MovieChat Forums > Yukon Men (2012) Discussion > Realistic look into rural Alaskan life

Realistic look into rural Alaskan life

posted 12 years ago by kbarada
13 replies | jump to latest

This show is a fascinating view of rural life in a small remote Alaskan town of Tanana, Alaska on the banks of the Yukon River . As the seasons change, so do the challenges. These folks live mostly off the land in a very hostile environment. Cash money is obtained by the pelts they sell from various species of animals they trap. One wolverine pelt is worth $400. Beavers go for $100. A wolf pelt will bring up to $500.

I enjoy the fathers teaching their sons survival and life skills. Certainly worth the watch for those interested in just how folks live in this vast wilderness.

[–] bikebryan 12 years ago

Realistic? Do you REALLY believe that? You need to wake up and smell what you are shoveling.

Sure they show these guys hunting and trapping. They make it out as though they are cut off from the rest of the world. One of the characters said on one of the last few shows that they can't just go to the store and get groceries, implying they have to live off the land. After saying that, they show the folks going goose hunting and kept talking about how then needed this so they could have meat for a while.

Be real. How long could a few geese feed a family? Not long at all. A few meals, at best. If they are so isolated, where does their gasoline come from. Who built all the roads in town and laid all the pipes for their water system? They showed then putting a new engine they got into one of the snow machines - did they go mine the metal, smelt it, cast it and build it by hand?

Look at Tanana on a map. One thing nobody in this show tells you about is the very large runway and sizable airfield right next to the town. Now do you see where all their sustanance comes from?

I watch shows like this because, as I lived in Alaska, I love to call BS on shows like this.

[–] kbarada 12 years ago

Look at Tanana on a map. One thing nobody in this show tells you about is the very large runway and sizable airfield right next to the town. Now do you see where all their sustanance comes from?

Yeah, I looked at that same map too. Saw the airport too. You see any roads that go anywhere? I looked at the town with a street view. Gravel roads, run down, very depressing looking place. Yes they have a grocery store. Where do you think the sugar, flour, can goods come from? Flown in? Of course it is. Can you imagine the prices for an egg or loaf of bread? Do you think there is any real employment in this dried up gold rush town from yesteryear? I bet the water lines and roads were put in back when it was a gold boom town.

It is no wonder that the guys hunt, fish, and trap at every opportunity. None of them seem to have jobs and this is how they get by with very little cash. I would not be surprised if the state of Alaska was helping to support them too. They must really love the life style or they would have left by now.

I have known guys like these. They love the outdoors, love to be self reliant, and love making up any excuses to be out in the wilderness shooting guns and doing what they love. Yes, in my opinion, this is a very realistic show. Guess I just saw right through the "hype" and saw these guys for what they really are and that is very realistic to me. Guys like this are found all over the lower 48, not just in Alaska. I would have thought that since you lived in Alaska for awhile, you would have recognized this.

[–] Fredsdead 12 years ago

What part of Alaska did you live in? That's a rather important piece of info you left out. Can a guy raised in New York city claim to know what country living is like because he lives in the same state as the folks who live in upstate New York.

What's really funny is that you claim that they aren't separated from civilization. Then tell people to look up Tanana, and if they do so it proves what an idiot you are. The closest civilization is Fairbanks. Try using a map program to get directions, here's what it says "We could not calculate directions between Fairbanks, AK and Tanana, AK". Hmmm, wonder why that is? Fairbanks is 150 miles away as the crow flies.

Take the best most fuel efficient personal air-crafts of today the Cessna 152. It uses 7 gallons of fuel an hour, at a speed of 110 miles per hour. The price for Aviation fuel in Fairbanks runs around $6 a gallon (if you use self serve which you have to be certified with their company to use). So considering take-off speed and approach speed lets say it takes an hour and a half to get to Fairbanks. That comes out to roughly 10.5 gallons of fuel which multiplied by $6 comes out to $63 dollars ONE WAY. So to just "run to the grocery store (or any other store) you have to spend $120 bucks right off the top. And don't forget this is all figured on the specs of a brand new Cessna of the most fuel efficient model with only pilot weight on board. Wonder how many of those are buzzing around Tanana? (oh and a side note, that model is not big enough to carry any real amount of supplies) I could keep going but I fell this is sufficient to prove that you have no clue what the hell you are talking about.
Just another blow hard that throws out "facts" hoping that no one that actually knows better shows up to point out the stupidity of your statements.

I cannot be blamed for my actions, I am a victim of sobriety.

[–] kbarada 12 years ago

I agree Fredsdead. Very well put. This guy bikebryan does not have a clue. I'm not so sure he even lived in Alaska. He stated that he did as the basis of his being an authority on the subject. Some authority.

[–] bikebryan 12 years ago

Yes, I did live in Alaska, for several years. No, I did not have the cushy assignment down in Anchorage. I lived in the neighborhood of Fairbanks, up in the interior, and visited all over the state. These guys in this show do not have it as hard as you seem to think or as this show depicts. It is all drama for those of you who get sucked in to believe.

[–] Reading_Rainbow 12 years ago

here's the more pertinent question, why do they live there? if life is so fu<king hard and only the strong can survive (and camera crews made up of people from LA) then why live there? why not migrate? birds do it.

1.61803399

[–] kbarada 12 years ago

Remus and Romulus, you have to put aside life as you know it and just try to be open to the idea that alternate ways of living do exist. These folks seem to be very happy and satisfied with the life that they are living. They choose this life as no one is keeping them prisoners there. A few probably have left, but this show is about the ones that choose to stay.

[–] Fredsdead 12 years ago

I will agree that a great majority of it is for the dramatic effect. Never said it wasn't. ALL of the so called "reality" shows are grotesquely over dramatized. I grew up living off the land as much as possible. When I say living off the land, I'm not trying to conjure up the image of living off grubs and *beep* in the woods. We had a small piece of land that we made the most off of that we could with a few cattle and what we grew. It wasn't an easy living and we were only a 45 minute drive from a decent sized town. And damn sure didn't have to put up with the weather they do. The people I laugh at the most here are the bleeding heart liberal pussies (ie: ReamedAss and Romulus) who couldn't survive one day without their iPhone, much less a day in the wild. Then because they can't fathom living like that they attack it as stupid. I guess the main difference is that any of these country folk could survive indefinitely in that idiots environment and he wouldn't survive 24 hours in theirs. As far as the killing of animals go, if they are making good use of them, then there isn't any reason they SHOULDN'T be killing them. As long as the death serves a purpose then it is a good thing. They are after all, only animals.

Yes Bryan, it may not be as hard a life as the show tries to make it out to be, but you in turn tried to do just the opposite and make it sound like it was as easy as running to the corner store. So you are just as guilty as they are of exaggerating the reality of it.

I cannot be blamed for my actions, I am a victim of sobriety.

[–] Ltrazordaddio 12 years ago

Fred... agreed with you up until you started the namecalling and head up the arse assumptions... the "they are after all, only animals" though spoke volumes.. among the many things wrong with society today... no respect for life.. I hate to tell you this... but afterall you are only an animal too ...
the show sucks.. case closed...

"I don't argue with idiots, they bring me down to their level and beat me with experience"

[–] Fredsdead 12 years ago

Oooh wow, case closed.... Who can argue with that? And don't take my "they are just animals" remark to seriously. I have pets that are are well loved and well taken care of. What livestock I have is also well taken care of, right up until I use them for food. But to act like an animal is on the same level as a human is ridiculous. They are here for us to eat, and use as we see fit. And to that end, yes, they are just animals.

I'm not even defending the entertainment value of the show. As I said all the "reality" shows push the lines of reasonable thought. I just think its funny to see people cry over the harvesting, and yes, the killing of animals.

As far as me... well, us being animals too. Very correct, and I don't fault a bear who kills a hiker any more than I would a guy who kills or traps a rabbit. I have never been one to think we should put down an animal for doing what comes natural to them. The strongest survived. And I'm not talking physical strength, it is the combo of all that we are made up of, physical, mental, reasoning the works. The bear did it either to eat or in its idea of defense of its territory or family. If one human is a threat to another's safety or sanctity, then I would have no problem with them using the same solution.

Now when it comes to name calling, you see it as that, and I can understand that, but to me, referring to them as bleeding heart liberal pussies, is as much a description as calling a woman with yellow hair a blonde.

I cannot be blamed for my actions, I am a victim of sobriety.

[–] Ltrazordaddio 12 years ago

Hey Fred.... thank you for a very reasonable response... my apologies if I went overboard cause I've been know to do that... just pissed off over the scam the Cable TV channels have been pulling on us these last 5 years....

They keep on churning out these cheaply produced "Reality" crap... and people take them serious and believe that it is an actual documentary of day to day life where ever... and all they are are Prime Time Soap Operas or Sit Coms...

The channel that that still has the nerve to call itself HISTORY premiered another gem tonight, NOR'EASTER MEN... about 4 Fishing Boat Captains... I haven't read the description yet but I'm going to say that since there are 4 Captains.. and not just one Captain... it's another Thom Beers POS.. with the usual contrived competion over who catches the most fish...

"I don't argue with idiots, they bring me down to their level and beat me with experience"

[–] hellfog666 10 years ago

All this complaining, i think it is a great show.

[–] kbarada 12 years ago

These guys in this show do not have it as hard as you seem to think or as this show depicts. It is all drama for those of you who get sucked in to believe.

bikebryan, I think very few viewers are "sucked in" by the drama and no, I never said that they have it hard. It is so obvious that the producers try to create some tension in order to make it interesting to the viewers that need that. The real draw for me is the depiction of a subsistence lifestyle in the majesty of rural Alaska. They hunt, fish, and trap by the seasons in order to obtain the necessities of life without having to spend very much cash. There are approximately 200 towns folks, and most are native American and practice a way of life learned from their forefathers. Their way of life is cherished by them and I doubt that very many ever leave their roots. They seem to draw deep satisfaction from the way of life that they live.

I would bet that the Tananaians would view a modern lifestyle, lived out in a crowded city, commuting to a 8-5 job etc, etc, etc, as having it hard.