I know it's fun to poke holes in a troller's post, but you are just adding fuel to the flame. Ignoring this type of poster is the only way to get them to go away.

I didn't choose the path of serving this great country with military service, but I have had the distinct pleasure of being able to lead former servicemen in the civilian sector.

One thing that I've found is that former servicemen have no problem telling you their opinion, but it's always from a very respectful, fact centered, well thought out position and never from an emotional viewpoint.

The thought that "you suck" would have actually served our country is an insult to all of those who sacrificed their time, their energy, and possibly even their lives for the freedom that he abuses by trolling here in this forum. To pretend to have held the honorable title of US serviceman is an insult to the entire US and all of it's citizens.

My compliments to those of you that served to help protect my family and my freedom .... some of us more than appreciate what you've done for us.

Hartford, WI is just North of Milwaukee. It's a nice place but it certainly ain't the Northwoods of Wisconsin. it's right off of 60... I drive through there on a regular basis.

Here Here Mr. Henley! You said it very well! I'd even go so far to say the vast majority of us appreciate their efforts.

Yep... I was a Space Shuttle Door Gunner... so there! ;-)

Seriously, I got hooked on the show, watched 6 episodes in 2 days, and I can't stop thinking about it. It's one of those "suspend your disbelief" things.

edited; no point in feeding the trolls

Edited by Brett1234 on 12/16/2007 18:26:53 MST.

Backtracking to the question of stream vs. ridgline, I think it is often possible to do both simultaneously. Usually streams and rivers carve a valley down the hill, with a ridge on each side. By walking on top of one of the ridges, you avoid ankle-stessing sidehilling, you avoid all the growth and fallen trees and rocky waterfalls at the bottom of the canyon, yet you stay close to the water of the stream. And, the stream may meander, but you won't end up walking in circles.

In Maine they sometimes say "Ya cann't get the'ere from he're".

So, it is with a ridge to a stream. Make sure one examines the countour lines of the topo map, or is a skiled climber with all the necessary equipment. Five hundred feet down over 50' or so, for example, makes for quite a descent.

Just one other facet to the puzzle.

I don't consider the dense forests of New England part of what I call "the civilized wilderness." You barbarians can bash around in your Devil-cursed woods, ski on ice instead of snow, etc.,etc., but a truly civilized and enlightened Homo sapien sapien does most of his woodsy activities in the Sierra Navada, as did John Muir. The Sierras range is the "Range of Light," New England is the home of witches. We are grown adults out here, and I don't hear anything you say, Na, Na, Na, Na, Na.

Theres a lot of people on here comparing man vs wild to survivorman, and questioning whether he's really "man" enough to have done all this w/o a night in a hotel or whatever it is you're implying. Bear has illustrated step by step a number of different techniques I was taught while enlisted in the Marine Corps. While enlisted, I went through the jungle warfare training center, mountain warfare training center, a cold warfare training package, and a desert warfare training package. Now if bear shows you how to do something youre too weak, fat, or tired to do w/o hurting yourself, then dont do it, but thats a decision youll have to make when in that position. He also probably wears a floatation device during certain manuevers because theres about a 50/50 chance of drowning while doing it, but if you have no other choice he wants you to know how to do it as correctly as possible. We practiced the same precautions while practicing the techniques that could save our lives. Survivor man kills a rabbit, but holds back the "unpleaseantry" of seeing a poor innocent creature cleaned correctly before eaten. Well then how the hell is the viewer suppossed to know how to do it? If you want excitement people, rent Die Hard 2. Quit whining and listen and you might learn something. P.S. Why does this have to be explained to you?

Steve, the issue is that Bear never stated that some of the stunts he were pulling we're staged. For instance, I don't remember him saying that they trucked in a horse to tame, do you?

I see that, this year, the show puts up a disclaimer that some of the events are done with help and even Bear will state this during the show. I appreciate the honesty, but this wasn't done until he was caught with his pants down.

Anyway, I still watch the show every week, but I treat MVW as more of an entertainment type show while I watch Survivor Man as if it's a self documentary. It's not like there are ten other shows like these to watch, so I'll still watch both shows.

I'll give Bear one thing though, he can sure climb like a monkey!

As long as we're debating the relative merits of various media men vs the wild, I think, in the interest of fairness, ol' Sly Stallone deserves at least passing mention.
On a more serious note, both of these guys can probably take care of themselves in the backcountry. I mean, one of them(Survivorman??) is ex-SAS from what I have read. The problem arises when they try to can it for TV, IMO. TV can FUBAR darn near anything. Just look at all the ruffled feathers sticking out of the posts in this thread.

I think I finally found a real use for BPL rank, good for spotting trolls. This guy has a serious love for man vs. wild. Poor thing, he gets so angry.

Did you see the Sierra episode- Rubbish!! Eating a Garder Snake? Where was the park ranger to write him a ticket. He said that snow melt needed to be filtered-thats got to be some of the cleanest H2O on the earth.

It was a Garter Snake.

Sorry- GARTER Snake! I need spell check.

yes, there's something even MORE ridiculous about the show when it's all about "survival" in a place that you know, rather than iceland or costa rica. i was just shaking my head throughout the whole sierra nevada episode.

but i think i still laugh the most just about the running and tucking/rolling down steep hillsides. there's something just really really funny about that. i mean, isn't the first thing you want to do is avoid a sprained or broken ankle? it's just so dumb.

It is an easy mistake to make! That whole Sierra "tale" is so full of %^*$*. I

Is it really a big deal that some of Man vs. Wild is staged or that he takes safety precautions?
Its just a television show. I don't recall hearing 'this is the true life survival story of Bear' or anything of that nature. I'm not really sure where the expectation that it was completely realistic came into being. They'd spend years out there trying to get some of that footage - wasn't that obvious?

Neither show really demonstrates how to survive for a long period of time (some might argue its not necessary to). BUT, because Bear takes safety precautions and creates circumstances we get to see all sorts of 'cool survival shi' that we don't see from Survivorman or anywhere else on network TV. I end up learning alot more - your experience may vary.

Man vs. Wild is an exciting (educational?) show. He shows us what COULD be done given the right circumstances and how to do it. Can you blame him for wearing a life vest or climbing with ropes? Why would anyone want to risk their life like that just for a show when they aren't truly in a survival situation - he's not Steve-O and its not Jackass. Isn't not like he couldn't climb without ropes, but why risk it?

When I watch Survivorman it just feels like i'm watching a man starve for a few days until rescued. Its boring (maybe too realistic, eh?). Survival isn't some big party like Bear makes it out to be, but I didn't think we needed to be told that, this is television for god sakes!