Scouting Magazine

How hard can it be to pick a daypack? Spend a few minutes in an outdoor gear shop; with the wide variety of sizes, shapes, designs, weights and prices available, it might seem more complicated than you thought. We’ll help you decide what type of daypack you need...

“Scouters in Action” subjects come from the National BSA Court of Honor. If you know of an act of heroism that should be recognized, contact your local BSA council office for a lifesaving or meritorious award application. Note: Consult approved safety...

Owasippe offers two camps for Scouts BSA members: Camp Blackhawk has a traditional dining hall, while Camp Wolverine offers hot meals delivered to your campsite — along with the option of dining in a central pavilion. If family camping is your thing, Camp...

When the giant Magellan Telescope opens sometime in the next decade, it will be 10 times more powerful than the Hubble Space Telescope. But you don’t need billion-dollar equipment to introduce your Scouts to astronomy, according to veteran merit badge counselor...

It was the sort of phone call every Cub Scout leader dreads. Mark Beard, the principal of Stone Lake Elementary School, was on the line, calling to notify Robert Rhymes, Pack 255’s committee chair, that someone at the pack’s last meeting had evidently...

Youth Protection policies are central to the BSA’s commitment to keep our members safe. Every adult volunteer must complete Youth Protection Training when they register and must retake the training every two years. Youth and adult handbooks also provide...

It can be unsettling when you’re driving through 3 million acres of North Carolina mountain wilderness, and a nine-story radio telescope suddenly looms up above the treetops. The massive structure, with its 85-foot dish, is one of four radio telescopes, two...

Fishing is one of the best things you can do with your Cub Scout pack, Scouts BSA unit, Venturing crew or Sea Scout ship. It gets kids away from their screens. It gets them outdoors. And it gives them opportunities for advancement. At the same time, it doesn’t...

Dallas Wells was ready to give up. After backpacking, canoeing and cycling 67 miles over the past week, the 13-year-old Scout, along with the other members of Troop 141 from Christiansburg, Va., had to get up at 4 a.m. to pedal another 38 miles into Washington, D.C....

Much of Scouting occurs in the outdoors, where we are the visitors and the animals and insects are perfectly at home. A squirrel, raccoon or other creature might be completely comfortable and healthy hanging out in the same area as bugs and other critters. Humans? Not...

Camp Ma-Ka-Ja-Wan, Northeast Illinois Council, Pearson, Wis. Last summer, a severe thunderstorm hit Ma-Ka-Ja-Wan Scout Reservation, shearing off trees, uprooting tents and sending branches crashing into buildings. Thanks to the help of devoted volunteers, the camp...

Quit tripping over stones, tent guylines or your own feet when trying to walk around camp in the dark. Turn to some reliable camp lighting, which basically falls into two categories: Lanterns, flashlights and other lights for drive-in campgrounds, when weight and bulk...

“Scouters in Action” subjects come from the National BSA Court of Honor. If you know of an act of heroism that should be recognized, contact your local BSA council office for a lifesaving or meritorious award application. Note: Consult approved safety guidelines, as...

As she drove the girls in her new Scouts BSA troop to a campout last spring, Heather O’Bannon heard plenty of stories of family distress and dysfunction. “I’m sitting there going, ‘Wow, Family Life merit badge is going to be really interesting,’ ” the Hilliard, Ohio,...

Fort Leavenworth, Kan., is home to 14,000 people, three elementary schools and just one Cub Scout pack. Pack 1 isn’t just any pack, however. It’s one of the oldest packs west of the Mississippi, and it serves more than 150 boys and girls who attend the U.S. Army...

Since kids don’t grow up overnight, it can sometimes be hard to tell from week to week how much of a difference you’re making as a Scouting volunteer. The BSA’s training awards and keys can help you track your progress and help you be more successful. WHAT IS A...

This is Philmont Scout Ranch. On any given summer day, there are around 3,500 Scouts BSA members and Venturers somewhere in the 220 square miles of pristine New Mexico backcountry exploring the wilderness, testing themselves both physically and mentally, and in the...

The Boy Scouts of America’s publications, policies, procedures, guidelines, rules and regulations are designed to provide a safe and consistent program for Scouts across the country. Trustworthy adult volunteer leaders would never knowingly allow their units to engage...

“No knives! Not allowed!” Scouter Jonathan Wiik loudly announces over the hubbub of Scouts rooting through their backpacks pulling out gear before the Survivorman Challenge. “No multitools, no rope, no cord, no whistles. I want to see that bag get full. Let’s go!”...

The 1,440 minutes in each day disappear quickly. Let’s say you spend 480 of those minutes asleep and another 480 at work. That leaves one more chunk of 480 minutes — eight hours — for meals, commuting, after-school activities, exercise, chores, errands and perhaps...

A technical glitch silenced the soundtrack for Pack 183’s crossover ceremony last winter. Despite the hiccup, the Scouts had a great time and the ceremony was a success, according to Laura Dombroski, committee chair for the Vernon, N.J., pack. “That’s when you know...

We are entering the “most wonderful time of the year,” starting with a feast focused on gratitude and ending with a countdown to the new calendar. In between is a time that hopefully is joyful, reflective, and full of fun, love and memories. But it’s also incredibly...

Merit badge classes, fairs and universities allow Scouts to pursue several badges in one day or weekend, often working with highly qualified counselors in unique settings. However, organizers and unit leaders must make sure Scouts and counselors aren’t taking...

When Erin Blank’s brother, Patrick, was a Cub Scout, she would play Akela for him and pretend to check off requirements. She became Akela for real years later when her son Ethan’s Wolf den leader quit unexpectedly. (Her younger son, Adin, is also a Cub Scout.) Blank...

“Scouters in Action” subjects come from the National BSA Court of Honor. If you know of an act of heroism that should be recognized, contact your local BSA council office for a lifesaving or meritorious award application. Note: Consult approved safety guidelines, as...

What type of fire warms twice? The friction fire! A friction fire not only keeps you warm once you get it going, but it also gets you warm while you’re trying to make the fire. If you find yourself without matches, it’s important to know other fire-starting methods,...

After the Omaha Symphony’s family concert last March, most musicians headed home or to dinner, or perhaps to a freelance gig. Not assistant principal bassist Bill Ritchie. The longtime Scouter walked down the hall to teach the Music merit badge alongside principal...

If you’re looking for the most affordable high-performance rain jacket, the REI Drypoint GTX ($249) might be just what you ordered. Constructed with Gore-Tex Active three-layer membrane, the Drypoint delivers solid protection in any weather, coupled with breathability...

When Life Scout Phillip Bolick told people he planned to ride a bike 4,200 miles across the United States, they reacted in one of two ways. “I was either told, ‘That’s incredible. I wish I could go,’ ” he says, “or, ‘You couldn’t pay me to do that.’ ” At 15, Phillip...

District chairman and former Scoutmaster Mike DiTrani has completed five Philmont treks and frequently hikes in the Adirondacks, but some of his favorite hiking happens much closer to his Staten Island home. “Urban hiking turns sidewalks into trails,” he says....