Scouts Not Learning "Right" Survival?

Ya i agree, it's all about the outdoors. I dont know how people can have jobs indoors all day ?. Shocked

I would go nut's in 4 hours, thats about as long as i could take. I worked outdoors my whole life.

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A Knifeless Man is a Lifeless Man
Canadian To The Core
Carry Less by Knowing More
Knowledge Weighs Nothing

Yep, Max makes a very good point.

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"Asinus sæculæ maximus."

	tfisher wrote:
	I think troopermax hit on something here, it is a wilderness/outdoor "way of life" not just survival or primative skills.

You guys hit the name on the head. Surprised

Couldn't have said it better myself. Cool

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The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. - Psalms 53:1

Well, at least we all know we are on the same page in these matters and agree on this. I agree Troop, its not just part of our lives, it IS our lives, effects every part of them Very Happy

nicely put

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We only have one Earth, take care of her and she will take care of you. ~ probably someone else

	tfisher wrote:
	I think troopermax hit on something here, it is a wilderness/outdoor "way of life" not just survival or primative skills.

We need a motto for this site. Like this: "We live outdoors" Cool

Too bad the guys at Gander Mountain came up with it first. Sad

(Gander Mountain is an outdoors store like Cabela's and Bass Pro)

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The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. - Psalms 53:1

I'm sorry, I havent read most of the discussion, I just saw it, and immediately posted. I am a boyscout. Do you want to know what a have with me on a hike, or even when I'm sleeping?:

A knife or multitool
Matches, mag flint stick,
3 ft. rope
All the other scouts nad leaders ask wy I have all this, when all they have are their cellphones. I present them with a survival situation and ask what they would do. Then they bug off.

Dan

Sounds you have a good head on your shoulders compared to most boy scouts. Wink

Please don't take offense at the posts in this topic. Smile

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The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. - Psalms 53:1

Good to know there are some scouts who know what it really should mean to be one Very Happy

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We only have one Earth, take care of her and she will take care of you. ~ probably someone else

survivordan wrote:

I'm sorry, I havent read most of the discussion, I just saw it, and immediately posted. I am a boyscout. Do you want to know what a have with me on a hike, or even when I'm sleeping?:

A knife or multitool
Matches, mag flint stick,
3 ft. rope
All the other scouts nad leaders ask wy I have all this, when all they have are their cellphones. I present them with a survival situation and ask what they would do. Then they bug off.

Dan

Good for you, Dan! Cool

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"Asinus sæculæ maximus."

	Brian wrote:
	Good to know there are some scouts who know what it really should mean to be one

You can say that again! Very Happy

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The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. - Psalms 53:1

When it comes down to it... I'm just glad there are still organizations bringing people into the wilderness... regardless of whether or not they light a fire or build a debris shelter. Eric (Normark) is a Scout leader here in Southern Ontario and he has his troop skinning/eating squirrells and frying up mealworms dug out of an old stump!! I am going to teach a primitive fire class to some of the local Troops and Scout Leaders in the new year. Parks Canada has approached me to do some of the "Walks" at the Scout Camps held in the National Parks... in return, I donate some of the proceeds to help preserve the park. I went for a walk with one of the Parks Canada Senior Interpretors and he told me what the name of every plant was along the trail. It was really impressive, but when I started showing him some of the uses for those plants... what they smelled like, tasted like and how we can interact with them... he was floored! This guy was living in a glass bubble and didn't realize it. As "corny" as it sounds he called me up several weeks later and told me that his World opened up after our walk.( I really didn'tshow him much either) Now, he's dead-set on taking some Wilderness Survival courses and wants to incorporate this into the park. We'll see.

Rick

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"Arrogance, I'm above that sort of thing."

Last edited by Askdamice on Fri Jan 11, 2008 12:24 pm; edited 2 times in total

That's awesome Rick, hope it all works out. Any help to preserve the parks is good Very Happy

I still find it amazing, that I feel like such an inexperienced ignoramus next to some of these people, but when they show you something and you have skills that let you use that, they are blown away. It's a shame that you can learn all of these plants and never know how useful they are

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We only have one Earth, take care of her and she will take care of you. ~ probably someone else

That's great, Rick. Very Happy

Well said, guys. Cool

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The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. - Psalms 53:1

Yeah, it sure sounds alot different than when we were in Boy Scouts. Our merit badges and other awards depended on our ability to cut trees down, cut them up, build shelters, and on and on and on. We were expected to cut living trees as necessary. I don't know how they can earn merit badges without knowing how to build a fire, pitch an improvised shelter, and so on. We did have to earn the right to carry a knife by earning a "Tote'm Chip", a card that we earned by demonstrating how to properly and safely use and sharpen a knife, saw and axe. If you kept your Tote'm Chip for one year without any penalties (caught using a knife in an unsafe way) you earned the right to carry a fixed-blade knife.

As far as camping out goes, we did it once a month regardless of weather. We cooked over our own fire, and then thoroughly cleaned the area up, doing our best to "leave only our tracks."

I have to agree with the others here that political correctness is hugely to blame, and that it is now, as Col. Jeff Cooper would call it, the "Age of the Wimp."

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"....Searchin' for my lost shaker of salt..."

Political correctness can kiss my butt. Twisted Evil

What you say is true my friend. Smile

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The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. - Psalms 53:1

I didn't read all the responses to this post but I'm going to say something anyway.

I was a boy scout for many years and I've worked at Boy scout summer camps for many years. I haven't come across a whole troop that is against fire and knives and not taking water, however I can see the advantages to all of these things as well. It's nice to go without a fire sometimes. And if it's not neccessary, why should you be using a knife? You are risking a serious injury. Water sources can dry up. They can also be contaminated. So if you can, it's best to bring enough water with you. That being said, I love being out in the woods drinking from streams, sitting around a fire at night carving with my knife. My advice is to sit down with whoever disagrees with you and talk about it. Actually hear them out and see why they are against knives or whatever. Ask them what they think about the boy scout handbook having matches and a knife as part of the ten essentials.

Well the only time you would use a knife is when it is neccessary, just playing with a knife is stupid.
And not having a knife on you at all in the wilderness is not useing your head.

_________________
A Knifeless Man is a Lifeless Man
Canadian To The Core
Carry Less by Knowing More
Knowledge Weighs Nothing

I disagree. I carve stuff and use a knife a lot when it is not neccessary. But I wouldn't consider it playing with a knife.

I carve spoons, its not neccessary, its a hobby. Once you learn the skills needed to use a knife safely then you are no longer playing with it. Cool

_________________
A Knifeless Man is a Lifeless Man
Canadian To The Core
Carry Less by Knowing More
Knowledge Weighs Nothing

I guess it depends on your definition of playing.

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We only have one Earth, take care of her and she will take care of you. ~ probably someone else