Survivorman

E

Eghad

New member
I just caught Les Stroud's show on the Discovery Channel on this episode the dropped him off in the middle of a georgia swamp for 7 days with no water or food.

His survival kit consisted of rope, two tissues, bubble gum, a tin can, a disposable lighter that was out of fluid and a swiss army knife. Dont forget the cotton socks. What a bug out bag.

He found a good source for drinking water, was able to start a fire and cook various edible creatures, build his shelter to suit the enviroment and build a raft to ferry him out of the swamp on the 7th day.

There is no camera crew with him he sets up the cameras himself and lugs the cameras and gear around.
 
I saw this episode and others...

How did he come up with the fresh drinking water, I forget?

Good show... I find it easier on the nerves than "I shouldn't be alive" *cringe.*
 
His survival kit consisted of rope, two tissues, bubble gum, a tin can, a disposable lighter that was out of fluid and a swiss army knife. Dont forget the cotton socks. What a bug out bag.
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For those of us with little hope of ever getting to see the show, would you be kind enough to detail a bit about how he used these items?

I'm having trouble imagining how he's use two measly tissues, and bubble gum, as survival tools.


-azurefly
 
I haven't seen the show, but if I'd have to guess, the tissues were tinder to catch a spark off the dead lighter, and the bubblegum was yummy bait for some sort of trap.

I wonder what he really did do with them though...

Cheers,
Wolfe.
 
Saw that one

He picked the lint from his cotton socks for tinder.
Did chew a peace of that gum, don't recall what he did with the rest , the foil could make a nice lure. Made a fish trap by shoving stick's in the mud to make a fence to close of a dreged out pool on the bank, caught a turtle.....
He has been droped of In lots of nasty places. Did a show on What if your Small plane goes down.In mid winter of northern canda Used some fuel he found in the tank ,with two long plane trim parts, hooked them to the battery and sparked to life A fire. Pulled some wire from the wreckage, made a snare and caught a rabbit...was easy to find a trail in the snow pickes a natural narrow place to set trap ..... He makes some good points.
Like gather fire wood first, when you think you have enough for the night, get 5 times that! Because you do not want to try to get more after dark.:eek: check it out if you can.Good info. ;)
 
the tissue was used for what is called a prison match. you roll the tissue into a tube and make a funnel at one end, pick some lint from cotton socks and put in the funnel. Catch some sparks with the empty disposable lighter and you have a match.

he used the bubble gum to make a float for his fishing line by blowing a bubble and then wrapping the gun around the line. I forgot about the credit card :( he cut that in a circle folded it into, punched a hole in both sides and set it above the hook as a lure.

He found a water bearing vine cut it and placed the tin can below it to collect the water dropping from the vine.

The Swiss Army knife was used to clean the animals he ate for food and it also had a wood sawing blade on it. He used this to cut up small trees and limbs to make his shelter and vines to tie stuff on his shelter together.

The small rope line he used for sishing and to make his raft.
 
I've seen several of the episodes. I really like this show. It shows you how to survive in all sorts of environments and use everything around you.
 
Thanks for filling in the blanks, Eghad.

I'd like to know something else, too though... What would MacGyver do with all of that? :D

Cheers,
Wolfe.
 
McGyver would build an ultralight and fly his @ss out of there.

Survivorman is pretty good, I think he often makes poor choices and isn't in true "survival" mode. One time in the Mojave he found a pretty good source of water a few miles from his camp, but decided not to move his camp, then complained about not having water.

Stuff like that... but not bad, especially for folks who would have no idea what to do if dropped into that sort of situation.

I'd like to know something else, too though... What would MacGyver do with all of that?
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I saw the episode. I was disappointed that they never showed him cleaning any of the animals. That would have been at least as usefull as showing how to catch them, I think. He made a point of saying that he didn't want to show anything too terribly graphic regarding cleaning the animals, then went on about how he didn't want to kill any animals... that and the bit about always finding human garbage and it was a little PC for me. I did have a good laugh at watching him fall in the water on his first attempt at a raft. Some good points, though.

I kept thinking the whole time that a little .22 in his kit bag would have opened up whole new chapters to his menu. After a whole week with nothing but a frog, a turtle, and a little bubblegum in your belly and possum would start to look a whole lot more appetizing. I'd even be tempted to see if you really can take a 'gator with a shot between the eyes.

Man, it's been years since I've been camping in Georgia. Sometimes I actually miss Statesboro. ;)
 
dont forget that snake he killed w/ a stick...had some good meat on it.

The show though entertaining i dont think is too realisitic. he made the fishing hook out of a spring he found... looked like an over sized drum brake spring. apparently he found this, meanwhile he's out in the middle of no where and the thing didnt have a hint of rust/old look to it. it was just sitting there fresh out of the hardware store!? he also used that credit card as a lure, meanwhile he was going for catfish and just casting it out and leaving it there. i think he would have been best off w/ no bubble gum bobber and no credit card on that thing.

also w/ the time he had, he should have definitly made many more of those funnel traps for the turtles/fish.

there was one episode where he was 'cast away' at sea. has nothing but what was on him as he jumped off the boat into the survival raft. teh supplies on the raft sucked and many were not water proof and were destroyed. next thing you know he finds himself on an island. suddenly he has a hat...which was never on his person when he jumped off the side of the boat, swimming in the water and then having to right the survival raft.

Next he busts out a set of snorkle goggles and starts swimming around... hmmm never saw those.

the show has its good and bad points but i would say its more of a metro persons fantasy show than how it would truely go down.

the time he was in the desert it was like 7 days and i forgot what happened but i remember him having very minimal if any drinking water. and none until like his 2nd or 3rd day, yet he is talking up a storm walking around... my throat would be so dry i wouldnt say a thing. and try to only go out early morning/late evening to stay out of the blistering heat/sun...
 
I have not ever camped out in the Mojave, but i would assume that if there is a watering hole there it would also be frequented by the local wildlife. Doesnt the Mojave have Mountain Lions in the area?
 
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