Scouting Stories

Full MeTal Jack · 11-18-2003, 11:15 PM

Do you have any memorable Scouting stories?
My nickname is Wolfbait.
I earned that name one winter weekend at El Rancho Cima one winter. To hear the rest of the story, let's hear your's first.
Oh! What do you do when a young new scout on his first camp out tells you that he is afraid of thunder from an approaching storm?
KKB

jerry · 11-19-2003, 05:17 AM

I guess the most memeorable time was a canoe trip we took on the Min/Can border. The group ahead of us had thier food stolen by a maurauding bear. We split our rations in half with them. From there on it was pretty much live off the land. We'd planned on picking berries and catching fish along the way. It took on a bit of a different meaning though.

Used to like the long 16 mile type hikes too.

Bookman · 11-19-2003, 09:02 AM

Here's one I heard about (happened in my town) but didn't witness. True story.

A scout troop built model rockets as a project. Their scout leader took them to the town commons to launch the rockets. They were using cannon fuse to fire the engine instead of the recommended electric fuses because the cannon fuse "was more exciting to watch".

First five went off OK, but after lighting the fuse on the sixth one, a strong gust of wind blew over the launcher. The rocket took off parallel to the ground (300+ mph) and went thru a window of the house across the street, setting the curtains on fire.

No real damage except for one very embarrassed scout leader.

Full MeTal Jack · 11-19-2003, 11:03 PM

Now that's Scouting at its finest.
OK, couple more stories.

Dallas · 11-20-2003, 07:05 AM

Back in fall of '96 as a fairly new Assistant Scout Master we took a group of about 18 boys camping. The weather was on again off again drizzle, we had activities planned for most of the day with some scheduled down time for the boys to play and rest. Well by early afternoon we noticed that virtuely all of the 13-15 year olds (the middle age kids) had disappeared. It was about eight boys in all. Well after about a two minute "search" we found them all in one tent, with a small stack of Playboy magazines. The magazines were confiscated and the boys were sent to do odd jobs to get them out of the tent and doing something.

About an hour and a half later we noticed that they had all disappeared again. Well guess what. They were all back in the tent with another stack of Playboys. Same story, confiscated and boys told to not be in the tents again as a group.

The magazines belonged to one of the dads of one of our boys. The boy brought them to show off. They were discreetly returned to dad after the campout.

We had gotten lax with pack inspections before campouts before that. We got back into the habit for awhile after that.

You can't blame the boys, after all they were just studying nature.

oneastrix · 11-20-2003, 09:08 AM

Good to see you back around FullMetalJack!

NRAJOE · 11-20-2003, 12:15 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by oneastrix
Good to see you back around FullMetalJack!

DITTO!

Full MeTal Jack · 11-22-2003, 02:08 AM

Just that time of year again. Thanks
Winter camp at El Randcho Cima Scout Ranch in Texas this was my first campout as a dad. That evening, hit the hay when things wound down. Off into La-La land I went. Later, heard a pack of wolves, probably on the far ridge. How beautiful.
As a teenager I spent many summers in the north woods of Eagle River Wisconsin. Plenty of wolves up there. Learned the natural danger signs like; a bird suddenly chirps when its dead quiet. That means it's time to watch your backside or get up in a tree. Yep, it happened while deer hunting. Once while fishing an out-going stream of a lake heard wolves on the far shore. Later heard them in front. Then little louder. Time to go!
Lots of great fishing back in the forgotten lakes. Back before ATVs. Had close encounters with bobcats and a bear.
Meanwhile back at scout camp. The wolves sounded as if they moved closer. No problem. Later, they sounded as if behind out camp. Still no problem. Then, it got louder and the crows were rousted out of the trees! "Dang"! How come none of the other leaders are making noise to scare off the pack? In a flash the clothes and boots were on. Wrapped a jacket around my left hand and grabbed a razor sharp Kershaw FIXED blade knife...er, mean kicthen knife. Hurried over to the fire. There was Phil just sitting comfortalbly in a lawn chair legs crossed puffing on a cigar.
I was Shaking all the way to my boots, I pointed the knife and said, "Phil "! "Wolves"!
Phil, straight faced blowing smoke, raised his right hand index finger to his lips, "shhhhhh". He whisperd. "There getting closer".
Well ! This just blew my mind! Eyes bugging out, red faced. shaking with a huge knife in hand and scared to death that I my have to fight to protect my son and other fathers sons! But Phil stayed calm, he is a predetor hunter, bobcats, coyotes and one couger. I hoped he knew what he was doing. Sat down next to the fire still shaking uncontrollably with knife in hand.
Then, a sound, a mechanical click, a pause, then again the wolves started howling, the crows cawing and the crickets chirpping.
WAIT A MINUTE! There's no crickets in winter! The howling was a cassette tape game call recording of a wolf pack.
Yep. It was all phoney, just a joke directed at one of the other leaders. But it got me! Phil had walked around camp that night playing his stupid tape player. Thats why it sounded like the pack was on the move while I was still in LaLa Land. The next day the story went around camp, Was givin the nickname, Wolfbait.
It still sticks to this day.
Have to tell the story at least once a year when we get new scouts.

Have a plenty more. But later.

Bookman · 11-24-2003, 02:21 PM

That's a great one, FullMeTalJack. That Phil seems like a real good 'ol boy. I'm tempted to try that trick at the campground next summer. Thanks for the idea.

Full MeTal Jack · 11-24-2003, 11:21 PM

Phil is a CPA who actually has a sense of humor. Took a couple of years to get to know the guy. Once he found out I had a Garand, we went to a gunshow and he traded an M1 carbine for a Garand. Couple of years later (5-03)we shot in the Texas State Rifle Assc. First Annual Garand match. Our team took third. What a hoot!
This year at Camp Perry he just missed bronze with his CMP 1903-A3 I told him "the barrel looked shot out". Seeing was believing. Now I have to get a CMP O3A3.
My son and his daughter are college co-eds.

oneastrix · 11-24-2003, 11:39 PM

It's just good to see ya back man....oh and if you recall your PM from a year ago....the"ghost tracks" are (coincidentally) less than two hundred yards from my home. At least that's how legend goes. I asked around and everyone seems to tell of the tracks at Thousand Oaks and Bulverde Road...though when I lived in Austin they talked about Mopac and Steck Ave.

11-18-2003, 11:15 PM	#1
Full MeTal Jack Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Southeast Texas Posts: 1,393	Scouting Stories Do you have any memorable Scouting stories? My nickname is Wolfbait. I earned that name one winter weekend at El Rancho Cima one winter. To hear the rest of the story, let's hear your's first. Oh! What do you do when a young new scout on his first camp out tells you that he is afraid of thunder from an approaching storm? KKB __________________ [IMG]http://img287.echo.cx/img287/63/9130110x100a4vb.jpg

11-19-2003, 05:17 AM	#2
jerry Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 10,750	I guess the most memeorable time was a canoe trip we took on the Min/Can border. The group ahead of us had thier food stolen by a maurauding bear. We split our rations in half with them. From there on it was pretty much live off the land. We'd planned on picking berries and catching fish along the way. It took on a bit of a different meaning though. Used to like the long 16 mile type hikes too. __________________

11-19-2003, 11:03 PM	#4
Full MeTal Jack Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Southeast Texas Posts: 1,393	Now that's Scouting at its finest. OK, couple more stories. __________________ [IMG]http://img287.echo.cx/img287/63/9130110x100a4vb.jpg

11-20-2003, 09:08 AM	#6
oneastrix Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: San Antonio, TX Posts: 5,213	Good to see you back around FullMetalJack! __________________ There's no one more thankful to sit at the table, than the one who best remembers hunger's pain.

11-22-2003, 02:08 AM	#8
Full MeTal Jack Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Southeast Texas Posts: 1,393	Just that time of year again. Thanks Winter camp at El Randcho Cima Scout Ranch in Texas this was my first campout as a dad. That evening, hit the hay when things wound down. Off into La-La land I went. Later, heard a pack of wolves, probably on the far ridge. How beautiful. As a teenager I spent many summers in the north woods of Eagle River Wisconsin. Plenty of wolves up there. Learned the natural danger signs like; a bird suddenly chirps when its dead quiet. That means it's time to watch your backside or get up in a tree. Yep, it happened while deer hunting. Once while fishing an out-going stream of a lake heard wolves on the far shore. Later heard them in front. Then little louder. Time to go! Lots of great fishing back in the forgotten lakes. Back before ATVs. Had close encounters with bobcats and a bear. Meanwhile back at scout camp. The wolves sounded as if they moved closer. No problem. Later, they sounded as if behind out camp. Still no problem. Then, it got louder and the crows were rousted out of the trees! "Dang"! How come none of the other leaders are making noise to scare off the pack? In a flash the clothes and boots were on. Wrapped a jacket around my left hand and grabbed a razor sharp Kershaw FIXED blade knife...er, mean kicthen knife. Hurried over to the fire. There was Phil just sitting comfortalbly in a lawn chair legs crossed puffing on a cigar. I was Shaking all the way to my boots, I pointed the knife and said, "Phil "! "Wolves"! Phil, straight faced blowing smoke, raised his right hand index finger to his lips, "shhhhhh". He whisperd. "There getting closer". Well ! This just blew my mind! Eyes bugging out, red faced. shaking with a huge knife in hand and scared to death that I my have to fight to protect my son and other fathers sons! But Phil stayed calm, he is a predetor hunter, bobcats, coyotes and one couger. I hoped he knew what he was doing. Sat down next to the fire still shaking uncontrollably with knife in hand. Then, a sound, a mechanical click, a pause, then again the wolves started howling, the crows cawing and the crickets chirpping. WAIT A MINUTE! There's no crickets in winter! The howling was a cassette tape game call recording of a wolf pack. Yep. It was all phoney, just a joke directed at one of the other leaders. But it got me! Phil had walked around camp that night playing his stupid tape player. Thats why it sounded like the pack was on the move while I was still in LaLa Land. The next day the story went around camp, Was givin the nickname, Wolfbait. It still sticks to this day. Have to tell the story at least once a year when we get new scouts. Have a plenty more. But later. __________________ [IMG]http://img287.echo.cx/img287/63/9130110x100a4vb.jpg Last edited by Full MeTal Jack; 11-24-2003 at 11:30 PM.

11-19-2003, 09:02 AM	#3
Bookman Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: 10 paces south of Canada Posts: 738	Here's one I heard about (happened in my town) but didn't witness. True story. A scout troop built model rockets as a project. Their scout leader took them to the town commons to launch the rockets. They were using cannon fuse to fire the engine instead of the recommended electric fuses because the cannon fuse "was more exciting to watch". First five went off OK, but after lighting the fuse on the sixth one, a strong gust of wind blew over the launcher. The rocket took off parallel to the ground (300+ mph) and went thru a window of the house across the street, setting the curtains on fire. No real damage except for one very embarrassed scout leader.

11-20-2003, 07:05 AM	#5
Dallas PUKHA DAWG Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Virginia, just outside of Washington D.C. Posts: 3,583	Back in fall of '96 as a fairly new Assistant Scout Master we took a group of about 18 boys camping. The weather was on again off again drizzle, we had activities planned for most of the day with some scheduled down time for the boys to play and rest. Well by early afternoon we noticed that virtuely all of the 13-15 year olds (the middle age kids) had disappeared. It was about eight boys in all. Well after about a two minute "search" we found them all in one tent, with a small stack of Playboy magazines. The magazines were confiscated and the boys were sent to do odd jobs to get them out of the tent and doing something. About an hour and a half later we noticed that they had all disappeared again. Well guess what. They were all back in the tent with another stack of Playboys. Same story, confiscated and boys told to not be in the tents again as a group. The magazines belonged to one of the dads of one of our boys. The boy brought them to show off. They were discreetly returned to dad after the campout. We had gotten lax with pack inspections before campouts before that. We got back into the habit for awhile after that. You can't blame the boys, after all they were just studying nature.

11-24-2003, 02:21 PM	#9
Bookman Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: 10 paces south of Canada Posts: 738	That's a great one, FullMeTalJack. That Phil seems like a real good 'ol boy. I'm tempted to try that trick at the campground next summer. Thanks for the idea.

11-24-2003, 11:21 PM	#10
Full MeTal Jack Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Southeast Texas Posts: 1,393	Phil is a CPA who actually has a sense of humor. Took a couple of years to get to know the guy. Once he found out I had a Garand, we went to a gunshow and he traded an M1 carbine for a Garand. Couple of years later (5-03)we shot in the Texas State Rifle Assc. First Annual Garand match. Our team took third. What a hoot! This year at Camp Perry he just missed bronze with his CMP 1903-A3 I told him "the barrel looked shot out". Seeing was believing. Now I have to get a CMP O3A3. My son and his daughter are college co-eds. __________________ [IMG]http://img287.echo.cx/img287/63/9130110x100a4vb.jpg

11-24-2003, 11:39 PM	#11
oneastrix Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: San Antonio, TX Posts: 5,213	It's just good to see ya back man....oh and if you recall your PM from a year ago....the"ghost tracks" are (coincidentally) less than two hundred yards from my home. At least that's how legend goes. I asked around and everyone seems to tell of the tracks at Thousand Oaks and Bulverde Road...though when I lived in Austin they talked about Mopac and Steck Ave. __________________ There's no one more thankful to sit at the table, than the one who best remembers hunger's pain.

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