[Garand]

with Les Stroud

http://www.exn.ca/oneWeek/

I was just over babysitting my grandaughter flipping through channels and I came to this show called "Survivorman". The episode I watched, was one of him spending 7 days in the swamps of Georgia with the temperatures hitting a low of +40F. The channel that it was on up here was the "Outdoor Life Network". This man can do amazing things with less than 10 lbs of kit.

 

[RIKA]

Les Stroud sounds like an extraordinary person.

"After being blindfolded and throwing a dart at a map of Northern Ontario, Stroud was dropped off where the dart landed with nothing but the clothes on his back, the contents of his pockets and a week to survive…alone."

I wonder how many of the so-called survival experts on the forums could actually do that.

Has anybody done a self test like this?

RIKA

 

[mrostov]

The Canadians have been turning out some superior shows like this.

The American shows tend to be more into the 'Jerry Springer' effect of petty conflicts and sensationalism.

Two of the very best historical re-creation shows I've seen lately have been 'Pioneer Quest' and 'Quest for the Sea', both made in Canada.

For someone looking to survive a situation of isolated conditions and economic hardship in a relatively modern setting where it isn't completely back to the stone age, then 'Quest for the Sea' is one of the more interesting and informative shows that someone can watch. It was a re-creation of a 1930's era Newfoundland fishing community.

'Pioneer Quest' was a must watch also. It was a re-creation of 19th Century Canadian pioneers in Manitoba. This was far more realistic and interesting than the American made 'Frontier House'. They actually had to hunt and plow fields and they stayed out there a year, actually enduring a Manitoba winter under pioneer conditions. The mosquitos, the mold, the mud, fires, injuries and illness, having to make their own cabins (showed a very intersting way to do it), the usefulness of a sleigh in the Canadian winter, etc.

One of the first things that became apparent to the participants was why the division of labor was the way it was and always has been between men and the women - sheer physical strength. When it came to things like plowing, especially in soggy soil, the noticeable differences between male and female muscle mass couldn't be ignored. The participants definitely went through the physical and mental wringer.

http://www.telefilm.gc.ca/data/production/prod_611.asp?lang=en&c=2&gr=doc

 

[Garand]

I watched "Pioneer Quest" last winter, excellent show in human relationships and 19th century living.

 

[DJetAce]

And they showed why teamwork between two or more people is supperior than any one person alone in the wilderness (same for combat to.)

This sounds like a very good show with much to learn from it. Notice no 11" CAR pos or other stupidity.

 

[Glenn Bartley]

with nothing but the clothes on his back, the contents of his pockets and a week to survive…

Just about anyone could survive the week if it was moderate weather and they found water. You could sit in on eplace and do that. There were two chaps many years ago who were dropped sopmewhere in the Canadian Wilderness for over a month, maybe even three, to see if they could survive. Basically the same scenario, very little gear except clothing and a knife. I wish I could remember the time frame, but yes they survived. They lost quite a few pounds doing it, but they did it.

As tot hat American show, pioneer Hosuse, didn't they stay out a year or was it shorter? I thought they had to pretty much cut timber, build their own homes, and all that too, but I only watched an episode or two at most.

 

[Magnum88C]

Pioneer house ounds like a more interesting and exciting verion of the 1900 house how they had on a while back. The thing I think people who watch those show need to pay attention to is how much more work is involved in simply living in those conditions. I remember the woman broke down very quickly into a sobbing mess because of how much work there was to do everyday. Also, "designer lifestyles", in that case, vegetarianism, don't last long in even a turn-of-the-century lifestyle, much less a primitive one.

 

[Garand]

I was out with friends last night so I tossed a tape in the VCR. This weeks episode of Survivorman was 7 days in Costa Rica. His kit consisted of Pants, Shirt, Boots, Swimming Goggles, Scooby Doo underwear, a multi tool, 3 ball point kids and a video camera.

Interesting episode he used a spindle an bow to start a fire, a sea shell to boil water so it was safe to drink and a ball point pen for spear fishing. The most interesting was how to test leaves to decide which leaf to use as toilet paper. Basicly by crushing it and rubbing it an parts of your arm. If you break out in a rash in a couple of hours, thats not the one to use on your butt. He spent the first 3 days on the beach, other than sand flys and a few other creatures survival wasn't that difficult. the next 2 days he headed into the jungle, his possibility of survival in deep jungle at times was perilous. Very interesting show.

 

[Glenn Bartley]

Basicly by crushing it and rubbing it an parts of your arm. If you break out in a rash in a couple of hours, thats not the one to use on your butt.

Similar to the universal edibilty test (correct name???). DO NOT TRY THIS UNTIL YOU MAKE SURE ALL THE STEPS ARE CORRECT - I AM NOT SURE I EVEN HAVE LISTED ALL OF THEM: You start off like that with something you are hoping is edible. Then if it passes the test, you rub a tiny bit on your lips and wait about 6 to 8 hours. If nothing bad you try it inside the lips and on the gumbs and do likewise but wait longer. Then you eat a tiny piece and I do mean tiny, and wait at least a day. Then you eat a small piece if all went well. Then after about another day, you give a small helping a try. Then in another day you eat the whole friggin thing. Remember though that with plants the whole thing means whatever part of the plant you tested not the whole plant. Some plants have edible parts, and other parts can be deadly. A good example is Dandelions, you can eat the leaves raw, great food. Don't eat the roots, or flowers as they can get you really sick and maybe kill you.

If there is more than one person, each person gets to try one thing. Remember who had what for when someone starts squirting.

 

[Glenn Bartley]

I guess my times are over stated in the above, but that makes me feel safer, and I can afford to lose a few pounds.....

 

[Garand]

This weeks episode was 7 day survival in the Arizona desert. The scenario you are out for a ride on your trail bike and you break down, with only a gallon of water, 1 candy bar and your multi tool. Eating wonderful things like Strawberry pin cushion, the flowers off of barrel cacus, how to make use of the prickly pear cactus. I loved the technique of removing the stinger of the Bark Scorpion before feasting. I also didn't realze that when preparing your grasshopper kabob, ensue the hopper is cooked completely as the hopper can carry tape worm. This gentleman is very impressive.

 

[RIKA]

He sounds like a remarkable man. I want to hear what our desert dwellers have to say.
We should get some very interesting survival tips.

RIKA

 

[mrostov]

The bark scorpion is the really deadly one that you have to watch out for.

There's a whole lot out here to eat if you know what you're doing. It's the lack of water that can kill even an experienced desert rat if they get careless.

There are some desert environments in the American southwest that are just wastelands to avoid in a 'survival' context, especially most of those in California.

 

[Wylycoyte]

There's a fine book on desert survival by David Alloway. If he were still alive, I'd be interested in attending one of his classes.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t...104-4246820-4996767?v=glance&s=books&n=507846

 

[Glenn Bartley]

I would not worry all that much about tapeworms but more about other more rapidly acting parasites if stranded. The one thing about cooking prey is that is really takes the water out of the eats! That is a strong consideration in the desert if no water source is available.

As far as food goes in the American southwest up through the deserts of Idaho, there is often abundant food in warmer months, and not so abundant food in the winter. Almost any animal you find is edible. From among the animals watch out for insects of unknown edible or not properties. You could eat tarantulas after removing hard mouth parts (fangs), you could eat locusts, grasshoppers, crickets and so on. Of course, snakes, lizards, birds, small mammals, eggs are all on the menu. All could be carriers of parasites that are potentially dangerous to you, but if you can make it out in a few days, you must calculate the risk of parasites to NO other source of water. Note that this guy did not try his feat in the deserts of southern Nevada where it is much drier and much harder to find any cacti on which to depend for food or water and where you may have to depend on eating raw snakes.

One of the most important things for desert survival is shelter. When it hits 120 degrees, 5 feet off of the ground, in the shade, and you are out in it, you will know what I mean. Shelter helps you conserve perpiration to soem degree by keeping you out of the sun, it protects from sunburn too, and it lowers the heat you are experiencing. It can be just as important as, or more important than, finding water if you can walk out in a day or two - or maybe even three or four if you have found game to use for its body moisture. Of course water is crucial, but so is shelter.

There is a classic movie out there about one man's survival in terrible conditions - all made up I think, but maybe it is based on a true story - I do not know. It is called the Naked Prey with Cornell Wilde. It shows a man doing what he has to do in order to survive (and while some of it may not be realistic, lots of it is). Good movie, I think one of the best of all time. Not flashy, not great special effects, but I am a buff for some older stuff and that sort of movie.