Ray Mears' Wild Food (on television)

[Don Redondo]

personally (and it's just my opinion) I can't justify to myself ripping one apart just to try, but if I was in a survival situation it would be different of course. I know the ants re-build the nest but it's unnecessary in my opinion unless you were desparate for food. .

Just to echo falling rains words, woodant nests are'nt that common, and yes you can raid them twice a year... but if three of you come along and each raid the same nest to the detriment of the colony then it begs the question whether you should be doing it at all *just for the experience*. survival is one thing, plundering is another. Surely in this situation the fact you have gained knowledge is enough...........lets face it the technique is simple enough not to need practicing

 

[Jodie]

I'm going to miss tonight's episode and I can't find a listing for a repeat at the w/e like the previous episodes. Anyone else spot one?

Yep - TV programmes are something I'm good at tracking

Don't miss this repeat though - it was excellent.

MONDAY 29 JANUARY
11:25pm - 12:25am
BBC2
VIDEO Plus+: 552078
Episode 4 - Summer Harvest

Bit surprised that the BBC are moving the repeats around so randomly.

Next Wednesday's ep is Woodland.
VIDEO Plus+: 4035
5/5 - Woodland
Ray Mears is on a voyage of discovery into the lost foods of Britain's Stone Age, a journey that draws on all his bushcraft skills and knowledge of ancient ways of life around the world. There's no place Ray likes better than woodland, and our hunter gatherer ancestors would have been just the same: making fruit leathers from hawthorn, feasting on wild boar and turning acorns and hazel nuts into caloric staples. Ray visits the site in Scotland of one of the biggest finds of Stone Age foods.

 

[mrstorey]

Does anyone know the name for that gathering tool they were using last night to collect soft berries?

Even better, know where I can get one?

Cheers,

M.

 

[gregorach]

I think it's called a berry comb - but even with advanced Google-Fu techniques, I can't find anywhere to buy one. Lots of nutritional suppliments (they use the abbreviation "comb" for "combination") and doll accessories (?!), but no actual berry combs.

 

[Zammo]

How long did they record this series over? As Ray was saying in all the summers THEY have been doing this so and so has happened. Which would indicate to me that him and Gordon have been doing it for some time.

One thing that does nark me bout Gordon is his stutter, I find it hard to understand what he is saying and don't even get me started on the way he eats food!


I must say I did enjoy this episode even if, like someone pointed out, he had more cooking pots that Gordan Ramsey!

I wa quite surprised when he whipped out the high powered rifle and blasted that Deer, if it was him that killed it...

But I suppose they couldn't really have him taking pot shots at the thing with his bow "oh I wingged it in the side and the blighter has run off, quick Gordon chase after it!"

"Yeah yeah yes Ray I can see it, lo lo look how its using its front legs to to drag its carcass across the grass, yes this is is absolutely amazing si si sight to behold, the Pro pro profess... other lecturers at Kings college will be fa fa fascinated with my my experiences, its truy amazing.. "

"Its gone now Gordon, well done!"

 

[Grooveski]

Just to echo falling rains words, woodant nests are'nt that common....

Red Wood Ants (Formica Exsecta) are Cat-1 endangered, so presumably fall under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
http://www.jncc.gov.uk/page-3614

9(1) - offence to, intentionally kill/injure/take any wild animal scheduled in the Act
9(2) - possession of live/dead/parts of - schedule 5 animals
9(4) - offence to intentionally [or recklessly] damage/destroy/obstruct structure/place used for shelter or protection by a sched. 5 animal/disturbing it while there.


North of the border it's the The Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Regulations 1994....
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/SI/si1994/Uksi_19942716_en_4.htm#mdiv38

....which, since it uses the European list, covers all of the wood ant species.

Protection of wild animals of European protected species
39.—(1) It is an offence-
(a) deliberately to capture or kill a wild animal of a European protected species;
(b) deliberately to disturb any such animal;
(c) deliberately to take or destroy the eggs of such an animal; or
(d) to damage or destroy a breeding site or resting place of such an animal.

Seems straightforward enough. I didn't watch the program so sorry if all this was covered in it.
Staking the culprits to the forest floor and leaving them for the ants seems to be the accepted punishment .

 

[Boosh]

I think it's called a berry comb - but even with advanced Google-Fu techniques, I can't find anywhere to buy one. Lots of nutritional suppliments (they use the abbreviation "comb" for "combination") and doll accessories (?!), but no actual berry combs.

Not sure where to get one but by the looks of it they should'nt be too hard to knock up. A load of lengths of coathanger wire straightened out and iserted into a wooden base, tied further up to assist with spacing, it should be easy enough. (He says )

Better yet, replace the metal comb teeth with thin hazel or similar.

Boosh.

 

[Matt Weir]

"Yeah yeah yes Ray I can see it, lo lo look how its using its front legs to to drag its carcass across the grass, yes this is is absolutely amazing si si sight to behold, the Pro pro profess... other lecturers at Kings college will be fa fa fascinated with my my experiences, its truy amazing.. "

"Its gone now Gordon, well done!"

LOL @ your Gordon impression there Zammo

Matt.

 

[Biddlesby]

Not so keen on mocking the stuttering. I have a slight clutter (not as bad), and its an annoying thing to have when you can't say what you want to say.

Interesting that you say it was shot in various different places. I can certainly believe it. Anybody else have some evidence for this? Also, they seemed to be very careful to point the camera at the gun not where RM was shooting.

 

[gregorach]

Also, they seemed to be very careful to point the camera at the gun not where RM was shooting.

Yeah, no suprises there - it's gotta be pretty hard to stalk a deer with a camera crew in tow.

 

[Rhodri]

Hi all,

I'm not entirely happy with the negative comments about Gordon's speech and mannerisms either.

I have the greatest respect for him, having studied under him in the mid 1990s at the Institute of Archaeology at UCL.

He is a funny and charming chap in real life - by all means enjoy that and comment on it. But before your veer any further towards taking the pi** out of anything else it's worth pointing out that he was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease about 8 or 10 years ago.

Here is his official UCL academic biography - he's done a lot for archaeology and a surprising amount for 'Bushcraft' over the years. More than most in fact.

Sorry if it seems like I'm raining on anybody's parade but I'd rather not see anyone say anything that might lead to them embarrassing themselves before they know something about a person and their circumstances.

Cheers,
Rod

 

[loz.]

How long did they record this series over? As Ray was saying in all the summers THEY have been doing this so and so has happened. Which would indicate to me that him and Gordon have been doing it for some time.

You're not wrong

"With Ray Mears: field-based experiments on strategies for gathering, processing ad storage of wild plant resources likely to have been available in aboriginal (hunter-gatherer) Britain. Problems of seasonality and nutrition. (10 yrs and continuing.)"

from Rhodri's link below

link

 

[pibbleb]

Wow haven't I been made to feel a bit like a villain for bringing up the Wood Ant nest raiding.

I find the news that they are endangered interesting and would therefore, suggest that the BBC were little reckless showing this take place without mentioning the endangerment of the animal and the ecosystem in which they live.

OK well back to the corner for 10 more minutes for bringing it!

P

 

[Mungo]

Hello -
In answer to a couple of posts below, I posted some info on what might a Berry Comb - I haven't actually seen the program yet as I am in Canada and we probably won't get to see it for a long while :-(
See this post: http://www.bushcraftuk.com/community/showthread.php?t=18442
Cheers,
Mungo

 

[Zammo]

Hi all,

I'm not entirely happy with the negative comments about Gordon's speech and mannerisms either.

I have the greatest respect for him, having studied under him in the mid 1990s at the Institute of Archaeology at UCL.

He is a funny and charming chap in real life - by all means enjoy that and comment on it. But before your veer any further towards taking the pi** out of anything else it's worth pointing out that he was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease about 8 or 10 years ago.

Here is his official UCL academic biography - he's done a lot for archaeology and a surprising amount for 'Bushcraft' over the years. More than most in fact.

Sorry if it seems like I'm raining on anybody's parade but I'd rather not see anyone say anything that might lead to them embarrassing themselves before they know something about a person and their circumstances.

Cheers,
Rod

Don't take it so seriously it was a light hearted joke, I get a slight stutter when i'm nervous but no where near as bad as Gordon.

 

[Grooveski]

Wow haven't I been made to feel a bit like a villain for bringing up the Wood Ant nest raiding.

Not my intention mate. Was simply throwing in what(I think) the regs are. I had the pages bookmarked from last year when I had to remove some pics from a blog because:
a) Scottish National Heritage recommends not publicising wood ant locations in case folk go and dig up the hill, stuff it in a barrel and transplant it in another location(to increase the wildlife worth of their own wood ).
b) While getting Magikelly to delete the pics he mentioned that RM had shown larve raiding on one of his early programmes(I've only ever seen a few). The thought that I might go back the next time and find someone had broken open the nests for the sake of "practicing" bushcraft gave me the creeps .

The final comment was just a (partial) joke based on what I'd like to do to anyone I caught vandalising any of the anthills on my mate's land. I may come across as aggressivly tree-huggerish sometimes but it's nothing personal .

On the whole I think it's only Formica Exsecta that are "endangered". The others are more common but they're still on the European list.

------------------------------------
He's not the messiah, he's a very naughty boy.

 

[CamperPete]

Watching Mr Mears last night has highlighted the fact that I'm missing quite a few gadgets from my emergency kit..........

Berry Gatherer
Ready Made Pastry
Sour Cream
Tart tins
Whisk
.......and a big bucket to be sick in after eating the 'dog poo' tarts!!!!

 

[gregorach]

I have to admit I did laugh when he got out the balloon whisk... His camp seemed better equiped than my kitchen!

Still, why not? It's nice to see someone really making the point (in public) that outdoor cookery doesn't have to be lousy. And it's not that different to the scenes at some of the Scottish meets - Eric's chips will never be forgotten.

 

[pibbleb]

Grooveski, no worries to be honest I had no idea it would be such an emotive subject. I'm not a great bug lover and until recently would run from any room or forest screaming like an adolescent girl if I came across anything with more than four legs! Heeled, if you will by a Hissing cockroach believe it or not!

I was also surprised by the legislation, through my own naivety, but then hay it would appear that I've spent move of my time in the woods mindlessly wondering past these nests without realising!

It does seem somewhat crazy that a show has shown such destruction, twice now, without mentioning the legalities in this country.

It's good to talk and thanks for your comments.

P

 

[Rhodri]

Don't take it so seriously it was a light hearted joke, I get a slight stutter when i'm nervous but no where near as bad as Gordon.

That's 'prolly beacause you don't have a serious degenerative disorder of the central nervous system.

It's not easy to judge just how light-hearted a comment is on a forum.