"Survival" Camping

[Punisher84]

I agree, I hate bear.

Aww. Don't be hatin' on da Bear. He wrassles the Earth!

I get that his show is staged, but I think for an entertainment show he's fun to watch. Les Stroud is OK, but the fact that he sets up the camera, then walks by it, then goes back to get it is just stupid! If you're starvin dude it doesn't matter if you got "the shot".

[Guest TEBISH]

Just a thought I had, but it seems we all like to prepare and there are some good collective brains on here. How many of you have ever done any type of survival camping?

My thoughts are 3-5 days in a wilderness area with only small amounts of water and food and only a handful of items with you. Obviously you would have safety measures in place, but still get a taste for making the best out of a situation.

Anybody done this, thought of doing this?

Not to get us back on subject, I can't stand Bear either, but I have seen one idea for "survival camping" reminiscent of a TEOTWAWKI situation at home. When you get home on Friday just go to the breaker box and flip the big switch, then cut the water off to the house. Just make sure to turn it back on in time to take a hot shower before you go to work on Monday.

[poak]

Aww. Don't be hatin' on da Bear. He wrassles the Earth!

I get that his show is staged, but I think for an entertainment show he's fun to watch. Les Stroud is OK, but the fact that he sets up the camera, then walks by it, then goes back to get it is just stupid! If you're starvin dude it doesn't matter if you got "the shot".

Yeah, Les isn't nearly as exciting, but Bear is just such a phony.

[Seaslug]

My minor in college was "Arctic Survival".......camping at -34 with 30mph winds on a dome in a snow shelter will leave you feeling pretty comfy on most any other camping trip.

He's not kidding, either. Unfortunately, the "Clubbing Baby Seals for Food and Fun" program wasn't accepting any more applicants. They just don't have that much to teach up in the Great White North.

[Guest Whiskers]

My brother and I went on several "survival" campouts during our teen years. Once we were dropped at a bridge on Piney Creek at 0800 one day... rough terrain... took us until 2100 to go just under 2 miles down the creek. We took only one pot and a package of dried soup. the biggest fish we caught was about 2" long.... a few crawdads... lichens... wild onions for soup. However, I did not like the bread my brother made from pine tree pith! Have you ever tasted sparrow?

After spending the night trying to sleep on a large rock in the middle of the creek (nowhere to get out of the creek.... both sides straight up!), got up at daylight and trudged on to the "Rockhouse" on Mocassin Creek. Spent two more nights there.... eating on minnows, crawdads, watercress, wild onions. Have to say that we were both hungry as hell when we were picked up.

I haven't "roughed it" since those years, but my brother has snow camped in the White Mountains and camped in Oregon... and lots of other places.

[mcurrier]

Just a thought I had, but it seems we all like to prepare and there are some good collective brains on here. How many of you have ever done any type of survival camping?

My thoughts are 3-5 days in a wilderness area with only small amounts of water and food and only a handful of items with you. Obviously you would have safety measures in place, but still get a taste for making the best out of a situation.

Anybody done this, thought of doing this?

Back in the 60's, we called that "camping".

We didn't go to KOA or places like that that had water and electric hookups.

My wife's idea of camping is Marriott.

[Guest ridge rover]

This is the guy you need to check out. I'll link his 2 videos to this subject. He has many more, but these are "Survival Camping" and "Solo Survival."

Survival Camping - Vol 10

Solo Survival - Vol 11

Ron was the survival advisor for Bear's pilot episode. Original plan was for Ron Hood to radio down survival instructions from a plane down to Bear on the ground. By the time the Discovery Channel got thru with editing, Ron was not even mentioned in the credits! You'll find several bits from the Hood videos in the pilot, but Bear screws them up and Ron never said for Bear to do the stupid stuff he does.

Still, Ron thinks well of Bear, even though the Discovery Channel has corrupted his ways.

[Guest SUNTZU]

I don't like Bear Grylls, but this is funny.

YouTube - Man vs wild with Will Ferrell part 1 of 5

[Guest Drewglynn]

Check out wilderness outfitters on YouTube... Dave canterbury... Good vids

[Guest Yeow]

Bear did break his back in the SAS, and then climbed Mount Everest 18 months later.

Even though he stays at a hotel between shootings... He still does some crazy stuff.

[Capbyrd]

Into the Wild was a great book.

I know that I am bringing this back up after almost a year but I have to comment on this. Into the Wild is a great book and great movie. And I really admire Chris McCandless for what he was trying to do. However, his own arrogance was what killed him. By not taking the map with him and being afraid of water, he pretty much sealed his own fate. I still wish, though, that I could talk to him about his experiences.

[Guest guardlobo]

Just in case someone is still interested in survival camping...I have done it at least a dozen times and have trained others (Boy Scouts, relatives and random friends). We usually just go with a knife and a water bottle. If anyone is interested in joining me sometime in the Knoxville area, PM me.

[Guest Halfpint]

Another thread revival! (Yet another one I missed while in SOI . . . )

As far as the survival camping thing goes, I keep a few things tucked in an old pack . . . several MRE "main meals" and water, first aid gear, shelter half, socks and skivvies, fire-starting gear, and a couple of mags and ammo. Need to pick up some fishing gear, and I'll more or less call it done. Between the pistol/rifle and fishing gear for food, and the bottles and shelter half for collecting water, I can handle a few days without any trouble.

And yeah, Staff Sarn't and Chuck, those gov't-sponsored "extended vacations" seem fun . . . looking forward to mine coming up.

[323ssplt]

Another thread revival! (Yet another one I missed while in SOI . . . )

As far as the survival camping thing goes, I keep a few things tucked in an old pack . . . several MRE "main meals" and water, first aid gear, shelter half, socks and skivvies, fire-starting gear, and a couple of mags and ammo. Need to pick up some fishing gear, and I'll more or less call it done. Between the pistol/rifle and fishing gear for food, and the bottles and shelter half for collecting water, I can handle a few days without any trouble.

And yeah, Staff Sarn't and Chuck, those gov't-sponsored "extended vacations" seem fun . . . looking forward to mine coming up.

Hell Halfpint, if you are on a "sponsored" vacation, I'll be right there with you................

[kckndrgn]

The one time I had it planned to go out with a buddy of mine and 2 of his sons for some "survival" camping, my wife ended up have surgery for an ectopic pregnancy. Never rescheduled the "campout". We were going to go to Natchez Trace and go on the backcountry trails for 3 days, 2 nights.

[bigwakes]

As long as I had my Iphone and could download survival apps I should be just fine.

[Guest ridge rover]

The new Thayer plant book has a good bit to say about the McCandless situation. He tells the book and movie myths and backs up what he says. Here is a brief book review with comments on the Thayer take on "Supertramp" McCandless starving to death. http://www.jackmtn.com/simplog/?p=690

Edited October 9, 2010 by ridge rover
wrong link