I like the Mountain Men series quite a bit and am currently watching season six for the second time.
However, what I see makes me wonder how REAL this reality show is.
Take the case of Morgan Beasley, for example.
He walked 250 miles to his property in Season Four. Why he didn't have an airplane or helicopter drop him off is never mentioned or explained.
Then this season when he needs supplies for winter he takes a dangerous four-day raft trip on an icy river. Why not arrange to have the supplies delivered? If Margaret can be delivered to his camp by helicopter, why not 200 pounds of supplies?
And in this episode, Morgan returns with the supplies in a helicopter, but it can't land on his homestead for a reason that's not explained. The closest it can land is 12 miles away. Since Margaret was delivered right to the homestead, I have to wonder why Morgan and the supplies could not be.
Those three examples make me wonder if the producers of Mountain Men somehow encouraged (paid?) Morgan to do riskier things for the show. After all, it's much better TV if Morgan walks 250 miles to his property than if he's delivered by airplane. It's better TV if Morgan has to shoot the rapids to reach town than to use his satellite phone to have the supplies delivered. And it's better TV if Morgan has to be picked up 12 miles from home by Margaret and the horses instead of being dropped off at home.
If there's ever an honest book published on the making of this series we may get to learn what really happened.