If necessary I could survive for a short time but after a certain time frame passed I would most likely not make it. But this tragedy just goes to show you that even people who know what they’re doing can let things go too far. My prayers are with the family.

"Don't (willingly) try this at home" should be the disclaimer on all of the survivor shows. I love the notion that I can make it "in the woods" for an extended period of time, but realize I have a lot of shortcomings. I will enjoy the great outdoors a few days at a time.

In short, NO. I think there was a comment made by writer for I think F&S every one of us fancys himself a Davey Crockett at lease a little bit. Survival is not easy in harsh conditions, if it was everyone would make it out allive. Condolences to the family.

The key is that he wanted to live in the outdoors for a year, not survive. If I was planning on going to live for a year primativly then yes i think that I could prepare myself for that, but with that comes the ability to see and recognize danger and things that are out of my hands. now servival is not about living a comfortable life its about doing whatever it takes to stay alive and move on and be alive when you get rescued. as many of you have said for the time needed to be rescued yes I could, but I also would not set myself up to fail if my plan was to be there for a year.

As has been mentioned, this was a year of living primitively, not a year of survival. True woodcraft requires a lot more than a few classes. But taking a few classes may give someone enough false confidence to believe they know what they're doing, when, in fact, a good deal of experience is also required. I doubt there are very many such classes that make that distinction.

In a situation like this, you have know what you're doing, not just 'think' you know. You have to know when to call it quits. A fanciful dream to survive in the wilderness for a year, & it would have been a big feather in his cap.
I believe i could survive for a week or two using the skills that were passed down to me from my father and my grandfather, but a year? Highly, highly doubtful.
All the survival classes & courses in the world will not help you once you realize Ma Nature is holding all the cards. (She knows you're bluffing.)

the old highland scots were a bunch of tough s.o.bs. they lived the same primitive lifestyle, not for just a year, but for their entire lives. sure, some died early, but as a group, they survived. many to unbelievably old ages. (they didn't have cell phones either.)

I don' know exactly what his situation was, but in a different time, place and probably different situation: done that.
A lot of years later, I've come to realize that general health and well being can change radically and overnight change your chance of survival. Perhaps there was a physical reason that this life was ended early.

I've wanted to try the same thing, but never have. I've heard of plenty of people doing this in the wilds of Alaska. Going out and living, but they don't do it for a challenge its a way of life for them.
As for me... No I couldn't. I would miss applebees at some point. But I've dreampt about it non the less.
I truly hope his family finds some peace.

True adventurer, but very dangerous. For myself, I would have brought backup food, fire starters, etc. in case my skills were not hacking it. At the very least satellite phone.