Spring Camporee @ Bear Paw Scout Camp

May 1-3, 2026

Come outside and participate in the Bear Paw Spring Camporee, 5/1/26-5/3/26 at our Bear Paw Scout Camp in Mountain, WI!  We will have special Harry Potter themed events, along with a one of a kind Harry Potter themed Spring Camporee patch! This is your chance to complete a merit badge or just come for the fun! 

When registering online, Scouts or Unit Leaders must register for specific programming from the activities being offered. Scouts can choose one merit badge to complete, as most merit badges will be all day badges in order to give time to properly complete requirements and to try to give the Scouts more free time in the afternoon, if the badge is completed early in the second session (after lunch). So, let's get outdoors and have some fun at the Spring Camporee!

PROGRAM DETAILS
Cost: $25.00 for youth and adults - includes lunch on Saturday, campsite reservations, patch, and all activity supplies.  All meals, except lunch on Saturday, are the responsibility of your unit to cook in your campsite.

Program Overview (read over the Leaders Guide document attached to this page, for all of the details):

     Friday -     4:30pm: Check-in opens, set up camp; DJ in dining hall 6-9pm
     Saturday - 8:45am: Flag ceremony
                       9:00am to 4:30pm: Activities/Merit Badge Sessions, with lunch from Noon-1:45pm at the Dining Hall
                       7:30pm: Campfire Program & OA Call Out Ceremony
     Sunday -    8:00am-10:00am: Good Turn Service and safe trip home

OPEN ACTIVITIES:

• Friday night DJ and Cracker Barrel in the Dining Hall 6-9pm!
• Golden Fork Award (Dutch Oven Cookoff), judging will begin at 11:00am at the Commissioner building on Saturday.
• Patrol Competitions, see attached Leaders Guide page 8, for more details.
• Wand Making Station and Quidditch Field Games!
• The Trading Post will be open, times will be posted on the Trading Post door.
• Make sure to stop by the BLC Museum display in the dining hall to buy their new "6-7" BLC Museum Patch for $5.00.
• There will be open Range & Target Activities during the day on Saturday.
• Saturday night campfire with skits and songs, along with an Order of the Arrow Callout Ceremony.

18 MERIT BADGES AVAILABLE: 

-Architecture, Art, *Bird Study, Dog Care, Fish & Wildlife, Fishing, Fly Fishing, Geocaching, Radio, Scouting Heritage, American Indian Culture, Orienteering, Painting, Reading, Weather, Veterinary Medicine, Public Health, and Signs/Signals/and Codes. *Bird Study will have an extra $9.00 fee for a wooden bird feeder that will be provided.

-Archery, Rifle, and Shotgun ranges will be open on Saturday for those wanting to practice their shooting skills. A $5.00 ammunition ticket charge will be accessed to the registration for rifle and shotgun, when you sign up for this morning and/or afternoon shooting session. If you don't register ahead and have free time during the day to shoot, ammo tickets will be sold at the Trading Post on Saturday.

*If interested in helping with a merit badge or with logistics for the event, contact the event chair, Paul Rasmussen. paulras23@gmail.com

TRAININGS AVAILABLE:

-ILST (Introduction to Leadership Skills for Troops): Youth will register for this training class, in this Spring Camporee registration link. This training should be taken by every Scout holding a leadership position within a unit, including elected (Senior Patrol Leader, Patrol Leader) and appointed roles (Quartermaster, Scribe). It is recommended for all new leaders to attend immediately after elections to understand their roles and responsibilities. If you are planning to attend a future NYLT (National Youth Leadership Training) course, this ILST training is a mandatory prerequisite in order to take NYLT.

-IOLS (Introduction to Outdoor Leader Skills): Adults looking to take this training, need to register in the IOLS link below and not through the Spring Camporee registration, this course costs $40.00, which includes all meals. Participants may camp overnight with their units at the Spring Camporee, but will not count for 2 deep leadership during the day on Saturday. This training will start on Saturday morning 5/2/26 at 8:00am at the Van Sistine building next to the Bear Paw camp ranges. This training is required for all Scoutmasters and Assistant Scoutmasters, in order to be officially trained in their position. Here is the IOLS registration link: https://scoutingevent.com/635-IOLS2026

-ATV Trail Ride Tours and ATV Training is available for ages 14 and over.  An additional fee of $50.00 will apply for the beginner course (to pay for the ASI Rider Card) and a $10.00 fee for the long ride course, where you must already have an ASI card to participate. You must register in the Spring Camporee registration link for this and spots are very limited.  If you do not have your Rider Card already, you will need to take the ATV eCourse at this link (before 5/1/26) and print off your certificate to show the instructor.  https://atvsafety.org/atv-ecourse/  

-Eagle Coach and Life to Eagle Training will be offered for all adult leaders to take, please register in the link at no cost, to sign-up to attend.

-If you would like to be a part of the set up team for the Spring Camporee, please e-mail the Event Chair, Paul Rasmussen. paulras23@gmail.com  He is planning to start setup at camp at Noon on Friday, 5/1/26.

In Memoriam:

-Dan Connolly was an inspiration to this combined district BLC camporee event, we will be missing him during this weekend in many different ways. If you'd like to donate to the Dan Connolly Memorial Fund that he had set up before he passed, please see the link below. Money that goes into this fund, will be used to supplement Bay-Lakes Council Camp Program Directors' salaries, to help attract the best talent to our BLC Summer Camps!  https://donations.scouting.org/council/635/appeal/8755 

-We will be honoring Dan Connolly along with Greg Breaker at our Saturday evening campfire program. Both of them were an integral part to the planning and success of last year's Bear Paw Camporee! Greg had guided the OA to run an amazing campfire program, that I know that we will never forget. Thank you Dan and Greg for all that you gave to the Scouts in the Bay-Lakes Council!