Preview: NGC’s “Live Free or Die” introduces viewers to human rewilding

Consider yourself forewarned. As you’ll second-guess using vanilla and raspberry flavoring after learning just exactly where it came from thanks to National Geographic Channel’s new docuseries Live Free or Die, debuting Tuesday, Sept. 30 at 10pm ET/PT. That said, NGC has found itself a winner by following five unusual Americans who are participating in a lifestyle trend known as human rewilding (the undoing of domestication, people who are living almost completely off the land).Live Free or Die Colbert in tub

Living a minimalistic existence never looked so unappealing — at least to this suburbanite — as is the case for this handful of beaver- and rat-eating naturalists who are genuinely committed to living off the land. You’ll marvel, and at times maybe even applaud, their simplistic ways and ingenious survival skills, but it’s doubtful you’ll be taking up their lifestyle anytime soon — no electricity, no refrigeration and no stops at the local grocery store. The five individuals featured live in remote parts of our country — growing food, foraging and eating roadkill to survive. Cameras show no mercy when detailing the gutting and skinning processes of their kill, which is a normal part of meal prep for this crew. While extremely educational, the bloody pelts, bone twisting and cracking, and sawing off of little beaver feet is — well — a bit gag-inducing and must-turn-away-TV, at times, but it’s just a part of their lives.

Colbert from NGC's Live Free or DieThe first “rewilder” you’ll meet is Colbert, who is primed to be the series’ standout. Not only does he educate us (and vividly show us) that the mustard-colored jelly in a beaver’s castor gland — which he masterfully guts — is used for vanilla, raspberry and strawberry flavoring (Ah, no thanks on the strawberry topping!), but his personal history proves to be equally as surprising. Twenty years ago Colbert moved to the Georgia Swamp where he built a cabin and now lives off a $2,000 a year budget, as a professional trapper.  Prior to his swamp move, he had a fancy home that he shared with his wife and two daughters, while he worked as a financial adviser. After getting divorced and filing for bankruptcy he decided to forgo life’s amenities and, instead, live as cheaply as possible. Now, his only “luxury” item is store-bought coffee. He’s definitely a skilled hunter and trapper. “Hunting naked is an incredible, intense, sensual experience,” Colbert tells, but thankfully, we didn’t see a lot of that in episode one.

Tony and Amelia from NGC's Live Free or DieTony and Amelia live in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Tony’s kind-of a wide-eyed kid who is mesmerized by his Cindy Brady-looking, survivalist wife, Amelia. These two have a smaller shack than Colbert, and appear to struggle more sustaining their food supply. Tony was a suburbanite raised with video games, who worked at a Starbucks, before opting not to deal with the financial and social pressures of the real world. He’s definitely the weak link in this duo. Amelia, however, is totally BA. She’s a skilled butcher — and man, can that girl seriously skin a cat. Their discussion over whether or not their bobcat roadkill is edible is simply priceless.

Live-Free-or-Die-Gabriel-webGabriel is a 28-year-old who shares his nomadic lifestyle between the mountains and the sea. For the majority of the year he lives with his wife, Luna, in a cabin with no running water by the coast, but for three months every year he leaves for the mountains to live off the land. Gabriel’s been studying earth-based skills and learning from different native people around the world. “Being in the wilderness to me is like being alive,” he tells. We learn from Gabriel that the eye sockets of a fish actually have fresh water in them (something to consider when lost at sea and nearing dehydration). We also learn some of his tricks to hunting using homemade traps. I’m pretty sure I dry heaved while watching Gabriel eat a shish-kabobbed rat, tail and all. Let me know how you do watching that one.

Thorn from Live Free or DieThorn appears to be the most desperate of the five profiled in the series, but surprisingly happy. His hut is made of twigs and leaves and looks like even a gentle breeze could blow that thing down; and when it’s 1 degrees outside, it’s 1 degree inside — not much for providing warmth. For the past two years Thorn’s lived in the Blue Ridge Mountains, located eight miles from the nearest town. Prior to relying on the forest for his daily survival, Thorn spent his days as a schoolteacher. Thorn’s distinct facial tattoo tells of his commitment to the land and his love for trapping. Thorn’s also got a 5-year-old daughter who apparently spends part of her time living with him in the woods. (Now here’s a tip for parents – give your kids a glimpse at Thorn’s life next time they complain about not having the newest video system or latest game release. Living the minimalistic life is always an option.) Cameras follow Thorn as he struggles to find any type of protein. He tells cameras that he’s “eaten some pretty sketchy stuff when I needed it,” and it’s not at all surprising seeing the harsh winter landscape he faces. But Thorn doesn’t feel like he’s living in poverty. “I feel like I’m wealthy. I feel like I’m rich. Look at that view.”

And it’s a view — and a lifestyle — you need to check out.
Watch Live Free or Die on National Geographic Channel Tuesdays at 10pm.

Live Free or Die episode guide:
Live Free or Die: Rise of the Wild (premieres Tuesday, Sept. 30 at 10pm ET/PT)
Live Free or Die: Trial by Fire (premieres Tuesday, Oct. 7 at 10pm ET/PT)
Live Free or Die: Blood, Sweat & Tears (premieres Tuesday, Oct. 14 at 10pm ET/PT)

 

Images:
Credit: National Geographic Television/Ben Cannon
Credit: National Geographic Television/Ryan Wakeman
Credit: National Geographic Television/Lindsay Coooper

 

 

 

 

34 Comments

  1. The only public lands are state/national parks, rights? What’s lands are these guys squatting on? I tend to think they’ve bought land and homes like the rest of us and are “roughing it” on their own acreage on the weekends for fun except maybe the couple. Not judging. Maybe I’ll do it too.

  2. Hey Colbert I wish I new your swamp area. I want to get a kayak maybe next year. Love to take ya up on your otter chile sometime an would love to get ya a chainsaw it would make it a little easier I’m in my late 50s I know what’s that like.Take Care

    • Colbert….screw all of the bs that all these wanta bee survivalist talk about…i have had a dream since i was 12yrs old. I want you to take me by the hand and i promise i will not disappoint you.

  3. I’ve been watching your part in the series. I’m from Georgia and I really enjoy learning from you. God Bless you Mr Colbert. I hope to learn more, I do want you to know I cried when you lost your home . I’ve been praying for you for you to be able to rebill your home. GOD’S SPEED

    • Sorry I mean why isn’t anyone calling cps on thorn? Seriously subjecting yourself to nature is one thing but when kids are involved you need to put never never land on a shelf and get a job

      • Really….. Cps. How do u think they use to live back in the old days. Just because u live off the land doesn’t mean you can’t raise a child..i mean for god sakes there are plenty of people who have modern day lives that really don’t care or tale care of there kids. The outdoors men are smart and not lazy and surely don’t have a problem taking care of someone. Sorry he didn’t chop the old with a GOLDEN SHOVEL LIKE U

  4. Today 12/11/14 I saw a brief glimpse of a man
    who looked much like Thorn in a Smith Bros cough
    drops as one of the Smith Brothers.

  5. I love this show. It appeals to a lot of us who’ve dreamed of living the way the characters do, but we just haven’t done it. If it brings them peace and happiness, well that’s a good thing.

  6. Was going to say Amelia should be paired with Cody Lundin, formerly of Dual Survivor. Totally stupid show that needed to find a subservient cast member to kiss Joe’s butt – not Cody. Anyway, Cody and Amelia have a realness and soulfulness about them. Instead of competing survival styles they could do a coming from the same place tracking each other and viewers, let drama come from the challenges more than personal conflict with an arrogant dumb Azz soldier type Cody had to deal with on the other side.

    Amelia and Cody Lundin in “Soul “Survivor” – how about it producers – you can have my idea – just make it happen!

    • Joe just thinks alittle differently than cody. I could care less about the show part! But would love to live this life

  7. Great description of all the characters. Particularly the discription of “Tony and Amelia” as the show titles them. I would entitle them Amelia, a Bad Azz Naturalist Survior (and just a guy avoiding the real world that was to tough for him).

    Amelia is there because she wants to be – she would clearly thrive in either world with her drive, intelligence, spirit and, well, beauty currently in a natural form.

    Amelia could/should join C

  8. I love these shows. I live in a nice house & am on a tight budget with sky high taxes & insurance (even had to cancel the house insurance – Mich) but I have a lot of ducks, fish, birds, deer, etc. right outside my door if I ever had to live without stores. I pay attention to what they do to survive & really feel I am learning alot. I really appreciate everything I have after seeing how hard it is to live in the wild. Kinda nice wrapped in my warm blanket w/ 3 dogs for extra warmth in a mildly heated house, watching them freeze, getting bit by bugs, drinking dirty water & wearing dirty torn clothes with nothing good to eat & really having to struggle to live. PS wouldn’t Colbert get SS# or is that hushed???

  9. I love this show, and I don’t know why anyone is calling these brave men and women and even a little girl hippies? It takes a lot of courage to go out on your own and live like this. Most of us dream about doing it, but don’t have the courage to do it. I know that is the case with me. I say bravo to them all and may God bless and protect them always.

  10. Ambrose, you MUST be Kidding. When our civilization falls, as civilizations are wont to do, it will be “old Nasty Dirty Hippies” like these who know how to provide for themselves, gore and all, and who survive to carry the flame for the human race. Always remember that it took western society only a few generations/less than a century to persuade people that factory-processed meat from the supermarket MUST be better than harvesting your own. Leave the dirty work to somebody else…not so with these rugged individualists! Enjoy your corporate diseases, detractors!

  11. You have got to be kidding! Eating rats, dead Bob Cats? I wanted to scream out loud how stupid and ridiculous this is please for the sake of saving a Fantastic name such as the National Geographic foundation take this off the air! Please old Nasty Dirty Hippies are gone and need to stay that way. If the dhow continues their going to have a second season showing the survivors of the winter eating the ones who didn’t make it and make sure you stay ahead of twinkle toes with his bow and arrow LOL

  12. Ok. I’m watching the episode, and Gabe is struggling to overturn an iron bathtub so he may bathe, and all I noticed were his sandals (that have leather straps that wrap around his ankles) and I WANT a pair! Where do I get these??? I LOVE them.

    • Look up LUNA sandals on google. They have some that are very similar but I would have to guess that Gabriel made those himself.

  13. I see that in episode 2 of this new series, Colberts’ house has burnt down. I feel so bad for him, and he is very obviously shaken by this terrible misfortune. I am wondering how he will rebuild on his very limited resources, but I have a feeling he will prevail. I am hoping he does.

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