Les "survivorman" Stroud Goes On The Record

[Guest BFSleuth]

That's an excellent interview with Les!

I've always enjoyed watching or hearing interviews with witnesses, much more informative than if you only see the written account.

[Guest]

More "camera awareness," it seems, if one believes Les' story. He spends lots of time alone in the wilderness, and is familiar with wildlife, so his story is at least mildly credible (even though he IS a tv show host). "The thing" didn't reveal itself until after camera was turned off, and left the area as soon as Les moved back toward it. Wacky.

[Guest]

Les goes out alone with no camera crew. Bear Grylls has a crew and "re-creates specific scenes". I'm not sure about Dave & Cody.

I don't think it has anything to do with how "tough" any of them are - just different shows. I agree that Bear does some things, like jump off the cliff into the icy river, that most survival teachers would not recommend.

I'm glad to see Les back on the air - he quit for a while.

[Guest]

Grylls is a broken leg waiting to happen.

What about that poor camera-person? What always amused me about these shows (except for Survivorman) is that the poor anonymous cameraman was putting himself on the line every bit as much as the host, except he had to lug around a camera on top of it all. Steve Irwin comes to mind.

Les Stroud, however, is just a glutton for punishment. But he's the real deal. Grylls is just reckless for himself and his camera crew. Lack of dopamine, IMO. Most parts are edible?

[Guest]

Absolutely true about Grylls' shenanigans. His show should be called"'Man vs. Ways to Get Yourself Killed Positively Everytime You Are in the Wilderness" I hope they pay his crew at least half as well as they pay his stupid butt. He does some tremendous charity work, though, I'll give him that, and is quite the stuntman.

[Guest BFSleuth]

"The thing" didn't reveal itself until after camera was turned off, and left the area as soon as Les moved back toward it. Wacky.

I wonder how long after Les stopped filming, while he was working on his grass matt, before the first vocalization? I get the impression it may have been for a period of time he was concentrating on making the matt.

It seems that as soon as he made a motion for his camera it took off. Bipto has noted in the Operation Persistence thread that they have also noted the correlation between cameras and activity (put out the cameras and activity stops). While it seems incredible they can make the connection, there might be something to the observations of Les and BF researchers. In the case of Les it might be that his movement from a frozen state might simply have triggered BF's flight response (fight or flight) when he reached for an unknown bit of human technology.

[Rockape]

When he talks about hearing it crash through the trees, it seems he is implying that it was moving away from him.

If not, it sounds like it could have made a bluff charge after the vocalizations. When the BF saw that didn't work, it left. Probably Stroud was on it's hunting ground and it wanted him gone.

[Guest BFSleuth]

I can imagine the first thing BF might notice would be the smell of smoke, which would be a trigger for danger either from wildfire or humans. It would need to come and investigate. Les "held" the beach, which would then preclude any shellfish or seaweed harvest without being seen, which would then be an annoyance. When he tried to intimidate him with the ape hooting, Les didn't move but stayed frozen... then made a move toward his equipment. If the BF had any prior observation of humans then they may at least make the connection that human's equipment can be dangerous in some way shape or form. I have the impression from his gestures in the interview that the thrashing through the woods was definitely getting away from Les at that point.

[spacemonkeymafia]

Wasn't Les also stalked by a jaguar once?

THAT had to be scary!

[Guest Twilight Fan]

^Yep, in the Amazon!

I always thought Les was a bit of a goofy guy, but his show is relatable.

Bear Grylls "MAN VS WILD" is too fake.

My two favorite survival shows are "MAN, WOMAN WILD" - too hilarious! Love this couple to peices.

And "DUAL SURVIVAL" with Cody and Dave as a team. Good stuff!

[Rockape]

I can imagine the first thing BF might notice would be the smell of smoke, which would be a trigger for danger either from wildfire or humans. It would need to come and investigate. Les "held" the beach, which would then preclude any shellfish or seaweed harvest without being seen, which would then be an annoyance. When he tried to intimidate him with the ape hooting, Les didn't move but stayed frozen... then made a move toward his equipment. If the BF had any prior observation of humans then they may at least make the connection that human's equipment can be dangerous in some way shape or form. I have the impression from his gestures in the interview that the thrashing through the woods was definitely getting away from Les at that point.

Good point about the smoke. I guess it's possible that's what the BF was alerting to, it might not have even known Les was there. The vocalization might have been a warning to others to get the heck out of dodge.

[Guest Mudder]

I like that guy, and the show. Dude seems pretty legit, and not off the wall, unlike most other "survival show" peeps. Been awhile since I've seen it though. Had to cancel Dish Network to cope with laid-off-ness bills. Oh how I miss my Discovery/Science/Nat Geo/History/SiFi channels.

<=,,,~(

I cope though... Too many hobbies. And 17 digital channels ain't too bad.

:-)

[Will]

What about that poor camera-person? What always amused me about these shows (except for Survivorman) is that the poor anonymous cameraman was putting himself on the line every bit as much as the host, except he had to lug around a camera on top of it all. Steve Irwin comes to mind.

Les Stroud, however, is just a glutton for punishment. But he's the real deal. Grylls is just reckless for himself and his camera crew. Lack of dopamine, IMO. Most parts are edible?

Maybe so, I just thought Man vs wild was more exciting. Les's show just is a little to boring IMO. Dual Survival seem to be the most informative.

[norseman]

Maybe so, I just thought Man vs wild was more exciting. Les's show just is a little to boring IMO. Dual Survival seem to be the most informative.

Grylls show is all fake. I caught him in an outright lie, and posted the pictures on his own forum to call him out on it. His claim of being "miles from any road in the wilderness" was bogus, when a particular screen shot perfectly overlayed a photo I took from the Stoddard Creek trailhead in Central Idaho. His camera man was standing on the Forest Service road when he was shooting footage.

Of course deception is one thing..........bad information concerning impressionable minds is wholly another. Following Bear's advice about ANY survival situation is a good way of making your situation go from bad to worse. You don't run down cliffs after seeing a grizzly bear track. You don't jump off ravines into class 5 rapids. You don't bite the head off of a snake..........etc, etc, etc.

And lastly...........evidently he needs five star hotel accomodations and fresh blue berry pancakes after a tough day of filming garbage in the back country.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/celebritynews/1989977/TV-survivial-expert-Ray-Mears-attacks-rival-showman-Bear-Grylls.html

By the way! Ray Mears is the real deal!

[Guest]

^ that just reminded me...in one of the episodes Grylls jumps in the river to float downstream - if you look closely, you will see he suddenly has a life vest on under his shirt. Of course, when they cut to him getting out of the river - its gone!