Goecaching for Scouts?

[+Generations Expedition]

Hi gang,

I recently heard a rumor that the Boy Scouts of America will be offering a new outdoor badge for Geocaching. I can't confirm this, but would like to take my WEBELOS scouts out for a day of caching regardless. If they can get the badge later, bonus. What I want to find out is how I can get a receiver for each of my 9 scouts, without having to buy one for each. I'm new to caching, although I've read so much about it in Popular Science for the past 8 years that I sort of knew what to do when we started. How do I introduce it to my scouts? Anyone have a den meeting outline for this already? Can I get some info on gps receiver assistance for 43616? Love some help if you have some answers. Thanks.

 

Mrbhorman

[+fishgeek]

Is there a Boy Scout Troop that your guys normally graduate to? You may be able to borrow GPSr's from them, as well as getting some Boy Scouts with geocaching experience to help you. How about making an appeal to your Chartering Organization? You should consider putting your guys in teams of two or three. They can take turns being the "GPS guy". That will reduce the number of GPSr's that you need. Maybe give each team a compass so that nobody feeels left out.

 

Hi gang,

I recently heard a rumor that the Boy Scouts of America will be offering a new outdoor badge for Geocaching. I can't confirm this, but would like to take my WEBELOS scouts out for a day of caching regardless. If they can get the badge later, bonus. What I want to find out is how I can get a receiver for each of my 9 scouts, without having to buy one for each. I'm new to caching, although I've read so much about it in Popular Science for the past 8 years that I sort of knew what to do when we started. How do I introduce it to my scouts? Anyone have a den meeting outline for this already? Can I get some info on gps receiver assistance for 43616? Love some help if you have some answers. Thanks.

 

Mrbhorman

[+Max and 99]

I've done quite a few geocaching classes for the Parks and Rec in our town, and have taken out Girl Scout and Boy Scout troops geocaching. We also helped 170 girls at Twilight Camp earn their geocaching badges. If you can't find units for each boy, don't worry about it. Let them each take a turn navigating the others to the right area, then everyone can help look for the cache. It worked for all the groups I took out! Even nicer was that the kids who already had a turn using the unit were able to help the others figure things out. Great fun!

[+Borst68]

There is a thread about the new BSA Geocaching merit badge here.

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=238436

 

Happy caching!

[+Generations Expedition]

There is a thread about the new BSA Geocaching merit badge here.

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=238436

 

Happy caching!

 

Thanks everybody. This was hugely helpful. I should be able to get this up & going as soon as I can get a couple more receivers.

[+burtsbodgers]

Hi

Here in the UK we dont have a caching badge for scouts, but i have set up a route of 30 caches around our district campsite which can be done in several stages.

Each time we have taken our packs out to do the caches, several of the parents have come along with their own GPSr's. We have also purchased 4 Garmin Venture HC's for the group which we hire out to other groups and youth clubs, along with paper maps with the routes on and other useful info.

We have run several evenings where the shortest routes have been achieved during a normal meeting, and the longer routes on a camp stay.

The Caches have now been visited 133 times by geocachers as well.

They are called "Scout and About" and all had when placed scouting type swag.

I believe that it has raised local awareness that Scouting is still current and up to date by showing how navigation is becoming more electronic but we still use maps and compasses as well.

[+The Blorenges]

You may also like to browse through this recent Topic regarding the maintenance of Scout troup caches...

 

Scout troup caches - do they get maintained?

 

MrsB

[+BrrrMo]

Check out this Cache (GC17B1P) and the CO may be able to offer advice.

[+NicoleLackey]

http://www.geoscouting.com/ is a great resource. Has lots of info on the merit badge, cache to eagle, any info on geocaching with boy scouts. also stuff on the anniversary caches.