Out Of The Wild:The Alaska Experiment

I'm no expert on survival or anything.. but the month I've spent reading this forum and watching youtube videos and I'm screaming at my tv "YOU EFFIN IDIOTS!":)

however, this show is my prayers answered.. it's the version of survivor I've always wanted.. drop a bunch of people off in the middle of nowhere, with no help.. you can leave any time you want, and last man standing wins.
 
I love the show but man the firestarter part drove me crazy...until the older lady showed him how to use it....
 
Planterz said:
Somehow, I'm thinking that the Discovery Channel is stacking the "subjects" in this "experiment".

With idiots.
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There is no doubt about this in my mind. And that is precisely why I won't be watching it. If I want to see idiots jeopardize their own lives, and often those of others, I need only get in the car and drive around.
 
I liked it ... what's the point of watching "true" survival experts surviving in Alaska ?
It's the average joe who has hardly a clue that makes for more interesting TV.
We can actually learn from their struggles & failures ... kind of makes sense to me.
Yeah watching that fella work with the mag bar was tough but I did find myself rooting for him.
 
This season is gonna be ok. the first episode, they got a mouse, everybody but one got a little peice. a buch of a$$holes. 1 member already left. sofar from what i seen a buch of im only here for me mentality. thats what gets you killed. thats why im not gonna watch this season. also i cant stand survivor. there no real leasons to learn. its all about lying and backstabbing.
America needs to be saved.
 
I like this concept over last season much better , I can not beleive the wises person of the group quit,I was like WTF ? I like there gun,is that a Savage model 24 ? 22lr over 410...the knife what was that,looked like a ole rusty pocket knife of sorts ? and a estwing ax
 
I do like the show, They make mistakes but the learn from them. I bet you the next time they would make fire it would take less time. At the end of the show they would talk the talk and walk the walk. It also shows how hard it is to catch food out there. Its not like Bear where he has food droped for him to find just when he needs it. What would be the point if you drop some guys that grow up in the area. Tell them hey i need you to walk from here to here. The show would be over in less then 4 days and you learn nothing what so ever as they would do everything right and fast. Cant wait for the second one.

Sasha
 
I was very dissapointed to see the woman drop out from the show, she seemed to be into it. It's sad to see how poorly people cope with outdoor survival, pathetic actually.

They need to take the Survivor CBS show to the north for a change, I would like to see them cope in a situation such as a mock aircrash, with part of a plane left for supplies and shelter for 39 days.
 
Bear Claw Chris Lappe said:
Yes actually, a writing instrument can.
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I am aware that it may be useful in limited circumstances, but my point was more 1) either you are well-prepared and have exercised judicious common sense (in which case it likely won't be needed); or 2) you are not prepared, have no common sense, and the highlighter will be of very limited value to anyone by the time you realize that you could have used it to help yourself survive. Sorry for being unclear or too subtle.

We now return to our regularly scheduled programming. :)
 
on_the_edge said:
I am aware that it may be useful in limited circumstances, but my point was more 1) either you are well-prepared and have exercised judicious common sense (in which case it likely won't be needed); or 2) you are not prepared, have no common sense, and the highlighter will be of very limited value to anyone by the time you realize that you could have used it to help yourself survive. Sorry for being unclear or too subtle.

We now return to our regularly scheduled programming. :)
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Yep. It also occurred to me, that he is teaching at the time, so it may have just been hanging there due to that, maybe scoring them???

Anyone catch what small neck knife he was wearing? In one of hte other videos, he batons with it.
 
I watched the first episode, and thought it was pretty good. Newby firestarting, camp-making, burning your boots next to the fire when trying to dry them, packing 60 lbs of equipment when 20 would do, taking a stupid shortcut over a large hill rather than going around it, etc. Does have a slight flavor of that survivor show that the naked gay guy won a few years ago (whatever it was called), but it beats watching just about anything on network tv.
 
Thought I would throw in my two cents... I caught parts of the show. It strikes me odd that people use the edge of a knife to get a fire going. But, too many people on Youtube try and show how to start a fire, and do it that way. Sooner or later people will catch on.
Even thought these people haven't a clue, it is more of a real life scenario than most shows. If a plane goes down with a bunch of tourists, not all of them are going to be experts, or even at the level most of us that practice often are. It is interesting to watch human behavior in a real life drama. It takes some balls to be out there in the Alaskan bush, I give them credit for that.
Like Sasha said, they will be able to do all of this much better by the time they leave. Something to keep in mind: people that surf the web and watch how to videos are learning, but I guarantee that if we threw them out into the wilderness they too would struggle to get a fire going with only the supplies they have on the show. It is pretty easy to know theory and to even mimic it in your backyard, but most of you that are truly knowledgeable would agree, it is nothing like the real thing. Go out into the woods with a knife and a metal match and 100' of paracord and camp out for two or three days.
This show has a load of valuable knowledge. Like someone else said, learn from their mistakes. It is certainly better for you than watching bear in man vs. wild, he shows his way of doing things which are reckless and could potentially be life threatening. He only does it because it adds excitement for the viewers who don't know better. I had a conversation with two friends a couple of weeks ago, they both thought he is the master. He may be the master if you take a camera away from him. He wont take the unnecessary risks...
Sorry for being long winded...
 
Ok, I watched this show last night also, and just about fell out of my chair when they began introducing people in the beginning. One of the woman on the show is a nearby neighbor of mine!! WTF?!! She drives a school bus daily here and is a nice enough person. I'm going to ask her how they picked her for this show, where she signed up,etc. It blew my mind to be sitting there watching only to have her pop on the screen with the announcer saying," blah, blah, blah is a middle aged woman from Middletown NJ who drives a school bus" I literally blew water out of my nose all over my coffee table!!

The other person (Dan Rac) is a local cop from Brick NJ not far from me either. I'll have to see about finding, and asking him some questions too. I can't believe 2 people that live in such close proximity to me got picked for the show?! I must trully live in the Land of Idiots! (yes, it's true...can't wait to move out of this state).

The older woman seemed like a complainer from the get go, regardless of her 'experience'. I'd rather be in camp or on a trip with someone who knows less, and is'nt a PITA, than a more experienced person. Believe it or not, a person's composure in camp makes quite a bit of difference in your ability to 'survive' most anything IME/O.

As far as the black guy went, I give him credit for recognizing a learning situation when he saw one. He is paying attention because he knows he needs to, unlike some of the others.

What's up with Mr fishing guide from WS?! Seems a bit out of touch for someone who's a 'guide' in WS. I've hiked, backpacked and camped a whole lot in WS and have no doubt there is a bit of similiarity to the AK Bush IME/O.
 
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It is pretty easy to know theory and to even mimic it in your backyard, but most of you that are truly knowledgeable would agree, it is nothing like the real thing. Go out into the woods with a knife and a metal match and 100' of paracord and camp out for two or three days.

Quite true, and I did just this last Fall. Only problem was I contracted a very bad case of Lyme Disease which has cost me dearly, both physically and financially. That is another aspect of being in the wilderness that some people fail to heed. Hard to show just how crippled you can become from Lyme Disease. Trust me, you do not want to contract Lyme Disease or anything else when in the Bush. I am just now, 8 months later getting around without meds, and still feel the pain.

Lyme Disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, West Nile Virus, Dengue Fever...all just a taste of what you can contract by tick and mosquito vectors in the field.
 
1Tracker, Sorry to hear about your misfortunes while in great outdoors. I was watching another show that was on at the same time as the Alaska show last night, (flipping back and forth) and a guy from Australia got trapped under a huge boulder while on a multi day backpacking trip. The rock landed on his legs and his friend was helpless against the weight of the rock. He was trapped under it for a few days before finally being saved. Later he had both legs amputated.
It is unfortunate, the things that draw us into the wild areas of our great outdoors can kill or injure us at any moment. I prefer it this way though, otherwise the wilderness would be crowded with people that otherwise stay away from our back country because of fear. Isn't that what calls all of us to the outdoors? The adventure? We all know the dangers that could face us at any turn, flash floods, lightening, animals, insects, and a thousand other things that can alter our lives. But in the end, we still face up to those risks because we are adventurist and we aren't happy unless we spend the time in the outdoors where the only certainty is that there is no certainty.
Always go prepared and enjoy your time spent with friends and family because it could be anything that gets you. I will take my chances in the outdoors, it's a lot safer than driving in Portland with all those hippies.
 
Yes, OKG, my point was that it is the things one might not pay much attention to in the Bush that could be their demise. Lucky for me that I am recovering due to a number of different treatment options that I've undertaken. After 30+ years in the outdoors, and being well aware of ticks, and mosquitoes as disease vectors, one got me. I never suspected anything until I saw the rash in a mirror under my arm. Sucked to be me for the past 9 months!! The meds really screwed up my system, and I'm still trying to get my gut back in order.

Does'nt matter how much bug juice you coat yourself in; when you're in the Bush and you run out, good luck to you. Even with bug juice on, once something such as a tick gets on your back; you may not notice it until it's had it's meal and fallen off. Then it's too late you've either gotten a dose of very nasty disease or not, it's a roulette wheel you don't want your number coming up on. As diligent as I was checking myself for ticks, I still missed one...that's all it took.
 
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