The Bobcat Trail is the first step the Cub Scouting adventure.

In Rudyard Kipling's story, The Jungle Book, the black panther Bagheera is the mighty hunter that teaches the cubs the skills of the jungle. In Cub Scouting we use the symbol of the Bobcat. You'll find his trail in the Tiger Cub Handbook, the Wolf Handbook, the Bear Handbook, and the Webelos Handbook.

Along this trail the Cub Scout learns the Cub Scout Promise, the Law of the Pack, and the Cub Scout Motto. These are the three most important things a boy must learn because they will help him through all of the trails of Scouting.

To earn the Bobcat badge your boy must
complete these eight tracks of Akela:

1.  Learn & say the Cub Scout Promise.

"I ____(name)____ promise to do my best
To do my duty to God and my country,
To help other people, and
To obey the Law of the Pack."

... And Complete the Honesty Character Connection.

Know: Discuss these questions with your family.  What is a promise? What does it mean to "keep your word?" What does honesty mean? What does it mean to "do your best?"

Commit: Discuss these questions with yourfamily. Why is a promise important? Why is it important for people to trust you when you give your word? When might it be difficult to keep your word? List examples.

Practice: Discuss with family members why it is important to be trust worthy and honest and how can you do your best to be honest when you are doing the activities in Cub Scouting.

2.  Say the Law of the Pack. Tell what it means.

"The Cub Scout follows Akela.
The Cub Scout helps the pack go.
The pack helps the Cub Scout Grow.
The Cub Scout gives goodwill."

3.  Tell What WEBELOS means.

"WE'll BE LOyal Scouts"

4.  Show the Cub Scout Sign (see example...) —Tell what it means.

5.  Show the Cub Scout Handshake (see example...) —Tell what it means.

6.  Say the Cub Scout Motto.

The MOTTO is: "DO YOUR BEST. "

7.  Give the Cub Scout Salute (see example...) —Tell what it means.

8.  Complete the exercises in the parent's guide,"How to Protect Your Children from Child Abuse" along with a parent or guardian.

When you and your boy have followed the eight tracks of the Bobcat, your boy may wear his Bobcat badge!

The Tiger Trail

Here's the Scoop! Your Tiger Cub will be a member of a den. Most dens have five to nine boy-adult partner teams, meet twice a month in a den meeting, and have one outing a month, called a Go See It. The den also takes part in the monthly pack meetings. During den meetings, Go See It outings, and pack meetings, boys learn new things and have fun.

Each den meeting and den activity is led by a Den Leader and an adult partner of one of the Tiger Cubs. An adult partner can be a parent, relative, or friend who is at least 18 years old and who cares about the boy.  Each adult partner takes a turn working with the den leader to plan and lead a den meeting and/or activity. (You'll read more about this shared leadership later.)

Working on Achievements & Electives

In Scouting, advancement is the process by which a member meets certain requirements and earns recognition. Boys in Cub Scouting work on advancement with their families. The Tiger Cub advancement program is a blend of activities boys do in their home and activities they do in a den setting with their adult partner. This is unique to Tiger Cubs.

A Tiger Cub may earn the Tiger Cub rank. This rank is for those boys who are in first grade or are 7 years old. All the Cub Scout ranks (Tiger Cub, Wolf, Bear, and Webelos) are tailored for a grade and the corresponding age level. (A Tiger Cub must earn the Tiger Cub badge first and then the Bobcat badge [rank] before all other ranks. See here for the Bobcat badge requirements.)

To advance, Tiger Cubs work on achievements and electives, which are described in the Tiger Cub handbook. As a boy completes these, you, his adult partner, sign in this handbook where it says "Akela's OK." Akela means "good leader" and is an important part of Cub Scouting. Akela can be a den leader, a teacher, or other important adult. As your boy's adult partner, you are Akela.

As boys advance, they receive recognition items to mark their progress. These items will be given to them during a simple ceremony at a pack or den meeting. It is important for boys to be recognized for the good work they do. The Tiger Cub recognition items are the Tiger Cub belt totem and totem beads, the Tiger Cub badge, and Tiger Track beads.

Earning the Tiger Cub Totem

To begin his path towards the Tiger Cub rank, a boy must do three things. They are:

1. Learn the "Tiger Cub Motto" (The MOTTO is: "SEARCH, DISCOVER, SHARE ")
2. Learn the "Cub Scout Sign"
3. Learn the "Cub Scout Salute"

When he has done these, he is awarded the Tiger Cub totem at a pack meeting. This is a plastic recognition device that he wears on his belt. The front side of the totem is emblazoned with a tiger paw print, and the reverse includes a recessed space for your Tiger to mount his Tiger Cub badge when he earns it. The lower end of the totem includes space for four strands for totem beads. A boy earns totem beads by working on the five Tiger Cub achievements.

How to use Totem Beads

There are five achievements in Tiger Cubs:

1. Making My Family Special
2. Where I Live
3. Keeping Myself Healthy and Safe
4. How I Tell It
5. Let's Go Outdoors

Each achievement has three parts: a family activity, aden activity, and a Go See It outing. A boy receives totem beads as hecompletes each part:

• He earns a white bead for each required 'family activity' part he completes.
• He earns an orange bead for each required 'den activity' part he completes.
• He earns a black bead for each required 'Go See It' part he completes.

These beads go on the first three strands of the Tiger Cub totem. (The fourth strand is for Tiger Track beads, which signify, completed electives.) A boy can earn only one bead for each of the 15 achievement parts, regardless of how many times he may repeat a part.

As each bead is awarded and added to a boy's totem, he should be recognized with a simple ceremony at a den meeting. When a boy has earned all 15 beads, he is eligible to receive his Tiger Cub badge, signifying that he has earned the Tiger Cub rank.

The Wolf Trail is a big adventure that the Boy Scouts of America hopes all boys will complete!

The Bobcat trail has only seven tracks; the Wolf’s trail is much longer than the Bobcat’s. Details regarding the completion of the achievements and associated electives can be found in the BSA Wolf Cub Scout Book.

When a boy’s parent has ok'ed the tracks your boy has filled in for all twelve achievements in his Wolf handbook, he may become a Wolf Cub Scout. The Progress Towards Ranks badge is available as an incentive during the Wolf program to encourage a Cub on his achievement work. How quickly a boy progresses is up to him and you. He should do his best to complete each track, that’s part of the promise he made to become a Bobcat and it is the Cub Scout Motto - DO YOUR BEST. Don’t "okay" a track if you both know he can do a better job. Go on to something else, then comeback to the problem track. The important thing is to keep him interested.

The Wolf Achievements

When a boy has completed forty-nine of these sixty-two achievements through all twelve parts of the Wolf trail, he has earned the right to wear the Wolf badge. The badge should be ceremoniously presented as soon as possible at an upcoming Pack meeting. There is also a very special award that Cub Scouts can earn. By completing a specific set of conservation-related achievements and electives a Wolf Cub can earn International Scouting's World Conservation Award. Earning this award allows Scouts of all ages to heighten their awareness and appreciation of nature and the environment.

After earning his Wolf badge, a boy can begin working onhis Wolf electives to earn his gold and silver Arrow Points.

Earning Arrow Points

 

"For Completion of Wolf Electives"

Electives are not like achievements. A Wolf Cub Scout can pick any requirement he likes from the electives and do it. When he has completed ten elective requirements, he has earned his first Arrow Point - a gold one. Only one gold arrow point may be earned during the Wolf year, and one during the Bear year. It is worn ¾” below and centered under the current rank badge (Wolf and Bear).

After earning a Gold Arrow Point, a Cub may complete tenmore requirements to earn a Silver Arrow Point. Under his Wolf badge, he maywear as many Silver Arrow Points as he earns. They are worn in rows of twobelow, centered, and touching the Gold Arrow Point or previously earned SilverArrow Points for each rank.

Recognizing a Cub’s Progress on the Wolf Trail

Your boy doesn’t have to wait until he completes his entire Wolf trail before being recognized for his work. As a Wolf, when he completes any three achievements, his den leader can present the Progress Toward Ranks patch to him. It’s a diamond with a leather (or plastic) thong attached and a gold bead attached to one end. It is worn on the button of the right shirt pocket. Each time the boy completes three achievements he will receive another gold bead. After he gets his fourth gold bead, he will receive his Wolf badge at a pack meeting.

Progress Towards Ranks

"Immediate Wolf Recognition"

Welcome to the Bear Trail!

Any boy may earn Bear achievements and electives if he is inthe third grade, or is nine years old. To earn the Bear badge, a boy mustcomplete 12 of the 24 specified achievements listed below. He can select theones he wants to do from four different groups: God, Country, Family, and Self.

When a boy finishes an achievement, he will need to have an adult member of his family sign and date his book. He will then take the book to the next den meeting and his den leader will record it on the Cub Scout(Den) Advancement Chart and initial his book. When he has done 12 Bear achievements, he becomes a Bear Cub Scout. If a Bear-aged boy is new to Cub Scouting, he must complete the Bobcat trail before beginning work on the Bear achievements.

The Bear Achievements

When a boy has completed twelve of these twenty-fourachievements through all four parts of the Bear trail, he has earned the rightto wear the Bear badge. Details regarding the completion of the achievementsand associated electives can be found in the BSA Bear Cub Scout Book.

After earning his Bear badge, a boy can begin working onhis Bear electives to earn his gold and silver Arrow Points.

Earning Arrow Points

Webelos — The Fifth Rank in Cub Scouting

The Webelos badge is the fifth rank in Cub Scouting. A Cubcan start on it as soon as he joins a Webelos den, and providing he has completed third grade (or is 10 years old). He can earn the Webelos badge after he has been in the den 3 months. One of the differences between Webelos and younger Cub Scouts is that the Webelos Den Leader signs off the completed activities of a Webelos Scout.

As with all other Cub Scouting ranks, new members of theWebelos Den or patrol must complete the Bobcat requirements before beginning work in the Webelos program.

Webelos Badge Requirements

When a boy has completed these requirements, and has them signed off by his Webelos Den Leader, he has earned the right to wear the Webelos badge. The badge should be ceremoniously presented as soon as possible at an upcoming Pack meeting. After earning his Webelos badge, a boy can begin working on his Arrow of Light Requirements. Completion of the Forester, Outdoorsman, and Naturalist Activities Badges, and completion of a special conservation project allows a Webelos Scout to join the Wolves and Bears in earning the World Conservation Award. The achievement pins that the boys earn are displayed on the Webelos Colors which is worn on the right sleeve below their den or patrol patch.

Instant Recognition For Webelos Scouts

Earning the Compass Points Emblem

After you have earned the Webelos badge, you can earn thecompass points emblem. It is awarded after you earn seven activity badges: fourmore in addition to the three you earned for the Webelos badge. Wear yourcompass points emblem attached to the button on the right pocket of yourWebelos uniform shirt. After you earn the compass points emblem, you'll receivea metal compass point for each four additional activity badges you earn. Pinthese compass points on the emblem in the "E," "W," or"S" positions, in any order you choose. You can earn the emblem andall three compass points by completing 19 Activity badges, including the threerequired for the Webelos badge.

The Apex of Cub Scouting

 The Arrow ofLight Award is the highest rank in Cub Scouting. A Webelos Scout should set his sights on it early. It's tougher to earn than the Webelos badge, but he can doit! The Cub Scout will have to earn the Webelos badge and at least eight activity badges, including Citizen, Ready man, and Fitness. The total must include one from each of the five Activity groups. By the time he has earned the Arrow of Light Award, he will have learned many things about a lot of subjects — and a lot about Boy Scouting. He will be ready to join a Boy Scout troop! Before he gets started on the Arrow of Light Award, he should read through the requirements with a parent, guardian, or den leader. Each time a requirement is satisfied, he should have his Webelos Den Leader sign it off in his Webelos Scout Book.

The Arrow of Light Requirements are:

1. Be active in your Webelos den for at least 6 months since completing the fourth grade (or for at least six months since becoming 10 years old), and earn the Webelos badge.
2. Show your knowledge of the requirements to become a Boy Scout by doing all of these:
   • Repeat from memory and explain in your own words the Scout Oath or Promise and the 12 points of the Scout Law. Tell how you have practiced them in your everyday life.
   • Give and explain the Scout motto, slogan, sign, salute, and handclasp.
   • Understand the significance of the Scout badge. Know its parts and tell what each stands for.
   • Tell how a Boy Scout uniform is different from a Webelos Scout uniform.
   • Tie the joining knot (square knot)
3. Earn five more activity badges in addition to the three you already earned for the Webelos badge. These must include:
   • Fitness (already earned for the Webelos badge)
   • Citizen (already earned for the Webelos badge)
   • Readyman
   • Outdoorsman
   • At least one from the Mental Skills Group
   • At least one from the Technology Group
   • Two more of your choice ?See Webelos Handbook for the activity badge groups.
4. With your Webelos den, visit at least:
   • one Boy Scout troop meeting,
   • one Boy Scout-oriented outdoor activity. ?(If you have already done this when you earned your Outdoorsman activity badge, you may not use it to fulfill requirements for your Arrow of Light Award requirements.)
5. Participate in a Webelos overnight campout or day hike. (If you have already done this when you earned your Outdoorsman activity badge, you may not use it to fulfill requirements for your Arrow of Light Award requirements.)
6. After you have completed all five of the above requirements, and after a talk with your Webelos den leader, arrange to visit, with your parent or guardian, a meeting of a Boy Scout troop you think you might like to join. Have a conference with the Scoutmaster.
7. Complete the Honesty Character Connection.
   • Know: Say the Cub Scout Promise to your family. Discuss these questions with them. What is a promise? What does it mean to keep your word? What does it mean to be trustworthy? What does honesty mean?
   • Commit: Discuss these questions with your family. Why is a promise important? Why is it important for people to trust you when you give your word? When might it be difficult to be truthful? List examples.
   • Practice: Discuss with a family member why it is important to be trustworthy and honest. How can you do your best to be honest even when it is difficult?

When a boy has completed all of these requirements, he hasearned the right to wear the Arrow of Light badge. The Arrow of Light badge isthe only Cub Scout emblem that may be worn on their Boy Scout uniform.