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#271488 - 08/29/14 04:34 PM Watching Survivorman Saved his Life?
BruceZed Offline
Enthusiast

Registered: 01/06/08
Posts: 319
Loc: Canada
Man Lost in Manitoba Forest for 3-Days

Just saw this. Lost Manitoba camper says TV show helped him survive three days lost in wilderness. He survived 3 days in Summer, other than the need for Water and Shelter all he had to do is await rescue. If he could build a fire, why not wait beside it for rescue? It is very interesting that watching Survivorman may have delayed his rescue. He walked all day just like on the show and therefore made it harder for rescuers to find him. Sure he walked out, but he injured himself doing it.
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Bruce Zawalsky
Chief Instructor
Boreal Wilderness Institute
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#271492 - 08/29/14 05:57 PM Re: Watching Survivorman Saved his Life? [Re: BruceZed]
hikermor Offline
Geezer in Chief
Geezer

Registered: 08/26/06
Posts: 7705
Loc: southern Cal
You bring up one of the major flaws in reality TV - the need to present visually inviting scenes. Real life survival is actually boring as all get out - resting beside a fire, conserving energy, or just easy walking, avoiding obstacles and difficult terrain. That is why some many shows feature inane stunts - rappelling down vines, building tinker toy rafts, and the like.

Learning "outdoor skills" from the TV set will lead to serious consequences - the shows should come with a warning....
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#271494 - 08/29/14 06:08 PM Re: Watching Survivorman Saved his Life? [Re: BruceZed]
Denis Offline
Addict

Registered: 01/09/09
Posts: 631
Loc: Calgary, AB
I think this is a common problem with all of the shows in the genre (granted, Stroud pretty much invented the genre). It just isn't compelling storytelling to stay put. I don't know that any of these shows are a really good manual for what to do when you are lost ... I think you really need to have a certain baseline of knowledge to draw good learnings from them.

That said, I think one of the things lacking in Survivourman in particular is the lack of trail marking or leaving of signs. Even in the episode where SAR's search efforts were featured, I don't think Stroud ever left any clues for his would-be rescuers. I mean if you are going to be moving about, at least give SAR some help.

Actually, this was something I did like about a few of the Man vs Wild episodes I've seen; at least some of them showed Grylls leaving signs indicating where he was travelling.
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Victory awaits him who has everything in order — luck, people call it. Defeat is certain for him who has neglected to take the necessary precautions in time; this is called bad luck. Roald Amundsen

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#271517 - 08/30/14 06:35 PM Re: Watching Survivorman Saved his Life? [Re: hikermor]
M_a_x Offline
Veteran

Registered: 08/16/02
Posts: 1203
Loc: Germany
Originally Posted By: hikermor

Learning "outdoor skills" from the TV set will lead to serious consequences - the shows should come with a warning....


Here in Germany they do. They also point out that there is a team in case the moderator should get in real trouble.
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If it isnīt broken, it doesnīt have enough features yet.

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#271518 - 08/30/14 06:44 PM Re: Watching Survivorman Saved his Life? [Re: hikermor]
Deathwind Offline
Enthusiast

Registered: 02/01/14
Posts: 310
Some of the very old shows taught real life skills. I remember watching video tapes of an old show off PBS taught by a forest ranger, he used common sense and didn't pretty it up or dramatize it in any way. I think it was called Survival. Walked the viewer through making a kit and how to use it. Very informative and practical. He built his in a band aid box and had other uses for the leather belt bag, like cutting it into snow goggles and using the lacing for cordage etc.

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#271523 - 08/31/14 05:23 AM Re: Watching Survivorman Saved his Life? [Re: hikermor]
Leigh_Ratcliffe Offline
Veteran

Registered: 03/31/06
Posts: 1355
Loc: United Kingdom.
Originally Posted By: hikermor
You bring up one of the major flaws in reality TV - the need to present visually inviting scenes. Real life survival is actually boring as all get out - resting beside a fire, conserving energy, or just easy walking, avoiding obstacles and difficult terrain. That is why some many shows feature inane stunts - rappelling down vines, building tinker toy rafts, and the like.

Learning "outdoor skills" from the TV set will lead to serious consequences - the shows should come with a warning....


All the UK versions of Man V Wild, Survivorman, Duel Survival etc carry a notice giving fair warning.

I think that the one good thing those shows do is make anyone with half a brain real careful about what's in their pockets, on their belt and in their bag.
"Equipped to Survive" is after all what we are about.
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I don't do dumb & helpless.

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#271527 - 08/31/14 04:03 PM Re: Watching Survivorman Saved his Life? [Re: BruceZed]
dougwalkabout Offline
Crazy Canuck
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 02/03/07
Posts: 3219
Loc: Alberta, Canada
Here's an article with more detail. It's a less flattering account. Still, a win is a win.

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/m...-273129431.html

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#271529 - 08/31/14 04:27 PM Re: Watching Survivorman Saved his Life? [Re: Denis]
ireckon Offline
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 04/01/10
Posts: 1629
Loc: Northern California
Originally Posted By: Denis
That said, I think one of the things lacking in Survivourman in particular is the lack of trail marking or leaving of signs. Even in the episode where SAR's search efforts were featured, I don't think Stroud ever left any clues for his would-be rescuers. I mean if you are going to be moving about, at least give SAR some help.

Actually, this was something I did like about a few of the Man vs Wild episodes I've seen; at least some of them showed Grylls leaving signs indicating where he was travelling.


What would you do to trail mark?
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If you're reading this, it's too late.

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#271534 - 08/31/14 06:06 PM Re: Watching Survivorman Saved his Life? [Re: ireckon]
hikermor Offline
Geezer in Chief
Geezer

Registered: 08/26/06
Posts: 7705
Loc: southern Cal
As one who has spent a lot of time looking for lost persons, I would say that almost anything you can do to indicate indicate your passage will work -just making conspicuous footprints will be very helpful. Breaking twigs and branches is also useful. If you want to do all out, leave a note with your name, date, and intentions posted where it will be easily visible. I am dreaming, though - I have never seen that in all my years....

This, incidentally, is why signalling with a mirror or whistle is so incredibly useful. You are a much bigger target
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Geezer in Chief

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#271538 - 08/31/14 10:36 PM Re: Watching Survivorman Saved his Life? [Re: Leigh_Ratcliffe]
Deathwind Offline
Enthusiast

Registered: 02/01/14
Posts: 310
I have to strongly but respectfully, disagree with that statement Liegh. Only this morning, on a warm day in the desert we came across two "hunters" (poachers) out looking for pronghorn. Never mind that there are no pronghorn near here. They which one offered to trade for water and a ride. I were lost, had no equipment other than two knives and a nice compound bow which one offered to trade for a ride and water. I should have taken it, but I gave them a liter of water which they quaffed, not saving any, and begged for more. I declined and explained that our suv was parked near their truck and pointed them in the right direction. When I questioned them they complained they were out of cigarettes and would kill for one, (good they have their priorities in order)and no matches to light the ones hidden in their truck about a mile and a half away. They were wearing tee shirts, baggy shorts and jeans. Footwear was cross trainers. One baseball cap, no sunglasses. These guys are typical of what search teams here look for. They certainly didn't put anything special in their pockets. JMHO.

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