Scouts VS Wild

We took our Boy Scouts up Nebo Loop this last weekend to an isolated location and had them try and do a survival experience. It was actually a really interesting trip.

The boys were only allowed to bring a knife, a flint, & water bottle, but I also gave them space blankets when we got there. Ahead of time I purchased 3 live chickens and released them when we arrived and made the boys go out and chase the chickens.

The boys were then responsible for killing, cleaning, preparing, & cooking those chickens. The chicken killings mostly went well though one of the boys didn't get the job done on the first try and I keep to keep telling him to "keep going" until the chicken was dead (that was actually the worst part of the trip).

While three of the boys took care of the chickens, The other boys made a fire pit, gathered wood, started a fire, and worked on their shelter. One of the boys actually made a pretty good roasting spit and they cooked their chicken over the spit.

We had a group devotional at the leaders camp where we shared a couple of lessons from the evening (appreciating the sacrifice of meals with meat, being men, etc.) and then the boys returned to their camp (across the river) and the leaders remained in our camp.

The boys started a fire around 4am because they were cold, and hung out for a couple of hours before hiking to the tops of the nearby mountains (there were no trails for these mountains so they just bush whacked up and down).

And then we cleaned up our camps and went home. It was actually a lot of fun and very interesting to watch these boys who are normally unable to focus on anything do so well on an activity.

*I did take pictures, but because the boys are all minors and not my children, I have opted not to post them for privacy reasons.*

Sounds like a lot of fun. I'm the Varisty Coach for our local Team. I might have to try something similiar to this with the boys. Thanks for sharing.

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*I did take pictures, but because the boys are all minors and not my children, I have opted not to post them for privacy reasons.*

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You could have taken pictures of everything other than the boys such as the views from the tops of nearby mountains!!! :crazycobasa: JK sounds like a good experience for a generation (I am part of this new semi-unnamed generation so I can say this :haha:) that has been given nearly everything to them on a silver platter!

That is an interesting story. I bet they learned a lot from that experience.

That sounds like a great time. I'm the Scoutmaster for a troop in West Jordan. What ages of boys did you take? I'd like to try a similar experience with our boys (ages 12-13, sometimes a 14 or 15 year old will join).

Dang, cool story man. It's good to hear about trips like this. I bet some of them will remember this for the rest of their lives. :2thumbs:

daaum, sweet report. Stuff like this makes me miss when I was a scout. I got my eagle and then just disappeared from it. My leaders did not do anything near this cool for wilderness survival back in the day for me. we were able to take whatever we could carry in our 30 liter packs with us. I really want to take a real survival course someday.

Great idea. I'm a scoutmaster in Cedar City. I appreciate the info. Thanks for the post!

I wish I had a scout leader like you back when I was there. Although, at one point my dad was my scout leader which made for some pretty awesome memories of hanging out with my dad. To this day he still wonders where I got all the fireworks and how the crap I smuggled them in our gear without him seeing LOL

I think the law is that you can take (and post) pictures of minors, but not identify them by name. But whatever you felt was appropriate was appropriate in your situation. Great report, btw.

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Originally Posted by Wasatch Rebel

I think the law is that you can take (and post) pictures of minors, but not identify them by name. But whatever you felt was appropriate was appropriate in your situation. Great report, btw.

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You have to get the signed permission from the parents. It's on the BSA physical.


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Originally Posted by bigred72

You have to get the signed permission from the parents. It's on the BSA physical.

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To take their picture or to publish it or to include names?

Nice DiscGo. As a scout, my scout master did a camp very similar to what you did. It is one of my most memorable scouting experiences and it made a lasting impression on me. I am glad in this world of PC that you had the courage to teach very valuable skills to these boys. Well done!!!!:2thumbs: Now I need to talk to the scout master in my ward about doing something like this. Not sure he will go for this sort of thing.