What Would You Choose from the "Alone" Show Personal Survival Items?

I am actually going to open on a sad note: I said good-bye to "Buddy" on January 18th. He was a stray cat that showed up at our house earlier in the fall and decided to stay.  He got out onto the main road and was run over. I buried his terribly mangled body near the butterfly bushes where he would hang out to "stalk" the birds and squirrels that came to the feeder.

I have mixed feelings about his passing. He came to us with ear mites that he would not let me treat and so he was suffering from that right up to the time he died. Also, as an older cat, I was not all that thrilled by the idea of getting him neutered. I thought it might be an unwelcome change to his already fully developed character. Finally, I was concerned about what might happen to him for the times I expect to be away, either volunteering at Tracker School, or actually becoming a contestant on the "Alone" show. This is not the first time a cat has "left" me as I was in the midst of a life transition, so I hope it is actually a good omen and it was his way of freeing me to move forward. Based on what I saw, I suspect his death was a quick one. I hope he is resting in peace. 

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As I mentioned in my last post, I am currently preparing myself to be a contestant on the "Alone" show which can be viewed on the History channel, Thursday nights at 9pm EST. Granted, they are not taking applications at this time, but I certainly want to be ready when they do start taking applications again, and I am orienting my life as if I will be chosen, even though I realize I will be up against who knows how many thousands of other applicants. (I think it was 5000 applicants for Season 3!) But I am perfectly okay with those odds, because, as I highlighted in my last post, it is giving me the very motivation I need to pursue goals that I already wanted to pursue anyway!

I have established a basic strategy, but, just to be safe, I'm not going to spill my guts on EVERYTHING I plan to do to prepare in this public forum. I don't want to give any would-be competitors that edge! Not that they're probably reading this blog, but why take any chances? I will continue to share some of what I am doing and leave the rest for others to figure out for themselves.

What I want to offer in this post is some of the same information that is available on the "Alone" show website with regards to what people are able to take with them. These are the lists I am working from, for instance, as I acquire clothing articles I do not already have, or experiment with various items with which I am not already familiar.

I am offering these lists to my readers for them to also consider what they would take with them. I have a printed copy of the lists below that I am taking notes on and carrying with me pretty much wherever I go folded up in my copy of Tom Brown's Field Guide to Wilderness Survival!

Here's the info from the show website:

Each Alone participant brings clothing, safety, and survival gear to Patagonia*. Here’s a list of all of the standard items the participants are given, as well as the master list from which they are allowed to select ten special items. Finally, there is a list of prohibited items.  

CLOTHING/APPAREL/PERSONAL EFFECTS

  *These items do not count towards the 10 special items, but may not exceed the approved quota for each.

• 1 pair high leg Hunting boots
• 2 pairs of Outdoor Pants (can unzip into shorts)
• 1 t-shirt
• 2 fleece or wool shirts (hooded or unhooded)
• 3 pairs wool socks
• 1 hat (brimmed, wool or baseball)
• 1 bandana or shemagh
• 1 pair gloves
• 1 light outdoor jacket
• 2 pairs underwear
• 1 rain jacket and rain trousers
• 1 thermal underwear (long)
• 1 pair of gaiters
• 1 pair of Crocs, Teva sandals or Keen sandals
• 1 toothbrush
• 1 pair of prescription eye glasses
• 1 personal photograph

WINTER PACKS

  *These items were provided to each participant and did not count towards the 10 special items.

• 1 wool sweater (heavy)
• 1 pair of gloves (wool/Dachsteins)
• 1 trapper’s hat with ear protection or toboggan

 

TRACKING/SAFETY

  *We will provide the following items to each participant. These items do not count towards the 10 special items.

• 2 safety tools (may consist of 1 air horn and/or 1 flare)
• 1 rules and regulations guide
• 1 backpack
• 1 camera pack
• Camera equipment
• 1 emergency flare
• 1 satellite phone
• 1 emergency personal flotation device
• 1 first aid kit (military type – tourniquet, wadding, ace bandage, alcohol, plastic bag, etc)
• 1 small mirror
• 1 10x10ft tarp
• 1 10x10ft tarp (solely for protecting camera and equipment)
• 1 GPS tracking device
• 1 head lamp
• 1 emergency rations pack to include water and food

INDIVIDUAL

  *Each participant must choose TEN total items from the following list. Selections are final. Once chosen, no items may be swapped out or replaced. These will be each participant’s unique tools used to survive in the wilderness on camera.

Shelter

• 12x12 ground cloth/tarp (grommets approved)
• 8 mm climbing rope - 10M
• 550 parachord - 20m
• 1 hatchet
• 1 saw
• 1 ax

Bedding

• 1 multi-seasonal sleeping bag that fits within provided backpack
• 1 bivy bag (Gore-Tex sleeping bag cover)
• 1 sleeping pad
• 1 hammock

Cooking

• 1 large (no more than 2 quart) pot, includes lid
• 1 steel frying pan
• 1 flint or ferro rod set
• 1 enamel bowl for eating
• 1 spoon
• 1 canteen or water bottle

Hygiene

• 1 bar soap
• 1 8 oz tube of toothpaste
• 1 face flannel
• 1 40 m roll of dental floss
• 1 small bottle bio shower soap
• 1 shaving razor (and 1 blade)
• 1 towel (30” x 60”)
• 1 comb

Hunting

• 1 300-yard roll of nylon single filament fishing line and 25 assorted hooks (No lures)
• 1 primitive bow with 6 Arrows (must be predominately made of wood)
• 1 small gauge gill net (12' x 4' with 1.5" mesh)
• 1 slingshot/Catapult + 30 steel ball bearings + 1 replacement band
• 1 net foraging bag
• 1 3.5 lb roll of trapping wire

Food

• 5 lbs of beef jerky (protein)
• 5 lbs of dried pulses/legumes/lentils mix (starch and carbs)
• 5 lbs of biltong (protein)
• 5 lbs of hard tack military biscuits (carbs/sugars)
• 5 lbs of chocolate (Simple/complex sugars)
• 5 lbs of pemmican (traditional trail food made from fat and proteins)
• 5 lbs of gorp (raisins, m&m's and peanuts)
• 5 lbs of flour (starch/carbs)
• 2 lbs of rice or sugar and 1 lb of salt

Tools

• 1 pocket knife
• 1 hunting knife
• 1 Leatherman multi-tool
• 1 sharpening stone
• 1 roll of duct tape or 1 roll of electrical tape
• 1 small shovel
• 1 small sewing kit
• 1 carabineer
• 1 LED flashlight
• 1 pair of ice spikes

   

PROHIBITED ITEMS

  *The following items are PROHIBITED. This list is not exhaustive. Any item not listed above is also prohibited.

• Fuel or matches
• Bug spray/mosquito repellant.
• Sunscreen/chap stick
• Sunglasses
• Beauty products
• Map (detailed topographical)
• Compass
• Unapproved technology (anything with a battery or an engine, eg. cell phones, computers, watches, etc.)
• Professional snares
• Firearms of any kind
• Ammunition
• Explosives or gunpowder
• Animal poison
• Professional fishing rods
• Fishing lures, flies, bait kits
• Fishing traps
• Food or beverage (except the options from the selection list)
• Decoys
• Animal calls
• Tree stands
• Professional bows or crossbows
• Scopes of any kind
• Tents or shelters
• Stoves, pressure cookers or other cooking appliances
• Hydration packs
• Fire pits
• Electric or propane lanterns
• Inflatable boats
• Filtration, purification devices, iodine tablets
• Coolers or food storage boxes

 *At least for Season 3!

 I guess one thing to keep in mind is that any of this could change before new contestants are chosen, but, either way, there's a certain appeal to working within this framework just for the fun of it right now!

I will say at this point that I was lucky enough to find a pair of Muck Pursuit Fieldrunner "high leg hunting boots" at a local store for half the retail price (about $160 with tax down to about $80). I also have a "3.5 lb roll of trapping wire". I've never used it, never seen it before. I decided to get the 14 gauge instead of the 11. I also bought a Leatherman Wave multi-tool. After all, if I have heavy wire I'm going to need a tool to cut it!  Again, I may or may not share everything I come up with for using these things here on this blog. You might have to wait for "my" season to air to find out!

My New Survival Tools

Finally, I've been hiking around the Green River Lake area close to my house in part just to see what's there, but also to look for specific things. For instance, if you want to make a bow drill to start your fire, you need to know the difference between a Cotton Wood tree and an Oak!  If you want "easy" acorns, you need to know the difference between a White Oak and a Black Oak. If you want to try using natural flint to start a fire, you need to know what it looks like as well.

I will offer that I bought a $5 Mag Bar from Wal-Mart and the ferro rod broke away from the mag bar and then broke in half as I was practicing with it! Admittedly a simple case of "you get what you pay for". I have since continued to try banging rocks together and I have gotten sparks, but nothing big enough to start a fire! I'm going to keep trying though!

In the short run, I'm looking to take gear from the above lists into the woods for real "as if" practice - "as if" I were on the show. This past month I've been in accumulation mode. This month, I'm looking towards more implementation and documentation which should yield some better visuals! Also, I'm hoping to be producing some video material as that will be required with application as well.

In the mean time, over the next month, take another look at the lists above and consider what YOU would take with you into the woods to live for up to a year!

New Motivation from the "Alone" show on the History Channel

Although I fell behind a bit on my regular "New Moon" posts here through the fall, I have discovered a new and greater motivation to keep going: The "Alone" Show on the History Channel!

Basic premise of the show:  10 Contestants are left in a wilderness area scattered about three to eight miles apart from one another. They are allowed clothing and 10 essential survival items chosen from lists provided and minimal safety/emergency gear including a satellite phone with a GPS tracker so that the producers know where they are at all times.  The challenge is to stay as long as they can stand it - being completely alone - as they demonstrate their survival skills, self-videotaping along the way with equipment provided by the producers. They are encouraged to plan for as long as a year, but as of the second season, the duration has been 66 days. Each person uses the satellite phone to "tap out" when they've had enough. The last person standing wins $500,000.

First of all, at least in my mind, this is much more an "introvert's" game! Which would suit me just fine! It doesn't involve "forced" challenges like on "Survivor", only the challenge of building and maintaining shelter, making the most of the resources available to you for food and fuel, and accepting the experience of being isolated from all other human contact for an extended period of time. Although I am still building on my survival skill-set, I keep thinking of something Tom Brown, Jr. said, "If you go into the woods with a knife, you might as well be living in the Holiday Inn!" And not only do people get to take knives, they can take Nine other items as well including things like parachord, sleeping bags, and tarps, not to mention all of their clothing and shoes, boots, etc.

So, yes! I sent in an e-mail to present myself as a potential contestant on the show! The immediate (auto) response I received let me know that they have already cast the next season, but that they would send me notice as soon as they start accepting applications again.  In the mean time, I figure I'll just keep working on what I've already been planning to work on...only with more motivation than ever given the long term potential rewards.

You may wonder what I would do with $500,000 (once the government has taken it's cut, of course...) - First, I would give a percentage to Tom Brown, Jr's Tracker School because that's where most of my inspiration and instruction has come from and I am (already) Very Grateful for that. Second, I would buy a piece of wilderness (or near wilderness) property, build an off-grid tiny house on it, and then make it into a retreat where others can come and learn and practice survival skills themselves! What better way to "spread the wealth" on multiple levels?!

To that end, I'm going to review what I already know here, starting with shelter building. If you are not already familiar with "debris shelters" here is a quick review in photos, based on the shelter I built in Williamsburg, VA after hurricane Irene blew through.

Demonstration Announcement

Ground should be level and covered with a thick layer of pine needles, leaves or moss for comfort. The "Ridgepole" needs to be 1.5-2 feet taller than user's height. This one ended up being a bit short. I would use a longer one next time.

Ridgepole is first covered with "Ribs" about 1 inch in diameter.

More ribs.

Completed Ribs. Keep in mind this is going to support all of the weight your your debris. So it needs to be sturdy.

Lattice=Branchy Branches

First layers of debris, "trapped" by the lattice work.

More debris. Tom Brown, Jr. teaches that optimum depth is about 3 feet. I didn't have quite enough leaves to do that, but would use more in a true "survival" situation. Also, you can alternate between layers of debris and more lattice branches.

Getting help from one of my neighbors.

Initial test without "door" entrance.

Another neighbor posing with the "door" partially completed. Stakes driven into the ground with others resting on them and driven into the sides of the shelter at right angles. Then covered with more debris.

The finished shelter. Again, in a true survival situation, I would have added much more debris and a "door plug" made of leaves and branches strapped together, or a flap woven from dry grasses.

 Just with the depth of debris shown, this structure remained for about a week, with continuing rains. When I took it back down, the ground was dry underneath.

As I continue to imagine What I Would Do as an "Alone" show contestant, I think I would still build a debris shelter to sleep in, as I suspect it would keep me warmer than just about anything else. I would save any tarps, etc. to protect my gear and/or make into a daily work space. Sleeping bags are "optional" gear. There might be some other of the Ten Survival Items I would rather have, although every other contestant in the current season has chosen to take a sleeping bag!

So this month's "New Moon Challenge": Find a place where you can build and sleep in a debris shelter for at least one night! I'll be doing the same here in Campbellsville, KY (or nearby)!