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Thread: How Surival Turns Deadly - It's Not a Game.

  1. #81

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    Common sense isn't something that can be taught in books or on TV. It requires critical thinking and chances to make mistakes. I'm sad this happened and sorry for the family and other relations. RIP, man. On the bright side, I'm glad he went out doing what he loved.


  2. #82
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    Wow, this is right around my area. I feel bad for him, this area can get pretty strange weather. One minute its warm, the next you have a torrential downpour with high winds and it's not even winter yet!

    I'm hoping by next year at around this time I'll be ready to try something like this also but I'm still taking ALL my gear - just in case If you have it why not bring it right?

  3. #83
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    I understand your desire to try something like this, but I strongly encourage you to get a few years under your belt before heading off into the wilderness. Many of us have been practicing outdoor skills since we were itty-bitty babies. From what I understand you guys are just starting out.
    In an environment as harsh and unforgiving as your area, I would definately be certain I could meet all of my needs before heading out. Just like the title says, "It's not a game!"
    How are you doing with the firemaking? A little knowledge boosts your confidence. I find that the more I learn, the more I need to learn, Every time I learn a new trick or skill, I find that my path branches. That usually levels me back out.
    Don't get out there, miles from anywhere, without the proper buffers in place. Skills gear, and knowledge will get you back home. Overconfidence and ignorance likely won't, as we see in this example.
    If you have it.. bring it! Better to have it and not need it, than the opposite
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  4. #84
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    Quote Originally Posted by your_comforting_company View Post
    I understand your desire to try something like this, but I strongly encourage you to get a few years under your belt before heading off into the wilderness.
    Oh no, I think you misunderstood. NO WAY I would just go without anything..I was just talking about 'regular' camping with all the gear and just trying to do things without it if possible but still having everything with us - Not to worry, I'm new, not stupid :P

  5. #85

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    I think the story should have mentioned the circumstances of his death.
    My guess is that he fell into the water and got soaked while fishing.Lost his way back to the shelter where all his supplies were(including fire making).Also,even though the cause of death was hypothermia.He could have suffered an injury or even a stroke before that caused death.
    I for one would like to know exactly what happened.

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  7. #87
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    Quote Originally Posted by your_comforting_company View Post
    where does the accountability fall? on himself? on Les? On the Landlady?

    It's sad and people really need to get this out of their heads.. come on.. right now they are saying he died of hypothermia? that's what happens if you refuse to take backup gear. preparation, and location...
    At least he was old enough to make his own decisions, but that sounds like hockey to me. hypothermia. I'd like more details too.
    How can the responsibility lie anywhere other than himself? He read up to gain knowledge, and was practicing his skills not for the first time. Much I am sure as many of us do. However, survival situations are dangerous and an accident can kill you. Same with canoeing, rockclimbing, hunting, fishing, ...

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    I haven't read this whole thread but I personally didn't like that news article on the first post.

    To me it made it seem like it was hinting the cause of blame on Les Stroud's Survivorman. The guy was 41 and clearly made his own decisions in life. A show can influence you, but it can't make you do something. And it even said he had experience.

    And I'm sorry but I laugh out loud to saying the show is so much for 'entertainment' purposes. Yeah... the guy is sitting there cold and miserable telling you how lonely he is. Compare that to a guy pole vaulting down a rock cliff with a stick.

  9. #89

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    I am new to this i have been in the woods quite abit hunting fishing but about going out in that type of weather I just do not have the knowledge to go by myself i have been reading this forum for about three weeks i like what i have read so far i do feel for his family I will keep reading and practicing what Ihave learned from all of you thank you for sharing

  10. #90
    Senior Member Phaedrus's Avatar
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    The thing that should scare us all a bit was the list of his gear; he carried most of the stuff that we all advocate having in our survival kits. I'm not sure just what went wrong but I did read elsewhere that he suffered from CFS (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome). When experiencing a particularly bad episode just sitting up can be difficult, much less making shelter and fire or obtaining food and water. And once hypothermia sets in, it can be very dangerous to be alone. You're mental processes can spiral downhill pretty quickly, making simple tasks nearly impossible. Did he attempt to deploy his space blanket or did he even realize he was in trouble? He had a lighter & matches as well as an axe and multitool- in the middle of a forest! Was he unprepared to make fire or just too weakened by the cold and his CFS?

    We will probably never know but it's sobering to realize that he was a pretty experienced outdoorsman, carrying what we would probably have...yet didn't survive.

    Oh, BTW: Yeah, the article did kind of suck. They did repeated mention Stroud in a way that somehow implied he had some culpability. Bullpuckey! Les really keeps it real shows just how miserable a survival situation can actually be. Bear is much more likely to get someone killed than Les. Still, ultimately the viewer has to own their actions.
    Last edited by Phaedrus; 08-15-2011 at 04:12 AM.

  11. #91
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    I dont blame the TV shows. To me that's silly. What I dont like about them is that they dont stress the point that surviving is NOT living. That you just are not going to run into the wilds with your Mora and 100' of para cord and live like a king. Sure, use the natives and mountain men as an example, but the truth is, they starved, were cold, and died allot. This is a sad story. The fellow should have read the disclaimer that discovery puts on before the shows.

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    What's bad is I have friends that want to try this kind of stuff, of course I discourage it, it'll be a year or two before I try anything over 3 days. They are also the kind of people that skip the navigation and first aid section in a book and go straight to the hunting and skinning section.
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  13. #93
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    Yet again an unplanned detour turns deadly........82 year old women dies trying to hike out of the forest.....86 years old husband did survive.
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    Administrator Rick's Avatar
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    That's too bad. Sometimes you do have to stop at the gas station for directions. Hope he recovers okay.
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    Well you just have to know your limitations, and that is the responsibility of each individual that decides to learn anything, from survival to riding motorcycles. So when a beginner decides to push himself beyong his skill level, he must be wiling to face the consequences.
    I have seen kids buy a new sportsbike, and by the 2nd day trying to do wheelies, riding 160mph, and talking and acting like they have been riding their entire life. and a lot of them die instantly as a result.
    So it's not just survival that gets people in trouble, it is human nature. We all want to beleive that we can master a skill without adequate experience, but some of us know and understand our limitations. The ones that dont, either luck out or die!

  16. #96
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    Well you can talk till you are blue in the face these days,people just don't listen and they think if a guy on tv does it I can do it better.Well the sad fact is is that even if someone would have said stop you would probably just have gotten the finger and a few choice words.SURVIVAL is no joke and is not playtime.I in my USMC days took all of the survival courses and they let you know you are only one step away from death,it only takes one mis-step and you are done.That is why most of those shows say don't try this at home,because you shouldn't.It's good to practice technique and learn all you can but save survival for what it is, survival.Don't put yourself or another(rescuers) in bad situations where someone could die just for self gratifacation,it is not worth it.I have been in real survival situations before and training works just fine,if you know what to do and keep your head you have a chance.

  17. #97
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    Hey!!!

    I stayed out of this one for two years and 5 pages of posts!!

    How did that happen?

    Must I remind everyone here that survival is a verb, not a noun.

    Survival is something one accomplishes, not something that sneeks up and jumps on you or runs away laughing at your death.

    Death is the result of NOT surviving, it is not the result of survival.

    Survival is not a skill, it is the result of the use of a skill set. One hones that skill set while hoping to never need it. One practices the skill set under safe and controlled conditions as an alternate use of tools and knowledge.

    One does not place himself in a position where the skill set is necessary on purpose, as in "I am going out to survive in the wilderness" or "I am going out to practice my survival." That would indicate that one is purposely placing oneself in harms' way, and is that not a mental defect? A suecidal impulse no less?

    There is a great difference between the old man that makes a wrong turn that results in death, and the young or old man who runs to the woods without proper gear or training to "survive".

    One is mistaken, the other is defective.
    Last edited by kyratshooter; 02-15-2012 at 12:41 PM.
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    KRS, you are spot on....and I have said may times, "I have never went out "surviving' ...on purpose".
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  19. #99
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    Great post. Now, if you'll excuse me I need to go practice survival.
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  20. #100

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    Quote Originally Posted by Rick View Post
    Great post. Now, if you'll excuse me I need to go practice survival.
    Ok,just be safe and don't forget to bring an umbrella.

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