Den Numbers

[mtnnybb]

Last year we had 16 new tigers. we split them into Den 6 and Den 7.

we ended up doing many things such as go se its together. and the term tiger den meeting became confusing.

did it mean all tigers, or just den 6 etc...

 

This year we have 18 new tigers and they are all den 1. Our old den 1 crossed over last year.

We are using patrol patches to split the tigers this year.

so we have the Den 1 Rattlesnakes and Den 1 Scorpions.

the young boys love the animal patches and seem to bond more with them than a number

 

just my 2 cents.

 

[drmbear]

What we came up with for the dens is to make the den number the last digit of the year they start at Tiger (or would have if joining later). They keep their den number until they graduate out of the pack. So far we've only had one den per grade/rank, so that has worked fine, but I could see us working with other options if we needed to split a den.

[BluejacketScouter]

>>What we came up with for the dens is to make the den number the last digit of the year they start at Tiger (or would have if joining later). They keep their den number until they graduate out of the pack.

[AnnLaurelB]

I just discussed this with our new (very gung-ho) CC. I thought we'd have Tiger Den 1, 2, 3...Wolf Den 1, 2, etc...

 

But she said that there's ONLY ONE "Den 1" in the Pack. It might be whatever rank. The kids who have been in the longest are my Bears, so we're Den 1, and will continue to be so, until they bridge.

 

I think either way works.

[Tampa Turtle]

In our Pack we usually had 8 to 10 dens. You kept the den number (even in Webelos when you became a "patrol") Once the Webelos aged out we reused the numbers.

 

We always had multiple Tiger dens. They often called themselves "Siberian Tigers, White Tigers, etc to differentiate themselves. They still had the den numbers but usually didn't answer to them.

[momof2cubs]

Our pack keeps the same numbers until the cross over, unless two dens join forces (it happens sometimes in the Webelos year due to some attrition and to the fact that you can handle 10-12 4th graders but a dozen Tigers is the stuff of nightmares)

 

When the Webs cross over, the den number gets recycled for incoming Tigers.

 

We usually have about 12 dens going on any given year.

[ScoutNut]

Having multiple dens with the same den number can be VERY confusing. I do not recommend it.

 

Webelos do NOT have patrols. Patrols are strictly a BOY SCOUT concept. Webelos have named DENS.

 

 

[rjscout]

I saw a den in a different pack with 'DEN 10 1/2' on their sleeve. They had to merge den 10 and 11, so they took the avg. Special patch was cool for the boys.

 

[5yearscouter]

We keep the same den number for the den Tigers thru Webelos.

This year's tigers are den #1.

If we had enough tigers for two dens they'd be den #1 and den #11.

Last year we had Webelos den 3 and den 13. and then they merged for Webelos 2's and are just calling themselves the Indians, number used is 3 cause that was the original den that split into 3 and 13.

 

I like using the last digit of the year for den #. it would make it easier to remember which den # we are using for new tigers each year.

 

[Tampa Turtle]

Well our Webelos "Den's" with their BSA allowed round "Den emblem" and "den name" on their BSA allowed Khaki "cub scout shirts".. I made sure while I was transitioning them to Boys Scouts that if they ever uttered the words "patrol" to crush that little spark of joy out of them completely and ruthlessly.

 

Give the Webelos a break, they got stuck with the atrocious plaid.

[Jeffrey H]

In our Pack, each den is assigned a number in our Packmaster software program. For us, the purpose of den numbers is purely administrative and we do not use them on the uniforms or use them in conversation. If your Den is designated as "Den 3", that will be your Den Number all the way through Webelos.

 

 

[momof2cubs]

Tampa: I never did understand why some people get so bent out of shape with webelos having "patrols". We do it in out pack. After all, the purpose of webelos is to train them for the transition to boy scouts. I'm going to keep doing it. My son loves his Flaming Arrows patch and cheer.

[ScoutNut]

There is nothing wrong with Webelos dens having names instead of numbers. As a matter of fact it is a important, fun, part of the BSA Webelos program. The Flaming Arrows is a GREAT name for your Webelos den.

 

However, Webelos are still CUB SCOUTS, not Boy Scouts. Cub Scouts do not have patrols, they have dens. All BSA literature on the subject states Cub Scout dens are not to be referred to as patrols.

 

Cub Scout dens, even Webelos Cub Scout dens, operate VERY differently from that of a Boy Scout Patrol.

 

Calling a Webelos den a patrol has big potential to confuse the issue when they cross over to Boy Scouts. They might well expect a Boy Scout patrol to be run the same as their Webelos "patrol" was.

 

And you wonder how a Webelos 3 Troop can get started.

 

 

[83Eagle]

Regarding Webelos "patrols," the BSA doesn't help this issue by authorizing patrol patches to be used as "den emblems" for Webelos.

[momof2cubs]

Maybe they are run differently in the sense that a web "den" still has an adult leader, while a boy scout patrol has a boy leader.

 

However, in my pack, they boys start to learn leadership in their "den". When they go camping on their own (I mean not family camping), they start training by electing a patrol leader, a grubmaster, a quartermaster, etc. They plan the menu. They help plan the activities. They start learning to cook and clean on their own. Sure, they still get some help from the adult leaders. But it's a gradual process. At the end of the web II year, right before they cross over, they are prepared to be part of a "real" boy led patrol.

 

I think that it is a great preparation for "real" boy scouts. Maybe the reason some troops become Web III is because they don't prepare the boys for boy led patrols by being a "den" adult led their entire web career.