Looking for "Contestable" Backcountry Skills

guncollector

guncollector

Joined
Sep 6, 2001
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OK, a couple of good buddies are putting together a "Guy's Weekend Olympics" at a friend's ranch. 12-15 high-school buddies, now all in their mid-30's, will be getting together and dividing up into 3-Man teams to compete in the following 3 areas: Athletic Ability, Mental Skill Challenges, and Outdoors Skills.

Well, my task as Co-Commissioner of Events is to come up with the 3 Outdoors Skills events. The events must be team-oriented and "contestable" (i.e. winner by measurable results)--that's the tough part I'm beginning to realize.

I've come up with one (the old Army Ranger water-boiling contest), and need two more. So, I'm looking for any/all suggestions! Bagheera, you reading this?!

TIA for any/all suggestions.
 
how about a sawing contest with a two man saw, or a float your gear across the stream with a poncho raft contest,start with a "get your team from here to there" orienteering compass race and scavenger hunt while gathering marked items poncho/firestarter/axe/knife/cordage at different way points that would be found on a map and that would be needed to complete the other challanges. if you arrive at a challange station without your necessary items then there could be a penalty, lose your fire starter run a mile relay and then get a firestarter to complete that challenge. you get the idea.

alex
 
Ron,
Speed for a friction fire.
Number of crickets eaten(timed)
Figure four trap (timed and function)
Rope or twine making>
Rough Knapping.
Trapping small game(overnight)
Primitive fishing,three events,hand line,Trap,and hand caught.
 
Shelter building (all natural materials) - results measured with water poured over the roof to test for leakage.

Plant ID - the team with the most identified edible plants in an alotted time wins, properly identified poisonous plants earn points for a possible tie-breaker.

I second the scavenger hunt / orienteering idea.
 
Dragging this out from my Boy Scout days but for fire building competitions we'd have to burn through a string suspended at two feet or so.
 
Deadfall construction and demo( can it blow open an unopened beer can?)

make cordage/rope and see how much weight it can handle
 
How about a tomahawk tossing contest. They have them at most mountainmen roundups around here.
 
How about- 1) tell time of day without watches/clocks. (One morning you can put away wristwatches etc, later in the day each group must figure out time using "primitive" methods, after all groups write down guesstimated times a referree can check them against a watch- closest to actual time wins. Maybe groups can be asked to figure out the time at three differrent moments during the day.)
2) from set location determine direction of three distant landmarks without compass, for example highest mountain, clearing in a ravine, colorful flower patch on a hillside. Without compass each group must determine their compass points, for example 35 degrees NE, 180 deg S, 230 deg SW, etc. Then, check against actual compass points to determine winning group with closest coordinates.
3) similar to #2, each group can determine distance betwen 2-3 distant landmarks, measured against their actual distance determined by map or other means.
 
How about an outdoor cooking contest? Each contestant will have to build a cook fire and prepare a meal.

Knot identification.

Orienteering. Give 'em a compass and a map and turn the loose. First one to point x wins. Or omit the compass...

Measuring the height of a tree or width of a stream.

Lashing contest. Each person will have to make a chair or table by lashing sticks together.

Sling shot contest. Each person will have to make a sling and then they have to hit some targets (clay pigeons). The one that breaks the most clay pigeons wins.

Fuzz stick whittling contest.

Tree ID.

Water boiling contest. First person that can boil water without a metal pot wins.

Bring some stick bows and have an archery constest.

Cordage contest. Who can make the strongest rope from natural materials in the shortest period of time.

Whistle making. First person that makes a working whistle wins.

Spear fishing. Make a spear, spear some fish. Got carp?
 
Here's two from my training days!

#1 Build a fire with your buddy contest-timed. The catch-one of you has 3rd degree burns on his hands thus they are useless. The other of you is perfectly able to use his hands just not his eyes-he's blind;)

#2 Make a circle in the dirt or wherever. Have two trees on each side of the circle. Place a sleeping bag or whatever in the middle of the circle, this is the prize. Give the team a rope.

Objective-they have to get the bag out of the middle without setting foot in the circle because this is a mine field. One step and they are dead. Oh yeah, they also can't talk, just sign language;) .

Let us know what you used and how it went.
 
A variation or two on aforementioned tasks, and a new one or two:

After the burning the string for time, boil a pot of water, thus testing both speed of fire making, and quality (heat output) of fire. Add soap to the water to get a really nice indication of boil (first to boil over the side of the pot)

Knot tying, pure skill: Identify and tie appropriate knot for a given scenario.

Knot tying, team project: Members of team hold onto rope (preferably long enough for each person to have a few feet of space). They must tie knots in the rope WITHOUT LETTING GO OF ROPE. Members on end must hold fast to the end with one hand. Optional, for more difficulty, no talking.

Building skills: build a bridge/raft/ladder/etc. to cross a real or simulated obstacle.


Stryver
 
Although I don't have much wilderness experience, I think the following might be a good test of outdoors ability.
Shelter building (limited to deadfalls of course, don't use the boroughs to build liners for your shelter because it isn't emergency)
Fire starting & cooking using the least off the shelf tools
Locating a somewhat clean water source
Rope work, tying and untying proper ones (that is needed for many things, including if you're stuck and your escape is through water, you might need to use the rope to build some kind of vessel)
 
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