Ranger Award

Ranger Award requirements

Core requirements

Do all eight of the following Ranger Award core requirements:

Standard First Aid

Requirement 1. Complete a standard first aid course or the American Red Cross Wilderness First Aid Basics or equivalent course.

Communications

Requirement 2. Do 2(a), 2(b), or 2(c).

a. Take a communications-related training class that includes at least 15 hours of training. This could be a non-required course at school such as creative writing, technical writing, American Sign Language, or film production. It could also be a commercial course such as speed-reading or effective presentations.

b. Actively participate in a communications-related club or organization for at least three months. Participate in at least three activities of the organization where you practice or improve your communications skills. Examples include Toastmasters, debate clubs, or drama clubs.

c. Read at least two books approved by your Advisor on a communications subject of interest to you. Write or give a report to your crew on the important communications principles you learned and how you think you can apply these principles to improve your communications.

AND

Do 2(d), 2(e), or 2(f) in connection with an outdoor skill or area you are interested in. Have your Advisor approve your plan before you begin.

d. Make a formal, oral presentation of at least 30 minutes to your crew, another crew, a Cub Scout or Boy Scout unit, or another youth group. Include demonstrations, visual aids, or other techniques that will help you communicate more effectively.

e. Prepare and present an audio/video presentation at least 15 minutes long to your crew or other group approved by your Advisor.

f. Prepare a written pamphlet, set of instructions, or description and summary. It should be at least 1,000 words and provide a complete description of your chosen subject. Include pictures, charts, and/or diagrams to better communicate your topic. Have two people, one with expertise in the area you are presenting and one without expertise, read and critique your work. Make improvements to your draft based on their input. If your work is applicable to your crew, such as a work on caving skills, then share your work with your crew.

AND

Do 2(g).

g. Make a tabletop display or presentation for your crew, another crew, a Cub Scout or Boy Scout unit, or another youth group on communications equipment used in the outdoors with emphasis on how this equipment would help in a wilderness survival situation.

Cooking

Requirement 3.

a. Plan a menu and purchase the food for at least six people for a two-night campout with at least three meals.

b. On the campout in requirement 3(a) above, cook the three meals using at least two of the following three methods of cooking: fire/coals, charcoal, stove.

c. Demonstrate and explain proper safe food-handling methods for outdoor cooking.

d. Demonstrate that you can prepare backpacking-type trail food using a backpacking-style stove.

e. Without using any cooking utensils, prepare a meal with the four basic food groups for three people.

f. Cook an entree, a bread, and a dessert in a Dutch oven.

Emergency Preparedness

Requirement 4.

a. Discuss potential disasters and emergency preparedness with your family and then set up a family emergency plan.

b. Build a family emergency kit.

c. Make a tabletop display or presentation on what you have learned for your crew, another crew, a Cub Scout or Boy Scout unit, or another youth group.

Land Navigation

Requirement 5.

a. Using a topographical map for your area or the area you will be navigating in, demonstrate that you know the following map symbols:

b. Explain contour lines. Be able to tell the contour interval for your map and be able to show the difference between a steep and a gentle slope.

c. Using a map and compass, navigate an orienteering course that has at least six legs covering at least 2.5 miles.

d. Learn to use a global positioning system (GPS) receiver. Demonstrate that you can find a fixed coordinate or geocache at night using a GPS receiver.

e. Teach the navigating skills you have learned in 5(a) through 5(d) above to your crew, another crew, a Cub Scout or Boy Scout unit, or another group.

Leave No Trace

Requirement 6.

a. Recite and explain the principles of Leave No Trace.

b. Participate in three separate camping/backpacking trips demonstrating that you know and use Leave No Trace principles.

c. Make a tabletop display or presentation on the Leave No Trace principles and how they affect the environment and attitude of campers for your crew, another crew, a Cub Scout or Boy Scout unit, or another group, or teach a Leave No Trace Awareness course.

Wilderness Survival

Requirement 7. (Note: Before you complete Wilderness Survival, you must have completed the Cooking, Land Navigation, and First Aid requirements.)

a. Write a risk management plan for an upcoming crew high-adventure activity such as a whitewater canoeing or rock-climbing trip. The plan should include nutrition, health, first aid, supervision, insurance, safety rules and regulations, proper equipment, maps and compass, in-service training, environmental considerations, emergency and evacuation procedures, and emergency contacts.

b. From memory, list the survival priorities and explain your use of each in a survival situation.

c. Learn about and then make a tabletop display or presentation for your crew, another crew, a Cub Scout or Boy Scout unit, or another youth group on the following subjects:

i. Emergency signals used in the outdoors

ii. Search-and-rescue patterns

iii. Evacuation procedures and value of when to move and when not to move in a wilderness emergency

d. Explain the following environmental exposure problems. Discuss what causes them, signs and signals, and treatment.

e. Hydration

i. Explain dehydration and the necessity of conserving fluids in a survival situation.

ii. Explain at least four methods of obtaining water in the outdoors, and demonstrate at least two ways to treat that water.

f. Fire-making

i. Demonstrate at least two different fire lays—one for cooking and one for warmth.

ii. Learn and discuss the use of fire starters, tinder, kindling, softwoods, and hardwoods in fire making.

g. Explain and demonstrate how you can gain knowledge of weather patterns using VHF band radio and other radios, winds, barometric pressure, air masses and their movements, clouds, and other indicators.

h. Knots and lashings

i. Explain the different rope materials and thicknesses that are best for wilderness use and how to care for them.

ii. Know the use of and demonstrate how to tie the following knots and lashings:

i. Food

i. Explain the usefulness and drawbacks of obtaining food in the wilderness, including things to avoid.

ii. Prepare and eat at least one meal with food you have found in the outdoors.

j. Survival kit

i. Make a list of items you would include in a wilderness survival kit and then make copies to hand out to visitors to your wilderness survival outpost camp.

ii. Using your list, make a wilderness survival kit. Explain the use of each item you have included.

k. Outpost camp. (Remember to use the Leave No Trace principles you learned.)

i. Set up a wilderness survival outpost camp and spend at least two nights and two days in your site.

ii. Use and demonstrate several knots and lashings from requirement 7(h) in your wilderness survival campsite demonstration.

iii. Know how to plan a wilderness shelter for three different environments and then build a shelter as part of your wilderness survival campsite demonstration.

iv. Have your crew, another crew, a Cub Scout or Boy Scout unit, or another youth group visit you in your outpost for a presentation you make on wilderness survival (at least one hour).

Conservation

Requirement 8.

a. As a Venturer, plan, lead, and carry out a significant conservation project under the guidance of a natural resources professional.

b. Make a tabletop display or presentation on your conservation project for your crew, another crew, a Cub Scout or Boy Scout unit, or another youth group.

The official source for the information shown in this article or section is: Venturing Awards and Requirements, 2nd Edition, 2016 Edition (BSA Supply SKU #621970)

Electives

Do four of the following Ranger Award elective requirements:

1. Backpacking
2. Cave Exploration
3. Cycling/Mountain Biking
4. Ecology
5. Equestrian
6. First Aid
7. Fishing
8. Hunting
9. Lifesaver
10. Mountaineering
11. Outdoor Living History
12. Physical Fitness
13. Plants and Wildlife
14. Project COPE
15. Scuba Certification
16. Shooting Sports
17. Watercraft
18. Winter Sports

The official source for the information shown in this article or section is: Venturer Handbook, 2006 Edition (BSA Supply SKU #N/A)

• Leave No Trace - Leave No Trace LNT Site - BSA Leave No Trace - BSA's Teaching Leave No Trace - REI: Minimum-Impact Travel - Climbing Ethics: Leave No Trace

• All registered youth and adults awards: Emergency Preparedness BSA Award
• Scouts BSA merit badges: Backpacking • Camping • Canoeing • Climbing • Cooking • Crime Prevention • Cycling • Dentistry • Electricity • Emergency Preparedness • Fire Safety • First Aid • Hiking • Home Repairs • Kayaking • Lifesaving • Medicine • Motorboating • Nature • Orienteering • Pioneering • Public Health • Radio • Rowing • Safety • Search and Rescue • Signs, Signals, and Codes • Small-Boat Sailing • Snow Sports • Swimming • Traffic Safety • Water Sports • Weather • Wilderness Survival
• Webelos: Webelos Adventure: First Responder • Webelos-AoL Elective Adventure: Castaway
• Venturing: Ranger Award-Emergency Preparedness Requirement
• Unit awards: BSA Ready & Prepared Award
• Skills: Emergency Kit • First-Aid Kit • First-Aid Skills • Safe Swim Defense • Safety Afloat • Guide to Safe Scouting

• Scout ranks: Scout  •  Tenderfoot  •  Second Class  •  First Class
• Scout awards: Firem'n Chit  •  Totin' Chip  •  Paul Bunyan Woodsman  •  National Outdoor Badges  •  National Medal for Outdoor Achievement
• Scout merit badges: Archaeology  •  Archery  •  Astronomy  •  Athletics  •  Backpacking  •  Bird Study  •  Camping  •  Canoeing  •  Climbing  •  Cooking  •  Cycling  •  Environmental Science  •  Farm Mechanics  •  Fire Safety  •  Fish and Wildlife Management  •  Fishing  •  Fly-Fishing  •  Forestry  •  Gardening  •  Geocaching  •  Geology  •  Golf  •  Hiking  •  Horsemanship  •  Insect Study  •  Kayaking  •  Mammal Study  •  Motorboating  •  Nature  •  Oceanography  •  Orienteering  •  Personal Fitness  •  Pioneering  •  Reptile and Amphibian Study  •  Rifle Shooting  •  Rowing  •  Scuba Diving  •  Search and Rescue  •  Shotgun Shooting  •  Signs, Signals, and Codes  •  Skating  •  Small-Boat Sailing  •  Snow Sports  •  Soil and Water Conservation  •  Space Exploration  •  Sports  •  Surveying  •  Swimming  •  Traffic Safety  •  Weather  •  Water Sports  •  Whitewater  •  Wilderness Survival
• Venturing: Wilderness Survival Ranger Core  •  Backpacking Ranger Award elective  •  National Outdoor Badges  •  National Medal for Outdoor Achievement
• Sea Scouting: National Outdoor Badges  •  National Medal for Outdoor Achievement

• Scout merit badges: Bird Study  •  Environmental Science  •  Fish and Wildlife Management  •  Forestry  •  Gardening  •  Geology  •  Insect Study  •  Mammal Study  •  Nature  •  Oceanography  •  Plant Science  •  Reptile and Amphibian Study  •  Soil and Water Conservation  •  Sustainability
• Scout awards: Conservation Good Turn Award  •  Outdoor Ethics Awareness Award  •  Outdoor Ethics Action Award  •  National Outdoor Badge for Conservation  •  William T. Hornaday award  •  World Conservation Award
• Venturing Ranger Award electives: Ecology  •  Plants and Wildlife
• Venturer awards: Conservation Good Turn Award  •  Outdoor Ethics Awareness Award  •  Outdoor Ethics Action Award  •  National Outdoor Badge for Conservation  •  William T. Hornaday award  •  World Conservation Award
• Wolf Scout adventures: Paws on the Path  •  Grow Something  •  Requirements 1 and 2 from Spirit of the Water
• Bear Scout adventures: Fur, Feathers, and Ferns  •  Bear Goes Fishing  •  Critter Care  •  Requirement 3 from Baloo the Builder
• Webelos Scouts/Arrow of Light adventures: Building a Better World  •  Into the Wild  •  Into the Woods  •  Earth Rocks  •  Adventures in Science
• Cub Scout awards: Conservation Good Turn Award  •  World Conservation Award

• Scout merit badges: American Cultures  •  American Heritage  •  Citizenship in the Community  •  Citizenship in the Nation  •  Citizenship in the World  •  Communication  •  Disabilities Awareness  •  Family Life  •  Genealogy  •  Personal Fitness  •  Personal Management  •  Public Speaking  •  Reading  •  Scholarship  •  Traffic Safety
• Venturing: TRUST Award  •  Quest Award  •  Ranger Award electives: Physical Fitness  •  Backpacking
• Webelos activity badges: Citizen  •  Communicator  •  Family Member  •  Fitness  •  Scholar; Other resources: Flag Ceremonies
• Cub Scout belt loops & pins: Citizenship  •  Communicating  •  Heritages  •  Language and Culture  •  Physical Fitness