Just this summer, I watched nervously from behind my car as two tourists sat in camp chairs outside their van and a bison made its way across the campground in their general direction. You could almost hear them giggling in delight at how close the animal was getting. Until it deftly broke into a trot, head down, and plowed toward them.

I’ve never seen people dive headfirst into the grass as fast as those two did. Fortunately, no one was hurt and the charge was a bluff—the bison peacefully continued on its way toward a better grazing spot once the irritating bipeds had vacated the vicinity—but the scene could have ended in disaster, and it often does.

Indeed, every year people are injured by bison in the U.S., including at ever-popular Yellowstone National Park, where thousands of the animals roam free. And these unwelcome encounters are largely because visitors mistake them for docile, domesticated creatures, when the reality couldn’t be further from the truth. 

We connected with Linda Veress, park spokesperson at Yellowstone, home to the nation’s largest bison population on public land, to bust bison myths and keep you safe when you cross paths with them in the wild.

MYTH 1: Bison are essentially no more than large fluffy cows.

First things first: let’s set the record straight about the difference between cows and bison, because they may share a scientific family (Bovidae), but they are otherwise two very different animals. For starters, bison are much larger. In fact, they’re the largest land-dwelling mammal in all of North America. Males weigh about 2,000 pounds and females around 1,100 pounds.

Most importantly, “unlike cows, bison are wild animals,” says Veress. And just like other wild animals, bison will defend their territory if they feel threatened. In fact, bison have injured more people than any other animal at Yellowstone, usually because tourists got too close when snapping photos.

MYTH 2: Bison and buffalo are the same thing.

While the term “bison” and “buffalo” are often used interchangeably in North America, the scientifically correct term for the furry brown creatures that roam the plains is bison. Buffalo are technically native to South Asia and Africa (think water buffalo and cape buffalo). Though they are in the same family (Bovidae), they don’t occupy the same regions of the globe, and buffalo have larger horns and lack the pronounced shoulder hump that bison are known for.

MYTH 3: Bison are slow.

If you’re under the impression that bison are little more than larger versions of domestic cows, you might also believe that they are docile and slow, but bison can be aggressive and territorial, protective of their young, and they can run. Fast. Up to 30 mph, in fact, which is much faster than a human can run. That means if a bison takes chase and you’re too close, you’ll be within goring or trampling distance in a matter of seconds.

What’s more, bison can jump up to 6 feet high to clear fences or other obstacles and are incredibly agile, which many don’t expect, considering their heft.

MYTH 4: It’s OK to approach a bison if it’s resting.

No matter a bison’s posture—standing, lying down, back turned, you name it—you should never get within 25 yards of a bison. Even when they appear to be resting or calmly feeding—as they often do—their reactions can be quick and defensive; all it takes is a visitor turning his or her back for a moment and the bison could be on its feet and ready to address the nearby threat.

So whether you’re on a trail, boardwalk, road, at a campsite, or in a parking lot, if you unwittingly find yourself within 25 yards of a bison, make some space. Walk slowly in the other direction while keeping an eye on the animal to avoid an unwanted interaction. If it’s the bison that moves closer to you, even if it’s slowly, that doesn’t mean you have permission to approach. You need to back away to maintain that safe distance, says Veress. 

Veress also reminds visitors that if your presence or actions cause a wild animal to move, you’re too close. It’s actually illegal to willfully remain near or approach wildlife within any distance that disturbs or displaces the animal. That includes touching young, as one tragically misinformed visitor did just this year.

MYTH 5: There’s no way to know when a bison is about to charge.

Fortunately, there are many ways to determine if a bison has marked you as a threat and is considering charging. First, its tail will likely be standing straight up in the air. It may then respond by bluff charging, bobbing its head, pawing at the ground, bellowing, or snorting. 

“These are warning signs that you are too close and that a charge is imminent,” Veress says.

While bison can and will react to human presence defensively any time of year, mating season, also known as rut, which happens in July and August, and calving season in the spring means female bison will be extra protective of their vulnerable young. So be extra cautious about keeping your distance during these seasons.

Bottom line: Keep your distance (like even this six-year-old boy knows you should), remember that bison are wild animals, and respect the fact that the outdoors is their home; you’re just visiting.

The post 5 Bison Myths, Busted (With Some Help from an Expert at Yellowstone National Park) appeared first on Outdoors with Bear Grylls.

Backcountry (2014-R)

Based loosely on a true story, Backcountry follows an Ontario couple who camp in the remote area of Missinaibi Lake in Missinaibi Park. While camping in the backcountry, Alex and Jenny get lost searching for a waterfall Alex remembers from his childhood. His ego gets in the way by ignoring foreboding signs on their way back to camp, including a black bear paw print and a deer carcass. You’ll have to watch to get the rest of this thriller. Filming took place in Powassan, Ontario and Caddy Lake, Manitoba.

Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, AMC+, YouTube, Apple TV, Google Play, Tubi 

Cabin in the Woods (2011-R) 

If you are looking for a mixture of laughter and terror, Cabin in the Woods is a good choice. When friends visit a secluded cabin in the woods, they are in for a big surprise, and a stop at a rundown gas station provides some foreshadowing. Watch in horror as these friends are put through a science experiment from your nightmares. The movie was filmed at Coquihalla Canyon Provincial Park in British Columbia, Canada. The “Secret Cove Cottage” is located in Half Moon Bay, British Columbia. 

Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, Max YouTube, Google Play, Apple TV, Vudu

Deliverance (1972-R)

Backwoods locals terrorize a group of four adult men on a canoe trip in this 1972 thriller starring big names like Burt Reynolds, Jon Voight, and Ned Beatty. Based in the mountains of Georgia, the locals don’t appreciate anyone visiting their woods. To make the visitors pay, the residents stalk and attack the group of men while they try to escape the rugged terrain and swift water. Director John Boorman said the movie was based partially on real events, although nothing was ever confirmed. The film was shot in Rabun County in northeastern Georgia. The canoe scenes were filmed on the Chattooga River on the Tallulah Gorge.

Where to watch: Stream for free on Tubi. Rent or purchase on Amazon, iTunes, Google Play, and Vudu.

Friday the 13th (1980-R)

The movie that had teens dreading going to summer camp in the 1980s, Friday the 13th takes place at Camp Crystal Lake in New Jersey. Throughout the movie, Mrs. Voorhees (portrayed by Betsy Palmer) takes revenge on the camp counselors who were responsible for her son’s drowning death at the camp. Her hockey mask-wearing son Jason continues her legacy for 12 more slasher movies in the series. While most of the indoor scenes were filmed in Hope and Blairstown, New Jersey, Camp No-Be-Bo-Sco in Hardwick Township, New Jersey is where the Camp Crystal Lake scenes were filmed. 

Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video and Paramount +

Gretel & Hansel (2020-R)

In this twist on the classic German children’s tale of Hansel and Gretel, two siblings escape their stepmother who has gone mad and stumble upon a house deep in the woods with a generous owner (the witch) who lures them in with food and more. The siblings must resist the temptation and escape the terror deep within the forest as they fight for their lives. The movie was filmed in Dublin, Ireland with some reshoots in Langley, British Columbia. 

Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video, Vudu, Apple TV

The Blair Witch Project (1999-R)

Filming a fake documentary, three film students head to the woods of the Black Hills in Maryland to film footage at the sites of various spooky legends, including the Blair Witch. The three disappear, and their video footage is found one year later, thus creating the movie audiences see. This low-budget film plays on the audience’s own imagination, creating tension and fear. The movie is filmed in the historic town of Burkittsville, Maryland. Outdoor scenes were filmed at Seneca Creek State Park, Maryland. 

Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video, Tubi, Vudu, Paramount, YouTube

The Evil Dead (R-1983)

Called a campfire story made into a movie and the start of many cabin-based terror films to come, The Evil Dead (originally called The Book of Dead) was once deemed too intense for viewers. When five college friends head to a remote cabin in Tennessee, they become possessed by spirits that terrorize their lives after finding The Book of the Dead. If you are in the mood for a bloodbath, this film has it all. A sequel was released in 1987, alongside a remake/reboot in 2013. Evil Dead Rise, released in 2023, is not a reboot or sequel but follows some of the plot of the other movies. A remote cabin located in Morristown, Tennessee is where most of the film was shot. 

Where to watch: AMC+, Amazon Prime Video, Vudu 

The Watcher in the Woods (1980-PG)

When an American family moves into a home in the British countryside on the edge of the woods, they sense a strange presence. The owner of the home, who lives in the guesthouse, realizes the family’s one daughter resembles her own daughter who disappeared 30 years ago from an abandoned chapel in the woods. Strange lights, floating objects, and hauntings bring terror to the family, especially the younger daughter. The film is based on the 1976 book by Florence Engel Randall with an adaptation filmed in 1997. Filming took place in a studio and in Buckinghamshire, England. 

Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video (1980 and 1997), Amazon (1997), Vudu (1997)

The Witch (2015-R)

Set in the woods, this horror film follows a religious family banished from their community in the 1600s that moves to a farm in New England. Witchcraft and devious deeds, including baby snatching, conjure fear and evil amongst the family. The ending scenes in the woods bring a horror viewers will never forget. The Salem Witch Trials had a heavy influence on Robert Eggers’ screenplay. Filming took place in Kiosk, Ontario, Canada.

Where to watch: Max, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, Vudu, YouTube, Apple TV, Google Play 

Willow Creek (2013-R)

While most know Bobcat Goldthwait for his comedy, as a director of horror, he makes a big slash. Trying to determine whether Bigfoot exists, two young campers set out to document what they find. Audiences rave about the 20-minute sequence that makes you squirm in your seat as you watch the couple hiding in their tent as something large continues to stomp through the woods. Real residents from Willow Creek, California are featured in the film about their belief in Bigfoot. Filming took place at Lake Arrowhead in California’s San Bernardino National Forest, as well as Willow Creek, Bluff Creek, and Louse Camp, California. 

Where to watch: Google Play, Amazon Video, Vudu, Plex, Tubi

The post 10 Outdoor Horror Films That’ll Terrify You appeared first on Outdoors with Bear Grylls.

First of all, he had broken three vertebrae in his back 18 months before the climb. He had to overcome all of the physical and mental challenges associated with rehabilitating his back to even get walking again, not to mention getting fit and training for such an intense expedition.

‘I Seem So Full of Fears About Everything’

When he arrived at Everest, Bear wrote about how hard he found it to adjust to life at Base Camp, 17,4500 feet up the mountain—there was “the cold, the extreme altitude and the wilderness of rock and ice,” along with the absence of anything familiar like trees or flowing water, plus getting used to breathing in the thin air.

One of the first challenges of climbing Everest is to get through Khumbu Icefalls, which is 2,500 feet of ice, on the way to Camp One.

In his gripping book about the climbing expedition, Facing Up, which was published in 2000, Bear shares what he wrote in his diary the night before the first climb on the Icefalls, about his fears and about how the build up to the climb was so exhausting, mentally:

“I seem so full of fears about everything. The cold, the risk of death in the falling ice, the pain of the climb itself. There seems so much ahead. Nobody minds pain occasionally, but the prospect of being at my physical wit’s end for the next two months terrifies me, as I stand here at the starting gate,” Bear wrote. “Taking gambles like this just isn’t healthy. I feel knotted up inside. All I seem to have to hold on to are my stuttering faith and my memories of those I love at home.”

A Near-Death Experience

The next day, Bear and the team set off up the huge frozen Icefalls, climbing over dangerous frozen peaks, ice cubes, and frozen bridges, and across a set of ladders, precariously set up across crevasses with steep drops into the abyss.

At one stage, a huge section of ice cracked and gave way. Bear’s legs buckled and he fell down into a crevasse, being smashed by the falling ice. He lost consciousness for a few minutes. He was dangling on a thin rope and was eventually pulled out by the team’s two Sherpas, Nima and Pasang, who luckily were nearby.

Despite this terrifying incident, and how it knocked his confidence and shook him up, Bear didn’t give up. He later wrote that the constant worry and strain of not knowing what lay ahead had plagued his waking hours on Everest, but he always pushed through the fears.

“Even on rest days at Base Camp, the gentle nagging fear never left the recesses of my mind. The fear of what the next day would bring, the fear of the unknown, and the fear of possibly not seeing my family again,” wrote Bear in Facing Up.

‘And Then You Go Again’

Bear recently told a story to Danny Trejo in Running Wild, when they had just ziplined down a cliff, about one particularly difficult time during his Everest summit.

“I could see the last 1,000 [feet] above me in a snowstorm in the middle of the night and the steep couloir, deep snow. Every step I went on, I was sliding two back. However, halfway up this thing, I was hyperventilating, dizzy, I was hallucinating, and I said ‘I cannot do this’, you know that voice is going ‘I cannot’ but it’s like, do you know what, also it’s all come to this. I’m not going to quit.”

“The thing is all the fatigue and the doubt . . . you know, I think as you get older, you learn how to manage yourself and sometimes it’s hard, you’ve got to rest and then you go again,” he said.

It’s Not About Not Being Afraid

Bear made it to the top of Everest in 1998, and he hasn’t done it again (at least not yet), but he has undertaken some more amazing challenges, such as an Atlantic crossing in a rib boat, a dinner party in a hot air balloon at 25,000 feet, and a paramotoring challenge over the Himalayas, among many, many others. 

His motto has always been “never give up,” and he has always said that it is the failures in life that teach us how to build up inner resilience.

As Bear wrote in his book Never Give Up, it is not about never being afraid, but it is about learning to overcome the fear. “The mark of a champion is never the absence of fear or doubt, but rather how you respond when doubt and fear comes a-calling. That’s the clincher. Because if the stakes are high enough, trust me, the doubts and fears will come. What matters is how we respond.”

“The way you deal with fear and doubt is to confront them. Head on. Keep moving

towards the difficult. Acknowledge and then shake off those doubts, and keep going. Head down, into the wind.”

The post Even Bear Grylls Gets Scared—Here’s How He Climbed Everest Anyway appeared first on Outdoors with Bear Grylls.

With videos that have more than 50 million views, we had to get to know this gator whisperer. We caught up with Chris for a Q&A, and here’s what he had to say.

Outdoors.com: Tell me about your outlook on life.

Chris Gillette: Life is an adventure, and we need to experience it and grow every day. I try to seek new adventures, challenge myself to do things that I don’t necessarily “want” to do, and to have humility, discipline, and empathy along the way. And stay positive!

Outdoors.com: Why do you love gators, crocs, and animals in general?

Chris Gillette: I grew up poor in the middle of nowhere; animals were often the only friends I had, and I learned at a young age that animals are just like us—that the walls separating beast and man are mainly artificial constructs in our own minds. When you forge real bonds with animals that are sometimes kinder than those you have with humans, it really puts things in perspective. This created a lifelong passion for wildlife and a mission to help protect animals and try to teach the world to try to view animals the same way I do. 

Outdoors.com: What are three things about you that would surprise us?

Chris Gillette: I have been vegetarian for over 10 years. I can hold my breath for five minutes. I’m pretty decent at nunchucks. 

Outdoors.com: What is your most memorable animal encounter and why?

Chris Gillette: Honestly, it is really too hard to choose! How do I pick between freediving 70-feet deep on one breath of air, swimming alongside a wild 15-foot tiger shark off the coast of Costa Rica, or hanging out 20 feet up in a tree with a wild black mamba in the bush in the Okavango Delta, or being underwater in the wild between a 13-foot alligator and 15-foot crocodile? There really are too many to choose just one.

Outdoors.com: What is your greatest fear?

Chris Gillette: People ask all the time if I have dreams of being killed by gators, and I actually literally never have. But I do often have bad dreams about being back in school and late for class and not knowing where the classroom is, or showing up and there’s an exam I didn’t know about. A lifetime of working with the world’s most dangerous cold-blooded predators and the thing that left the deepest mental scar was school.

Outdoors.com: What has contributed to you living your dream life?

Chris Gillette: Hard times build character. Growing up with very little was a blessing and taught me to work hard to get results. This is especially true when working with animals; they couldn’t care less how much is in your bank account or where you’re from, just what you can do—presidents and hobos taste just the same [to] a gator. Understanding hard realities at a young age wasn’t fun then but made me a much better man now. 

Outdoors.com: How did you get into your line of work?

Chris Gillette: Getting to where I am today took a lot of discipline and perseverance. A lot of young people ask how to get where I am, and I tell the honest truth that there is no clear path or easy answer. Making a living working with wildlife is a constant grind and hustle; it is very difficult to make money. I remember those days eating ramen noodles for lunch and a jar of peanut butter for dinner. If you’re in it for the money, be a lawyer. 

I have always been determined to work with animals; I spent years volunteering and working at facilities with no pay, just to gain experience and learn about animals. Again, there is no set out path in this work. It’s not like other jobs where there’s a clear set of classes and corporate ladder to climb. My life was riddled with constant unknowns and dead ends. Many times, I worked five different jobs within one week, between gator wrestling for tip money, running a shark dive, catching crocs at night for a university lab, running airboat tours, running my gator swim tours, working as a cameraman/consultant for wildlife film projects. I was all over the place trying to hustle and make things work out. 

Outdoors.com: Do you ever get scared handling “dangerous” animals?

Chris Gillette: No. “Fear is the mind-killer”—I read Dune when I was a kid, and that phrase really stuck in my head. It’s very true. I end up in very dangerous situations, and there is a realization that things are going wrong and you might be killed, but you cannot allow fear to creep into your mind and destroy logic and reasoning; those are the only things that’ll keep you alive. 

Outdoors.com: Tell me about being on Trailblazers.

Chris Gillette: I can’t, they make you sign NDAs. Speaking in very general terms, I have appeared on dozens of shows across many networks, including Animal Planet, NatGeo, Discovery, History Channel, Travel Channel, ABC, NBC, Fox, CNN, [and] even The Weather Channel. I have had some fun TV experiences and an overwhelming amount of negative experiences with most shows faking and staging everything. Almost every “reality” show is entirely scripted, and I mean like they literally hand you a printed script to read to the camera arguing about a situation that never even happened, then put it on TV as reality. That is why I love social media so much, where I can actually show my real life and present things with honesty and integrity—an extremely different way of working from my TV-show days. 

Outdoors.com: Who inspires you and why?

Chris Gillette: Steve Irwin was the most influential person to me. Not only was [I] a huge fan of his animal content but he was also the first person I saw as a kid who actually made his crazy passion for animals work for him and create a career.

Outdoors.com: What advice would you give someone trying to be up close with animals like you are?

Chris Gillette: If you’re trying to be up close with animals, make sure you’re doing it for the right reasons. I was doing the same things I do now before social media existed out of passion and love for animals, but I see a lot of people online now that use the animals for attention and views—like the animal is just a prop for them. My advice is to of course be careful, take things slow, but to always keep passion and love for animals at the forefront. Never let the desire for views make you forget you’re here for the animals; they’re not here for you and . . . always respect the animals. 

Outdoors.com: What is the most important lesson life has taught you?

Chris Gillette: Have humility and respect for mother nature, because nothing can humble you quite like an apex predator. 

The post ‘Gator Boy’ With Millions of TikTok Views Says Nothing Humbles Like an Apex Predator appeared first on Outdoors with Bear Grylls.

But are you tough enough to survive a Bear Grylls Survival Academy course—the real deal designed by the survival expert himself, where you have to cross steep mountain gorges, camp in the wilderness, and catch and gut your own food to survive?

Addressing a Need for Survival Training

Bear Grylls spent three years in the British Special Forces as part of 21 SAS regiment, where he learned many survival skills. “So many people have asked me over the years where they can learn extreme, practical survival, the type that requires spirit, determination, and the skills to self-rescue against the odds, in some of the harshest terrain around,” said Bear when he launched the survival academy back in 2012. Along with his books and TV shows, the Bear Grylls Survival Academy is one way he has found to pass these skills on.

Bear does not teach the courses himself, but his instructors are survival experts and some have worked with Bear on his filming projects. The Bear Grylls Survival Academy has run courses and adventure days in the U.K. and the U.S., as well as Greece, UAE, China, and South Africa, but one of the toughest courses in the whole academy is the original course—the Survive the Highlands Group Challenge, an extreme survival course in the Scottish Highlands, which has been running for more than 10 years.

Survival in the Highlands

The Survive the Highlands course is five days long and has a similar format to Bear’s TV shows like Running Wild, in which participants learn survival techniques and then have to do a self-rescue survival challenge at the end before they are “extracted.”

The course is designed for a group of up to 12 people. Participants start at basecamp in a remote wilderness location and camp each night in military-style tents.

The first three days of the course involve learning Bear’s survival techniques from the team of trained instructors—all of the skills that will be needed for the final part of the course. Day one includes knife skills and survival knots, plus the priorities of survival. On day two, there are lessons in river crossing, shelter building, fire lighting, trapping, fishing, foraging, and wild food preparation, plus navigation and astronavigation.

Situational awareness, mindfulness, and resilience training is also covered, as well as wild camp survival training. Day three is about mountain survival, with lessons in mountain skills, alpine movement, dynamic rope activity like rappelling, gorge crossing, commando crawling, and rope climbing.

Self-Rescue Survival Challenge

Once the training is complete, there’s no resting, as the next step is the toughest—the self-rescue survival challenge.

“You’ll be dropped off by 4×4 away from any form of civilization and from then on, you are on foot as a team with no instructor support,” says the course material.

“You’ll need to head up into the mountains where your survival adventure begins. Your aim is to cross the mountain range, summit the highest mountain in Alladale and make it back down safely. Remember, reaching the summit is only half the challenge. Along the journey you’ll need to set up a survival camp, forage for food, prepare and cook wild food, cross rivers, climb, scramble, raft, rappel, zip line across a high gorge, and if you get back down in time, you’ll be rescued with an exciting, dynamic extraction.”

Last Remaining Wilderness

The course takes place in Alladale Wilderness Reserve in the Highlands of Scotland, which the academy describes as “an extreme environment like no other and perhaps one of the last remaining wilderness areas left in the U.K.”

“You will be pushed to the limit crossing difficult terrain and putting all your new-found skills to the ultimate test in order to make your way back to civilization,” it says.

On successful completion of the course, participants receive a certificate, badge, buff, beanie hat, and a survival knife. Most importantly, they will have learned and practiced a long list of survival skills—and probably learned a lot about courage, determination, and teamwork along the way too. 

While there’s no mention of s’mores at the end, the natural high on completing the course is probably a thousand times better than any sugar high. Would you complete this course?

The post Could You Survive the Bear Grylls Survival Academy’s Toughest Course? appeared first on Outdoors with Bear Grylls.

Humans ingest over 100 billion bananas a year, a large majority of which are Cavendish bananas. That could change as TR4 attacks these banana plants, according to Business Insider. TR4 was first discovered in Taiwan and has spread to many of the world’s largest banana-growing countries such as Australia, India, and China. 

TR4 first attacks the roots of the banana tree and spreads throughout the rest of the plant, affecting the tree’s ability to absorb water and preventing it from photosynthesizing. Scientist Dan Bebber told the New York Post, “once it’s in a country it’s very hard to get rid of it.” 

Scientists have been watching the threat of disease and the impact it will have on the world’s banana supply for years now. According to a 2020 article from Time, 99% of exported bananas are Cavendish bananas.

Next time you grab a banana before heading out on an outdoor adventure, feel grateful for that self-contained piece of healthy food, because it may not be around forever.

The post Wait, Are Bananas Going Extinct? appeared first on Outdoors with Bear Grylls.

Grllys says he wants the event to be the ultimate family show.

“We’re talking all things from snake bites to parachute failures, to Running Wild with presidents and prime ministers, all things scouting, all things adventure, all things never giving up,” says Grylls in an Instagram post about the tour. “So, if you’re all for stories and inspiration, come and join us.”

Grylls is a military veteran who’s hosted several survival shows, including Man vs. Wild and Running Wild.

The tour includes seven nights in seven different cities.

The lineup includes: 

Thursday, April 18th – Glasgow SEC Armadillo

Friday, April 19th – Newcastle O2 City Hall 

Saturday, April 20th – Manchester O2 Apollo Manchester

Monday, April 22nd – Bristol Beacon

Friday, April 26th – Cardiff Utilita Arena

Saturday, April 27th – Birmingham Symphony Hall

Sunday, April 28th – London OVO Arena, Wembley

Tickets go on sale this Friday. Or you can sign up here for early access tickets available tomorrow.

The post Bear Grylls Live: Adventurer Announces ‘Never Give Up’ Tour appeared first on Outdoors with Bear Grylls.

Whether you’re a Bigfoot believer or a Bigfoot denier, one thing you can’t deny is that this whole centuries-old debate is incredibly interesting. And that’s why we’ve compiled a list of five things you probably didn’t know about Bigfoot.

5. Bigfoot Is the North American Version of . . . Whatever the Heck It Is

The concept of Bigfoot is rooted in Indigenous legend in North America (particularly the northwestern United States and Canada), and it is related to and intertwined with legends of similar creatures in other parts of the world, like the Yeti of the Himalayas and the Yowie of Australia. Bigfoot is also known as Sasquatch, a word that likely comes from the Salish word Sasq’ets, which translates to “wild man” or “hairy man.”

Most reports suggest Bigfoots are tall, bipedal animals that give off a part-human, part-ape vibe in the way they look and move. Bigfoots leave behind distinctly large but human-esque footprints, and sightings suggest that the forest-dwelling North American varieties have dark brown fur. Some claim Bigfoots could be neanderthals—ancient relics of human history still living undetected in large swaths of untouched wilderness.

The FBI has had a Bigfoot file since the 1970s, which is now declassified and publicly available. In it, you can read about how Bigfoot researcher Peter Byrne sent in some 15 hairs and a bit of skin for analysis. Turns out, the hairs were from a member of the deer family.  

4. A Legit Bigfoot Trap Still Exists, and You Can Hike There

Deep in the heart of American Bigfoot Country, there’s a Bigfoot trap—the only one in the world, according to the U.S. Forest Service. In 1974, an Oregon miner found 18-inch tracks in an area of the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest. The creature that left the immense tracks appeared to have a 6-foot-long stride. A team of wildlife researchers built a trap in the area and baited it for six years straight in an attempt to capture Bigfoot, but all they got for their efforts were a couple of hungry bears. 

The Bigfoot trap was restored in 2006, and you can still hike there today by taking the Collings Mountain Trail. Besides seeing the Bigfoot trap (and possibly an actual Bigfoot), you can also see Siskiyou Crest, Applegate Lake, old mining tunnels, and an abandoned miners’ cabin. 

If you like long-distance hiking and Bigfoot, check out the Bigfoot Trail through the Klamath Mountains of northwest California and southwest Oregon.

3. Bigfoot Is a Protected Species in Areas of Washington State

In 2019, a camper in the backcountry of Mammoth Cave National Park fired shots in the middle of the night after seeing what he believed to be a Bigfoot invading his campsite. Turns out, in some parts of the country, it’s actually illegal to shoot Bigfoot, if you were to come across one that wasn’t threatening you. 

Whatcom County, a county in the northwestern corner of Washington State, is by law a Sasquatch Protection and Refuge area, thanks to a resolution approved back in June 1992. While the county isn’t exactly claiming Bigfoot irrevocably exists, the resolution says that, “if such a creature exists, it is inadequately protected and in danger of death or injury.” 

A similar ordinance from Washington’s Skamania County dates back to 1969. This one says that “any premeditated, wilful and wanton slaying of any such creature shall be deemed a felony.” The punishment for said felony? Up to $10,000 and/or up to five years in jail. 

2. Bigfoot May Break the Legs of Its Prey

We like to picture a peaceful Bigfoot foraging for mushrooms and plants, but could the truth be far more fearsome? A google search for Bigfoot’s favorite foods would tell you that these elusive creatures are most likely omnivores—much like bears and humans—and they eat plants like berries and nuts, as well as animals like deer. 

Some who are studied in Sasquatch lore believe these creatures have a tell-tale (and rather gruesome) way of hunting, though. Matthew Moneymaker is one such Bigfoot researcher who claimed on Animal Planet’s show Finding Bigfoot that he’s seen evidence of supposed Sasquatches breaking animals’ front legs to immobilize them, leaving them to die, and then coming back later to finish off their meal. 

1. Jane Goodall Believes in Bigfoot

Dr. Jane Goodall, the famed chimpanzee researcher, said in an interview that she believes in Bigfoot. So, case closed? In the interview, Goodall responded to a question about whether she believes in any undiscovered large ape species like Bigfoot by saying, “You’ll be amazed for me to tell you that I’m sure they exist. I’ve talked to so many Native Americans who all described the same sounds, [and] two who have seen them.” 

Goodall also described herself as a “romantic” who has always wanted to believe these types of creatures exist. If you too are a Bigfoot believer, then, it appears you are in very good company.

The post 5 Things You Didn’t Know About Bigfoot appeared first on Outdoors with Bear Grylls.

When talking about the most important part of surviving in the wild, Bear advocates for “quiet” courage and faith. “Skills can be learned. They’re the easy part . . . ” Bear said, “even if you don’t have skills, it’s the survivor mindset that will get you through.” 

Bear also talks about the importance of relationships in his life, as well as the things he cannot leave home without, including his indestructible watch (but not the canvas kilt that he apparently wears around the house).

Peruse tons more Bear Grylls content here.

The post Bear Grylls Like You’ve Never Seen Him Before  appeared first on Outdoors with Bear Grylls.

Note: Nothing Beats Proper Training

In a backcountry emergency situation, any correct information you have will be far better than no information at all. That said, there is no replacement for a verified wilderness first responder course. Reading is great, practicing skills at home is even better, but if you find yourself entering more dangerous backcountry scenarios, it is best for you to seek out professional training. NOLS is one great resource, but there are plenty available. Seek one out that caters to the wilderness challenges you’re hoping to take on.

1. Pack For All Possibilities

When it comes to improvising wilderness medicine, what you have is what you have. This is why bringing a proper first aid kit is a great idea. The reality, though, is that you won’t always have access to one. Here are a few other items that people commonly have in the outdoors and will be highly applicable in emergency scenarios.

• Duct Tape
• Athletic Tape
• Tarp
• Trekking Poles
• Puffy Jackets
• Foam Pads
• Backpack Straps
• Reflective Emergency Blankets

These are all highly versatile items that can be used for a variety of scenarios. They can help you bandage wounds, improvise splints, or warm someone at risk of hypothermia.

2. Fully Utilize What You Have

Okay, now let’s say you find yourself standing in front of someone who just fell through the ice—they’re out of the water now, but they have under an hour before they go hypothermic. Between your group members, you have three dry, warm sleeping bags, sleeping pads, a tarp, some rope, and a few hand warmers. What do you do?

You’ll want to create a hypothermic wrap, combining those resources to warm your patient up quickly and safely. This is one of those skills you can pretty easily get the hang of at home. By learning principles of heat transfer, you can administer this aid as effectively as possible.

Another classic skill to acquire is improvising a splint. This skill can mean the difference between a fracture with a great evac story and permanent, life-changing damage to one of your limbs. There are a few principles that can guide you: make sure the injured part of the patient is immobilized and supported, ensure there’s appropriate padding between the patient’s limb and the splint’s structure, and be sure the patient’s circulation isn’t being cut off.

Again, there’s no replacement for professional, one-on-one training when it comes to mastering splints. If you suspect somebody has a spinal injury, for example, and you aren’t trained to deal with that, seek evacuation and don’t injure them further. A mentor with search and rescue experience can teach you how to make full use of what you have. Chances are, you’ll have everything you need in your backpack, you just need to know what it’s good for.

3. Keep It Clean

Cleaning and dressing a wound is a skill that just about all of us will learn in our lives. It’s easy in the frontcountry—wash out the injury, clean it, cover it with a sterile bandage. Once you’re in the backcountry, though, things get more complicated. What do you have that’s sterile? How can we disinfect this?

Essentially (a running theme), do what you can with what you have. If you have disinfected water to drink, it’s safe to use for a rinse. Many people will pack out small, single-use disinfecting wipes for blisters, and those are a great resource in this scenario too. Infection is no joke, so short of a medical kit, it’s great to pack out some gauze. You can do some things wrong in this scenario and be okay, but if you can properly clean the wound, the medical professionals you eventually reach will thank you.

4. Know Your Acronyms

Anyone who works in healthcare can probably share a wide range of acronyms that they use to remember procedures. By helping us remember which steps to take, these acronyms contain potentially life-saving information. NOLS uses them to great effect, so if you take one of their courses, you’re sure to walk away with some of these in your mental database. Here’s a couple notable ones to get you started.

SAMPLE:

• Symptoms
• Allergies
• Medications
• Pertinent History
• Last Intake/Output
• Events

The concept of “SAMPLE” is taught in most first aid and CPR courses, and it’s a vital tool to make sure you collect necessary information in an emergency situation. Provided your patient is conscious, go down the list and try to remember his or her responses. When you do eventually make contact with medical professionals, this is the information they’ll ask you for.

CSM:

• Circulation
• Sensation
• Motion

These three letters are especially vital when binding sprains or improvising splints. Ensure that your patient’s extremities are pink and warm so you know his or her blood flow isn’t restricted. Make sure he can feel his fingers and toes and wiggle them. You don’t want to make things worse in your efforts to help.

Future You Will Thank You

It takes some considerable hubris to think nothing could ever happen to you in the backcountry. Use these tips as a foundation and get yourself ready for those possible future mishaps. Each new experience, even if it’s a little terrifying, will teach you something new. Whatever skills and knowledge you take the time to acquire could be the key to a happier, healthier you in the eventuality of an accident. And remember, don’t panic.

The post Improvised Wilderness Medicine: These 4 Tips Could Save Your Life appeared first on Outdoors with Bear Grylls.