Ray (or anyone for that matter) carving a fishing lure...

I doubt it was a two hour process, but yes time constraints force decisions, I was just noting what I would like to see more of and wood carving is always something I was generally interested in, my grandfather was very proficient at it and I have many examples of it. I also like soapstone carvings local natives do and have a few of them as well. I discussed that subject with Mear's awhile back as noted in one of the other threads as I had questions about the birch bark canoe he made concerning exactly how it was done because a lot of the details were left out. Hopefully the DVD's would be more inclusive as there is little time constrants there and the viewer can easily skip to their interests.

-Cliff

 

[kel_aa]

Try making an auger or use an axe to cut through multiple feet of ice. Even if you can do it with an axe, just consider the energy drain vs the caloric reward.

But in a survival situation, who would feel it is a priorioty to make a auger? As for using the ax, they must decide what is best for themselves in their situation. What is wrong with letting them chop the ice a few times? I don't have any experience to be able to tell you how thick an icesheet is just from the season. Prehaps it might just be inches. If they feel they are making progress, they can continue. If they feel it is hopeless, they can try something else. I can understand saying no to potentially dangerous things, but I don't think one can offer any more than a review of possible the outcomes (of trying to reach the fish or not).

 

[Temper]

I don't have any experience to be able to tell you how thick an icesheet is just from the season. Prehaps it might just be inches. If they feel they are making progress, they can continue. If they feel it is hopeless, they can try something else. I can understand saying no to potentially dangerous things, but I don't think one can offer any more than a review of possible the outcomes (of trying to reach the fish or not).

I dont know either as I live in a relatively warm place, but if you read 'One Man's Wilderness' about a guy living in Alaska on his todd for 30 years he mentions ice thickness in the feet!

 

[kel_aa]

But it obviously doesn't go from zero ice cover to feet instantly. And in different geographies the maximum ice thickness may not reach feet. And would all of those thickness be the solid sort of ice? It is my impression some ice formations are easily fractured due whatever different physical property.

 

[Cliff Stamp]

But in a survival situation, who would feel it is a priorioty to make a auger?

No one, that was kind of the point, it isn't really survival or bushcraft with that kind of gear as the methods and goals are so different then.

What is wrong with letting them chop the ice a few times?

Because it is wasted time and energy and generally a survival situation isn't the best time to be trying out new and unexpeced techniques unless you don't know what else to do.

Prehaps it might just be inches.

You probably don't want to be out walking around on ice that is that thin on a large pond in the first place. It doesn't take much for it to get that thick that cutting it with an axe is a massive amount of work, and it doesn't even get that cold here compared to really far north (-20 to -30 C at max / dead air).

-Cliff

 

[horshur]

The Bushcraft shows I have seen are more inspirational then anything else. You all who wish to chop a hole in the ice with an axe can just go ahead because that is a good way to get in a wreck(you will get hot and wet)not a great survival method really.lol.
How many people actually know that fish can be caught under the ice of a river?it's a revelation really!
What I appreciated about that particular footage is his laugh. That is a fellow having a good time enjoying life.It don't get any better than that and in this politically correct BS age it was a breath of fresh air. Ice fishing is fun, the fish taste great, and the auger is by far the best way to put a hole in the ice.