Sartaj Singh
The harcore survival of ‘Alone’ season 11 saw ten rugged challengers venture to the Arctic Circle and compete to outlast one another in its desolate tundra. The obstacles on this path included the freezing temperatures, scarce food, hungry wolves, and unpredictable bears. In a display of willpower and adaptability, Frederic, Michigan resident Dub Paetz took on these extreme conditions with determination and grit.
Each participant was left to their own devices, armed only with limited survival gear and their skills to see who could endure the longest in one of the most unforgiving environments on Earth. Dub’s wild spirit and profound understanding of wilderness survival earned him recognition on the History show.
Dub Paetz Continues to Make Bushcraft Survival YouTube Videos
Soon after returning from ‘Alone’ and recovering completely, Dub decided that he hadn’t nearly had enough of the cold wilderness and returned to the Northern Michigan forest in February 2024. He made a video documenting all the wild edibles one can survive on and uploaded it on his YouTube channel, Dub Gone Wild – Dub Paetz. His content focuses on Bushcraft survival, usually from the point of view of someone in a forest by themselves without many modern tools. The Frederic resident ventured into the forest during a snowstorm, filming himself while explaining the naturally available forest resources in his neck of the woods.
Already pretty good with his editing and vlogging, his time on the History Channel show had clearly taught him a lot, not just about survival but also about self-documenting, and his experience shines through. The video shows Dub listing a number of beneficial plants and leaves that can provide nourishment in the wild and how Mullein plants can be made into bushcraft torches. In March, Dub covered how to easily make a friction fire with a few useful tricks since the primitive method is infamous for being hard to pull off for beginners.
The Alone Alum Often Takes Trips Down Memory Lane
Dub’s most recent content is analysis videos about his experience on ‘Alone,’ what he did to prepare for the show, and how expectations and reality differed. He gave insightful commentary into the raw process behind the series and added that nothing can prepare someone for the sheer multitude of challenges and isolation the contestants face in harsh environments. Dub also opened up about the camaraderie that all the contestants come to share in the time leading up to the drop-off in the orientation camp and even after the competition concluded.
The analysis revealed the depth of Dub’s preparation and commitment to the survival show, as well as the forward-thinking he employed to best leverage the skills that he had developed over his life. For instance, he chose a lighter, 45-pound bow even though he was used to shooting 85 pounds in a compound bow because he wanted to have a safety margin in case his muscles deteriorated over the course of the survival challenge. Dub also memorized all the local flora and fish activity in the region, in addition to putting on as much weight as he possibly could within a month.
Dub Paetz Loves Wildlife Tourism
Following his excursion in March 2024, the survivalist went back to civilization and had a change of pace, eyeing glazed donuts at the airport, something he had sorely missed during his time on the show. He took a flight to Las Vegas, Nevada, to meet up with family and party. The ‘Alone’ contestant’s close family members include his parents, Waldemar Paetz III and Sandra, and his three sisters, Angel, Faith, and Bridgette. Dub’s time on ‘Alone’ provided him with a sizable stipend for every week he spent on it, and he used it to go on a well-earned vacation.
The 44-year-old flew to South Africa by the end of March and became instantly familiarized with the alarming crime issues in the country. According to Dub, three armed men jumped the fence of the resort he was staying at with the intent of robbery, and some people got shot. The survivalist joked that he had strung his bow and was ready to defend his cameras. Over the coming month, Dub toured the country’s nature reserves and national parks, including the Addo National Park, where he got close to African Elephants in their natural habitat. In May, he shared a sighting of a blackback jackal foraging termites in the bush.
After returning to the States by the end of May, the ‘Alone’ star continued his documentation of majestic wild animals in Wyoming and captured an elk calling from a very proximate position. He continues to share insights regarding ‘Alone’ while also keeping up his Bushcraft survival lesson. With Dub traveling more frequently, fans can expect him to share exciting videos of his wildlife adventures.
