Winter Camp

[baschram645]

Our council just held it's winter camp for boy scouts. We still do Cub scout winter day camp but this was the first time for boy scouts. We had 18 participants, not the best turn out but for our first try a small number was probably more manageable. It program was for 4 days and 3 nights.

 

The scouts could work on 4 different merit badges; Fishing, Rifle Shooting, Winter Sports and Wilderness Survival. In the evenings we watched movies, played board games and of course a Cracker Barrel.

 

The rifle shooting was done with black powder rifles. This was a big deal to the scouts because most had never shot a muzzle loader before. Every boy who was on the range proudly showed their targets off at lunch each day. Range Instructor and his staff did a great job.

 

Only 1 or 2 scouts had ever been ice fishing before so this was a new experience as well. Some nice Northern pike were caught which helped fuel the enthusiasm of everyone on the ice. Cleaning them was a new experience as well. Although eating the catch was the best part of all.

 

Cross country skiing gave the scouts a chance to learn a new skill while seeing the camp in its winter covering. The hills were a big hit but only when going down them.

 

Building quinzees or snow shelters was a big success as was fire building with flint and steel. The scouts learned that winter camping is alot of work but also alot of fun.

 

I feel it was a success and the scouts said they would be back next year. Hats off to the Camp director and his staff for a great program. I hope they ask me back next year to teach fishing again.

 

Happy New Year to everyone at the virtual campfire

 

YIS

Bryan

 

[packsaddle]

Was your turnout number just for the troop, I hope? But anyway, it sounds like a great success. I know I would have really enjoyed it. I'm guessing you weren't using flintlocks, though. Now that's a lot of fun too, two thrills with each shot, LOL.

I'd sure like to get some of the guys with this troop out on an event like that. They'd love it.

Down here we were in the 70s a day or so ago. The old joke from Oregon applies here. If the rain is cold it's winter.

But congratulations on what sounded like a great success and a heck of a lot of fun!

[Hal_Crawford]

Sounds like a great program. I sometimes wish that we (in the DC area) had the kind of winters where you could actually count on snow. Our Klondike derby sleds always have wheels! Ice fishing is something they do someplace else. It is unseasonably cold here today which means that it is below freezing and we actually saw some snow flakes yesterday for a brief instant.

 

On the other hand, shoveling the driveway and walk on a daily basis might get old.

 

Packsaddle knows in his heart that the GSS limits black powder shooting to percussion caps. No flint locks.

 

Happy New Year,

Hal

[packsaddle]

Actually, no, I didn't know that. So thanks! That's what I like about this stuff, I constantly learn things I hadn't noticed before. I guess that first part of the thrill is why they aren't allowed by G2SS.

[drmicrowave72]

That sounds great just keep doing the camp out and next year ask other troops to come. My Destrict has been doing this for 35 years. Last year we had 4000 scouts come and some from other states.

try looking at quivira.org "Trappers' Rendezous"

[drmicrowave72]

That sounds great just keep doing the camp out and next year ask other troops to come. My Destrict has been doing this for 35 years. Last year we had 4000 scouts come and some from other states.

try looking at quivira.org "Trappers' Rendezous"

[roguedawg]

When I was a scout, our troop used to love the polar bear camp outs. There a few moments that stood out. One year, there was a thaw just before the event. The snow had turned to rain which made Elk Lake at Camp Brule' smooth as glass. My buddy and myself got our sleeping bags and got out to the center of the lake to watch the meteor shower show on Saturday night. It was awesome!

 

One time there was an ice fishing demo going on. One of the ASM's had an ice auger and made several fishing holes. They had some gear to show off and sitting behind them, they had a 5 foot salmon. So after the demo, they showed off the fish they had caught. You should have seen the boys eyes then they pulled out a 5 foot salmon with a 12 inch belly on it. Usually the adults would snarf their coffee at that point if they were drinking it.

I wish we had a video camera to get some footage. Perhaps an idea for someone else to do. Hint, Hint.

 

The coldest was about -5 degrees. We started to come into camp and the DE had canceled the polar bear due to the extreme cold temperatures. More troops were rolling in and setting up camp. All the leaders outvoted the DE and we had the campout. Oh it was cold, but everybody had to report into leaders every 30 minutes to do a cold check. We didn't have to worry too much about getting wet, just exposed skin. We survived and the boys had some bragging rights.

 

One scout I met in college was from Maine. They went out on a winter camp out and we caught in a big snowstorm. The parents asked the National Guard to "rescue" them. They found all the boys save, sound, and having a good time. They forced them to leave camp, even though they were fine. The scouts ended up cooking a meal for the soldiers since they did not bring any rations with them. The soldiers thought it was funny that they had to rescue some scouts that we not in any danger and we living quite comfortable.

 

Enjoy the snow. RD