Survivorman

[GoonBag]

Has anyone else seen this show on the Outdoor Life Network? It's fantastic. This poor bugger strands himself in the middle of nowhere with no food, no shelter, no water and only one match. He has to survive for a week and find his way out on his own. What a great show. I just got season 1 on dvd and I can't seem to stop watching it. Check it out if you haven't seen it yet. Very entertaining.

[packhuntr]

Just my opinion here, but i think that Les Stroud is a moron, and doesnt know his a## from a hole in the ground.

keep a strain on er.

[Rackmastr]

Pack,
Why do ya say that? He's probably one of the more accomplished survival people out there, and definatly has made himself a name in his videography skills and the ability to film such cool stuff like that. Just curious why you think he's such a 'moron'?

I personally think he's pretty damn good. I wish he was a hunter or at least less of an 'anti-hunter'. He kills every once in a while, but is pretty vocal about not liking to kill stuff....that bothers me a bit....but I'm sure he could tell the difference between his azz and a hole in the ground....

[Redfrog]

I just read an article that said he spends a lot of time in hotels, lodges etc. when he's shooting the show.
How about the camera man, what does he get to eat? Where does he sleep?

It is TV guys. I woked in the TV industry. It's all magic.

[Rackmastr]

Redfrog,
The cameraman is him...he films all his own stuff.....magic or not, thats a hell of a lot of work......and he is very dedicated to producing a hell of a good show if nothin else....

As well, away from TV he is still a hell of a survival expert and is known as one of the more skilled authorities on the subject....that aint magic.

[lazy ike]

Originally Posted by Redfrog

I just read an article that said he spends a lot of time in hotels, lodges etc. when he's shooting the show.
How about the camera man, what does he get to eat? Where does he sleep?

It is TV guys. I woked in the TV industry. It's all magic.

Thats the other "survival expert".

Stroud apparantly does what he claims and films it all himself. His off the grid show with his family is pretty good too.

[packhuntr]

Like i said, its my opinion. Sure hes done well with ratings, and no question, his film is second to none. I shoot the same kind of video while filming my hunts, similar in regards to afew of the things he does, heck, got the ideas from watching his show. Ive learned a fair bit from the show as well from a survival standpoint. Anyways, i totally disagree with the standpoint he chooses to portray, while trying to win over the hearts of the general public, as this larger than life, anti hunting so called outdoorsman. Its all for ratings and appealing to the mass. If he chose to educate himself on the things he openly contests, absolutely we would at the least, not have to hear his ramblings about things he proclaims to know. Did you watch that show of his called, Off the Grid... What an embarassment, and yup, in my eyes hes a clown. Heck, Rosie Odonell was a big thing on tv also,,,so what.... Once again here Rack, its my opinion, doesnt make it right or wrong. And no, i dont think he could tell his a## from a hole in the ground.

keep a strain on er.

[Rackmastr]

Yep...your opinion and welcome to it.....was just curious to your thinkin.

[Rackmastr]

And ya...Redfrog the rumours you hear are most likely about Bear Gryllis....from 'Man vs Wild' and not Les Stroud, who is in the wilderness by himself with no cameraman. At least thats what I'd guess you're thinkin of....

http://www.reuters.com/article/telev...34925920070730

(I have to agree with rackmastr well said.)

I love that show one can even learn a thing or two along the way.Sure the show is not for everyone but i have to say hes not a moron he has his own show how many of you can say that (PH) . I know its the internet and everyones a expert at "What" they do but can any of you do it (Ph)if you had to.

[jjht65]

I don't know much about this guy but I'll check him up... I do know about a Canadian whom I have met twice. I consider him one of the best when it comes to SURVIVAL & one of the most amazing human beings I have ever met... His website (Work in pogress) gives lots of tips about doing the real thing.

http://angusadventures.com/

[packhuntr]

Sonny....... The tv stuff, nope. The outdoor survival {in all areas of the province that i live in} yup. And i wouldnt have to bury my face in a Mors Kochanshy book for a week of study before i tried er. I grew up doing these very things, and was intrigued by this stuff from a very young age Sonny. But it aint whether any of us on here have a tv show or not,,, If thats how your mind has envisioned what a man in this life should be.......hmmm....

keep a strain on er.

[QUOTEI grew up doing these very things, and was intrigued by this stuff from a very young age Sonny.][/QUOTE]Like i said everyone is good at what they do. I understand You "now" Humm Thanks I think

[Redfrog]

Rack, if you live to be a hundred...or even 99, you will not likely see what you've seen here today.

Redfrog, confused.

Yep Bear Grylls is the guy I was referring to. Sorry I cast aspersions on your friend.

Wow! This feels so wierd. I think this is the first time I've been wrong How do you guys get used to this feeling.

Of course I could be wrong about that too.

[Rackmastr]

Haha....I'll keep it a secret man......I know I'm still waiting for the first time I'm wrong in my life......one day I'm sure it will come!! haha....

I've actually never heard of this "Bear" dude but he sounds a bit crazy and definatly kinda a hoax.....

[albertadave]

Never wrong???? You guys aren't married I take it?

[GoonBag]

Originally Posted by packhuntr

totally disagree with the standpoint he chooses to portray, larger than life, anti hunting so called outdoorsman.

Here's a quote from Les regarding hunting and killing from a Field and Stream article:

"F&S: How does hunting fit into your show?

LS: When the show first came out there was a method to my madness as far as what I caught and what I ate. I started off by saying that if you had to survive, you could scrounge for grubs and snails. I wanted to point out that you start small because sometimes that’s all you can get. During that period, I’d get emails from people who were into hunting, saying, Come on, why don’t you kill something, what’s wrong with you? And I’d have to say to them that it ain’t easy to kill something with no knife, no bow, no rifle. It’s not easy even if you’re a skilled hunter to hunt with nothing but your bare hands--it’s brutally hard. Now, I’m getting into bigger animals, so I got a squirrel in Utah, and I took a rabbit in the plane crash episode. (As an aside, the reason I showed snaring rabbits is because it’s so simple. A lot of survival books give you these big elaborate traps, and the average person can’t just pull something like that out of their hat.) Once I started getting these bigger animals, all the anti-hunters emailed saying, Why are you killing a rabbit? And I thought, I just can’t win.

The bottom line is, I show what you could do if you had to survive. End of story. It’s not about hunting, it’s not about tree hugging, it’s about survival. And if a spruce tree is between me and survival, I’m going to take the life of that spruce tree and use it to save mine. If catching a rabbit is between me and survival, I’m going to catch a rabbit. That said, I’m a huge, fanatical nature lover. So it’s not a light thing for me to take the life of that rabbit when I’m quote-unquote just producing a TV show. But maybe somewhere, there might be someone in trouble that actually catches a squirrel because they watched my show, and actually makes it through another day and survives, so there is that instructional aspect to it. "


Nowhere does he mention he's anti-hunting, in fact, he states very matter of factly that he will kill to survive. He's also a huge fisherman...a bit goofy sometimes and entertaining. Too bad people form such uneducated opinions about others without first gathering facts.

I'm a fanatical nature lover, too. But I'll whack as many deer as I can during hunting season and whack as many fish as I can during fishing season. I fill my freezer with healthy, incredible tasting wild meat every year. Yet, I wouldn't kill and animal just for fun or to see it splat as some others do. I guess that must make me a moron too, eh?

[Bushrat]

Survivorman..I dunno he may appeal to the urban types who never experience the outdoors and come across as some kind of survival guru but really its more entertainment for those who know nothing about the great outdoors, his target market. Can't watch it anymore, it annoys me. he dosen't know how to build a shelter, can't fish, can't stay dry or warm, the episode where he is in the swamp down south and sets up a goofy fish trap in 2" of water so far from the main stream or river he'll be lucky to catch a lost snail. He just does a bunch of stupid stuff thet pegs him as another entertainer and not someone savvy in the ways of survival and woodsmanship.

[Rocks]

I caught a few episodes, and although I found them moderately entertaining he came across to me as a dork. It didn't help when I saw one episode of Off the Grid, I found him to be a little "out there"

[packhuntr]

Im not looking to get into it with you Goonbag, and im not going to. Ive seen afew battles on here that you were in. Anyways, good for you, you tracked down an article on Les Stroud that makes him look like a hero in your eyes. For the record, I didnt say that you are a moron, thats you talking about yourself now. Just said I think hes a moron. Will say though, thanks for putting up that quote, it does put this guy in a little different light for me....But IMO, i still dont think he could tell his a## from a hole in the ground. Take care.

keep a strain on er.

at this point P all i can do .

[BrownBear416]

Originally Posted by Redfrog

I just read an article that said he spends a lot of time in hotels, lodges etc. when he's shooting the show.
How about the camera man, what does he get to eat? Where does he sleep?

It is TV guys. I woked in the TV industry. It's all magic.

I dont mind the guy but thought i would share a little story.I was on a mule deer hunt in Colorado a few years ago and Mossy Oak was there filming some of the hunts and had been doing it with this outfitt for a few years.The outfitter told me that he had watched some of the hunts on TV and said that so much had changed he was sometimes half way through the show before he realized that it was one of there hunts he was watching and even some he had personally guided .

[catnthehat]

Television? What's that??
Cat

[altaberg]

Originally Posted by catnthehat

Television? What's that??
Cat

definition from Bruce Springsteen: 57 channels and nothing on

[chef]

Although some what entertaining at times and a little humorous to see a man wander aimlessly through swamps .Im not sure the whole show is on the up and up .
I have seen a few kool idea,s and he shows some interesting techniques for fire starting and shelter building. Im just not sure ill ever have some spare steel wool and a battery in my pocket while on a hunting trip.I cant remember when i used the old jailhouse pick the cotton from the sock trick.
Most members here are aware of the dangers and how to deal with a night in the bush ,although im sure alot of his viewers are common non wilderness particapants.
Moron (yes) entertaining (yes ) educational (for sure) .
I watch because the wife likes the show and i like to see what kind of adventure he puts himself into which makes me think of how i would improve his methods or maybe pick up a neat tip.
Im still trying to play my harp as good as him
The tackiest show i have seen which usually comes on right after survivorman is mantracker,what a waste of airtime.

[Rackmastr]

Originally Posted by chef

Im still trying to play my harp as good as him
The tackiest show i have seen which usually comes on right after survivorman is mantracker,what a waste of airtime.

I've never seen him lug a harp around in the bush....me thinks you mean a harmonica?

And ya...I agree that Mantracker is a really corny corny show....maybe if it was actually filmed and not re-enacted it would be enjoyable...

[muskegnmud]

I think it's a pretty good show, anybody would can spend a week out on his own, fumbling or not is pretty good. What he goes thru to film the show in my mind is energetic, camera angles and views etc...and then to survive on top of that is good, I wonder how many people that are dissing him could do it with what he starts out with...I've often wondered if I could do it....a week is a Long, long,long time........

[Northern Cranker]

If you ask me, I think the cheezier show would be Manhunter, but both equally has there own sample of cheddar.

[GoonBag]

Originally Posted by packhuntr

Im not looking to get into it with you Goonbag, and im not going to. Ive seen afew battles on here that you were in. Anyways, good for you, you tracked down an article on Les Stroud that makes him look like a hero in your eyes. For the record, I didnt say that you are a moron, thats you talking about yourself now. Just said I think hes a moron. Will say though, thanks for putting up that quote, it does put this guy in a little different light for me....But IMO, i still dont think he could tell his a## from a hole in the ground. Take care.

keep a strain on er.

Heya Pack, sorry if that came off kinda snotty sounding. I'm not looking to go at it with you either. And Les certainly is no hero of mine. I just find his TV show very entertaining...and lets remember, it is just a TV show. I just don't like how some people villify others simply because there views differ than your own. I just have a much more open mind and am quite tolerant of other people views (or at least I try to be)...especially when it comes to nature. You don't have to be a hunter to be an outdoorsmen.

I like the show very entertaining. I dont understand the aZZZ from a hole in the ground Comment but hey to each there own.