I’ve been an outdoorsman for as long as I can remember, but I do have some moments when I’m actually indoors, sitting in front of the TV. But even then I still find myself watching shows about survival and prepping. In fact, I have a couple of favorites that I believe can inspire even the staunchest of urbanites to learn about the living in the outdoors.
Image source:tvguide.com
The popular “Walking Dead” is a great example of people using their skills and ingenuity to beat the unspeakable odds, found in the form of a world in the middle of a zombie apocalypse. I’ve spent so much time thinking about how what I would do if I were placed in a situation where I’m surrounded by the undead, opportunists, and a dwindling food supply. I haven’t singled out a specific plan just yet, but I think some of my outdoors skills may come in handy.
In the realm of reality TV, I’m a big fan of “Man vs Wild” because its host, Bear Grylls, seems so capable and quick-thinking. Also, he’s always willing to show the nastier and grittier aspects of survival. Grylls has consumed elephant excrement, drank his own urine, and used a freshly-killed camel’s body as a sleeping bag, all in the name of survival. I’m not sure if I can do exactly what he’s done, but at least I have options.
Another show I’ve been watching is about “rewilding,” a lifestyle where people go off the grid and live in nature, usually relying on primitive skills. National Geographic Channel debuted “Live Free or Die” in 2014, and it featured several individuals who have chosen to leave the modern world to live a more bare-bones lifestyle.
Image source: nationalgeographic.com
The cast consists of married homesteaders who live on an acre of land on the Blue Mountain Ridge where they grow their own food: a naturalist who spends a few months of the year hunting and the other months teaching natural living skills classes, a former financial advisor who moved to the Georgia swamps to live off the land while trapping animals for their fur, and an ex-schoolteacher who has built a shelter made from found natural materials. Interestingly, he also has a 5-year old daughter who sometimes lives with him in his forest home when she isn’t living with her mother in town. Watching these five people try to live as close to nature as possible is intriguing, and I’ve certainly picked up some do’s and don’ts from them.
Finally, I also recommend the Discovery Channel series, “I Shouldn’t Be Alive,” which features interviews with people who were able to survive life-threatening events and focuses on what they did to help them stay alive. I think shows like these can bring a person’s survivalist urges and primitive skills to life, or at the very least, one can see things from a different perspective.
Les Stein, outdoors enthusiast here, reporting for duty! Check out my blog for more interesting reads about hunting, firepower, and military paraphernalia to name a few.
Les Stein 