And all I have to do is live in the woods or be a bum for a while. ****... Sign me up.
Well, when you say all you'd have to do is live in the woods, you make it sound as if it would be easy. From all I can tell, it is far from easy.
Each contestant is located in the woods in a remote location as winter is setting in. Each gets cold weather gear plus 10 survival items of their choosing. They must have good knowledge of hunting, fishing, trapping, primitive fire starting, shelter building, and which plants are edible and which are not. Since winter is approaching they have short amounts of daylight. So in 9 or 10 hours of light they spend the entire time looking for food, collecting and purifying water, improving their shelter, and gathering firewood.
Most seem to tap out from mental/emotional breakdown. Loneliness, fatigue, hunger, despair, cold weather, longing to be reunited with spouse and kids. All those things wear a person down. Plus the mental challenge of outlasting 9 other contestants. Each has no idea who has tapped out and who remains. Season 1 winner made it 56 days, season 2 winner 66 days.
It appears to be an extremely difficult thing to do.