S07.E03: That Was No Bunny

[ProfCrash]

As they enter the second week of the competition, the participants focus on fishing to provide a long term food source. One participant experiences a frightening accident, while another comes face-to-face with a million dollar meal ticket.

Airs Thursday 25 June 2020 at 10 PM on the History Channel in the US.

[LittleIggy]

“That was no bunny.” Unless it was like the one from Monty Python and the Holy Grail! 😆 I like Amos. I also like the South African guy. I’m glad he wasn’t hurt when he fell off the ladder. I don’t know how much good it does to cache food high up since lots of predators can climb. 
Yay, for the squirrel that escaped. 
Roland licking the squirrel blood off his fingers was gross! 🤢

 

Edited June 26, 2020 by LittleIggy

[humbleopinion]

This episode is showcasing and  getting to know the rest of cast, their quirks and how the editors are crafting each Aloner's story line.

Amos' gill net is as money as Mark's and those two are already stocking up for winter, ahead of the food game with smoked fish.

Rowland's 5 miles is not providing the ready food he needs, he's going to have to work for it. Gather and storing plants and berries is not the meat he wants.

Kielyn, also is not benefiting food wise, from her location.

She makes a Million Dollar mistake.

Joe, the National Parks biologist, self proclaimed an introvert, is becoming a favorite.

He is building a structurally beautiful shelter...the fitted joints, the dovetailing...

Joel, the class clown has the advantage of having a bro, he pronounces "brew" named Jaco. His resume is impressive but the Arctic will be far from his other experiences.

He makes a Million Dollar mistake.

Keith should sell his line of jewelry on etsy, he is our Alone fashionista with his luxurious hair.

 

 

[wintrygal]

I like all the contestants this season, they all have the potential to win, barring any disasters.  I actually have the book Joe mentioned as his inspiration, called 'The Hatchett', about the young boy being stranded in the wilderness, it's fiction but a very good read. 

[qtpye]

1 hour ago, wintrygal said:

I like all the contestants this season, they all have the potential to win, barring any disasters.  I actually have the book Joe mentioned as his inspiration, called 'The Hatchett', about the young boy being stranded in the wilderness, it's fiction but a very good read. 

I loved books like that as a kid.

Roland’s intensity is both impressive and a little scary.

The lady who missed the moose reminded about how Jordan rode his moose kill to victory.

[humbleopinion]

27 minutes ago, qtpye said:

Roland’s intensity is both impressive and a little scary.

 

He keeps that thousand yard stare when he is  dead serious or pulling our leg.

He is the poster boy for Deadpan.

1 hour ago, wintrygal said:

 I actually have the book Joe mentioned as his inspiration, called 'The Hatchett', about the young boy being stranded in the wilderness, it's fiction but a very good read. 

 Joe is a dreamer and that book's essence gripped him as a kid and has guided his life...

Joe is living out his boyhood dream, except he is a man with the survival skills and knowledge in plants as a National parks biologist to make it happen.

Worry that he does not have a bow and arrow to procure food and has to rely on fishing, snare trapping, deadly accurate rock throwing and stick jabbing squirrels in their burrows.

He didn't fatten up before he started the show.

Like Amos' zen attitude about the up coming winter and predators...

The brutality and senselessness of war has put everything in perspective for him...he is ready to be food deprived, he isn't going to sweat predators if he can defend himself with his air horn, bow and arrow, fire.

 

Edited June 26, 2020 by humbleopinion

[rmontro]

14 hours ago, LittleIggy said:

I don’t know how much good it does to cache food high up since lots of predators can climb. 

That's what I keep thinking, but it seems to work.  At least most of the time.  In a past season Jordan (I think?) had his moose fat stolen (by a bear?) from the same kind of platform that was in this  episode.  I think Joel built it?  He even gave Jordan a shoutout for inspiration.  Amos was worried about losing his cache hanging from a rope.  So I guess it's possible animals can get to it, but the ropes and platforms present obstacles for them.

I was glad to see the squirrel trapped in the hole get away. 

 

4 hours ago, humbleopinion said:

Joe, the National Parks biologist, self proclaimed an introvert, is becoming a favorite.

About time they got a self professed introvert on this show.

[humbleopinion]

1 hour ago, rmontro said:

 In a past season Jordan (I think?) had his moose fat stolen (by a bear?) from the same kind of platform that was in this  episode.  I think Joel built it?  He even gave Jordan a shoutout for inspiration.  Amos was worried about losing his cache hanging from a rope.  So I guess it's possible animals can get to it, but the ropes and platforms

If I recall correctly, Jordan stupidly left his ladder up against the tall platform and a wolverine climbed up and snatched his precious bucket of fat.

Joel will have to build a little hutch on top of the platform since birds can come carry the small food away as shown laying on the boughs.

Jordan stored the heavy moose quarters, ribs and head on his platform.

Hard to tell perspective but Joel needs to chop down a few more neighboring trees so a predator can't take flying leaps from them to access his larder.

Anyone else noticed Joel leaned his ladder up against a nearby tree...close enough for an animal use the ladder climb the tree to launch themselves to the food platform...betcha Jordan leapt from his couch yelling..."Put the ladder horizontal on the ground!"

Amos will have to come up with a safer way to store food, too many predators can climb trees to get to his XXLL underpants when he leaves camp for long periods of time to hunt, fish and gather.

Does it bother anyone else that they do not smoke more of the fish body than just the fillets?

I would also smoke and dry some of the heads...split open....

Edited June 26, 2020 by humbleopinion

[LittleIggy]

I think some of them are using the heads along with the bones in fish stew.

[mlp]

I've watched this show since the beginning of season 1 and I still don't understand the cameras.  I thought that they have one camera that they are required to move around with them so there's footage of their activities.  While Joel was chopping trees to make his platform, we kept seeing him working from two different angles.  While Amos was listening for a possible predator, we saw him in his shelter and also saw footage of trees in the dark outside.  I suppose Amos could have taken the camera with him when he went out and the editors just spliced the outside shots in where we saw them but we definitely saw Joel from two different angles while he was up in a tree.  I remain confused.

[AZChristian]

There was a large container left on each contestant's acreage before they were dropped.  I think the voiceover said it contained 65 pounds of camera equipment.  One camera is a GoPro, and at least one other is for distance shots.  That's how we see them with the GoPro on their heads while they're hunting, fishing, etc.  I'm sure there's also a tripod, and LOTS of extra batteries.

[LittleIggy]

IIRC, they drop off more batteries when the weekly health checks are made.

[TVbitch]

Team Squirrel! Is it me or are they featuring a lot more butchery this season? 

I can do without the "coming up....." scenes. I already have to close my eyes and mute during the lengthy title sequence which gives too much away. Also, I hate it when they open with a scene of who is going home and then back up and show what leads to it. I mean, Jesus God, can you possibly take any more suspense out of it?! 

The meat briefs suspended high up but away from foliage seems much harder for an animal to get at than the meat stand, and takes a LOT less energy to set up and manage. Plus, as some of y'all said, Jordans stand proved it is not fool-proof, where it would hard to mess up the hanging bag. Don't make the bag too big though, or a bird of prey might land on it and claw it open.  

 

[SassyCat]

1 hour ago, TVbitch said:

Team Squirrel! Is it me or are they featuring a lot more butchery this season? 

 

 

 

Yes. This. I noticed it too and had to cover my eyes at the graphic butchering parts and my ears when that poor little squirrel was crying while being poked with that pointy hooked stick thing. I am so glad it got away.

I know they have to kill to survive, but yes, those scenes are becoming more graphic

Quote

 

 

Edited June 27, 2020 by SassyCat
tried to remove the empty quote space ought of the bottom part of message, but couldn't

[Yeah No]

22 hours ago, mlp said:

I've watched this show since the beginning of season 1 and I still don't understand the cameras.  I thought that they have one camera that they are required to move around with them so there's footage of their activities.  While Joel was chopping trees to make his platform, we kept seeing him working from two different angles.  While Amos was listening for a possible predator, we saw him in his shelter and also saw footage of trees in the dark outside.  I suppose Amos could have taken the camera with him when he went out and the editors just spliced the outside shots in where we saw them but we definitely saw Joel from two different angles while he was up in a tree.  I remain confused.

I've noticed the different camera angles and have concluded that they must set up two separate stationary cameras in a scene like that, focused on them from different angles as they scale a tree or whatever, and I didn't specifically take notice, but it looks like they also might keep one camera with them.

8 hours ago, SassyCat said:

Yes. This. I noticed it too and had to cover my eyes at the graphic butchering parts and my ears when that poor little squirrel was crying while being poked with that pointy hooked stick thing. I am so glad it got away.

I know they have to kill to survive, but yes, those scenes are becoming more graphic.

Yes, I've noticed it too and I didn't appreciate it this week since I was eating in front of the TV at the time!  Even if I wasn't eating I still would have fast forwarded through that.

I'm not connecting with any of these people yet.  It is early yet, but I'm theorizing that the type of person that they'd have to recruit for something this heavy-duty might not give me the warm fuzzies.  Like Roland, whew.  Then again, the one person I liked right away messed up his knee and had to go home.

[ProfCrash]

I am really enjoying this season. The contestants seem to know their stuff and are having a good deal of luck with food harvesting. I like seeing the smoking and storage plans. I understand that folks don’t like seeing the butchering but it is a part of the process. 

The contestants seem more low key and less eccentric then some of the past seasons. I don’t have anyone I totally love but I don’t have anyone I dislike either. 

[HurricaneVal]

This is an interesting mix of people.  I'm kind of rooting for all of them.  Roland seems really pissed off about something all the time.  I wonder if his demeanor in the after show is because he didn't realize he signed up for that extra armchair quarterbacking material when he signed that contract, or if he's just genuinely a prickly loner who wants everyone to be gone, gone, gone, from his life so he can get back to his Alaskan homestead and be a real man some more. 

I think this show is a learning experience for everyone, production and survivalists.  This is both good and bad.  The good is that production has learned that they need to do a thorough job training on camera usage and go over camera angles and camera placement, and send out more cameras with each person so they can have permanent cameras set up at their frequent spots like sleep camp, kitchen camp etc, and really going over how important it is for them to capture everything so there is good footage for TV.  The bad is that now the survivalists have seen the show, and know enough of the after stories of prior Alone participants and winners, that they're starting to do some grandstanding and "entertaining" moves to try and maximize their screen time to improve their future backcountry survival training businesses.  That sort of crap belongs on Big Brother or Survivor, not Alone.

[humbleopinion]

Looked through the 10 item list of each of the contestants still in the game, the highlights.

Joe, metal water bottle to fill with hot water to keep his toesies toasty in his sleeping bag. Only person opting to not have a bow.

Amos, only cast to bring emergency rations, no fixed blade knife

Callie, no multitool. Hope she doesn't hook herself....

Joel, no fixed blade knife.

Keith, no saw.

Kielyn, no saw.

Mark, no fixed blade knife. Really like his camo clothing.. top and pants... anyone know the brand off hand?

Roland, his secret weapon...crosscut saw..Cuts through trees like butter....

[lidarose9]

On 6/26/2020 at 10:24 AM, wintrygal said:

I like all the contestants this season, they all have the potential to win, barring any disasters.  I actually have the book Joe mentioned as his inspiration, called 'The Hatchett', about the young boy being stranded in the wilderness, it's fiction but a very good read. 

I read a book called "Two for the North" by Farley Mowat when I was in 6th grade, and it had the same effect on me. I can trace my lifelong interest in this sort of thing directly to that book. (It was called "Lost In The Barrens" in Canada.) Whenever I see shows like this, I keep thinking "at least they've got trees!" Imagine trying to survive above the tree-line. 

I too am having trouble with the blood and guts this time. 

Some of these people, I just wonder if they have watched this show before. When you have a bad fishing spot -- change locations! Jeez, people! And once the weather gets really cold, the fish will disappear even at a good spot. So don't rely too much on one food source! And I think (so far) these people are being really naive about caching their food. The local bears, wolves, and wolverines must sit back and laugh. Bears are designed to climb trees, people! I think a bunch of this season's people are building generally sturdier shelters, some of which are really cool. 

[qtpye]

4 hours ago, lidarose9 said:

I read a book called "Two for the North" by Farley Mowat when I was in 6th grade, and it had the same effect on me. I can trace my lifelong interest in this sort of thing directly to that book. (It was called "Lost In The Barrens" in Canada.) Whenever I see shows like this, I keep thinking "at least they've got trees!" Imagine trying to survive above the tree-line. 

I too am having trouble with the blood and guts this time. 

Some of these people, I just wonder if they have watched this show before. When you have a bad fishing spot -- change locations! Jeez, people! And once the weather gets really cold, the fish will disappear even at a good spot. So don't rely too much on one food source! And I think (so far) these people are being really naive about caching their food. The local bears, wolves, and wolverines must sit back and laugh. Bears are designed to climb trees, people! I think a bunch of this season's people are building generally sturdier shelters, some of which are really cool. 

I read that book as a kid and remember  being so impressed by the skills.

[DrewPaul2010]

Hello all,

Didn't realize this was back on...I really thought last season was it.

I like the new format not sure if I understand the rules. Does this mean anyone can win the 1 million if they make it 100 days? What if no one makes it does last person standing take the purse or no one gets it? I like the idea anyone can win if they hang in the 100 days but I'm skeptical anyone can last that long. Also I like the show to be about skill and survival not turning into fear factor type gruesomeness.

Okay the guy who lost his fire starter tough break but he didn't even attempt to adapt and overcome. Not that I would ever do such a thing in the first place but if I found myself in this situation I would psyche myself into the mind set this is real and I'm stranded and I don't have a life line. That fire-starter is somewhere along the route he took. He may have to crawl on his hands and knees to find it but at least try. Maybe he sucks at friction fire...but try! Suggests to me he would have tapped out soon anyway if some other difficulty occurs.

The guy with the knee issue went out on his shield. For him there was no path forward. Are there 8 people left or six? If they already lost two at 10 days into it that doesn't bode well...

[AZChristian]

On 6/26/2020 at 10:24 AM, wintrygal said:

I like all the contestants this season, they all have the potential to win, barring any disasters.  I actually have the book Joe mentioned as his inspiration, called 'The Hatchett', about the young boy being stranded in the wilderness, it's fiction but a very good read. 

Just finished reading "Hatchet."  Easily read in just a couple of hours, and I think it's easier to relate to the protagonist when we see some of the things the folks on "Alone" experience.

[Melina22]

On 7/2/2020 at 3:29 PM, lidarose9 said:

I read a book called "Two for the North" by Farley Mowat when I was in 6th grade, and it had the same effect on me. I can trace my lifelong interest in this sort of thing directly to that book. (It was called "Lost In The Barrens" in Canada.) Whenever I see shows like this, I keep thinking "at least they've got trees!" Imagine trying to survive above the tree-line. 

I loved Lost in the Barrens! It was also an excellent radio play on CBC radio! Thanks for reminding me. 

[batesj]

joe was never anything but a weak link who did nothing and clearly never intended to do anything, Keith, and shotgun finder never had a clue how to feed themselves adquately. Roland is an ahole for only having one arrow and not trotting 10 minutes back to base camp. they are STUCK in a 12 mile radius of their drop off locations, guys. He could also have cut a pole, used a bit of his boot laces to lash his knife to the pole, used the rest of the laces and some rocks to make a bola, entangled the ox's legs and then speared it, instead of making it suffer for 5 hours, like the coward that he is.