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Is ‘Alaskan Bush People’ Fake? Yes, If You’re Looking For Wilderness Survival Lessons

By Toni Matthews
Published on: 11:03 PST, Aug 19, 2016

There’s a heated, ongoing debate about Alaskan Bush People. Specifically, whether or not the Alaskan wilderness reality TV show is entirely fake. You’ll find articles arguing just how fake Alaskan Bush People is across the internet, including an article published for the Inquisitr.

Although a press release by the Discovery Channel has the series advertised as “unscripted,” there are videos available on YouTube that seemingly shatter the mythology of the show. For instance, the idea that the Browns have no concept of modern technology. YouTube videos featuring the Brown children have circulated the internet for some time.

More interestingly, there’s a video featuring one of the editors behind Alaskan Bush People where he describes the process of editing the show. Although it’s not directly incriminating, it strongly suggests that events are taken out of context to achieve maximum emotional manipulation of the target audience.

Context aside, there is a very troubling viewpoint about the authenticity of Alaskan Bush People among a segment of fans. Specifically, that the show is so real, it serves as a valuable learning tool for anyone hoping to survive in the wild in a similar fashion to the Browns. I’ve seen this opinion expressed multiple times and find it to be rather alarming.

It is extremely unwise to take anything shown on American television at face value. Many of theses shows are either entirely fake or more script-driven than not. Think about it: You’re watching a television show featuring people out in the woods, followed around by a camera crew and producers. Let’s also not forget that with Alaskan Bush People, the footage you see is often edited; certain key details may be left out for purely creative reasons.

When it comes to Alaskan wilderness shows, you should either assume that the person is a highly-trained professional or a paid TV actor. In the case of Alaskan Bush People, Blasting News‘ revelation of the Browns’ TV earnings seems to place the “Wolf Pack” firmly in the latter camp.

In any case, It’s extremely dangerous to look at what these people are doing, whether it’s hunting wild animals or building property, and assume you can easily replicate their results. As the often gruesome Spike TV show 1,000 Ways To Die revealed, attempting to live out survival fantasies as demonstrated on TV can have bad, if not outright fatal, consequences.

So what should you do if you’re genuinely interested in learning to survive in the wild? Well, the best thing not to do is take cues from considerably edited reality TV shows. Instead, you should do research and read up on materials provided by authentic, verifiable wilderness survival experts.

Outdoor Life has a list of must-read materials for all “off the grid” enthusiasts, including:

You can also check out websites such as Off Grid Survival and Survival Pulse for additional information. I’d also recommend researching and contacting reputable wilderness experts with any questions you might have.

Here’s a documentary about a year long quest to survive in the wild that you might find interesting:

If you are content to spend the rest of your life on the couch, living the Alaskan survival fantasy exclusively through the Alaskan Bush People TV series, then obviously there’s no cause for alarm. However, if you ever get curious enough to learn if you’re meant for the “bush life,” it would be best to do proper research before finding out the hard way.

Don’t put your life at risk by going strictly by what you’ve seen on (often fake) television. Before you rule out such a warning as necessary, remember the 1,000 Ways To Die video linked above. Yes, some unfortunate souls have tried to live out what they saw on TV — and it killed them. Please use common sense and practice extreme precaution!

Is there any wilderness survival information you’d recommend to someone hoping to try their hand at life in the Alaskan bush? Please share additional information along with your comments below!

[Image via the Discovery Channel]

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