I have watched and enjoyed Dual Survival. It's a shame to hear about Dave, who seems to be a highly skilled hunter and outdoorsman if one can put the resume issues aside.

In spite of the perennial lack of shoes, I'm a big Cody fan. I've read both of his books and found them to be informative and enjoyable (which isn't an easy feat to pull off with this topic).

IMO it's time for a real change, someone with skills ( Cody ) and someone
without ( professional ) skills ie. a Scout. Time to see how they really compare, ie normal training to professional training, how one can learn from the other, where the normal ( scout training ) lacks or not ?
Heck it could even get more people into Scouting AND into Professional
training. Perhaps use the 3 person concept Professional, Scout, and Joe or Jane average.

If they'll give Charlie Sheen yet another chance, why not Dave as well.

That said, this was the first I'd heard about any misrepresentations of his background and subsequent firing from the show. This explains why there's been no new episodes. I had just thought the new season hadn't started back yet. I always liked the dual survival show, but like any show (or forum) just took in any new information and stored it away as something to experiment with later in safe conditions (with the exception of using black powder to cauterize wounds, ouch).

I have to agree with you on this. Not condoning stolen valor but in a way, it's too bad that a woodsman has to make up creds to even have a chance at a show like this. Dave is very knowledgeable in his Ohio element, and who knows how much blame can be laid at the feet of the producers of the show for the gunpowder, the canvas boat, and even the beehive stunts? I also believe that military training, as good as it is, isn't the only source of survival expertise. I think a show like Dual Survival should limit each host to two seasons, rotating one out each year on an alternating basis. I think having a wide-eyed kid follow Cody around like old episodes of "Mr Wizard" would be boring, as I'm not looking to this show for step by step survival instruction. What makes the show intersting to me is the discussion and occasional disagreement between two knowledgeable survival experts when faced with a challenge. Thats what makes me think.

Military creds are easy to recognize for most people. It is a standard to use that can have some sort of comparable value (if that makes any sense)

I was reading posts on another survival website not long ago. The owners signature block made me laugh. Mr. such and such, wilderness survival expert

Huh...Funny stuff.

Let me ask you this. What makes anyone of us a survival expert? The fact we enjoy the outdoors? the fact we can show people things on youtube that have been already done for hundreds of years? Talking about old techniques as if we invented them ourselves? Lets face it, making a fire with a fire steel isn't exactly rocket science.

How can you assign a level of "experness" when talking about survival? Ahhhh but everyone recognizes military stuff, even if you have never served television took care of that for most people.

Military training often conjures up an image of being a "survival expert" for some reason. So I assume Dave C used that to boost his precieved creditability.

Military training (with some exceptions) trains you to survive combat. Very little is devoted to lighting fires, building shelters, making water safe to drink etc. It heavily relies on navigation, E&E, combat first aid. (In the Canadian Army anyway) The average person simply assumes that someone claiming to be an ex sniper MUST be an expert in wilderness survival. If that were true we would have one hell of a military. I personally know soldiers (U.S and Canadian) who wouldn't know a fire steel from a chocolate bar. Not saying they are bad soldiers, just that beyond their job they are not very inclined to be outdoors.

Anyone who can truly claim to be a wilderness survival expert will probably never make a youtube vid. They most likely won't even have access to a computer.

Cody Lundin was recently interviewed by Backwoodsman Magazine and a good chunk of the article dealt with just that subject and he came to the same conclusion.

Brings us to someone like Les Stroud. Before Survivorman, he spent a year living in the woods in a tipi with his wife. Not everyone gets a chance to do that(I asked, but she wouldn't go). Nor is it possible to shuck the bindings of civilization and live in the wild like Nessmuk. Anyway, I believe you learn by doing. Any training a person gets never becomes a skill unless it is used. I think training gets your foot in the door, but time in the woods under primitive conditions is the true measure of an expert. I just don't know how you could validate a claim.

Very good points, Byrd_Huntr. You can only learn so much by reading and backyard testing. The only true way to learn is by getting out and practicing your skills on a regular basis. I am not a survival expert by any means but my very regular outdoor adventures whether with a group of people or solo is how I learn, apply and improve my skills so that on the day when the chips are down, I may hopefully save my own life or more importantly, another person(s) life.

Well, I was just doing some knapping today with some folks who dont think very highly of him. I've heard that he likes to trade off of his name and not pay people the money that he owes them.

I for one wont abide a liar like him.

Can't watch Dave anymore. His cut the arm episode, then he starts telling us he is Superman without a cape, and without the creds in his 201 file to back him up. Guess he started to believe his own stories.

I liked Myke's show. At least they "died" twice or at least once and a half times. Sorta kept it real the way I look at it.

Just wondering, will Myke call Dave "darlin" ??