S10.E05: Spirit Bear

[Quilt Fairy]

Quote

The survivalists find themselves pivoting as new challenges test their strength. One participant loses a valuable resource, while another is pushed to their absolute limit.

Air date: July 6, 2023

[Quilt Fairy]

Quite messed up on the timeline, is that 5 people gone in 5 days?

 

RIP, Reindeer Lake Gold Hellfire. 

ETA:  RIP, Reindeer Lake Gold Fury, we hardly knew ya. 

Edited July 7, 2023 by Quilt Fairy

[iMonrey]

Well who didn't see that coming? Out of all of them I think Cade had the most unrealistic expectations. His entire strategy was based on hunting big game. Has he never seen this show before? Nobody has ever won by relying on hunting big game. In ten seasons I can only think of one participant who ever got a deer or a moose. And I don't think that person even won.

Alan and Wyatt have the right idea. Sit your ass down and fish all day. You don't burn many calories, you literally have nothing else to do. In the unlikely event that I ever went on this show (fat chance) that's exactly what I would do. It's too bad Wyatt lost his lure and best hook but I bet Alan will eventually too. This is when you should be catching and smoking as much fish as you can.

Remember Dave from Season 5? Had an huge reserve of smoked meat but was hoarding it instead of eating it and had to be pulled by medical for starvation. Could have totally won if he hadn't gone mental.

Did Cade even try to catch fish? I don't think we ever saw him once. Has Mikey even tried to catch fish? It seems like his camp is too far from the water or something. At least he caught a mouse. Not much meat. But then again Sam from Season 1 lived on mice and almost made it to the end.

So, yeah. Maybe Cade's time would have been better spent trying to fish instead of sitting around waiting for a bear to wander into camp, or making silly videos, or trampling through the woods like Elmer Fudd. I don't know what show he thought he was on but all he went out there to do was hunt. Not a hunting show, dude, not enough "big game" to live on.

[diebartdie]

1 hour ago, iMonrey said:

Well who didn't see that coming? Out of all of them I think Cade had the most unrealistic expectations. His entire strategy was based on hunting big game. Has he never seen this show before? Nobody has ever won by relying on hunting big game. In ten seasons I can only think of one participant who ever got a deer or a moose. And I don't think that person even won.

 

Seriously? Jordan with a moose ring any bells? G.O.A.T Roland with a damn ox he killed with a pocket knife? Both of those men won by the way.

Edited July 7, 2023 by diebartdie

[Blackie]

3 hours ago, iMonrey said:

In ten seasons I can only think of one participant who ever got a deer or a moose. And I don't think that person even won.

 

Ok I see that already answered above.

Sorry Cade you were boring.

I am so glad Alan kept fishing after he got one. I hate when they stop at one, if the fish are biting don't stop fishing!!!

I wonder if Wyatt has been fermenting some blueberries or something, he sounded drunk to me LOL. 

 

Ok ETA this quote from @iMonrey last episode

"Lee tapped out Day 18, Ann tapped out Day 19. Luke tapped Day 20, and Jodi on Day 22."

What day did Cade tap then, I was so bored by then end I wasn't looking.

I wonder how long you have to be passed out until it triggers and alert for them to come and rescue you, or is is just if you miss checking in. I would have thought that if you are bit by an animal that would at least require a medical check.

 

Edited July 7, 2023 by Blackie
eta

[iMonrey]

3 hours ago, diebartdie said:

Seriously? Jordan with a moose ring any bells? G.O.A.T Roland with a damn ox he killed with a pocket knife? Both of those men won by the way.

Thanks, I couldn't remember who bagged the moose or who won. Still, my point remains, this is not a big game hunting show like Cade seemed to think. That's one moose and one ox in nine seasons and 90+ participants. The odds aren't with you. And nobody has ever bagged a bear.

2 hours ago, Blackie said:

What day did Cade tap then, I was so bored by then end I wasn't looking.

Day 23. 

As promised, I timed this episode. Minus commercials, the intro, previouslies and bumpers, it clocked in a 58:35. Not as bad as I thought. Still, in an hour's worth of content you'd think they would have enough time to cover all six remaining people. 

[Blackie]

47 minutes ago, iMonrey said:

As promised, I timed this episode. Minus commercials, the intro, previouslies and bumpers, it clocked in a 58:35.

so is it a scheduled as a 90 min show then? Definitely toooo much Cade as filler, Maybe everyone is just not catching fish or forgetting to turn on their camera like Alan did when he put in his gill net.

[Quilt Fairy]

2 hours ago, Blackie said:

is it a scheduled as a 90 min show then?

94 minutes, which doesn't make much sense to me, but it's been airing until 9:34 pm (Central) every week.  

So that's 5 people in 7 days.  That's gotta be a record.  

I was also wondering if Cade had done any fishing at all.  They are each on practically their own island, it hard to believe he wouldn't have even tried. 

ETA:  I went and checked and Cade did take fishing line and hooks.  No food.  In fact, the only one who took any food items this season was Melanie.

 

Edited July 7, 2023 by Quilt Fairy

[Blackie]

44 minutes ago, Quilt Fairy said:

Cade did take fishing line and hooks.  No food.

 Cade took his leather belt, mmmmm yummy belt soup!!

[madmax]

8 hours ago, iMonrey said:

Well who didn't see that coming? Out of all of them I think Cade had the most unrealistic expectations. His entire strategy was based on hunting big game.

He didn't even TRY anything else but a few shots at some small game.  I tell you what, if I needed a hunting guide, he'd be the last one I'd hire.  He barely lasted a couple hours sitting in his blind and even I know hunting takes serious patience (which is why I can't do it).

5 hours ago, Blackie said:

I wonder if Wyatt has been fermenting some blueberries or something, he sounded drunk to me LOL. 

Wyatt always sounds a little drunk to me, like Colter from season 8.

 

I think Mikey might be next.  He's been doing a lot of family talk lately and that's usually a signifier of tapping.

[Quilt Fairy]

I did feel bad for Cade when he said his wife had a miscarriage shortly before he left.  That had to be hard. 

[Red Bridey]

Mikey (or maybe it's Wyatt?) sounds like Bill Murray as the groundskeeper in Caddy Shack. I can't unhear it.

I admit feeling bad for Cade at the end but seriously he was such a dumbass. I wonder if he's the cause of some of those Canadian forest fires 🤔

Continue to adore Alan. He's so competent! And good lookin'. 

Where's Taz? Where's Final Woman Contestant? Are they both just quietly going about the business of finding food and staying warm and dry? More of that, please, Alone makers!

[AZChristian]

I'm a terrible person.  I was cheering for the squirrel and said, "Well, if you can shoot him, it's only fair for him to bite you."

[diebartdie]

Surviving on leather?

[mlp]

I didn't care for Cade and I'm not sorry he's gone but I did feel a bit sorry for him because he's going to be embarrassed when his son sees this episode and realizes dad isn't really a hero.  He should have been fishing instead of playing to the cameras.

Alan has been my favorite since the first episode but I like Wyatt too.  I hope they both go a long way.  

[Yeah No]

3 hours ago, Red Bridey said:

Mikey (or maybe it's Wyatt?) sounds like Bill Murray as the groundskeeper in Caddy Shack. I can't unhear it.

Hah I thought the same exact thing, LOL.  And I'm not sure of his name either.

And is it me or are there an unusually high number of dumbasses on this season?  They're making a lot of rookie blunders.  And I think this season ties with only one other for the most people going home before day 30.  We're only on day 22 or something so this season may even surpass that.

Among his other issues, Cade did himself no favors by not gaining some weight before he went on the show.  Was it overconfidence or did he really think he was going to be the one to beat those odds and look like an even bigger hero?  Not very realistic.

As far as surviving on leather goes, I sure hope it was natural leather.  I'm assuming he knew it was the kind of leather that was OK to boil and eat.  But with Cade I'm not so sure about that.  

I also wonder what the cause of his severe dehydration was.  Obviously a lot of them don't get enough food out there but what about water?  Or was it caused by something wrong with him like that squirrel bite?  Or eating the wrong kind of leather?  I wonder if we'll find out in the end.

 

[Yeah No]

Cade:

Day 1: I'm a gonna get me a bear!

Day 5:  Scratch that make it a grouse!

Day 10:  OK, new plan, make that a squirrel!

Day 15:  Alright forget that, make it a mouse!

Day 20:  I'm just gonna boil me up my belt!

Mikey:

Day 1:  I'm a gonna build me a cabin!

Day 10:  Scratch that, I'm gonna build me a teepee!

Day 20:  OK, new plan, how about a lean-to?

 

[Blackie]

10 hours ago, madmax said:

Wyatt always sounds a little drunk to me, like Colter from season 8.

 

8 hours ago, Red Bridey said:

Mikey (or maybe it's Wyatt?) sounds like Bill Murray as the groundskeeper in Caddy Shack. I can't unhear it.

 

It was Wyatt, and that is pretty much the northern Canadian accent.

[iMonrey]

14 hours ago, Quilt Fairy said:

I did feel bad for Cade when he said his wife had a miscarriage shortly before he left.  That had to be hard. 

I wonder how his wife feels about him taking off like that only days after she suffered a miscarriage. It wouldn't surprise me if she leaves him. (I know, I know, maybe she's really supportive and insisted he go, but it just seems so damn insensitive and selfish of him.)

14 hours ago, Red Bridey said:

I admit feeling bad for Cade at the end but seriously he was such a dumbass. I wonder if he's the cause of some of those Canadian forest fires 🤔

Bwah! 😂

[Red Bridey]

12 hours ago, Blackie said:

 

 

It was Wyatt, and that is pretty much the northern Canadian accent.

Thanks, I love hearing Alan and Wyatt talking Canadian, that accent is adorable.

[TVbitch]

The Gold Hellfire widower sounds EXACTLY like the "Motel 6 ....we'll leave the light on" guy. 

So, half the cast gone in 23 days? Well, still beats the AU version in Tasmania, where 5 were gone in 8 days! 

[PaperTree]

Alan's gillnet looks amazing, wow.  We'll see if it catches anything.

Nice door!   Good fishing so far.

He's lost 34 lbs! Damn!

Cade isn't nearly as clever as he thinks he is.

Nice arrow shot i suppose, but it seems fishy. How do you see blood dripping from that far away? How much blood does a squirrel have?

Cade was really starting to annoy me.

Not surprised to see him go.  He was looking mighty thin than trying to eat his belt. He looked shaky from the start

Mikey. Will all the shelters burn him out ?  Nice lookin trap. a flat rat.  LOL!

Wyatt.  Keep on fishin!  Lost the gold hellfire.  bummer  Smart boiling his water. "I can win this" Overconfident?

Gold fury goes down too.

Are there regular medical checks?

[iMonrey]

14 hours ago, PaperTree said:

Are there regular medical checks?

Yes, but they typically don's show them unless it's important to the story. Like if one of them ends up getting pulled because they've gotten too dangerously thin or something.

[silversage]

I think some of them exhaust themselves by yelling and getting overly excited about something.

[HurricaneVal]

On 7/10/2023 at 8:08 AM, iMonrey said:

Like if one of them ends up getting pulled because they've gotten too dangerously thin or something.

I think Cade was getting there.  In a few shots, his face looked like skin stretched over bone.  He must have fallen into some sort of hunger psychosis which made him get more and more obsessed with shooting a bear.  Which.....I think is a dicey prospect with professionally made arrows, let alone his homemade arrows. 

To be fair, Cade is obviously a good bowman, he did shoot that tiny squirrel with one of his homemade arrows--which he found again after shooting it.  He did learn at least one lesson while out there.

So he had fishing line and hooks, yet not once did they show him fishing?  Either that's production going with the "mighty hunter man ego takes down another dumbass" edit for a storyline, or he just flat out didn't fish.  Some people don't like fish--my gawd, who could refuse those tasty plump lake trout?--but hunger can be a great motivator. 

Or not.  Sam from Season One hated fish, and he subsisted on eating mice he caught from the dead fall traps he set up right around his rock and tarp shelter.  Sam was the king of the low energy "hunker down, hunger down" strategy since he nearly won. 

Other contestants have reluctantly fished and reluctantly eaten what they caught.  That's survival.  I did laugh when the editing seemed to zoom in on a mat of light colored moss and other bits of edible stuff I know I've seen other contestants foraging and eating.

They didn't show it, but I turned to Mr. HV and said:  "I bet the idiot puts the squirrel on a spit and roasts it.  Make BBQ with FIRE, *grunt*grunt* like MAN!"  Something like that should be stewed until the meat falls off the bones.  Then you don't lose any fats or calories that drip into the fire or go up in smoke.  You can squeeze alllll the nutrition and calories out, and feel fuller because you also have broth.

Buh-bye, Cade.  This was a short time coming.

When Alan started catching those fish though?  Mr. HV and I were fist pumping, and also screaming "They're biting!  Keep fishing!" and then he did.  We were very pleased.  Then we said "Now, go clean and smoke them."  We'll see if that's what he does.   I certainly hope he doesn't put them in a puddle to "keep" overnight, like the other guy did.  That's just serving up sushi on a platter to raccoons and otters.

[PaperTree]

Sad tale of Mikey's childhood.  That had to be tough.  He's really growing on me.

Forgot about Cade passing out.  At least an hour?

[LennieBriscoe]

On 7/8/2023 at 11:54 AM, iMonrey said:

I wonder how his wife feels about him taking off like that only days after she suffered a miscarriage. It wouldn't surprise me if she leaves him. (I know, I know, maybe she's really supportive and insisted he go, but it just seems so damn insensitive and selfish of him.)

Bwah! 😂

I would bet a month's pension that this couple discussed Cade's imminent  participation and absence, not to mention the potential reward that he was seeking for his family. 

On 7/11/2023 at 5:11 AM, silversage said:

I think some of them exhaust themselves by yelling and getting overly excited about something.

This is a joke, right?

[ChristmasJones]

When they collapse like what happened in this episode, is there any way the crew would know that? 

[AZChristian]

6 minutes ago, ChristmasJones said:

When they collapse like what happened in this episode, is there any way the crew would know that? 

Found this online:

"According to Larry Roberts, who came in second place during Season 2, the amount of intervention from production was minimal. "It varied, but they did check on us on a regular basis. We had a GPS tracker that we were required to carry. They would check in with us at least nightly, make sure that we were OK. They would send a very simple text that just said, ‘Nightly check-in.’ And we had a button with three presets, and we would just hit ‘OK,’ and just send it," he told ODN in 2016."

[bioprof]

Hate to be this cynical, but how do you know he was really passed out?

Easy to just let the camera lie there then pick it up later.

You would have heard him breathing if he was lying there, passed out.

Not buying it.

He was looking for an excuse to get home without “quitting”.

[AZChristian]

22 minutes ago, bioprof said:

Hate to be this cynical, but how do you know he was really passed out?

Easy to just let the camera lie there then pick it up later.

You would have heard him breathing if he was lying there, passed out.

Not buying it.

He was looking for an excuse to get home without “quitting”.

That would go along with the "lost" quiver of arrows.  Early set-up that he'd have an excuse about being able to get enough food to survive there long-term.  One would think that an experienced professional guide would have learned basic things like:

• Don't carry your bow in such a way that your quiver could fall off without your seeing it.
• If you DO lose your quiver, use your camera to figure out the path you followed to see the path you took to get where you are; then go backward and look for your arrows along the way.
• Don't go walking that far from your camp if you feel weak.
• Since you have fishing gear, try fishing for food.  Others out there have done well with fishing.

 

[bioprof]

Excellent point about   Using your camera to backtrack.

It’s not as if the quiver is too small to spot, like if you lost a flint.

[DropTheSoap]

On 7/21/2023 at 10:01 AM, bioprof said:

 

Hate to be this cynical, but how do you know he was really passed out?

Easy to just let the camera lie there then pick it up later.

You would have heard him breathing if he was lying there, passed out.

 

I would like to subscribe to your newsletter. Cade seemed to have an agenda, and it failed at every turn. 

I’ve been up in northern forests and always think of grouse as the dumbest birds in the forest. I’ve walked past the same bird several times and they barely move. 

I’m warning up to GA guy a tiny bit, but I did call it (to myself) that he was like the people he now complains about before he had a special needs child. 

Fishing is definitely the way to go. 

I wouldn’t be surprised if a lot of the stomach upset is from going into ketosis. If you’re not eating carbs for a few days or intentionally going off carbs, that’s a usual symptom, along with lethargy and dizziness due to losing so much electrolytes/water. They can get in more water but not so much on the electrolytes.