All ten (10) selected the Fishing Kit and Sleeping bag while nine (9)
selected a Ferrous Rod and a Pot. With extreme cold expected, staying warm will
be a key to winning. Eight (8) selected Para cord, Bow & Arrows, an
Axe and a saw. All ten (10) selected a knife or a multi-tool, or both.
How does this compare to what the winners for the past 5 seasons carried?
See our post on the Winners List for
the complete story, but before we talk about what past winners took it is worth
noting they did NOT take a Bow & Arrows and they did not take Food
Rations. As a Bow hunter, I believe that would be essential for extended
survival, along with a gill net, fishing kit, and snare wire, as we need
unattended ways of generating food.
Here are the top 5 things selected by the winner in order of highest use.:
Multi-seasonal sleeping bag that fits within provided backpack
Flint or ferrous rod set
2 quart pot with lid
Ax
Hunting knife
If we were to project a Season 6 Winner based on Gear, we have 4
favorites: Donny Dust, Jordon Jonas, Ray Livingston, & Niki van Schyndel.
If were were to pick a winner based on looks, the clear top choice would be tough looking Ray Livingston who looks like he could survive anything. Behind him would be Donny Dust who is also a top pick based on pack contents compared to past winners.
How about a winner picked on credentials? Well that becomes much harder, because there are some highly qualified participants this year. While Donny is again impressive, lets look at the other standout candidates. Michelle Wohlberg already lives a homestead life in frigid Canada which gives her an advantage. Nikki Van Schyndel lived on a deserted island for nearly 2 years and has a lot of training. In past seasons, there has not been a woman win, but this season looks to offer two who are highly qualified to win. Brady Nicholls is an active duty specialist for the Air Force Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape (SERE) squad, and the Air Force has a lot of smart tough guys.
The names that come up the most are Donny Dust, Ray Livingston, & Niki van Schyndel but don't count out Michelle Wohlberg.
The Keys to winning will be:
Warm shelter and plenty of fire wood in this unusually cold region (-40
F) may be the deciding factor in who wins and could make this the shortest
competition yet. A good shelter will require an Axe or large saw and
cordage to build a log cabin with a fireplace. An alternative may be an
igloo, but a contestant may freeze before snowfall without at least a temporary
shelter.
Ability to harvest large game or lots of fish. One big kill, dried and
secured from predators could enable a person to survive there for a record
length of time. This will require a bow plus fishing gear and being quite
(whisper only) so as to not scare off the game.
Mental toughness; never think or talk about quitting. Instead,
focus on food & fire wood. Do not look at those family pictures;
forget about them for now, suck it up & stay focused. Granted, that
is easier said than done, but it must be the mindset to be a winner.
During slow periods, carving or building dead fall trap parts, or other
beneficial tools will help keep the mind engaged.
What gear would you take, and what would be your plan? Here is
our Prepper Handbook Plan (<-link also below) and
a Wilderness Survival TEST.
Its going to be an exciting season of the best Wilderness Survival show
on TV. After the show is over, we will review the gear and strategy of
the winner, so be sure to check back.
Week 1 Update:
Tim Backus is taping out
with an injured (probably broken) leg after 4 days; Nathan Donnelly caught a huge lake trout in his
gill net that will provide about 10 lbs of food
that will last a week or more, giving him an advantage. His gill net may
prove to be a game changer.
A gill net was the top food generator with 10lbs of fish.
9 People Remain with Tim Backus out.
Week 2 Update:
Donny Dust has built a small but warm shelter. In
extreme cold, this could make the difference. He killed a muskrat (est 4 lbs) with a club for food which gave him stomach
cramps and vomiting, leading him to tap out on Day 8. This raises the
question, can the stomach of modern man still tolerate primitive foods? Jordon Jonas is calling moose and setting wire
snares, but his area has been ravished by fire which appears to be a
disadvantage. Niki van Schyndel after sleeping late and wasting
critical daylight hours, cut her hand carving a stick on Day 6. Ray Livingston caught his first lake trout (est 10 lbs) with a hook and line. Michelle Wohlberg found a good 55 gallon barrel
which could be used to store water, as a fire barrel, or possibly as a fish
trap. Michelle uses it as a float to attach fish hooks
to and fish in deeper water. Donny Dust is having chest pains and taps out with health concerns.
Fishing hook and line was the top food generator this week at 10 lbs.
Fishing has been the top food generator for the past two weeks at 20 lbs.
8 People Remain with Tim Backus and Donny Dust out.
Week 3 Update:
Starts on Day 9, with Jordan catching 4 large (est 8 lbs) rabbits with his snare traps. This is a
first for such a yield with snare traps. Woniya Thibeault insulates her a-frame tarp
shelter. Day 10 opens with Nathan Donnelly catching another large (est 10 lbs) lake trout in his gill net while he still has
a few pounds left from his previous large fish. This gill net has generated
about 20 lbs of fish so far. Feeling light headed and exhausted, he throws up
after eating some raw fish eggs.
Day 11 opens with Barry Karcher catching a nice size fish on a hook
and line, only to let it get away.
Day 12 opens with Brady Nicholls building a shelter, picking
berries and finding a musk ox skull while salvaging. Ray Livingston is fishing unsuccessfully and
setting some Mohave scissor snares. Day 12 sees Nathan Donnelly recovering from his food
poisoning; Brady Nicholls making fishing lures and catching a
large (est. 10 lbs) lake trout and
Ray Livingston going bow hunting, finding his
snare triggered but malfunctioning and harvesting a squirrel (est. 1 lb) with his bow. Michelle Wohlberg, using her 55 gal barge to fish
with hasn't caught anything or had any food, but caught a grouse in a snare
trap, but it looks as if her shelter is catching on fire. Day 13 has
Ray Livingston crying.
Week 3 has been very productive for wire snare traps (est 8 lbs) and a
gill net with another 10 lbs and a fishing line with another 10 lbs of
fish. Top food producers so far have been the Gill Net with 20 lbs;
fishing line with 20 lbs; Snare Trap with 8 lbs and bow & arrows about 1
lb. Plus 4 lbs with a stick.
8 People Remain with Tim Backus out a broken leg and and Donny Dust concerned about a second heart attack after chest pains.
Week 4 Update:
Day 14, Michelle Wohlberg suffered a fire to her lodging
as some of the moss between the logs burned, but not a complete loss and she
plans on using clay next time. Jordon heard a moose during the night and is
hunting it.
Day 15, Niki van Schyndel,
checking her dead fall traps got a mouse and bagged a squirrel (1 lb) with her bow, but stabbed her leg with an arrow
walking back to camp; a second self inflicted injury for the accident prone
Nikki.
Day 16, Ray Livingston's
bow hunting has been unsuccessful so he worked on insulating his shelter.
Jordon, on his peninsula, is calling moose. His trip wire alerts him to
the presence of a near by moose. Taking a long shot at the moose with his
bow, the arrow dropped between his feet.
Day 17, Woniya Thibeault is hungry and bow hunting only
to find a hand full of berries. During her hunting trip, she whispers to avoid
scaring any animals, which is very smart. Returning to camp, she put an
arrow through a grouse which flew off. After a short search, she found it,
which will yield about 2 lbs of food. Ray Livingston falls in the lake while
fishing. In 16 days he has eaten 1 fish, 1 squirrel and lots of
berries. He is questioning the point at which he should give up,
suggesting he is about to tap out. Woniya Thibeault is cooking and eating her grouse
and rushing out to hunt for more.
Day 19, Ray Livingston is giving up on fishing and going
hunting, but tires, talks quitting again before tapping
out nearly in tears, making him the first one out by choice as opposed
to health issues.
Week 4 has been virtually unproductive for traps with only one mouse in
a dead fall, and a grouse and squirrel with bow & arrows about 3 lbs.
Top food producers so far have been the Gill Net with 20 lbs; fishing
line with 20 lbs; Snare Trap with 8 lbs and bow & arrows about 5 lb.
7 People Remain with Tim Backus and Donny Dust out with a broken leg & chest
pains, respectively, Then Ray Livingston has tapped out after 19 days. He
could never pass the 21 day Naked & Afraid Test.
Week 5 Update:
Day 20, 7 People Remain. Jordon, hunting with his bow hit a moose, and
tracks the bubbling blood trail to its resting place. This could be a
game changer. Barry is picking berries. Brady, is hiking to look for food, but didn't
bring a bow and is satisfied with that decision as big kills have not occurred
on previous seasons. Jordon, patiently watches his moose bleed out and
collapse. With over 500 lbs of meat,
skinning, preserving and protecting it from predators will be the key.
Working into the night, he gets it skinned and carried back to camp.
Day 21, Barry wakes up suffering from leg cramps,
possibly from dehydration or over working. His goal for today is to rest
and re hydrate.
Jordon, recognizes the risk from predators and has
hung his meat to protect if from other wild life and is beginning to smoke
it.
Day 22, Nathan found wolverene tracks and is hunting him,
but they can range 15 miles per day, making it a challenge as the snow falls
covering his tracks and making navigation difficult. Giving up tracking the
wolverene, he returns to his cabin exhausted.
Brady, is fishing with a hand line and can
literally see the fish. He catches a huge fish, probably 10 pounds. He figures it is enough for 6 days of
food
Day 23, Niki is playing with fire, buring moss for
birthday candles. While potentially foolish, sainity is a fragile thing in
situations like this and having some fun can be helpful. Checking her snare
traps, she has caught a rabbit (2 lbs) that is
still alive and has to kill it, which makes her cry. Returning to camp,
she finds large tracks, which looks
like a bears.
Woniya is checking her snare traps on a clear 24
degree day, and finds a nice size rabbit, probably 2
pounds. She cuts the hide off in a spiral and twists the green
hide to make a rope.
Jordon, enjoys his first moose which contains 100
grams of protien per pound. With 500 pounds of meat, he is the odds on favorite
to either win the $500k, or get eaten by a bear defending his food.
Niki is cooking her rabbit with some
berries
Day 25, Niki awakens to growling sounds outside her
shelter and bravely looks out to investigate. Early morning he is off
with her bow to hunt following large tracks.
Week 5 has seen record productivity with hundreds of pounds of moose
meat harvested with a bow. Snare traps also caught two rabbits and fishing with
a hand line caught about 10 pounds of fish.
Top food generating tools are: Bow - 505 + lbs; Hand fishing line 30
lbs; Gill Net 20 lbs; Snare Trap with 12 lbs; a thrown stick 3 lbs.
7 People Remain with Tim Backus and Donny Dust out with a broken leg & chest
pains, respectively, Then Ray Livingston tapped out after 19 days.
Week 6 Update:
Day 26, 7 people remain; its 25 degrees Fahrenheit. Niki is treating an injured thumb and eating
squirrel, mushrooms crowberries and blueberries when her shelter catches on
fire. Michelle is baby talking to her self before
checking her fishing line only to find them empty. Moving on to check her
traps, she experiences some light headedness and begins to cry.
Day 27 and Niki is dealing with her burnt shelter.
Day 28, Brady, is eating a large breakfast, talking about
home and missing his daughters birthday. Barry, is checking his trap line after being
unsuccessful fishing. He is feeling lethargic as he hunts, finding a snow hare
(2 lbs) in his snare traps. He suspects a bear
is visiting his camp during the night.
Day 29 , Barry is burying his rabbit remains and burying
it under a distant rock so any predators will make noise. Nathan is working on his shelter and checking his
gill net to find another fish, but with snow everywhere, slipping and falling
in the water is a hazard. This time his catch is 19 to 20 inch lake white fish,
probably weighing about 4 lbs of meat which he
dries in his shelter as he contemplates what it will be like to win the $500k
prize. Michelle is walking out on the partially frozen
ice to get a drink before checking her snare traps. As she finds a rabbit (2 lbs) in her trap, she begins to cry.
Woniya is observing the frozen shore line and working on her shelter.
Woniya is observing the frozen shore line and working on her shelter.
Day 30, Woniya has double walled one side of her cabin
for insulation against the cold. Barry awakens from his nap to find is noise alarm
scattered everywhere with what looks like fox tracks. He was hoping to attract
a bear to shoot it for food. Michelle is determined after eating her rabbit
(hare). She has made a puppet from the rabbit skin and is giving us a puppet
show, demonstrating how fragile the mind becomes when lonely for extended
periods.
Day 31, Brady, is looking at his family picture and
talking about missing them. As the family starts to dominate the mind, it is
usually the beginning of the end for that contestant. Brady says he has six
fish fillets in his food storage, and can get more, but boredom and missing his
family is what he is struggling with. What the heck am I doing out here? Once
again, we see the mind beginning to crack. He needs to be insulating his
shelter that is only a tarp wall in most places; he need to be building up more
food stores.
Day 32, Brady, cracks (Taps Out)
from missing his family while he is warm, dry and comfortable with a weeks
worth of food stored up. Its sad to see how weak the mind becomes. 6 People
Remain with Tim Backus and Donny Dust are out with a broken leg & chest
pains, respectively, Then Ray Livingston tapped out after 19 days. Brady Nicholls taps out with a weeks worth of
food stored, nice warm shelter, but missing his family.
Only 8 pounds of meat this week, 4
pounds with snare traps and 4 with a gill
net.
Total top food generating tools are: Bow - 505
+ lbs; Hand fishing line 30 lbs; Gill Net 24 lbs; Snare Trap with 16
lbs; a thrown stick 3 lbs.
6 People Remain with Tim Backus and Donny Dust out with a broken leg & chest
pains, respectively, Then Ray Livingston tapped out after 19 days.
Brady Nicholls taps out with a weeks worth of food stored, nice warm shelter, but missing his family.
Brady Nicholls taps out with a weeks worth of food stored, nice warm shelter, but missing his family.
Week 7 Update: 6 People Remain
Day 36 opens with Woniya finishing up double insulating one of her
shelter walls, before checking her snare trap line after relocating them.
Apparently she caught something, but a fox stole it.
Jordon is feasting on moose meat and acting giddy before scouting the
area to check on animal activity that could be a threat to his meat
store.
Michelle is missing tooth paste on a 35F morning
and checking her trap line, finding clear signs that a fox stole her
catch. Checking trap lines more frequently might help. Jordon, is dealing with a wolverine stalking his
camp.
Day 37, Jordon, is checking his gallon moose fat sore, but
a wolverine has stolen it. This gallon of fat contained about 35,000
calories. Setting some snare traps with loud cans attached will
help him detect another intruder as he stays up all night listening. Hearing
his cans rattle around 11 PM, he goes out and shoots the wolverine with his
bow, pinning him to the ground, and quickly finishing him with a hatchet. This
provides roughly another 30 pounds of meat,
making Jordon, the clear leader in producing food,
exceeding all the other participants combined, potentially from all Alone
shows. His second kill, the wolverine is more meat than any other
participant.
Day 38 Woniya is drying her hair, before checking and
reworking her snare traps, and then thinking about winning this
competition.
Michelle is struggling for food and thinking
about how much potential winnings the fox cost her. As she checks her
trap lines, she sees the fox ahead of her checking them too.
Day 39, Jordon,has skinned the wolverine and is building a
platform to protect his large store of food.
Day 40, has Barry breaking the ice on his pot for a drink
before going fishing with a home made fishing lure he made from a can. He
quickly hooks a big fish and is patient pulling him in trying to tire him out,
but loses him at the last minute.
Day 41 opens with with Nikki boiling a rabbit head & spinal cord to
make soup before going hunting with her bow. She has rebuilt her shelter
after it catching fire. She wounds a squirrel but gets bit trying to dispatch
him. A stupid mistake indeed, but the lack of food clouds the mind and causes
this. Barry makes a fish dip net so he doesn't loose
any more. He soon catches a trout (10 lbs)
and dips him up with his net.
There was about 40 pounds of meat
harvested this week, 30 with a bow and arrow,
then 10 within a fishing line and home made fish
dip net.
Total top food generating tools are: Bow - 535
+ lbs; Hand fishing line 40 lbs; Gill Net 24 lbs; Snare Trap with 16
lbs; a thrown stick 3 lbs.
Week 8 Update: 6 People Remain
Day 43, 6 people remain, and Barry expecting a med check tomorrow means he has
won. Checking his trap lines, he seeds a squirrel, but misses him with his bow
twice. But that is okay he thinks, because he is the winner.
Day 44, the boat shows up for a health check, and then leaves, to his
emotional disappointment. Nikki is sharpening her knife in her shelter and
spit on the rock which quickly freezes in the 27 degree weather.
Checking her snare traps, she finds a hare (4
lbs), which is a emotional event. Needing fiber, she is considering
eating the contents of the hares stomach, which turns out to make a good soup
for those brave enough to try it. Woniya med check indicates only a little weight
check since the last one. Checking her trap line, a fox has stolen her
catch.
Day 45, Woniya is checking her traps again, finding her
first squirrel (1 pound). Jordon has lost 30 pounds on his med check despite having a lean
moose to eat, so he is going fishing for something with more fat. He gets
a large lake trout out of water, but loses and his lure indicating line break
or knot problem.
Day 46, Nathan is cutting his
hair before going to check his gill net, which was empty, but he saw two large
lake trout, but didn't bring a fishing line. Watching the fish, he passes
out and falls to the ground. Woniya is out dancing
in 30 degree F weather. No rabbits in her traps, but she is making a
rabbit scarf from all the rabbit hides. She also made a knife holster and
a harvest basket, demonstrating her craft skills.
Day 47, Michelle is sleeping or passing out from
exhaustion around noon, before going to check her traps. Disoriented, her
vision is blurry and she seems lost which can be caused by low or no B12 from
malnutrition. Lost, she is having chills, is nauseous and fell to the
ground. She hasn't had a bowel movement in 14 days. Struggling, she
begins to rationalize quitting for health reasons, and in her feverish case,
quitting may be justified. Nathan is cooking soup,
and has food for 2 more meals left from his gill net. Checking his net,
he has a fish securely tangled, but is concerned about his dizziness. He
caught a Northern Pike weighing probably 10 pounds in his gill net. Sobbing,
This week the top food producers were a gill net with 10 pounds and snare traps with 5 pounds.
Total top food generating tools so far are: Bow - 535 + lbs; Hand fishing line 40
lbs; Gill Net 34 lbs; Snare Trap with 21 lbs; a thrown stick 3
lbs.
Week 9 Update: 5 People Remain
Day 48, 5 people remain and Jordon is modeling his rabbit skin vest. Out of
moose fat after a wolverine stole his supply, he is skinning the moose head for
the fat content. He is able to render about 3 lbs of fat and crackalings.
Nikki is harvesting dried Sedge grass which is a good insulation and tender for fire. She is using it to make a stuffed teddy bear. One contestant is harvesting fat and stuffing a teddy bear.
Nikki is harvesting dried Sedge grass which is a good insulation and tender for fire. She is using it to make a stuffed teddy bear. One contestant is harvesting fat and stuffing a teddy bear.
Day 49, and Woniya has made a bed
frame & is showing it to us before checking her trap lines. In the process
she see a white rabbit, but misses it with her bow. But she caught a
large rabbit (4
lbs) in her lifting snare and a second rabbit (3 lbs) in a regular snare trap. Jordon is singing before checking his
meat to find another wolverene has stolen is fat supplies again.
Day 50,
Nikki is harvesting a tamarack jack mushroom before smoking herself. Her unusual activities, while not providing food, seem to be keeping her spirits high, and the mental challenge is a big factor. Already people with days of food supply have quit.
Nikki is harvesting a tamarack jack mushroom before smoking herself. Her unusual activities, while not providing food, seem to be keeping her spirits high, and the mental challenge is a big factor. Already people with days of food supply have quit.
Day 51, Barry is figuring out what license plate he will
get on his car when he wins. Not food today, but he is harvesting reign
deer moss, which must be cooked several times to avoid digestive issues. Jordon is wishing his daughter a happy 3rd
birthday before making a deck of 52 cards, and talking about his family,
demonstrating the mental challenge that all these contestants must face.
Day 52, Nikki is playing with her stuffed bear, reminding
me of "Wilson" on Castaway. Medics say she must tap out, but she refuses, not wanting to leave.
Here toughness and positive spirit are admirable. With her BMI too low,
she is at risk of organ failure and leaves the competition. Woniya is eating one of
her rabbits for Halloween.
Day 53, is cold after his fire went out
during the night despite banking his fire each night. Working on his bow drill,
he talks about about attitude... a lot. Current temperature is 17 degrees
F. Wood with wide space between rings is best for a bow drill, but all he
can find are tight, closely spaced rings. Finding a cedar board, his is
able to get his fire started after working all day. Nathan
Day 54, 20 degrees F and is talking about the
cold and finds his entire bay is frozen over, and his berry field is covered
with snow. Barry
Day 55, 14 degrees F and Barry, unable to break through the ice for water
resorts to melting ice.
Total top food generating tools so far are: Bow - 535 + lbs; Hand fishing line 40
lbs; Gill Net 34 lbs; Snare Trap with 28 lbs; a thrown stick 3
lbs.
Week 10 Update: 4 People Remain
Day 58, 10 degrees F and Woniya watches the sun set at 3 PM. Nathan is heating some rocks to provide warmth under his sleeping bag.
Day 58, 10 degrees F and Woniya watches the sun set at 3 PM. Nathan is heating some rocks to provide warmth under his sleeping bag.
Day 61 opens with Nathan showing his gill net out of commission, which has provided all of his food.
Day 62 ends with 6 degrees F and Barry sees ice inside his shelter, despite burning a fire.
Day 63 has Jordon with ice on his mustache and beard in 10 degree F weather as he is making a weaving tool from wood and then starts making a net from para cord to catch fish for the fat.
Day 64 and Woniya hears rabbits during the night near her shelter. As the sun rises, she checks her traps, finding one tripped for a second time but empty. She sees fox tracks and where they have been digging to get rabbits. Its nearly dark at 2:43 PM. She hasn't had food for several days, so she makes a rabbit intestine soup from her fish bait.
Day 65, 9 degrees F and Barry is struggling, telling us how hard this is, but saying that tapping out is not an option. He starts setting some snare traps for rabbits using a counter weight for tension as trees may freeze in position after a few days. It's surprising he has not set snares previously. At the same time, Jordon is finished with his fish net and has made some nice snow shoes that he is using to set his net out on the ice. Chopping two holes in the net, at a distance equal to his net length, he feeds his net under the ice, and then seals his hole with snow. His ingenuity is very good and with his moose meat, his energy level is better than the others.
Day 66 has Nathan adding debris to his shelter to add insulation. Now he is looking at putting his fish net back out to catch fish. Barry has nothing in his snare trap and is considering going to an unfrozen lake to get water and begins to make snow shoes that are functional, but unimpressive. Reaching the unfrozen lake, he drinks his fill after being without water for over 24 hours. At the water's edge he begins to break down and cry. At this point he looks like he will be the next one to tap out.
Day 67 opens with Nathan saying he has smoke steaming from the hot rocks under his bed. He uses this smoke source, smoldering under his bed to restart his fire. Then he walks out on the ice to set his gill net once again. He doesn't wear any snow shoes, which is risky. He feeds is net through a small net and secures it with a fragile stick across the hole. He is in good spirits and looking like he will last much longer.
Day 68, opens with Jordon checking his fish net to find that he has caught a Lake Trout (10 lbs) that is already frozen. Gutting it, he begins to eat the fat raw. This time he walked out on the ice without his snow shoes, which is risky, but having been out there, apparently he had confidence he didn't need them. Once again however, he is generating more food than the others.
Day 69, as the days continue to add up, Woniya is in good spirits and taking her laundry line to use for snare traps. She is losing a pound and a half per day but catches three squirrels (6 lbs) in her snare traps she set near her house. Barry continues to struggle, and today is his scheduled medical check. His face is drawn, and his body is skinny. The medics are taking quietly together before advising that they must pull him for medical reasons. He has lost so much weight his body is consuming his muscle including his heart muscle.
Reluctantly and regretfully Barry leaves as he is forced to tap out for medical reasons.
Week 11 Update: 3 People Remain
Medical reasons are quickly becoming the top reason for participants being eliminated.
Day 70 opens at ZERO degrees F with Jordon watching an ermine, a martin type carnivore steal a rabbit hide. He goes to get some moose meat and find that he left the ladder up where his meat is stored, to find another wolverine has gnawed the fat off his meat. Nathan is tightening his belt to keep his pants up. It is six or seven holes tighter than it was originally. He checks his gill net with the temperature at -6 degrees F with a strong wind blowing over the ice. His net is stuck and in trying to free it, may have ruined it. Woniya is thinking about eating biscuits and butter and getting excited. After 3 squirrels yesterday, she is trying ice fishing today. The blade she is trying to chop through the ice with is not working well. She needs an axe. Note: Bring an axe if ice fishing is expected. Temperature is -10 F when she realizes she is wasting her time. Building a large fire might be an option.
Day 71, -1 F and Nathan is working on ice fishing and set 6 lines with 2 hooks each bated with fish intestines. He has some soup left and one last piece of smoked fish to eat. As he starts to eat his fish, his shelter catches fire and burns all around him as he fights to put it out and has to flee, leaving everything behind. Without shelter or any supplies, he taps out. Prior to this, he looked to have a good chance to win this. He has a 7 hour wait in 2 degree weather and only his shelter fire to keep him warm. He smartly begins to put together a small lean to shelter. Note: Fire Security is important in your shelter.
Day 72, two remain and Jordon is planning what he will do when he gets home, but not counting his winnings yet. Then he is shining his flashlight on his bate while ice fishing to attract fish, but no success. Woniya is eating a soup of mixed animal parts and bones before checking her traps, which have served her well, but not today. Discussing the rational of staying vs quitting, she appears near the breaking point. She has been very tough, but is competing against a contestant who got 500 lbs of moose meat.
Day 73 Jordon didn't sleep well thinking of his mistakes letting his meat fat get stolen. He contemplates tapping out, as we see the helicopter coming and landing. Next we see the crew approaching Woniya who is tapping out on her birthday. We have a winner: Jordon but he doesn't know yet.
Day 77 Jordon, consistent with past performance, is pulling in a HUGE Pike (on his fishing line) weighing probably 20 pounds and then enjoying a nice fish stew, believing he has a medical check today. As he hears the chopper, he eats more. They ask how he is feeling and he is trying to impress them that he feels well as his wife approaches him from behind.
Jordon is clearly the most successful competitor from all the events in generating food.
Total top food generating tools for this competition were: Bow - 535 + lbs; Hand fishing line 60 lbs; Gill Net 44 lbs; Snare Trap with 34 lbs; a thrown stick 3 lbs.
Day 62 ends with 6 degrees F and Barry sees ice inside his shelter, despite burning a fire.
Day 63 has Jordon with ice on his mustache and beard in 10 degree F weather as he is making a weaving tool from wood and then starts making a net from para cord to catch fish for the fat.
Day 64 and Woniya hears rabbits during the night near her shelter. As the sun rises, she checks her traps, finding one tripped for a second time but empty. She sees fox tracks and where they have been digging to get rabbits. Its nearly dark at 2:43 PM. She hasn't had food for several days, so she makes a rabbit intestine soup from her fish bait.
Day 65, 9 degrees F and Barry is struggling, telling us how hard this is, but saying that tapping out is not an option. He starts setting some snare traps for rabbits using a counter weight for tension as trees may freeze in position after a few days. It's surprising he has not set snares previously. At the same time, Jordon is finished with his fish net and has made some nice snow shoes that he is using to set his net out on the ice. Chopping two holes in the net, at a distance equal to his net length, he feeds his net under the ice, and then seals his hole with snow. His ingenuity is very good and with his moose meat, his energy level is better than the others.
Day 66 has Nathan adding debris to his shelter to add insulation. Now he is looking at putting his fish net back out to catch fish. Barry has nothing in his snare trap and is considering going to an unfrozen lake to get water and begins to make snow shoes that are functional, but unimpressive. Reaching the unfrozen lake, he drinks his fill after being without water for over 24 hours. At the water's edge he begins to break down and cry. At this point he looks like he will be the next one to tap out.
Day 67 opens with Nathan saying he has smoke steaming from the hot rocks under his bed. He uses this smoke source, smoldering under his bed to restart his fire. Then he walks out on the ice to set his gill net once again. He doesn't wear any snow shoes, which is risky. He feeds is net through a small net and secures it with a fragile stick across the hole. He is in good spirits and looking like he will last much longer.
Day 68, opens with Jordon checking his fish net to find that he has caught a Lake Trout (10 lbs) that is already frozen. Gutting it, he begins to eat the fat raw. This time he walked out on the ice without his snow shoes, which is risky, but having been out there, apparently he had confidence he didn't need them. Once again however, he is generating more food than the others.
Day 69, as the days continue to add up, Woniya is in good spirits and taking her laundry line to use for snare traps. She is losing a pound and a half per day but catches three squirrels (6 lbs) in her snare traps she set near her house. Barry continues to struggle, and today is his scheduled medical check. His face is drawn, and his body is skinny. The medics are taking quietly together before advising that they must pull him for medical reasons. He has lost so much weight his body is consuming his muscle including his heart muscle.
Reluctantly and regretfully Barry leaves as he is forced to tap out for medical reasons.
3 People Remain
Total top food generating tools so far are: Bow - 535 + lbs; Hand fishing line 40
lbs; Gill Net 44 lbs; Snare Trap with 34 lbs; a thrown stick 3
lbs.
Week 11 Update: 3 People Remain
Medical reasons are quickly becoming the top reason for participants being eliminated.
Day 70 opens at ZERO degrees F with Jordon watching an ermine, a martin type carnivore steal a rabbit hide. He goes to get some moose meat and find that he left the ladder up where his meat is stored, to find another wolverine has gnawed the fat off his meat. Nathan is tightening his belt to keep his pants up. It is six or seven holes tighter than it was originally. He checks his gill net with the temperature at -6 degrees F with a strong wind blowing over the ice. His net is stuck and in trying to free it, may have ruined it. Woniya is thinking about eating biscuits and butter and getting excited. After 3 squirrels yesterday, she is trying ice fishing today. The blade she is trying to chop through the ice with is not working well. She needs an axe. Note: Bring an axe if ice fishing is expected. Temperature is -10 F when she realizes she is wasting her time. Building a large fire might be an option.
Day 71, -1 F and Nathan is working on ice fishing and set 6 lines with 2 hooks each bated with fish intestines. He has some soup left and one last piece of smoked fish to eat. As he starts to eat his fish, his shelter catches fire and burns all around him as he fights to put it out and has to flee, leaving everything behind. Without shelter or any supplies, he taps out. Prior to this, he looked to have a good chance to win this. He has a 7 hour wait in 2 degree weather and only his shelter fire to keep him warm. He smartly begins to put together a small lean to shelter. Note: Fire Security is important in your shelter.
Day 72, two remain and Jordon is planning what he will do when he gets home, but not counting his winnings yet. Then he is shining his flashlight on his bate while ice fishing to attract fish, but no success. Woniya is eating a soup of mixed animal parts and bones before checking her traps, which have served her well, but not today. Discussing the rational of staying vs quitting, she appears near the breaking point. She has been very tough, but is competing against a contestant who got 500 lbs of moose meat.
Day 73 Jordon didn't sleep well thinking of his mistakes letting his meat fat get stolen. He contemplates tapping out, as we see the helicopter coming and landing. Next we see the crew approaching Woniya who is tapping out on her birthday. We have a winner: Jordon but he doesn't know yet.
Day 77 Jordon, consistent with past performance, is pulling in a HUGE Pike (on his fishing line) weighing probably 20 pounds and then enjoying a nice fish stew, believing he has a medical check today. As he hears the chopper, he eats more. They ask how he is feeling and he is trying to impress them that he feels well as his wife approaches him from behind.
Jordon is clearly the most successful competitor from all the events in generating food.
Total top food generating tools for this competition were: Bow - 535 + lbs; Hand fishing line 60 lbs; Gill Net 44 lbs; Snare Trap with 34 lbs; a thrown stick 3 lbs.
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This was excellent!! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteOnly 2 of them have done anything but starve and those 2 were just lucky with arrows and big game. All just starved until they got a big animal. Jordan lost 20 lbs in as many days. none have known to take the 2 person rope hammock and make 2400 sq ft of 3" mesh netting out of it, make a pontoon outrigger raft, make the 48 small fishhooks out of the 24 large hooks, make the chumlines to draw the fish to their (heavily baited) net pens, to be cut off by the seine. You need to catch 600 lbs of fish, 209,000 calories, in order to last 100 days. A big man will still lose 30-50 lbs on that, a small woman might lose 20 lbs. A lot depends upon how carefully you conserve your calories.
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