Hunted down like prey – an experience of a lifetime

Jordan Tibbo and Suzie Willis fled the path they were on and dove beneath bushes where their hearts pounded so loudly they were sure ManTracker Terry Grant must have heard them. “At the end of it, my body couldn’t handle any more shots of adrenaline,” said Tibbo, a resident of Yarmouth County.

As a project coordinator for Katimavik and a rock climber, Tibbo fit the ‘outdoorsy type’ profile that producers of this popular TV series were looking for. Willis, his girlfriend, plays soccer, is an avid hiker and canoe out-tripper.

The show is based on the pursuit of two people on foot through wilderness by an experienced tracker on horseback to a destination 40 kilometers away. The goal must be reached within 36 hours.

When Willis and Tibbo applied in September to become ‘prey’ on the show, they were both amazed and amused to receive notification shortly after that they’d made the cut. They had two days to get ready. Tibbo was in Banff, Alberta. Willis was in Acadia.

They started packing: socks, long-johns, a water purification kit, a tarp, energy bars and jells, a compass, a knife and more.

The show flew each of them to the Laurentian Mountains in Quebec where they met the film crew.

On Oct. 6 the two dressed in nearly identical gear – hiking boots, Northface quick-dry pants, wool socks, and athletic moisture wicking tops. “We were the typical cutesy couple,” said Tibbo. “Even our backpacks were a similar blue.”

After a fortifying breakfast of oatmeal, tea, dried fruit and eggs, they were driven to a quarry where a flare was fired then they were off and running with the camera team.

Tibbo expressed great respect for the cameramen – two seasoned and accomplished athletes who kept up with their every move regardless of the heavy cameras. “Whatever we did, they did with us – splashing through rivers, climbing trees, hiding in mud,” he said.

The hardest part was getting their bearings. “You’ve never been there before and it’s hard to figure out the best possible route that’s not going to get you hunted down by a man on a horse,” said Tibbo. “We were always battling the terrain versus trying to make time.”

After catching a few glimpses of the ManTracker, the couple realized that he could be anywhere, and the psychological burden was wearing. Tibbo described the show’s concept as a cross between CSI and Prison Break.

Getting two minds to agree on the best route added more conflict to an already tense situation. Tibbo and Willis anticipated this challenge from beefing up on previous Mantracker episodes. “Definitely, bringing a relationship into it adds a new dynamic,” said Tibbo. “It’s a lot of stress, but we’re still together,” he laughs. “You watch that show and some of them get into some pretty heated arguments.

So how did they do? Because of non-disclosure agreements with the production company, Tibbo can’t release any more information about their episode. The sequence will be edited this winter and will air next summer. “It was the experience of a lifetime,” said Tibbo. Although there isn’t a huge jackpot of money at the end, he says there are rewards. “If and when you get to the end, there’s a lot of pride and satisfaction,” he said with a teasing glint in his eye.