Let's face it, as civilized humans, we have lost our ability to live in the wilderness. Survive for a few months, yes, but slowly losing weight until exhaustion forces us to "Tap Out". But for over a million years, humans like Homo Erectus and later Homo Sapiens had no such option. Taping out was giving up and dying. Were they smarter than modern-day humans? Generally no, but in wilderness survival, yes.
A. Season after season, I see a lot of common mistakes by Alone Show participants, and I wanted to highlight them for educational purposes, not to be critical or find fault, but to provide guidance for future participants or campers to hopefully avoid such mistakes in their camping endeavors or Survival Tests.
The show starts with analyzing the surroundings to determine the Best Campsite. This is no easy process, and there is no perfect campsite. A poor selection can lead to exhaustion, injury, illness, exposure, flooding, insect infestations, predators, or a lack of resources.
Some are too far from water, firewood, or building supplies, too windy, or infested with bugs. Others may be too fragile or not mobile enough to move after the area's food supply is exhausted.
Far too often, we see campsites that are flooded or have rainwater runoff flowing through them.
With fish, game, foraging, and firewood being exhaustible, I prefer a small mobile shelter on high ground close to a good water supply, a key ingredient in the Rule of 3 survival and for wildlife. Primitive man was Nomadic and without crops and livestock, so it is a mistake to expect to remain in one place for too long, as it requires 400-500 acres to live sustainably in the wild. Seasonal migration with decent shelter along the way was common. Eventually, planting wheat (grass) seeds along the route likely developed. Later, domesticating goats and herding them along routes became a major factor in tribal success. See post titled: Land required to survive indefinitely.
Granted, Roland expended a massive amount of calories building a fantastic rock house, but he was also fortunate enough to kill a Musk Ox, finishing him off with his hunting knife after all arrows were exhausted. Still, I wouldn't depend on this happening.
When seeds become one of the ten items that you can carry, my opinion may change. Turnips, potatoes, onions, or other fast-producing &/or cold-weather hardy vegetables would be handy. See Vegetable days to harvest and Vegetable planting dates. Vegetables with early-spring or late-fall planting dates are usually more cold-hardy.
B. After campsite location, a second top mistake is not bringing the right 10 items. While survival conditions may favor different items in each region, there are several things that the Winners Pack.
But before we talk about what the winners packed, let's look at a few of the things that the contestants do NOT frequently take and why:
- Bow and Arrows - Hunting is often restricted by governments, or the Survivalist lacks skills.
- 12 X 12 Ground Cloth - they are allowed to carry other similar items not counted as the 10
- Roll of Duct Tape - what would you use this for?
- Bivy Bag (Gore-Tex) - This could serve as a mobile shelter that few utilize. Consider it.
- Food Rations - 5 - 10 lbs of dried food could provide a huge calorie boost. Consider it.
Below are some of the top items carried by the winners; not carrying these could be a mistake. Think carefully before you leave one of these behind.
- Multi-seasonal sleeping bag that fits within provided backpack
- Flint or ferrous rod set for Primitive Fire building (don't lose it).
- 2 quart pot with lid
- Axe and/or a saw
- Hunting knife - see Best Survival Knife
- 550 para-cord - 20m
- Small gauge gill net (12' x 4' with 1.5" mesh)
- Canteen or water bottle, ideally a metal one that can be used to boil as well as store water
- Small shovel, usually with a saw edge on one side
- 3.5 lb roll of trapping wire
Below is the list that I would pick; what would you pick?
If there was no flowing or tidal water, I might forgo the gill net and replace it with the water bottle. And I might replace the wire with 5 lbs of dried food, and I've had limited success using snare traps for any extended period.
C. A third mistake is leaving camp without your Bow and arrows and missing a huge opportunity to harvest food.
D. A fourth mistake is showing off a fish catch too close to the water and losing it back into the water.
E. Number five mistake: Hollering, cheering, talking loud, and scaring off the wildlife and fish. This is just plain stupid. Wild animals are very wary of unusual sounds, such as a human voice, and talking resonates on the water's surface like a drum, spooking fish and scaring them away. You want to blend in, become an indivisible part of nature.
F. Number six mistake: Fishing the same spot over and over, and continuing to fish there, even when not catching any fish. Fish are, to a degree, territorial, and once you stop catching them, it is time to try a different area, bait, and time of day. Many fish often bite better at dawn, after not feeding during the dark night, or right before dark.
G. Mistake number seven: when the fish are biting, and you catch a fish, do NOT stop fishing; keep trying to catch more. Heading back to camp after catching one is not smart.
H. Mistake eight, being hesitant or unwilling to take the life of an animal for food. People like this should not be allowed on the show.
I. Mistake nine - wasting valuable calories on ridiculous projects. Granted, toys, music, or games might strengthen the mental aspect of the challenge, but don’t spend too many calories doing it. Try to find mental distractions that save or provide calories, not waste them. Have a mental list of such projects in advance. Project ideas: Fire Pit, Smoker, Secure food storage, camp traps, tripwires/alarms for intruders, fish bait, trap bait, camp drainage ditches, rain capture... and more.
J. Mistake Ten - Getting emotional. Suck it up, stay focused. Think of this as do-or-die, with no Tap Out option. Imagine you are stranded on a deserted island, waiting indefinitely for rescue.
K. Mistake eleven - Safety, avoid injuries. Don't get careless and don't do foolish things. Focus on what you are doing. Always cut with a knife or other tool away from your body. This should be a good habit that you developed long ago.
L. Mistake twelve - Not bringing a Ferro rod, losing it, or burning it up in your fire. No contestant has ever won without a ferro rod, and those who don't have one, for whatever reason, soon tap out.
What mistakes do you see that are often made? Leave a comment below.
The Alone show is the best survival contest on TV, and feedback like this can help make it even better.
For additional information, see the following links:
