One thing to count on for the return on Mountain Men on History channel is that cast member Jake Herak still has quite a pack of dogs and they are fearless, even when cornering a fierce mountain lion in the wild.
In one of the previews below, Jake Herak and his dogs are shown tracking a mountain lion who feels cornered as the dogs close in. Jake explains that these beauties were “born to kill” and shows its huge teeth as a warning to Jake. The dogs are unrelenting.
The clip shows the incredible encounter where a panicked mountain lion races up a dead tree but the precarious nature of the compromised limbs sends this big cat tumbling down to the ground to the delight of Herak’s pack of hunting dogs that pounce on this toothsome predator. That’s where the sneak peek ends and we’ll have to tune in to see what happens next.
According to the network, we will see Morgan and Margaret head up north in a bid to track the great caribou migration and get their quota of meat. Marty will fine tune his trapline as he awaits the arrival of his daughter and Eustace will hire an apprentice.
They also teased that Kidd and Harry will save some horses from a pack of ravenous wolves.
What is Mountain Men about?
Mountain Men is a series that focuses on some rugged adventurists and people who have left city life to head to the great wilderness and outdoors to live and navigate all the bounty that nature offers, such as naturally sourced food and home-made DIY shelters.
Winter in the North American terrain is daunting to some but these Mountain Men embrace the wilderness and all the pitfalls and joys it has to offer. There are always challenges but the satisfaction of doing it yourself and making a go on your own is catnip to these people who want autonomy in their everyday lives.
Hardships are endured, and the cast will fight for their survival. Of course, with a winter that is freezing cold and the welcome spring which brings apex predators to the forefront while they are protecting their young, these Mountain Men are acutely aware of how everything that eats will be ravenous from a long, cold hibernation with little food.
What these people all have in common is ingenuity, tenacity and determination and they can handle the worst of the worst while showing viewers how they think through their problems of the day.
The series also shows the curve balls like an early unplanned winter, when unseasonable and record low temperatures descend on regions from Alaska to North Carolina. Massive snow days and arctic outbreaks bring seized engines, frostbitten fingers and a day to day battle that won’t let up until the thaw.
Freedom here means hard work. History says, “The the young bloods and old hands alike must earn their wild existence against the worst odds that nature can stack against them. May the best men live.”
Who is likely off the series?
According to Allegheny Mountain Radio, Tom Oar has left Montana for the winter to do other work-related ventures.
Starting out, Tom was a trick rider on horses. Both Tom and his wife Nancy are both from northern Illinois and they resettled eventually in Montana, first getting acquainted with the “Big Sky” state when he traveled for his rodeo career.
In an interview with American Cowboy, Oar said: “…We wanted to move to Montana and build a log house. So we bought a chainsaw in Illinois to build a house with when we got here.”
Who is in the official cast for Mountain Men Season 8?
- Veteran (and now reportedly retired) Tom Oar
- Marty Meierotto
- Eustace Conway
- Margaret Stern
- Morgan Beasley
- The Hawks
- Jake Herak (and his pack of dogs)
- Mike Horstman
Also off the series are Kyle and his son Ben, who have created a Survival consultancy business.
If you enjoy learning DIY hacks and honing your common sense survival skills, Mountain Men needs to be on your radar.
Happy #MemorialDay! We hope that it’s a little warmer around your grill today. #MountainMen pic.twitter.com/Xwo9QfoOXB
— Mountain Men (@MountainMen) May 27, 2019
Mountain Men Season 8 premieres Thursday, June 6th at 9/8c on History.