Crossbow pilot program coming to the Summit Bechtel Reserve

Ready … aim … crossbow!

When Scouts and Venturers descend on the Paul R. Christen National High Adventure Base at the Summit Bechtel Reserve next summer, they’ll be among the first in the BSA to try this newly approved pilot program.

So, too, will Scouts and Venturers who attend the 2017 National Jamboree, also at SBR.

Crossbow, the exciting shooting sports activity with roots in ancient China, will become part of The Bows area at SBR. It joins static archery, sporting arrows and 3-D archery as options for Scouts and Venturers looking to hit the bull’s-eye.

So when and where can your Scouts and Venturers give crossbows a try?

For now, this activity is limited to SBR. That means you can’t use crossbows at council camps or with your troop or crew just yet.

Just add crossbows to the ever-lengthening list of reasons to visit SBR. (Let’s see… whitewater rafting, climbing, rappelling, canopy tours, mountain biking, skateboarding, BMX — I could go on.)

After the 2017 jamboree, the BSA will examine the success of crossbows and determine whether and how to roll it out wider.


Photo: Gary Hartley/BSA. Story idea: Danny Bell/BSA.


About Bryan Wendell 3281 Articles
Bryan Wendell, an Eagle Scout, is the founder of Bryan on Scouting and a contributing writer.