The early winter storms have left the entire homestead unprepared. A desperate search for a newborn calf and its mother forces Otto's wife and their youngest son into a night snowstorm while Otto is away building shelter for his herd.

The extended Kilcher family struggle to get through a record-breaking harsh winter. Desperate for food, Atz Lee and Jane venture onto the ice to try fishing. Patriarchs Otto and Atz embark on a dangerous mission to bring aid to a fellow homesteader.

Spring finally arrives on the homestead. Eivin mills lumber, builds a large chicken house from scratch and helps wife Eve take out a rogue cannibal hen. Desperate for food, Jane goes fishing for king salmon solo.

Otto and family battle the elements and predators to drive their cattle to the summer pasture. A missing calf causes Otto and Eivin to head off for a dangerous late night rescue mission. Atz Lee and Jane build a makeshift greenhouse.

Atz begins his summer range riding season to protect Otto's cattle herd. A bear menaces from the edge; a wolf invades the herd. Otto & family race the clock and the elements to gather in winter's hay crop. Eivin and Eve's cannibal hen strikes again.

The Kilchers rally & call in favors to tackle their largest project this season. They have 48 hours to build a long cattle fence and rebuild a cabin, or the treacherous river's tide will trap their barge full of critical equipment for another month.

Summer half over, the Kilchers head out fishing, but it's not for fun...at least not entirely. They need 100s of pounds of fish to eat and barter with during winter. Each couple has their own time-proven technique for catching salmon and trout.

Atz Lee and Eivin travel 160 miles and brave the bears of "Terrible Island" to hunt deer. Otto refuses to admit defeat and will use all the blackpowder he has to remove a pesky stump blocking his progress.

The Kilchers scramble to finish their winter prep. Otto confronts a predator killing calves from inside his herd. Atz Lee and Jane catch and smoke salmon in their secret fish camp. Eivin uses a samurai sword to prepare Thanksgiving dinner.

Cattleman Otto Kilcher sees life a little differently. Some people think he's crazy, but he'll tell you it's just his willingness to accept whatever life brings him. Otto's sense of humor is infectious and his ingenuity inspires everyone.

For the Kilchers, necessity truly is the mother of invention and recycling takes a on whole new level -- from bone yard scavenges and make-do parts to tasty roadkill suppers. And it's not just the Kilcher men who have to be tough and resourceful.

After being pushed off of their land, the unique Brown family of nine travels deep into the Alaskan bush to build a small shack where they all sleep. The Browns have lived their whole lives in the wild & may go 6 months without seeing an outsider.

The Brown brothers are forced to step up when building a one room cabin for the family. During some down time, the wolf pack of five goes into a small bush town to hunt for potential mates. It’s the 1st time they’ve been in public together in months

As the Browns race to finish their cabin, temperatures plummet and an illness hits the family. Their ability to survive the winter rests on the brothers as they race to get essential supplies and complete the home.Then, the unexpected strikes.

A confrontation on the Browns property shuts down production and forces them to make a big decision.

After facing unparalleled obstacles, the Browns reflect on their past year of living in the Alaskan Bush while providing surprise revelations about the family's lifestyle.