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I'm amazed (or am I?) by the negative, know-it-all posts about this.
I wasn't aware of the program until I read about it here and I've just watched both of the episodes on 4OD.
I don't watch much TV these days, but this, in my view, is better than 99% of the rubbish that is normally on when the TV is on and is definitely worth watching.
Whilst I agree that he probably should have bagged more animals in the first episode and maybe built a better shelter, the silence, the lack of company and the presence of bears must make for a strange experience. If this were filmed in somewhere like Scotland then the lack of large predators would probably make it less intimidating.
NB. a gun isn't a lot of use if you're awoken from deep sleep by a large bear that's trying to kill you.
I would love to do something like this and expect that it could be very difficult. Reading books and knowing a few techniques are not the same as actually doing it. Struggling to find food must be very demoralising, especially as it is obviously going to be followed by a weakening of the body.
Whilst watching the programme, my view was also that the editing has been done to provide a narrative. He is enjoying aspects of the venture, but there are obviously going to times when he's feeling down and these instances have been given a lot of air-time. If he finds a good source of food he'll presumably feel much better very quickly.
I can excuse him having his camera kit moved around by others -how else could it be filmed well enough?
Indeed, you have to "catch" *all* your food - think about that for a moment. No popping down the supermarket or raiding the fridge/freezer. If you haven't shot/caught some food then you go empty - or make do with eating weeds/plants. Fine if you're Grizzly Adams but take a bloke from a Western society and plonk him in the wilderness and it's going to be hard.
maybe some people who have posted do actually know something about wilderness survival? if you happen to be sitting in an armchair at the time does any criticism become invalid or do you need to be posting from Siberia?
NB. a gun isn't a lot of use if you're awoken from deep sleep by a large bear that's trying to kill you.
he has an electric bear fence to out round his sleeping area.
I think its great that he's doing it, for him its a challenge, and good luck to him.
Now it would be funny if when he was walking around shouting "Hello Bear!", Bear Grylls popped his head around a tree and said "Hey Ed, I found a fishy!" 😆
🙄
** Tumble weed moment **
Seriously though, your all taking for granted so many factors.
Its not so much a physical thing so you can't compare it to Mark Beaumont cycle around the world which was greatly demanding mentally and physically however he was never too far from things we take for granted such as help, accomodation, communication, company and food. Take away all of this and I'd imagine the feeling of dispair would be overwhelming. People did live like this centuries ago, but they lived in packs/tribes whatever you want to call it. Nomadic people were conditioned to live like this over hundreds of years and bred animals such as cattle for food.
I certainly don't think he's a big girls blouse! Respect!
Now Bear Brylls, that's another forum thread! Hotel room and 3 course meal anyone?
Maybe some people do know about [b]real[/b] survival, but I doubt that many do.... I don't think a critic's current location makes much difference.
He does have a bear fence, although he mentions the batteries running out and in the 2nd episode he said that he's not using it. I wonder how effective the fence would be in the event of a bear charging full-speed at his bivvi anyway?
Bear fence? Why not make sure bears don't find you (like not cooking / eating near camp etc...) because lets face it there might be 17000 bears in the Yukon but there is onyl 1 of him so a bear would be really lucky to spot him given his luck at spotting them 😉
SSP
He needs to kill a bear to get a sense of control over his situation.
And start shooting animals for food.
And start shooting animals for food.
Yep, although shooting a squirrel from point blank range, with a shotgun is not best practice, and he missed?
I wondered how he would have eaten it had he shot it as it would have been blown to smithereens! 😐 He is dreadful tbf and has made a right mess of it. Why cant he survive on fish? Why didnt he bait the traps with the fish he did catch?
Hopeless.