Pioneer BarkEater First Year Requirements:

• Camp Attendance: Camp at Massawepie at least five nights during the current summer camp year.
• Massawepie Experience: Complete a day hike around Massawepie Lake. If unable to complete the hike, then visit Camp Mountaineer.
• Massawepie/Adirondack Lore: Tell the story of “Bark Eater” and “Pontiac Point.”
• Environmental Awareness: Describe what Loons and Ospreys are and why each species has been threatened.
• Service: Take part in a unit service project while at camp.
• Advancement: Must have earned the Scout Badge. 
• Scout Spirit: Live by the Scout Oath and Law at camp.

Mountaineer BarkEater Second Year Requirements:

• Camp Attendance: Camp at Massawepie at least five nights during the current summer camp year.
• Massawepie Experience: Climb the tower or go on a Polar Bear Swim or go on an approved Mountain bike ride or participate in the Scoutcraft Challenge.
• Massawepie/Adirondack Lore: Describe the location and years of operation of the Childwold Park Hotel. Take a walking tour of the historical locations at Pioneer with the map/guidebook. Find the stairs to the Boat house.
• Environmental Awareness: Identify the 4 distinct calls of the common loon.
• Service: Take part in a unit service project while at camp.
• Advancement: Must have earned the rank of Second Class. 
• Scout Spirit: Live by the Scout Oath and Law at camp.

Forester BarkEater Third Year Requirements:

• Camp Attendance: Camp at Massawepie at least five nights during the current summer camp year.
• Massawepie Experience: Participate in the Massawepie Lumberjack Challenge.
• Massawepie/Adirondack Lore: Describe who the local Boy Scout council bought Massawepie from (including the nature of their business) and the date of purchase. Describe the life of Adirondack French Louie.
• Environmental Awareness: Visit a beaver house or dam. Discuss the impact beavers have on the environment.
• Service: Take part in a unit service project while at camp.
• Advancement: Must have earned the rank of First Class.
• Scout Spirit: Live by the Scout Oath and Law at camp.

Voyageur BarkEater Fourth Year Requirements:

• Camp Attendance: Camp at Massawepie at least five nights during the current summer camp year.
• Massawepie Experience: Participate in a canoe race or earn the Mile Swim BSA or lead your patrol in cooking a meal or lead a trip to a beaver dam or lead a camp history tour.
• Massawepie/Adirondack Lore: Describe the significance of three of the following people to the Adirondacks: Mitchell Sabbatis, Alvah Dunning, “Old Mountain” Phelps, Paul Smith, Noah John Rondeau
• Environmental Awareness: Participate in a “Leave No Trace” training program.
• Service: Show leadership in a unit service project at camp. Help your unit leader keep track of your unit’s BarkEater candidates and requirements.
• Advancement: Must have earned the rank of Star.
• Set a Scout Spirit example for others.

Ha-de-ron-dah (BarkEater) Fifth Year Requirements.

• Camp Attendance: Camp at Massawepie at least five nights during the current summer camp year.
• Massawepie Experience (To Be Determined)
• Massawepie/Adirondack Lore: Describe the significance of the following people to the Adirondacks: Verplank Colvin, George and Bob Marshall, and Clarence Petty. Describe “Doc” LaVesseur’s role related to Mt Arab.
• Environmental Awareness: Earn the World Conservation Award or the BSA Leave No Trace Award or the William T. Hornaday Badge.
• Service: Serve in the special 5^th year service project to be assigned by the Camp Director.
• Advancement: Earn the rank of Life.
• Set a Scout Spirit example for others.

 

A Massawepie trek experience (five nights) may be substituted for the in-camp Massawepie experience for fifth year candidates providing the rest of the requirements, including rank attainment, are met.

All five years of the BarkEater program have requirements in the same categories, but with different themes and different recognitions. Ceremonies for years one and two are held at the Campfire Circle. Ceremonies for years three through five are held in special BarkEater ceremony sites.

Alternative option for adult Scouters: Work 20 hours on Massawepie facility projects approved by the ranger, including at least two work weekends, such as Skills Weekend and Beaver Weekend.

Alternative Adult requirements for all five years are published at camp.

BarkEater Guidelines

1) Scouts and Scouters must camp at Massawepie at least 5 nights in a given year to be eligible to earn a new BarkEater level. (There is an alternative requirement available for Scouters participating in camp work weekends.)

2) Returning Bark Eaters are eligible for the next level in succession depending upon whether they have earned the preceeding BarkEater in previous years. All others can work on Pioneer (first level).

3) Scouters may participate in the program.  For Scouters the “Massawepie Experience” and “Advancement”, requirements are waived.  They will participate in the other program components including the Service Project requirement and the Ceremony.

4) Unit camp leaders decide which Scouts have met the requirements. Unit leaders are requested to uphold the BarkEater Honor Program by ensuring that all requirements are met as written no additions, deletions or modifications.  The honor cannot be awarded for effort alone. Remember, disappointment is often a better teacher than success easily earned.  The camp reserves the right to disqualify a Scout based on poor Scout Spirit at the discretion of the Camp Director. 

5) The Massawepie Experience requirement can be completed in a previous summer.  In other words, if a camper has completed a hike around Massawepie Lake in a previous summer, that would satisfy the requirement; it does not have to be done again.

6) Information is provided in a leader brochure to assist unit leaders with the Massawepie Lore and Environmental Awareness requirements.

7) The Camp Director is empowered to adjust the honor program requirements for Scouts/Scouters unable to complete them for sound medical reasons, physical or mental.  As support for such request, the person’s medical limitations must be noted on his or her Personal Health and Medical Record.  Substitutions must be made in writing by dinner on Monday, and then become the true objectives of the Scout/Scouter in question.

After earning the BarkEater recognition, BarkEaters should proudly wear their BarkEater tokens as a part of their Field uniforms whenever and wherever they are worn.

Participation in the camp honor program is optional for each Scout and unit.  No coercion or peer pressure should be used to get a Scout to participate.

If you have any questions about the BarkEater program, please ask the BarkEater Coordinator or your commissioner or the Program Director.  Prior to arriving at camp, questions can be directed to barkeater@otetiana.org.