The Alaska Experiment Anyone?

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DFW1911

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Is anyone watching this show? I have been and found it to be interesting (as related to firearms) for several reasons.

1. Antis are realizing the value of a firearm while living in the wilds of Alaska.
2. The guide recommends the .338 Win Mag as the "best" all around gun for Alaska.
3. Some groups were given a .22 for hunting small game despite being in a reasonably high Brown, Grizzly, Black bear population...not to mention there's a wolf or two around.
4. Based on #3 above I would have thought a rifle of more "oomph" would be given in addition to a .22
5. The groups are realizing the self-protection aspects of a firearm. I only hope they retain that knowledge and draw the same conclusion when back in "civilization."

Finally, how on earth did they get lucky enough to be on the show...I'm jealous :banghead:

Take care,
DFW1911
 
3. Some groups were given a .22 for hunting small game despite being in a reasonably high Brown, Grizzly, Black bear population...not to mention there's a wolf or two around.
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I only caught a couple minutes of it last weekend for the first time. I caught just enough to see an idiot shoot a buffalo or something with a .22 (which of course, ran off). They ended up eating a gutpile instead when they saw eagles circling nearby.
 
Looks like a really cool show. There is a new series on the Discovery channel that had something about guns and antis as well. In one scene, it shows a lady saying she is uncomfortable around guns. A few minutes later, it shows her shooting some long gun with a smile on her face!
 
I only caught a couple minutes of it last weekend for the first time. I caught just enough to see an idiot shoot a buffalo or something with a .22 (which of course, ran off). They ended up eating a gutpile instead when they saw eagles circling nearby.
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The pre-break teaser made it look like they shot the bison, but the guy just drew down on it in frustration but didn't shoot.

Anyway, it's nice to see a show that isn't all "GUNS-CRIME-FEAR!"
 
Keep in mind that this isn't Survivorman. Judging by the camerawork that I've seen, they have helicopter infrastructure, power sources, and extensive camera crews. I highly doubt that the guides/cameramen would leave their safety up to a .22 in heavy griz territory. In one episode I saw recently, a guy killed his first goat and you could see the pride and comfort that he and his wife took in their self-reliance. Goes a long way towards making up for other television.
 
SPOILER ALERT!!!

In one episode I saw recently, a guy killed his first goat and you could see the pride and comfort that he and his wife took in their self-reliance.
Click to expand...

I know what you mean. So far the two guys who have gone goat hunting have both bagged one whereas the moose hunters are 0 fer 2.

It's interesting to watch how quickly the attitudes have changed for firearms once they realize how important they are to survival...and not everyone who owns one is going to rob a 7-11.

I think Ninja.of.Love is right in that there is probably a pretty good amount of folks standing by - the show even has a disclaimer stating emergency personnel are off camera, so combined with the crew there's no telling how many folks are really there.

Looks like a lot of fun, though...especially on someone else's dime.

Thanks,
DFW1911
 
Yeah, I got sucked into this show primarily to see how they addressed the gun issue. There's no supermarket in the Alaskan wild, and no 911 to call. If there's nothing between you and the bear, and the bear looks hungry, you quickly understand the value of guns.

Only one of the groups seem to have a gun of their own -- the IT hippies from Jersey. It looked like a 10/22 but I could be wrong. The same hunting guide has been going around to the different groups to hunt with the .338 Win Mag.
 
I dunno, but .338 WM seems like a horrible way to start shooting, especially when the premise is that their survival depends on success hunting game. On the other hand, handing people a rifle and telling them to figure out how to get food also strikes me as a terrible idea. IMO, the correct "survival" approach would be to take aformentioned rifle, and hold up the cameramen/rescue personnel for food/means of escape.
 
"But the .338 WM seems like a horrible way to start shooting"
I would say not, Both guys who actually had game in their sights connected and 'made meat' with two shots or less.

One of the hunters did manage to split his eyebrow open on the scope eyepiece while targeting the rifle.

.338 Win. Mag. is a great cartridge for medium to heavy game and about the top of the power level that a new shooter can manage.
 
They gave them .22 Chipmunks for survival!
Get real!

The only way an adult can shoot one accurately is by holding it out like a pistol.

That is the stupidest gun related thing on the show so far.

More to follow I'm sure.

I also wasn't too impressed with the guides gun safety instructions to people who had never handled a gun before.

One guy got hit in the eye with his scope on the .338, and another used his as a crutch most of the show. Lucky his barrel wasn't plugged with mud when he finally got to shoot it.

rcmodel
 
Not to worry

Don't worry about outsiders staying in AK.....they usually don't have the metal to stick out one of our dark cold winters and if they do they usually leave before the next one.

Alaska = She chews up and spits out the weak..........
 
Damn that Dangerous Catch!....

If the crab fishing series; Dangerous Catch did not get such high ratings and good DVD sales, these other knock offs would not be around! :cuss:

I like the series and the other History show; Ice Road Truckers but I think this theme of rugged macho TV bull@#$% needs to stop somewhere...
What's next? Ice cream truck drivers? Day care teachers? Hot dog cart vendors?

Enough already!

Rusty :banghead:
 
My family and I spent 3.5 years in Alaska at Ft Richardson from 1960-1964. I really liked it, and tried to get another assignment there, but got Iceland instead.:mad: Had some good hunting during that time.

That was a time when the bag limits were per year 1 Griz or Brown Bear, 1 Polar, 3 Blacks, 1 moose, 3 caribous, 2 goats, 1 ram and I think 5 deer. No, I never had the time or even wanted to take that many.

In watching that show I realize that not one of those parties could get through the winter without someone watching and helping them. But it is interesting, and I am eager to see what happens.

I also enjoy watching the Iditarod. I am always amazed at the stamina of the mushers, and the dogs.

Regards,
Jerry
 
I agree w/ JerryM - I don't think they could make it - and wonder how many of us could get through something like that.

I think it would be fun to try:D
 
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Regarding the Cricket

I am betting that someone laid out the pramaters for a generic .22LR rifle to give to the participants. Single shot only, bolt action. Then, they either sent an assistant to the gunstore to buy 3 of them "cheapest one you can find", and this assistant followed the instructions blindly

OR

Alaskan guide guy had the same basic thought, 'give em a bolt action single shot 22LR' and probably the local alaskan multipurpose had plenty of ruger 10/22s and maybe some decent used .22boltguns, but nothing new, so they either hit the internet or grabbed down some gun catalogs and flipped thorugh them. If you hadn't been told that a cricket is really as small as it is you probably couldn't tell from a picture. If you have seen other 'youth' firearms like a "youth" model 7, it isn't unusable by an adult.

Probably when the Alaskan guide laid eyes on the crickets for the first time, either when they arrived in the mail or when the TV crew unloaded them, he was probably HOLY CRAP THAT IS SMALL...too bad it is too late now.

If you think about it, are there any single shot only, no magazine, no tubefed bolt actions out there that are below $250?
 
The funniest gun-related quote on the show to date: "Look - a bison! Quick, get the .22!!!" :what:

There's also one guy who's trying to get a wolf that's been hanging around the cabin.

We'll see how this plays out.
 
I wasn't aware this was an experiment, but it would explain many things. How am I doing on the show?

Seriously, did you see them hunt BISON by ICY BAY? With a .22?? Something isn't kosher about this. I know of no bison hunt in those GMU's. It sounds like they staged something elsewhere with a captive buff.

As far as the .338 WM, it does seem to be the single most popular big game rifle up here and has been for some time.

Finally, how on earth did they get lucky enough to be on the show...I'm jealous
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You can always just buy some acres in the back of beyond up here, get flown in and see if you can make it.
 
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