The Yetis! BSA Troop 95: May 2008

Bobcat Skinning

MAY 17, 2008

Following a great campout of Fathers and Sons in the pines of Cherry, we headed out to a local ranch so that the boys could get some hands-on experience skinning a bobcat. I am into hunting predators and this bobcat was taken last winter in Skull Valley, and has been frozen in my freezer since then. When I mentioned to the boys last month about the possibility of skinning a bobcat, they were very excited and so I decided to go through with it after they earned their Totin Chip last week. Some of them wanted to try, others didn't, but there were no weak stomachs and everyone walked away with all 10 fingers.

Thanks to Fred for the use of his equipment and knowledge, and for being a great hunting partner!

Compass Course

MAY 3, 2008

We only had a couple of boys show up due to some conflicting schedules, but we had a great time and thanks to Dallin and Travis for showing up! We set up 6 compass points in an area, each with coordinates marked on a map and "artifacts" marking the real world location. The boys found their way to each one, and then were taught how to shoot distant landmarks and find their position a map. New technology like GPS is great, but using a map and compass is a great backup skill to have!

After completing the course, the boys earned the right to "wear the badger"

Our location marking artifacts: Coyote skull, elk ivory teeth, 13 articles of faith, young mule deer antlers, and a badger pelt. We also used some rock cairns to mark a location and teach the boys about natural ways to mark a trail.

Iron King Hike

APRIL 26, 2008

We hiked a round trip 8 miles into the Granite Dells and learned about first aid - luckily not first hand! The scenery is beautiful and the boys enjoyed hiking in the granite.

Allen Springs Campout

APRIL 11 - 12, 2008

Our first campout as a Troop, we headed to Allen Springs on Mingus Mountain. After a hike that totaled about 1 1/2 miles, and was near vertical at times, we reached the top and selected a campsite. The boys had a great time, and even the first timers did great!