Boy Scouts?

[Reb_Cav2]

I am the leader of a scout troop that would like to start doing things more like the Mountain Men did and since they asked I will try and make it happen. We are already working on a relaxed uniform for them to wear that is more like a greenhorn. We have had them throwing hawks for a few months now and some are very good some need some work.
Now for where you fine ladies and gentlemen come in. I need some Ideas of activites that are Mountain man in nature that these 11-14 year old scouts can participate in and maybe earn a little extra experience in the woods with. Alos that they could have fun doing and maybe compete in.
I have the plans to eventually get a .45-.50 caliber BP rifle to let them shoot but that requires me to get a certification from the NRA before I can do that but almost everything else is possible.
Hope you can all give me a hand finding some activites that they can do and have fun with
Thank you again for your help
Respectfully
Reb_Cav2
(AKA John)

 

[Rev_William]

When I was in scouts we had kind of a woods walk. You could have them start a fire with flint and steel or bow drill. Set up a lent to or other period tents/shelters and keep goingbwith other tasks ect. When they get good choose teams and time them.

 

[Reb_Cav2]

Nice ideas Rev. Will have to use them. Just want them to be excited about what they are doing and since they like the theme and ar having fun withthe hawks and have started lighting camp fires with F&S I want to keep them excited and having fun. If I can not get them to show up we will not have much of a troop.
Thank you again
Reb

 

[necchi]

I'm a Life'r myself, and lucky enough to have had some oldeschool leadership at out troo[ back in the day.

* The assorted fire starting skills with natural componants is a big deal,
* Primitive cooking (no coleman stove or gas or canned goods)
* Orienteering, without a compass, actual over land to a goal or reward

 

[atki]

Check out this Boy Scout website. It's about rendezvous, but there is a ton of stuff here.
http://varsityrendezvous.com/

WB
50+ years in the BSA

 

[Reb_Cav2]

WB,
THank you for the website. I was looking at them and they have given me some Ideas I was just looking if you all might have some other ideas.
I was talking to another leader last night and he was telling me about an idea he had down in California, it was a monthly Rendezvous held by a group of varsity teams so your team was not responsible for hosting an event every month and there would be a large number scouts each month. His Idea went very well down south but can not gain any traction here in Oregon.
I am currently trying to get it going on a smaller level and maybe if we make a demand the others will follow.
Thank you again for the help
Respectfully
Reb

 

[Black Hand]

Look into starting a Venture patrol within your troop OR a stand-alone Venturing unit.

However, 11-14 is a bit young for some of these types of High-adventure events, and there would be other concerns. On the other hand, it is a great way to keep older boys engaged. Skills intruction within a troop setting, or on a campout is a great way to get all the kids (and adults) involved. Fire-starting skills, primitive cooking and camping, demonstrations by skilled instructors, etc. are all great activities. Get them to make their own stuff for events.

We do a yearly rendezvous (150-200 scouts) where they get to experience these skills.

PM me with specific questions and I will help however I can.

 

[Reb_Cav2]

Thanks for the help. I was thinking right along the line you are talking about. I was thinking that if we get the younger scouts involved it might carry on to the older ones and they will stay active longer.
Again thanks for the encouragment and expect a PM shortly.
Reb

 

[daoliver924]

I volunteer at a specialty BSA camp in Vermont where the entire theme is Fur Trapper (http://www.scoutingvermont.org/Camping/FrontiersCamp). There is quite a bit of info and some videos that might be of help to you.

I can answer more specific questions if you have any.

One thing to note, BSA considers these activities High Adventure and Med forms, requirements, etc...
are treated as such.

 

[Reb_Cav2]

David,
Thanks for the link. It was truly inspiring.
Hope to use some of those ideas in the near future to get the younger scouts to stay excited and to keep the older ones engaged.
Thank you again
Reb

 

[trent/OH]

Well they should certainly learn how to set a longspring trap. Simple mocassin making, or fur glove making should be considered. Tracking and trailing animals. Maybe riding a horse. Casting lead. Learning how to really sharpen a knife. Learning what types of wood are best (or worst) for various purposes is a bit more advanced, but well worth teaching. How about building a bear-proof cache, or hanging a bear bag? When the weather turns lousy, teach some phrases from the local Native American language, or better yet, sign language.

And contact a local muzzleloader club well in advance to try to set up a troop shoot. That way YOU aren't trying to teach and be range officer to a bunch of scouts all at once.

I know that's a lot, but you did ask. Now, for the second week.......

 

[Mort Scott]

I was a cub scout and boy scout leader for years. I taught all of the wilderness survival techniques with horsemanship to fire starting,To camping as my boys got older I became a Hunter Educator through the fish and game. I am certified to teach gun safety. recently becoming a bow hunting instructor through same program. boys are competative so it should be interesting. good luck.

 

[crockett]

For scouts- I agreee about the fire starting- flint and steel- just be sure to instruct them so they don't cut a hand with the flint. Also use a magnifying glass and tinder tube.
I would introduce them to a double long spring trap- how it was bedded by a stream bank, how it was set (compress the sprinsg, etc).
I would break up the group and maybe have one trail the other- following their tracks.
Indian sign language might be another.

 

[Dan Hogue]

Been a scoutmaster for 8 yrs now. I teach the boys F&I stuff, and I can say "we have the best most minimilistic troop there is in our council (Hudson Valley).
My Motto is "Fire Knives and water" If you got them the Boys will have fun.
The best things they seem to like are True flint and steel fire lighting. Shelter building, we rarely use tents. Cooking over a fire with a corn boiler,setting deadfalls for mice and such (rarely catch any, but fun non the less).Building structures such as bridges across streams, ladders, etc. and catching a meal, frogs, crayfish, fish, even cooked a snake once.
Some things may not be quite "scout sanctioned", but I can say the boys LOVE it, and the other leaders are usually in awe at how we operate.
We are a rag tag seat of our pants troop with some AWSOME outdoor skills. We sure show up those "camp where you park" troops, and the boys are proud of it.

 

[Black Hand]

Some things may not be quite "scout sanctioned", but I can say the boys LOVE it, and the other leaders are usually in awe at how we operate.

As a reminder from a long-time Scouter and District Committee member: If something goes wrong knowingly doing something that is not scout-sanctioned, you personally can and will be held legally liable to the full extent of the law. The the civil suit(s) will start after that.

Please, for your sake and that of the boys, be safe and stay within the bounds of "The Guide to Safe Scouting".

 

[Dan Hogue]

I too am a district Comm. member, and am aware of potential "issues" and ALWAYS practice safe scouting. I was referring to things like setting the "deadfalls" as they aren't quite a scout like activity.We also took a 2 day New York Hunters safety course. Hunting is NOT sanctioned or endorsed by BSA, but we took the safety course anyway. At our roundtable the other night we had discussions about when "common sense " should kick in. Back to topic, another thing we do is practice packing light, try to get the boys to use a bedroll, and haversack for food, just spare socks, and shirt, and sweat pants or shorts, the rest can be dried by a fire WHEN they get wet.

 

[Black Hand]

Thanks for the clarification.
I agree that the "curriculum" approved by the Scouts with respect to Wilderness survival leaves something to be desired. As an aside, it wasn't always that way.

Having taught the merit badge at summer camp, I would ask at the beginning of the class how many had bought the MB pamphlet. I would ask them to hold them up, and then instruct them to throw them to the back of the room. After some encouragement, they would comply, and THEN we could actually get to the learning. Ever watch a bunch of boys eat ants....?

Knowing how to build & set snares (which would be a primary source of meat protein) is an essential set of skills. As is a basic knowledge of hunting and wild edibles.

 

[Dan Hogue]

As a matter of fact we have eaten ants on a campout. Kind of lemony tastin. I got a copy of the 1911 handbook, and things were definitly better before lawyers and such. Reenacting "practices" definitly have a place in BSA and my experiences show the boys love it, and it is practical useful knowledge that can and should be learned and passed on.
Another thing we attempted was soap making, wood ash lye and rendered fat. Didn't quite harden, but we will try again. Makin rope is a good one also. One of my recent eagle scouts, now a asst scoutmaster, is practicing taxidermy, he brings roadkill to meetings, and we have skinned foxes, beavers, squirrels, mink, amongst other critters on my tailgate. He then has those that want to help him flesh, tan and break them. all with parental approval of coarse. I think we have taught and learned more than any science class can teach. BSA has the outdoor code, and to me that includes respecting the outdoors and EVERYTHING about it including respecting and not wasting anything you harvest or get. Another great project around thanksgiving is having the boys save the wing bones, and making turkey calls. The Parents really thank me for that one :rotf: :rotf: anyway, have fun with it, and chances are the boys will too. BSA is and should be a great tool for teaching basic outdoor forgotten skills, my hope is the boys I have will do the same, and I believe at least some will. :thumbsup:

Y.I.S. Dan H

 

[trent/OH]

Things certainly were diferent in the early days. Somewhere I have the requirements for merit badges pre-WW1. The last Archery MB requirement reads something like... Shoot so far and so fast as to have four arrows in the air at the same time. That must have required a lot of open land!

 

[Black Hand]

BSA is and should be a great tool for teaching basic outdoor forgotten skills, my hope is the boys I have will do the same, and I believe at least some will. :thumbsup:

Y.I.S. Dan H

It IS a game with a purpose! Well done!