Geocaching

Geocaching requirements

1. Do the following:

   a. Explain to your counselor the most likely hazards you may encounter while participating in geocaching activities and what you should do to anticipate, help prevent, mitigate, and respond to these hazards.

   b. Discuss first aid and prevention for the types of injuries or illnesses that could occur while participating in geocaching activities, including cuts, scrapes, snakebite, insect stings, tick bites, exposure to poisonous plants, heat and cold reactions (sunburn, heatstroke, heat exhaustion, hypothermia), and dehydration.

   c. Discuss how to properly plan an activity that uses GPS, including using the buddy system, sharing your plan with others, and considering the weather, route, and proper attire.

2. Discuss the following with your counselor:

   a. Why you should never bury a cache.

   b. How to use proper geocaching etiquette when hiding or seeking a cache, and how to properly hide, post, maintain, and dismantle a geocache.

   c. The principles of Leave No Trace as they apply to geocaching.

3. Explain the following terms used in geocaching: waypoint, log, cache, accuracy, difficulty and terrain ratings, attributes, trackable. Choose five additional terms to explain to your counselor.
4. Explain how the Global Positioning System (GPS) works. Then, using Scouting's Teaching EDGE, demonstrate the use of a GPS unit to your counselor. Include marking and editing a waypoint, changing field functions, and changing the coordinate system in the unit.
5. Do the following:

   a. Show you know how to use a map and compass and explain why this is important for geocaching.

   b. Explain the similarities and differences between GPS navigation and standard map reading skills and describe the benefits of each.

6. Describe the four steps to finding your first cache to your counselor. Then mark and edit a waypoint.
7. With your parent’s permission^[1], go to www.geocaching.com. Type in your city and state to locate public geocaches in your area. Share the posted information about three of those geocaches with your counselor. Then, pick one of the three and find the cache.
8. Do ONE of the following:

   a. If a Cache to Eagle® series exists in your council, visit at least three of the 12 locations in the series. Describe the projects that each cache you visit highlights, and explain how the Cache to Eagle® program helps share our Scouting service with the public.

   b. Create a Scouting-related Travel Bug® that promotes one of the values of Scouting. "Release" your Travel Bug into a public geocache and, with your parent’s permission, monitor its progress at www.geocaching.com for 30 days. Keep a log, and share this with your counselor at the end of the 30-day period.

   c. Set up and hide a public geocache, following the guidelines in the Geocaching merit badge pamphlet. Before doing so, share with your counselor a three-month maintenance plan for the geocache where you are personally responsible for those three months. After setting up the geocache, with your parent’s permission, follow the logs online for 30 days and share them with your counselor. You must archive the geocache when you are no longer maintaining it.

   d. Explain what Cache In Trash Out (CITO) means, and describe how you have practiced CITO at public geocaches or at a CITO event. Then, either create CITO containers to leave at public caches, or host a CITO event for your unit or for the public.

9. Plan a geohunt for a youth group such as your troop or a neighboring pack, at school, or your place of worship. Choose a theme, set up a course with at least four waypoints, teach the players how to use a GPS unit, and play the game. Tell your counselor about your experience, and share the materials you used and developed for this event.

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Notes

1. ↑ To fulfill this requirement, you will need to set up a free user account with www.geocaching.com. Before doing so, ask your parent for permission and help.

The official source for the information shown in this article or section is: Scouts BSA Requirements, 2019 Edition (BSA Supply SKU #648914)

A FREE workbook for Geocaching is available here! (PDF or Word) with the maps, charts, links, diagrams, and checklists you need! Or click here to print just the Geocaching requirements.

usscouts.org has PDF and Word versions of workbooks for Scouts BSA ranks and merit badges, Cub Scouting ranks and adventures, and STEM Nova awards.

• Per the BSA: "You should read the merit badge pamphlet on the subject." The Geocaching merit badge pamphlet can purchased at ScoutSthop.org or at your local Scout Shop.
• "Get a signed Application for Merit Badge ... from your unit leader." An electronic, fillable, and printable PDF file version is available.

• 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: Archery  •  Athletics  •  Climbing  •  Cycling  •  Fishing  •  Fly-Fishing  •  Golf - Hiking  •  Horsemanship  •  Orienteering  •  Rifle Shooting  •  Shotgun Shooting  •  Skating  •  Small-Boat Sailing  •  Snow Sports  •  Sports  •  Swimming  •  Water Sports  •  Whitewater
• Venturing: Quest Award; Ranger Award electives: Cave Exploration  •  COPE  •  Cycling  •  Equestrian  •  Fishing  •  Hunting  •  Mountaineering  •  Shooting Sports  •  Winter Sports

• An Introduction to Merit Badges – how to get started, who chooses the counselor, etc.
• Merit Badge revision dates – latest revision dates of each merit badge pamphlet.
• Merit Badge Worksheets & Requirements – with the revision dates, diagrams, charts, checklists, logs, and links you need.
• Merit Badge Application – offers online resources to let you print "Blue Cards," etc.
• Merit Badge FAQ – answers dozens of questions like: Who can be a counselor? Can requirements be added or removed?
• Merit Badges Requiring Prior Approval – Certain requirements need prior approval. Most do not. Here is the list.
• Also see: List of how many youths have earned each Merit Badge – Merit Badge policies – Merit badges required for the Eagle Scout rank – Merit Badge Days
• Additionally: List of Merit Badges by Field of Study – Merit Badge Pamphlets & Libraries
• Merit Badge Counselors must complete Youth Protection Training, file an Adult Application (and Merit Badge Counselor Information Form); and be approved by the local council. (See the Guide for Merit Badge Counselors for additional details.)
• See Submitting New Merit Badge Ideas for guidance on how to submit suggestions for new merit badges to BSA.