Plan Ahead
What should you find out about before going camping?
Weather and geography. Be sure it matches the abilities of your campers. What supplies you need to bring such as water.
Can I bring home a souvenir from my trip?
Allow others a sense of discovery, and preserve the past. Leave rocks, plants, animals, archaeological artifacts, and other objects as you find them. Examine but do not touch cultural or historical structures and artifacts. It may be illegal to remove artifacts. Take a picture, it will last longer.
Can I catch or pet wildlife?
No! Observe wildlife from afar to avoid disturbing them. Give animals a wide berth, especially during breeding, nesting, and birthing seasons.
As an American I will do my best to be clean in my outdoor manners. What does this mean in relation to trees and buildings?
Be clean in my outdoor manners. A scout knows that putting marks on buildings, trees, or natural objects causes permanent damage.
Where should I pitch my tent?
Pitch tents away from dead trees or trees with limbs that might fall in a storm. Stay out of ditches or depressions in the ground that could fill during a flash flood and other areas that could fill with water. (If you see debris caught in underbrush or if all the grass is bent over in the same direction, choose another site.)
A campsite must be large enough for your patrol to set up its tents and cook its meals in separate areas. Also, make sure there is enough space to move around without tripping over tent stakes and tent guy lines.
Why do you need a permit or permission before camping?
To can avoid overuse and damage.
Do I really need to bring home my human waste?
Proper human waste disposal helps prevent the spread of disease and exposure to others. Catholes 6 to 8 inches deep in soft dirt and 200 feet from water, trails, and campsites are often the easiest and most practical way to dispose of feces.
Can I feed wildlife?
Store food securely and keep garbage and food scraps away from animals so they will not acquire bad habits. Never feed wildlife. Help keep wildlife wild.
As an American I will do my best to be careful with fire. How?
A scout knows not to play with matches and lighters.
How can I be most comfortable while camping?
In the summer, look for a shady site where breezes can help cool your tent and chase away mosquitoes. In the winter, find a site where trees and hillsides provide a natural windbreak. Regardless of the time of year, place your tent on the flattest spot possible. (If the ground slants a bit, sleep with your head uphill and the opening downhill.) Consider the sun as well; the morning sun will help dry out your tent, while evening sun can be uncomfortably hot in the summer.
Can you burn your leftovers and extra packaging in the fire?
No. Plan ahead to only bring what you can use and take out what you don't.
Can't I just build my own shelter out of wood and leave it when I camp?
Good campsites are found, not made. Avoid altering a site, digging trenches, or building structures. Only build lean-tos, tables and chairs with materials you’ve carried or packed with you. Never hammer nails into trees, hack at trees with hatchets or saws, or damage bark and roots.
Is it better to be a big group or a small group when you camp?
Travel and camp in small groups (no more than the group size prescribed by land managers).
As an American I will do my best to be considerate in the outdoors. How?
A scout shares the outdoor places and treats everything on the land and in the water with respect.
How can I keep myself safe from lightning?
Avoid lone trees, the tops of hills and mountains, high ridges, and other targets of lightning.
On what sort of surfaces can you set up camp?
Why do we need to bring our own firewood?
The naturalness of many areas has been degraded by overuse of fires and increasing demand for firewood. If you build a fire, the most important consideration is the potential for resource damage. Use existing campfire ring in a well-placed campsite. Use dead and downed wood that can be broken easily by hand. When possible, burn all wood to ash and remove all unburned trash and food from the fire ring.
Is it okay to be loud and wild when camping?
Always travel and camp quietly to avoid disturbing other visitors. Let nature’s sounds prevail. Keep the noise down and leave radios and pets at home. Select campsites away from other groups to help preserve their solitude. You will see more animals if you are quiet.
As an American I will do my best to be conservation minded. How?
A scout works to restore the health of the land so others may enjoy, live, and learn from it as a part of the web of life.
How can I be safe from bears?
Camp away from hiking and game trails, especially in bear country. (Look for animal tracks and worn pathways that are too low or narrow for humans.) Be sure to store ALL food and smelly things (candy/gum, deodorant, toothpaste) in bear safe containers.
What is the best way to cook when camping?
Lightweight camp stoves make low-impact camping possible by encouraging a shift away from fires. Stoves are fast, eliminate the need for firewood, and make cleanup after meals easier. After dinner, enjoy a candle lantern instead of a fire.
What do we do with wastewater? (after doing dishes)
Help prevent contamination of natural water sources: After straining food particles, properly dispose of dishwater by dispersing at least 200 feet (about 80 to 100 strides for a youth) from springs, streams, and lakes. Use biodegradable soap 200 feet or more from any water source.
When hiking, if you find a gate open should you close it?
Respect private property and leave gates (open or closed) as found.
What should you do if you get lost?
Stay calm - sit, have water, eat, put on a jacket, breathe slowly and relax.
Think - try to remember how you got there. Use a map if you have it.
Observe - look for your footprints. Notice landmarks. Listen for other scouts.
Plan - if you are SURE you know which way to go, move carefully and use a compass to set a bearing. Then mark the way you're going with broken branches or piles of stones. If not SURE then sit tight and wait. People are looking for you.
How much water do I need to pack?
Each Scout in your patrol will need several gallons of water every day for drinking, cooking, and cleanup. Treat water you take from streams, rivers, lakes, and springs. In dry regions, you might need to carry all your water to camp. That information will be important when you put together the trip plan.