Outdoor Skills

There’s A LOT of skills that go into making (and being) a Boy Scout. Here’s just a sampling of the main ones scouts learn over their journey.

Click the links below to get more information about each subject.

10 Essentials

Orientering/Map & Compass

Knots & Lashings

They’re the backbone of scouting. From the Basic 6 to more advanced, you’ll need them for every step of your scouting journey. And for an easy way to level up your skills, take a look at the smartphone app “Grog’s Animated Knots.” Available in the Apple iTunes Store, and the GooglePlay store. It gives you animated, step-by-step instructions for all the scout knots and lashings, plus hundreds more (even how to tie a necktie!).

• Knots - There are hundreds of useful knots. Here’s how to tie a few of them.

• Scouting Knots

How to pack for a trip

Got questions on how to pack your pack? No worries, we’ve got answers! When it comes to experiencing the outdoors, nothing beats backpacking. But carrying around all that gear on a trail isn’t easy. Here’s a bunch of lists and videos to help you out…

• Backpack Basics

• Backpacking Checklist

• How to Pack a Backpack

• Clothing Basics

• Sleeping Bag Basics

• Gear for a Cold Weather Outing - Download Checklist

• Gear for a Paddling Outing - Download Checklist

• Gear for a Bicycling Outing - Download Checklist

How to prevent and treat blisters

There’s nothing better than hiking or backpacking in the great outdoors, but a blister can quickly ruin your day.

• How to Prevent and Treat Blisters

• Quick guide to Outdoor Footwear Basics

Choosing the most effective bug spray

Mosquitos and other bugs can spread disease and drive you crazy in the wilderness. Have no fear; bug sprays are here. But before you buy something to spray on your skin, consider the pluses and minuses.

• Choosing the Most Effective Bug Spray to Stop Mosquitoes

How to choose a campsite

Remember these six keys to choosing a good campsite.

• Safety: Find a site away from low-lying places that could fill with water during a flash flood. Stay away from valleys, canyons and banks of small, shallow rivers. Avoid camping near lone trees, mountaintops, high ridges and other likely lightning targets. Don’t camp near dead or dying trees; the wind could blow them down on you. Higher ground can be dangerous if you see signs of erosion.
  

• Size: Make sure your site is large enough for members of your camping party to set up their tents and cook their meals.
  

• Terrain: Make sure your site has good drainage, natural ground cover and enough sunlight for visibility.
  

• Privacy: Respect the privacy of others. Trees, bushes and the shape of the terrain can screen your camp from trails and neighboring campsites.
  

• Permission: Check ahead of time with public parks, forest and reserves. They can issue any permits you will need. Never camp on private property without permission.
  

• Water: You’ll need plenty of water for drinking, cooking and cleaning. Public water supplies are the safest and can be found in most frontcountry campsites. Water from streams, rivers or lakes should be properly treated before use.

How to set up a tent

Before leaving for your trip, be sure you’re comfortable setting up — and taking down — your tent. That means reading the instruction booklet and getting plenty of practice. Here are a few tips for when you’re ready to pitch your tent:

• At the campsite, choose a level spot that drains well.
  

• Remove stones and sticks, but don’t disturb the natural ground cover.
  

• Always look for signs of creepy critters.
  

• Spread out your tent’s footprint, or a ground cloth, to protect the tent floor from moisture, sharp objects and dirt.
  

• Unfold the tent on top of the footprint. Pull out the corners of the floor and stake them to the ground, then assemble the poles and put them in place.
  

• Use taut line hitches to tie the free ends of guylines around stakes you’ve pushed into the ground, and pull the lines tight.
  

• Put a rain fly over the tent, and stake it down.  

After camping, remember to air out your tent before packing it away. Ensuring it is dry will prevent mildew.

How to avoid heat exhaustion

One of the most important health and safety lessons a scout can learn.

• How to Avoid Heat Exhaustion and Heat Stroke

Things to keep in mind when building a campfire

Campfire building is an important camping skill. However, overuse of campfires and an increasing demand for firewood has degraded the natural appearance of many areas. When building a fire, remember to leave no trace:

• Choose not to have a fire in areas where there is little wood: high elevations, heavily used areas or desert settings.
  

• The best place to build a fire is within an existing fire ring in a well-placed campsite.
  

• Keep the fire small, and keep it burning only when you are using it.
  

• Allow wood to burn completely to ash. Put it out with water, not dirt.
  

• Keep fires away from tents and tarps. Avoid rock outcrops, where black scars can remain for years.

How to care for hiking boots

Keep care of your boots, and they’ll take care of your feet! Woe be to the ignorant, for blisters shall call their feet home!

• How to Care for Hiking Boots

How to treat & purify water

Here are three ways to treat water so it’s safe to drink.

1. Boil water over a stove or campfire. Once it comes to a rolling boil (when 1/2-inch bubbles are rising from the bottom of the pot), then it’s clean.
   

2. Filter water with a handheld filter. Most require you to pump the water slowly through screens and filters that remove dangerous bacteria. Many include a purifying stage that will also treat viruses. Filters can be expensive, but they are reliable and easy to use.
   

3. Chemical treatment is probably the easiest and cheapest method. Put a tablet or two in your jug of water and in about 20 minutes it’ll be ready to drink. The tablets might leave a bitter taste, but you can use a sports drink mix to cover it.

Watch the Boy’s Life video that shows them all.

Water Safety

Here are a couple acronyms to help you keep you safe in (and on) the water:

“PDQBALLS” – used to remember the guidelines to Safe Swim.

You can find a good Quizlet study guide HERE.

• Physical Fitness: Scouts must present evidence of fitness for swimming with a complete health history from a physician, parent or legal guardian.

• Discipline: Everyone should understand that swimming is allowed only with proper supervision and consistent with the rules, which should be reviewed for all participants at the water’s edge just before the swimming activity begins.

• Qualified Supervision: All Scout swimming activity must be supervised by an adult-in-charge who (1) is at least 21 years old, (2) is experienced in the water, (3) is confident of being able to respond in the event of an emergency, and (4) is trained in and committed to compliance with the eight points of BSA Safe Swim Defense. The adult must (a) have commitment card no. 34243, (b) be trained as a BSA Lifeguard, or (c) be accompanied by a Scout holding BSA Lifeguard training. It is strongly recommended, but not required, that an adult or older Scout trained as a BSA Lifeguard assist in the planning and conduct of all swimming activity.

• Buddy System: Every Scout must be paired with another Scout in the same ability group. Buddies should check in and out of the swimming area together and should be aware that they are responsible for life guarding each other. Using a single whistle blast, everyone in the water should be checked every 10 minutes, or as needed, to keep the buddies together (the buddies should be able to pair up in 10-15 seconds). Two whistle blasts signals a resumption of swimming and three whistle blasts signals checkout.

• Ability Groups: All participants (scouts, parents, siblings, friends, etc.) should be divided into three Ability Groups asfollows:

  Non-swimmers are those who have not passed any swimming test.

  Beginners are those who have jumped feet first into water over the head in depth, leveled off, swum 25 feet on the surface, turned around and returned to the starting point [2d class requirement #7b].
  

  Swimmers are those who have jumped feet first into water over the head in depth, leveled off, swum continuously 75 yards in a strong manner using any recognized swimming stroke, turned over and swum 25 yards with an easy, resting backstroke, and then floated for one minute (so long as the test administrator is confident the swimmer can initiate the float when exhausted, it need not immediately follow the swimming segment) [1st class requirement #9b]. The swimming classification tests should be renewed annually, preferably at the beginning of the season. All persons (scouts, parents, siblings, friends, etc.) who will be at the waterfront or in the water must be classified.

• Lifeguard (on Duty): In areas in which lifeguards are not otherwise provided, the Adult-in-Charge must designate a minimum of two capable Swimmers (see Ability Groups, above) as Lifeguards. They should be equipped with a lifeline (a 100 foot length of 3/8-inch nylon cord). In an emergency, one of the lifeguards can enter the water with one end of the line and, after effecting the rescue, be pulled back in by the other lifeguard. Depending on the number of people in the water, additional lifeguards must be provided so there is at least one lifeguard for every 10 swimmers. Lifeguards must not take their eyes off the water and should keep all swimmers clearly in view. They should avoid talking to others when on duty.
  

• Lookout: A Lookout must be stationed on the shore where s/he can see and hear everything (s/he may be the Adult-in-Charge and may also give the buddy signals).
  

• Safe Area: Any areas not regularly maintained and used for swimming must be examined for depths, currents, deepholes, rocks and stumps. All swimming areas must be marked for three groups as follows: • Non-swimmers should be restricted to an area not more than 3½ feet deep. This area should be marked with poles and twine or buoy lines. • Beginner swimmers should be restricted to an area in which the water reaches just over their heads. This area should be marked with poles and twine or buoy lines. • Swimmers should be restricted to an area not more than 12 feet deep (swimming is prohibited in water over 12 feet deep). This area should be marked with floats. In murky water, only surface swimming is permitted. For any entry into the water from more than 18 inches above the water, clear-water depth must be 10-12 feet and entry into the water is prohibited from more than 60 inches above the surface of the water. No one should be allowed to dive unless there is a clear-water depth of at least 7 feet and diving is prohibited from any height more than40 inches above the water surface.

“PDQBEPPS” – used to remember the guidelines to Safety Afloat.

You can find a good Quizlet study guide HERE.

• Personal Health Review: All persons must present evidence of fitness by a complete health history from a physician, parent, or legal guardian. Adjust all supervision, discipline, and protection to anticipate any risks associated with individual health conditions. In the event of any significant health conditions, a medical evaluation by a physician should be required by the adult leader.
  

• (Good) Discipline: All participants should know, understand, and respect the rules and procedures for safe unit activity afloat. The applicable rules should be presented and learned prior to the outing, and should be reviewed for all participants at the water's edge just before the activity begins. When Scouts know and understand the reasons for the rules, they will observe them. When fairly and impartially applied, rules do not interfere with the fun. Rules for safety, plus common sense and good judgment, keep the fun from being interrupted by tragedy.
  

• Qualified Supervision: All activity afloat must be supervised by a mature and conscientious adult age 21 or older who understands and knowingly accepts responsibility for the well being and safety of the children in his or her care, who is experienced and qualified in the particular watercraft skills and equipment involved in the activity, and who is committed to compliance with the nine points of BSA Safety Afloat. One such supervisor is required for each 10 people, with a minimum of two adults for any one group. At least one supervisor must be age 21 or older, and the remaining supervisors must be age 18 or older. All supervisors must complete BSA Safety Afloat and Safe Swim Defense training and rescue training for the type of watercraft to be used in the activity, and at least one must be trained in CPR. It is strongly recommended that all units have at least one adult or older youth member currently trained as a BSA Lifeguard to assist in the planning and conducting of all activity afloat.
  

• Buddy System: All activity afloat necessitates using the buddy system. Not only must every individual have a buddy, but every craft should have a "buddy boat" when on the water.
  

• (Proper) Equipment: All equipment must be suited to the craft, to water conditions, and to the individual; must be in good repair; and must satisfy all state and federal requirements. Spare equipment or repair materials must be carried. Appropriate rescue equipment must be available for immediate use.
  

• Personal Floatation Device (PFD): Properly fitted U.S. Coast Guard-approved personal flotation devices (PFDs) must be worn by all persons engaged in activity on the open water (rowing, canoeing, sailing, boardsailing, motorboating, waterskiing, rafting, tubing, kayaking, and surfboarding). Type II and III PFDs are recommended.
  

• Planning: Float Plan Obtain current maps and information about the waterway to be traveled. Know exactly where the unit will "put in" and "pull out" and what course will be followed. Travel time should be estimated generously. Review the plan with others who have traveled the course recently. Local Rules Determine which state and local regulations are applicable, and follow them. Get written permission to use or cross private property. Notification File the float plan with parents or participants and a member of the unit committee. File the float plan with the local council office when traveling on running water. Check in with all those who should be notified when returning. Weather Check the weather forecast just before setting out, and keep an alert weather eye. Bring all craft ashore when rough weather threatens. Contingencies Planning must identify possible emergencies and other circumstances that could force a change of plans. Appropriate alternative plans must be developed for each. For Cub Scouts: Cub Scout canoeing, kayaking, rowing, and rafting do not include "trips" or "expeditions" and are not to be conducted on running water (i.e., rivers or streams); therefore, some procedures are inapplicable. Suitable weather requires clear skies, no appreciable wind, and warm air and water.
  

• Swimming Ability / Skill Proficiency: All participants in activity afloat must be trained and experienced in watercraft handling skills, safety, and emergency procedures. (a) For unit activity on white water, all participants must complete special training by a BSA Aquatics Instructor or qualified whitewater specialist. (b) Powerboat operators must be able to meet requirements for the Motorboating merit badge or equivalent. (c) Except for whitewater and powerboat operation as noted above, either a minimum of three hours' training and supervised practice or meeting requirements for "basic handling tests" is required for all float trips or open-water excursions using unpowered craft. (d) Motorized personal watercraft, such as the Jet Ski® and SeaDoo®, are not authorized for use in Scouting aquatics, and their use should not be permitted in or near BSA program areas.