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Thread: "Alone."

  1. #21
    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
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    Saw the first episode, and the thought that struck me was that the first guy out was a LEO that wasn't used to being without his weapon.
    Haven't seen any of the others ...yet.

    As far as being afraid of different animals......just brings to mind a old movie...."Wind Walker"...where an "dead" warrior returns after defeating several threats....
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windwalker_(film)
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  2. #22
    Senior Member kyratshooter's Avatar
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    We do for a few weeks anyway Sarge, then there are the reruns to dissect and the spin-offs so we could entertain ourselves for a long time with this one.
    If you didn't bring jerky what did I just eat?

  3. #23

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    Quote Originally Posted by Rick View Post
    I used to work with guys that would not work overtime because they had to pay more taxes. Well, yeah, that's sort of how it works. It was a bonanza for me though. I got all the overtime I wanted and then some.
    Years ago I worked (briefly) for a guy who told me he couldn't give me a pay raise because "You'd only have to pay more tax". Well gee, thanks for looking out for me.
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  4. #24
    Senior Member kyratshooter's Avatar
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    Speaking of work, I read all the bio information and packing lists and besides the uniformity of the lists I was also struck by a bit of personal uniformity.

    Only two or three of the contestants mentioned having a real job! Most of them never mention ever having such a thing with "woods bumming" and the love of building shelters in the woods as a kid being their top resume filler.

    That is probably why they have an unlimited block of time to devote to this project.

    Of course there is the mandatory spiritual healer and the token "first nations" descendent.

    I'm going to have to get a batch of fresh popcorn.
    If you didn't bring jerky what did I just eat?

  5. #25

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    that island is full of pines and the can't find any fatwood or dry punk wood?
    i thought the were survival experts, hmmm . did'nt see the show don't have television let alone cable.
    where's thier food comming from are they fishing any or what?

  6. #26
    Senior Member kyratshooter's Avatar
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    You have internet Hayshaker!

    Go over to the History Channel website and watch the episodes on computer, or even your phone.

    Man I have to do everything for you guys!
    If you didn't bring jerky what did I just eat?

  7. #27

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    krat i have dail up sad face.
    anyhow i think they should rename the show fresh meat cause that is what those men will be.
    they had better build some damm strong shelters with sound roofs too too damm much rain.
    are there any moose or deer on the island or just predetors?
    where's les stroud or joe teti shoot they know better my guess. i wish i could see the show.

  8. #28

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    Quote Originally Posted by Rick View Post
    I used to work with guys that would not work overtime because they had to pay more taxes. Well, yeah, that's sort of how it works. It was a bonanza for me though. I got all the overtime I wanted and then some.
    I have worked jobs where after 42 hours my take home pay went down until I worked a like 44 or 45 hours. I knew it would all sort out in the wash. But, it still sucked. LOL

  9. #29

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    I have never followed TV "survival" shows but may need to look at this one. I remember (loooong ago) working two summer seasons in SE Alaska on Kupreanof Island, a somewhat similar environment. I remember rubber boots, Helly Hansen rain gear and some beautiful country. I also remember devils club - but not fondly.

    From what I can learn of Vancouver Island, there are no grizzly bears, coyotes (and probably no wolves), moose - but there are black bear and puma.

    I remember making a fire at lunch time every day, but we had kitchen matches and the waxed paper our sandwiches were wrapped in. Making a fire with a sparking rod must be a challenge.
    Last edited by Faiaoga; 06-27-2015 at 10:53 PM. Reason: spelling

  10. #30
    Super Moderator crashdive123's Avatar
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    Lots of black bears, cougars and wolves on Vancouver Island.
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  11. #31
    Administrator Rick's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Batch
    I have worked jobs where after 42 hours my take home pay went down until I worked a like 44 or 45 hours. I knew it would all sort out in the wash. But, it still sucked. LOL


    When I first started overtime was called Chinese Overtime. We were paid half our hourly rate. Yeah, pretty sad. Fortunately, that didn't last but six months for me.

  12. #32
    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
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    As a salary supervision, I didn't get OT......so I would schedule the set up guy / straw boss to work Saturdays....They were union and made time and a half....and were happy with it.
    Seemed like every time I got a promotion,... I worked more hours.....did make more bucks, but still were long days.
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  13. #33
    Super-duper Moderator Sarge47's Avatar
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    Cool Two more gone!

    These guys are "Survival experts?" the 1st guy lost his fire steel and taps out cuz he can't make fire. What? He doesn't know any other way to make fire? Bow drill? Find a piece of flint?....

    The 2nd guy is charged by a bear at night and decides that's it for him. I didn't really blame him for leaving. Here's the thing, most people don't know how loneliness can affect a person. These folks are finding out. I guess you have to go through it to understand it. Fear/panic and loneliness are the two top dangers in solo survival. so to all these people that come on here that say that they hate society and other people and want to go live in the woods for the rest of their days, I don't think they know what they are talking about. Here's a tip, however. I hear there's plenty of room on Vancouver Island, and the small population already there is decreasing rapidly. If you want help getting there apply for the next season, and good luck!...
    SARGE
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  14. #34

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    Sarge, the population of Vancouver Island is not dropping very noticeably. It is home to 759,366 people. Not including short time guests practicing bush craft. :smile:

  15. #35
    Senior Member kyratshooter's Avatar
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    The problem that these guys are having with fire is that Vancouver Island gets almost 100 inches of rain each year. Everything there stays saturated.

    They all also seem to have the "little fire" syndrome going. You build a little fire and get close, and in the lower 48 that might work, but to have your fire last through a bit of rain and/or go overnight you are going to have to put more than twigs in it. I noticed that most of them are splitting wood they should be putting on the fire whole if they do not want to have to feed it constantly. It is taking them some time to discover that they need to build a big fire and keep it going 24/7

    It is getting very predictable. First they start whining about missing family, then they decide they do not want to be bear food! Then they tap out.

    This whiney about the family thing is starting to pi$$ me off. What would they do if they had a year long military deployment? When was the last time one of these tough guys really spent time with their family? Did no one tell them they were going to be Alone? Its the name of the show for the love of Pete!

    We are talking 4 days at this point! Sorry but I am a widower who lives alone. I go more than 4 days before I WANT to see another person! Being around people a couple of days a week is about all I can stand. Yep I am the cranky old guy that lives down the road, "GET OFF MY LAWN!"

    No one is taking an aggressive approach toward the predators, and the predators can feel it. Not a single one of them is acting like the top predator in their territory. "Hey Bear!" in a wimpy quivering voice don't impress them much. We always had to yell with authority and throw stuff at them to get the "butt rolling down the hill" response we desired.

    What I am seeing is the response of animals that are not used to seeing humans and are curious about them. A bear walking toward you and stopping at 20 feet is not charging you, it is checking you out. Once it smells fear in your sweat, or the crap you just deposited in your pants, it probably will decide you are food!

    So says the Krat, sitting safely in his living room.
    Last edited by kyratshooter; 07-03-2015 at 09:55 AM.
    If you didn't bring jerky what did I just eat?

  16. #36
    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
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    Here, here, yeah, Kyrat, you go ...........I agree......(gotta go pour another cup of joe....)

    I do think that the "alone-ness" is a big factor, especially in the dark.

    ....and the poor souls that want to RATTW because the don't like people, and want to get away from the world, live off the land, and the grid.....Then come on the interweb to tell all of us......So go already...we don't want to know.....BUT

    Watching all episodes of Alone, Naked and Afraid, and Life Below Zero....is mandatory.

    Takes more that a boonie hat, beard, RAT 7 knife and video camera to survive.
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  17. #37
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    Default misc thoughts, perhaps I'll watch it

    Quote Originally Posted by hayshaker View Post
    that island is full of pines and they can't find any fatwood or dry punk wood?
    i thought the were survival experts, hmmm . didn't see the show don't have television let alone cable.
    where's thier food comming from are they fishing any or what?
    My thoughts as well, use a blade to dig under wet exterior and find plenty of dry and flammable/kindling below. Also many small game animals like beaver and rabbits that are not extremely difficult to kill. Northern Vancouver Island is not as populated as southern (I have two cousins who live on S-Vancouver Island), much seafood is not legal to harvest but if you are in true survival mode WTF just do it "It looked like it was legal size to me, measuring scale was not in my survival kit". I may actually watch this show now, but most of these are like watching Pop Warner Football, mostly I shout at TV, "OMG don't do THAT!!!", "Tap out already and stop the whine, Mommy's boy!"

    $500,000? would ask to spread out over 5 years to reduce tax burden (escrow) and tell friends loans are at 18% interest (sign legal document). My relatives/friends never ask to borrow anymore, they know I am a tight wad. If you are not a jerk, and play it well you might make some more in endorsements (Walmart junk like Bear G.) or get a fun (low paying) job teaching survival skills until this fad is over, probably in a month or year from now. Sorry snark comes naturally to me like a duck to water.

  18. #38
    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
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    Yeah...Shark week is coming up pretty soon.....
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  19. #39
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    Watching first episode now on demand: Josh (police office) was defeated by ignorance and fear. Black bears are basically very large raccoons mother bear and cubs came looking for easy meal of food scraps they could steal from neighbor and rather than chase them off like a sensible person. Josh just lay there pissing himself like a scared little baby clutching his ax and bear spray. OMG let them get close spray in face make a loud noise and tell them this is my territory stay away, I'm the BOSS! Also don't eat there or leave any food near sleeping area. OR!! you can play it safer and make some noises they back off then get out of shelter and make louder noises until they back off further. Even very large predators like brown bear don't want to risk getting injured, and back of most of the time if your posture is correct, and you have a good tree to climb just in case.

    Now what is he or others going to do about the most dangerous creature: moose? Fast escape plan? Tree to climb?

    Correction: NO moose or brown bear on that island evidently, just black bear, wolves and puma (aka cougar, mountain lion, panther many other names for same species, Puma concolor), I have had puma come very close to my tarp and tent then scream they want me to know it is their territory but mostly they eat deer. So don't look like a deer and if you kill one, process it fast and get out of there, so you are not in the way of "sharing" it with them. Another reason I prefer small game if by myself in a semi or true survival situation. Lots of meat attracts lots of animals of all types especially puma, wolves and black bear, the crows and vultures will spot you first then sent out the message and you had better move fast. Large deer or elk by yourself? NOT GOOD!!! Getting dark, far from cabin or vehicle? very bad!

    Did any of them place fatwood and kindling in sun to dry and then under tarp before sundown to keep dry?

    OMG family is ticked off I am shouting at TV more than for a sports game!!! Worse than Pop Warner Football at least those are little kids who are allowed to cry and whine. I need to take some more blood pressure med. ha ha ha

    My pick for possible winners are Wayne, Lucas and Mitch after watching 2nd episode

    Wayne seems to have best psychology and keep it simple did not appear to show excessive signs of attachment to family but that may not be true (personally I am better if focusing on tasks at hand and not constantly thinking of them or calling them when gone for extended time.)

    Lucas grew up on farm and spent time in wilderness, I always bet on farm boy, they know how to put in long hours of labor.

    Mitch is very logical, methodical, and intentional with everything he does, also best at filming himself so doing himself good for post show with opportunities that may come from the TV exposure. However, he appears to miss his family far to much and may tap out mostly because of psychological pressure, not because he cannot do it technically or physically. I have worked with research scientists who were excellent at what they did, looked like hippies (hair style and apparel etc.), but were not strong psychologically and just fell apart under what seemed like minor pressure to me. But I hope I am wrong about him because his skills and techniques and ability to video record them are good. I strongly dislike recording myself it is a PITA.

    BTW: Filter creek water for Beaver Fever (Giardiasis) thru moss??? OMG Brant I hope you have a high resistance to pathogens. That rain forest is crawling with critters pooping everywhere, just go eat some scat why don't you? ha ha ha
    Last edited by TXyakr; 07-04-2015 at 02:25 PM. Reason: My picks for finalists

  20. #40
    Senior Member Winter's Avatar
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    Sarge, there's no flint around here. I've never seen someone make a bowdrill fire here without drying the wood first. I'm talking about drying it in a dry place, not setting it out of the rain in a lean-to. The air is very wet.

    What pines? It's hemlock, spruce, red and yellow cedar as the coniferous trees and alder with the occasional willow as deciduous. You can find crabapple in old settlement/logging/fishing camps.

    One of you fellas should come up to visit and see. We are having the driest yr ever, so you may do well.
    I had a compass, but without a map, it's just a cool toy to show you where oceans and ice are.

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