Season 8 'Alone' Survival Series Won By Idaho Contestant

For fans of the popular survival series "Alone," which streams on the History Channel, this year's winner of the $500,000 grand prize is an Idahoan.

Season eight of "Alone" is in the books. The series follows 10 contestants who are dropped off in harsh, desolate surroundings, and the one who outstays all others wins $500,000. This year's winner calls northwestern Idaho his home.

For those that aren't familiar with the series, it's time to meet this season's winner, Clay Hayes. Hayes is from Kendrick, Idaho, and works as a professional bow builder. He survived 74 days this season in a remote area of British Columbia.

My household are huge fans of the show, and about halfway through this season, I had a hunch that Clay was going to end up the champion. The fact he was the only survivalist to kill big game (deer) gave him the clear advantage. He's an incredibly skillful hunter.

Food, as you would imagine, makes or breaks these contestants. If you can build a strong shelter, avoid losing too much weight, and get yourself a big game kill along the way, it gives you a huge advantage over the others.

I often have discussions with my wife about how long we think we'd last in the wild while watching the show. I would be happy to just not be the first contestant sent home, but one really never knows until they are put in this type of situation. Certain people can thrive in these elements.

Congratulations to Kendrick's own Clay Hayes. Way to go the distance dude.