Geocaching Merit Badge

[+TreeSqueezers]

The Scouting program is now offering a merit badge for Geocaching and I plan on becoming the troop's merit badge councilor for the badge.

 

My plan is to create a "packet" that includes all of the requirements plus as much more useful information as I can teach the boys.

 

The requirements are listed here:

 

Geocaching Merit Badge Requirements

 

What I'm wondering is beyond the requirements, does anyone have any suggestions of what they think I should include?

 

- Dean

[+Walts Hunting]

This has been discussed several times before if you search and use

 

+merit +badge

 

you could read all of them. Not everyone who posted before is going to repeat themselves.

[+palmetto]

Thanks for asking. My principal concern is about Scout caches is maintenance over time. I'd suggest that the Scouts could go in to hiding a cache with a "remove cache and archive listing" date in mind. 3 or 4 months meets both the geocaching listing guidelines and the scout requirements. At the least, it needs to be clear to them that if they lose interest, they still have a responsibility to the environment to remove the cache, and to the geocache community to archive the listing.

 

There's been a thread about the merit badge in the Organized Geocaching section,

New BSA Geocaching Merit Badge, you might want to take a look at it.

[+L0ne.R]

Thanks for asking. My principal concern is about Scout caches is maintenance over time. I'd suggest that the Scouts could go in to hiding a cache with a "remove cache and archive listing" date in mind. 3 or 4 months meets both the geocaching listing guidelines and the scout requirements. At the least, it needs to be clear to them that if they lose interest, they still have a responsibility to the environment to remove the cache, and to the geocache community to archive the listing.

 

There's been a thread about the merit badge in the Organized Geocaching section,

New BSA Geocaching Merit Badge, you might want to take a look at it.

 

Good advice Palmetto.

[+Manevitch]

Thanks for asking. My principal concern is about Scout caches is maintenance over time. I'd suggest that the Scouts could go in to hiding a cache with a "remove cache and archive listing" date in mind. 3 or 4 months meets both the geocaching listing guidelines and the scout requirements. At the least, it needs to be clear to them that if they lose interest, they still have a responsibility to the environment to remove the cache, and to the geocache community to archive the listing.

 

That's my main concern as well, and as a (prospective) Merit Badge Counselor for this badge, I'll be steering boys away from the option of placing a cache if they don't show genuine interest in sustaining the cache long-term.

 

As an aside, there has not yet been an official Merit Badge pamphlet published for Geocaching. I'd advise any MBC's to refrain from offering the promise of a merit badge course unless and until it's 100% official from BSA.

[4wheelin_fool]

If I were able to write the requirements, I would make them hide a cache that would not require maintenance for a year or more. Most caches do not require any, if a good site is chosen, along with a store bought, locking container. Those free preused food containers are the Yugos of the caching world.

[+Vater_Araignee]

Thanks for asking. My principal concern is about Scout caches is maintenance over time. I'd suggest that the Scouts could go in to hiding a cache with a "remove cache and archive listing" date in mind. 3 or 4 months meets both the geocaching listing guidelines and the scout requirements. At the least, it needs to be clear to them that if they lose interest, they still have a responsibility to the environment to remove the cache, and to the geocache community to archive the listing.

 

That's my main concern as well, and as a (prospective) Merit Badge Counselor for this badge, I'll be steering boys away from the option of placing a cache if they don't show genuine interest in sustaining the cache long-term.

 

As an aside, there has not yet been an official Merit Badge pamphlet published for Geocaching. I'd advise any MBC's to refrain from offering the promise of a merit badge course unless and until it's 100% official from BSA.

It is official down to the requirements.

Geocaching

 

Requirements were developed and became effective April 12, 2010

This is a NEW Merit Badge.

The official announcement of this Merit Badge was made by BSA on the Scouting Magazine Blog at

http://blog.scoutingmagazine.org/2010/04/o...s-released.html

 

BSA is on record stating

The merit badge pamphlet is not yet available, but the Boy Scouts of America wanted to get the official requirements in the hands of Scouts and Scouters as soon as possible. The BSA knows that troops, districts, and councils will be planning spring and summer activities around this newest merit badge.

[4wheelin_fool]

If I were able to write the requirements, I would make them hide a cache that would not require maintenance for a year or more. Most caches do not require any, if a good site is chosen, along with a store bought, locking container. Those free preused food containers are the Yugos of the caching world.

[+BulldogBlitz]

it is almost as if there is a portion of the community that feels like boy scouts are the only ones that would ever set out a cache that was poorly done... needs much maintenance... etc. with regard to the merit badge, the placing of a cache is an OPTION. setting out a travel bug would be much more of interest for these guys. when you sit down with the scout and explain maintenance and show them the many bad examples already out in the geocaching community, they understand that making a seemingly bulletproof cache is a much larger battle.

 

when in reality, the number of caches that would even be set out by a scout would be a drop in the bucket...and the vast majority of non-ammo can caches have wet logs at least once in their life.

 

there are 4 sacred cows in this area that are prolific hiders of caches.... 3 of those 4 have +100 caches each that are in dire need of maintenance because they set out crap containers and now have sponges for logs. those cachers weren't doing it for a badge (at least i don't think they were).

[4wheelin_fool]

If I were able to write the requirements, I would make them hide a cache that would not require maintenance for a year or more. Most caches do not require any, if a good site is chosen, along with a store bought, locking container. Those free preused food containers are the Yugos of the caching world.

[+L0ne.R]

it is almost as if there is a portion of the community that feels like boy scouts are the only ones that would ever set out a cache that was poorly done... needs much maintenance... etc.

 

I do think that the BSA and the scouts should live up to a higher standard.

 

This is a leadership and teaching opportunity. Adults are teaching these kids about environmental stewardship, responsibility to the environment and community. It's not just about meeting the minimal requirements to get a badge. Placing a cache should be a reward in itself, something that the child wants to maintain for the lifetime of the cache or until a set time period (3-4 months) where it will be responsibly archived and removed from the environment so that it doesn't become litter. I like the idea of a short period of time after which the leader and scout discuss the condition of the cache and it's surroundings, the ability of the scout to continue maintenance and whether it would be prudent to remove the cache and archive it if the scout has lost interest or is unable to continue maintenance.

[+Markwell]

 

BSA is on record stating

The merit badge pamphlet is not yet available, but the Boy Scouts of America wanted to get the official requirements in the hands of Scouts and Scouters as soon as possible. The BSA knows that troops, districts, and councils will be planning spring and summer activities around this newest merit badge.

Probably the best statement on this thread.

 

I've been accepted by our Council as a Merit Badge Counselor, but I specifically told them NOT to allow any one to open a Blue Card until the requirements are in print format.

[Mr.Yuck]

Thanks for asking. My principal concern is about Scout caches is maintenance over time. I'd suggest that the Scouts could go in to hiding a cache with a "remove cache and archive listing" date in mind. 3 or 4 months meets both the geocaching listing guidelines and the scout requirements. At the least, it needs to be clear to them that if they lose interest, they still have a responsibility to the environment to remove the cache, and to the geocache community to archive the listing.

 

That's my main concern as well, and as a (prospective) Merit Badge Counselor for this badge, I'll be steering boys away from the option of placing a cache if they don't show genuine interest in sustaining the cache long-term.

 

As an aside, there has not yet been an official Merit Badge pamphlet published for Geocaching. I'd advise any MBC's to refrain from offering the promise of a merit badge course unless and until it's 100% official from BSA.

 

Thanks. I didn't actually know placing a cache was one of a choice of options. I do like the fact that the Merit Badge requirements seem to (to me at least) be pointing towards placing a traditional cache in the woods. As opposed to our dirty little secret of parking lot turds on private property without permission, which dominate the listings in many areas.

 

My boy is a Webelos II, who will move up to Boy Scouts next year. You can rest assured if he chooses the cache placement option, it will be supervised.

[+fheil]

As a Scout master I would encourage one of the options other than hiding a cache. Starting a Scout related travel bug or creating cito containers to place in area caches are better options for this requirement .

[+silksmybaby]

There is a LPC outside of a scout shop in Missouri which I thought was great! They placed a pencil pouch under one (rather than just a micro) and were able to maintain it becuase it was right outside their shop! I'm sure the local scout shop would be happy to help with this and help boys earn the merit badge.

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...d6-793de44ddebe is the cache I'm speaking of

[+GeePa]

As a Scout master I would encourage one of the options other than hiding a cache. Starting a Scout related travel bug or creating cito containers to place in area caches are better options for this requirement .

 

We recently had this (GC284JZ) one show up near me. It had a travel bug for everyone in the troop. The troop is going to track the bugs and see whose goes the farthest. I took one and have already moved it on a bit.

[+Manevitch]

It is official down to the requirements.

Geocaching

 

Requirements were developed and became effective April 12, 2010

 

I stand corrected. I read the requirements at BSA, but was under the impression - based on what I read - that they were PROPOSED requirements and had not been finalized.

[+Markwell]

I stand corrected. I read the requirements at BSA, but was under the impression - based on what I read - that they were PROPOSED requirements and had not been finalized.

I too stand corrected. Edited May 31, 2010 by Markwell

[Mr.Yuck]

There is a LPC outside of a scout shop in Missouri which I thought was great! They placed a pencil pouch under one (rather than just a micro) and were able to maintain it becuase it was right outside their shop! I'm sure the local scout shop would be happy to help with this and help boys earn the merit badge.

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...d6-793de44ddebe is the cache I'm speaking of

 

Interesting. There's a cache at my local scout shop too (lock-n-lock in the landscaping). Of course these are adults placing these. I have only so far seen one cache in my area that was placed by a scout to meet requirements for the merit badge.

 

My whole point being that if a Scout placed an LPC in the Wal-Mart parking lot as part of the requirements for a merit badge, that would just be wrong. In my opinion, of course.

[+TreeSqueezers]

There is a LPC outside of a scout shop in Missouri which I thought was great! They placed a pencil pouch under one (rather than just a micro) and were able to maintain it becuase it was right outside their shop! I'm sure the local scout shop would be happy to help with this and help boys earn the merit badge.

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...d6-793de44ddebe is the cache I'm speaking of

 

Interesting. There's a cache at my local scout shop too (lock-n-lock in the landscaping). Of course these are adults placing these. I have only so far seen one cache in my area that was placed by a scout to meet requirements for the merit badge.

 

My whole point being that if a Scout placed an LPC in the Wal-Mart parking lot as part of the requirements for a merit badge, that would just be wrong. In my opinion, of course.

 

The Cache at our scout shop is a large popcorn tin (imagine that) placed in the vestibule so no water issues there. It's filled with retired patches.

[+TreeSqueezers]

As a Scout master I would encourage one of the options other than hiding a cache. Starting a Scout related travel bug or creating cito containers to place in area caches are better options for this requirement .

 

My plan is to have the first bunch of scouts hid a cache on the grounds of their chartering org (with permission of course; it's not a school so no rules issue either) so it can be maintained at least once a month.

 

Scouts tend to repeat activities in cycles so I don't think maintenance would be as big an issue as some may think. They camp the same places a couple of times a year, hike the same trails, there is a state forest in our area that has at least one Eagle project either being implemented or in the planning stages at all times. So long as ownership is part of the curriculum they should be able to make the decision on whether cache placement is right for them.

 

My real goal though is not to just teach to the badge. Of course I understand that if they meet the requirements they would earn the badge. What I would like to have happen is they leave with an understanding of the activity beyond the requirements.

[+palmetto]

So long as ownership is part of the curriculum...

 

I'm hopeful that having a Merit Badge will improve scout maintenance of caches they place. To date, in my part of the world, it has been dismal. I suspect this is due to turnover among the adults, coupled with the tendency to make poor container choices (there has been an emphasis on "free" or "cheap" - recycled food containers, mostly), placing caches while out on an annual hiking trip.

 

Although those hikes may be cyclical, the return cycle isn't frequent enough for cache maintenance. I've archived every scout cache I've ever published, after it fell into disrepair. I've NEVER seen scout ownership disable, check, maintain, or archive their own listing.

 

My whole point being that if a Scout placed an LPC in the Wal-Mart parking lot as part of the requirements for a merit badge, that would just be wrong.

 

I totally disagree. Both geocaching and scouting are part of the human environment. In the last few months, I've published caches by scouts that were urban micros. I'm mildly optimist about these placements, precisely because they are in range of the home/school/work/activities world of the scouts. I'd be much less optimistic to have published caches an hour away in the state forest by the same scouts. They have no ability to get to those hides, outside an annual trip.

[+GeoGeeBee]

, placing caches while out on an annual hiking trip.

 

 

How would such a thing get past the reviewer? Aren't "vacation caches" against the guidelines?

[+TreeSqueezers]

To your points about maintenance. - Scouts are no less likely to maintain their caches than most of the drop and run cache placers around here. A majority of the traditional caches are full of junk. Not bad swag, junk. I've even scooped mud out of one or two. I won't get into details about wet logs with entries from 2007 or earlier in them but they're out there, lots of them. I even found a cache a month ago that had bad coordinates from a year ago, the only way to find it was with the log entries.

 

The places I would allow the scouts to put a cache would be places they visit more frequently than once a year. Number one, on the grounds of their meeting place. That's at least a once a week visit. Then there is a state forest near to us that we are constantly working on/in. In my state, it's an hour from end to end so we aren't talking about a multi-hour (or even one) hour ride to get there. And, on top of the community service, we run two camping trips a year there. That, combined with 2-3 yearly offerings for the badge, allowing further maintenance opportunities will make any caches they place more maintained than most.