Tiger Cubs and camping

[Shilue]

I serve as the District Commissioner for my district, and I recently had a leader mention to me that many packs are violating BSA rules on camping. One of the rules she mentioned was that Tiger Cubs can only camp 1 night, so if a pack does a weekend, if the Tigers stay the whole weekend, the pack is violating policy.

In the back of my mind, I think I remember seeing that somewhere, but I've been looking and I can not find that rule anywhere. The G2SS only says that Tiger Cubs can do Family Camping and Pack Overnighters, it doesn't say anything about how many nights Tigers can do.

I am not BALOO trained, so there may be something in that training that states it, or it may not even be a rule. I'm not sure, but I would like to find out.

 

Anyone heard of this?

[ScoutNut]

There is no BSA restriction on number of night that Tigers can camp.

 

They simply have to have their Adult Partner present.

 

[Tampa Turtle]

I am surprised by this, when my wee lads were Tigers we did the Friday night to Sunday morning campout for 2 nights. Most parents didn't stay both nights but we did and I believe it is OK. Tiger Campouts are really Family Campouts done at as group.

[Shilue]

Like I said, I thought I might have read that somewhere, but I can't remember for sure. Our pack always camps Fri-Sun, Tigers included. It might have been a rule at one time, or I'm mis-remembering things (a distinct possibility), but I'm pretty sure at this point that there's no limitation on Tiger Cubs camping more than 1 night.

[Eagle92]

Only restriction I know about with Tigers and camping is that they cannot do Resident Camp. Only Wolves and above can do resident camp.

 

So let your Tigers camp out Fri - Sun.

[Scoutfish]

Tigers can camp at parent son weekends, at pack campouts, and with friends and framily as much as they want.

 

They cannot camp as a den.

Ballo doesn't really cover too much in the ways of BSA camping rule, but covers planning of camping and activities trhat keep the kids from being bored to tears.

 

The misunderstanding ( I am guesing) is that somebody took the word "overnighter" literally and thought that since it didn't say Overnighter"S" ..that it was restricted to one night.

[Jeffrey H]

I concur with the others that there are no restrictions on the number of night Tigers can camp or at any age level in Cubs.

[jrdalys]

We allowed resident camping for Tigers as long as their adult partner came along as one of the adult leaders.

 

Don't know if thats "officially ok" by national rules, but that was allowed by Council.

[Eagle92]

Unfortunatley that is against BSA guidelines.

 

Personally, I would not have a problem, again as long as a parent was with them. I know my middle child is ticked off that he cannot do resident camp next year b/c he will be a Tiger then, and I am thinking of taking oldest to res camp.

[Scoutfish]

My council hold resident camp at the end of the scout/school year - just before summer .

 

For this purpose, they will consider that years Bears to be "new" or "incoming" Webelos, and they will consider that years Tigers to be "new" or "Incoming" Wolves.

 

It works too because depending on when a pack holds it's crossovers AND cub scout graduations...then some scouts have - by their own packs standards - gone to the next rank.

 

That and you figure our council camp is so busy during the summer that they hold resident camp in the late spring/early summer.

 

[Eagle92]

'Fish,

 

My problem is that middle son will be a Tiger effective 1 June 2012. Hence the wait to 2013.

 

But officially, everyone move ups 1 June each year, regardless of if school is still in session or not.

[momof2cubs]

Our pack (district) does family camping twice a year and they are fri to sun, so two nights. Kids of ALL ages attend (hence the family part) and a lot stay two nights.

 

I'm not sure there can be a restriction as long as they have a parent/guardian with them.

[Jeffrey H]

"We allowed resident camping for Tigers as long as their adult partner came along as one of the adult leaders. Don't know if thats "officially ok" by national rules, but that was allowed by Council."

My Council has parents n' lad a twice a year at our resident camp and Tigers are allowed.  As long as your Council allows it, then enjoy it while it lasts.  Let your Council debate the camping rule interpretation with National.

I've tended to err to much on the side of caution when it comes to interpreting Cub Scout camping rules in G2SS.  The best thing our Pack did when dealing with unclear guidelines from G2SS was to ask our DE. 

[The Blancmange]

Eagle92 wrote:

 

Unfortunatley that is against BSA guidelines.

The guidelines E92 presumably is referring to are the NCS standards for council operated camps. "Resident Camp" refers to a camp that is at least 2 nights. Tigers cannot attend these. Coucil camps can run what are commonly referred to as "Cub overnights" with a 1:1 ratio.

These guidelines have nothing to do with unit-level programming. The OP is correct that neither the G2SS, Age Appropriate Guidelines, or anything else applicable to unit operations to not have any restriction like this for Cub pack family camping events.