Camporee

A Camporee is a gathering of local Scouts, bringing Troops and Patrols together to do things they could not do individually. The Bill Hart District holds its Camporee once a year – currently in the Spring – at a local campsite for a weekend of activities. Camporees are structured around themes. Recent themes include Mountain Main Rendezvous, highlighting activities that the mountain man engaged in.

Hart District Camporees feature lots of Patrol competition, where Patrols are grouped into two or more divisions to compete against each other as teams in such Scoutcraft skills as Animal Tracking, Archery, Black Powder Shooting, Bouldering Wall, Fire Building, First Aid, Knots & Lashings, Orienteering, Pancake Flip and Tomahawk Throw.

Patrols also participate in a uniform inspection conducted by the Bill Hart District Commissioners, who check that each Scout is wearing the correct article of clothing and has his patches placed correctly. They later inspect the Troop’s campsite and camp gadgets, making sure that tents are properly pitched and arranged, the area around tents is clean, and equipment is properly stored.

The judges score each Patrol not only for skill competition and inspections, but also in how well they demonstrate Leadership and Scout Spirit.

Leadership

1. Does someone step up and lead the Patrol?
2. Are assignments made so that everyone participates?
3. Does the Patrol follow the Leader’s instructions?
4. Does the Leader monitor progress?
5. Does the Leader set an example?

Spirit

1. Are the Scouts arguing or working together?
2. Is anyone left out?
3. Is there good communication amongst the Patrol?
4. Do the Scouts do their Patrol cheer?
5. Are the Scouts having fun?

At Saturday evening’s campfire, after skits and songs, first, second and third place winners in each division are announced. The Patrol with the highest score of all the Patrols attending Camporee is then presented with the prestigious Buckhorn Award. Since the Bill Hart District began awarding the Buckhorn trophy in 1970, a Patrol from Troop 2 has captured the top honor 19 times, although Troop 3:16’s Stallion Patrol came so close to winning it in 2007 that they were accidentally announced as the winner and brought the Buckhorn back to camp before the error was discovered.

Scouts ages 14 and older may also enter into the John Coulter competition, a timed individual event in which the Scout with the fastest time for participating in these activities wins. Other recent events include a Dutch Oven Cook-off among the adults.

Camporees are also opportunities for Webelos dens to join Troops in the outdoors. They get a taste of what Scout camping is like and get acquainted with Scouts in the Troop. Bringing Webelos and Scouts together at Camporees is important to getting them excited about Scouting.

See Also

• Troop Uniforms
• The Outdoor Program
• Scoutcraft
• Summer Camp
• Order of the Arrow
• The Patrol Method
• Patrol Spirit
• The Patrol Leader