Venturing Ranger Award Helps and Documents

The Venturing Ranger Award is available to all young men and women who are registered Venturers. This is the high adventure award for Venturers. A Venturer who earns the Ranger Award has shown that he or she is ready to live life to the fullest and is prepared for all types of situations.

Find helps for specific Ranger requirements below.

Venturing Ranger Award Requirements

See the current requirements below or use the links underneath to download them.

Venturing Ranger Award Worksheet

Communications Ranger Core Requirement

To complete the Communications core requirement for the Venturing Ranger award, Venturers must learn and practice communications skills. Then they must share their knowledge of communications with others.

Conservation Ranger Core Requirement

To complete the Conservation core requirement for the Venturing Ranger award, Venturers must carry out a conservation project. Then they must encourage others to get involved in conservation.

Cooking Core Requirement

To complete the Cooking core requirement for the Venturing Ranger award, Venturers must plan and cook several camp meals.

Emergency Preparedness Core Requirement

By completing this requirement, a Venturer is not only prepared to deal with emergencies which he or she encounters, but has also passed this knowledge on to others.

First Aid Core Requirement

First Aid is one of the core requirements for the Venturing Ranger award. To complete this requirement, a Venturer must complete an American Red Cross Wilderness First Aid course or the equivalent.

Land Navigation Core Requirement

To complete the Land Navigation core requirement for the Venturing Ranger award, Venturers must learn and practice map and compass skills and then teach those skills to others.

Leave No Trace Core Requirement

To complete the Leave No Trace core requirement for the Venturing Ranger award, Venturers must practice the principles of Leave No Trace and share their LNT knowledge with others.

Wilderness Survival Core Requirement

To complete the Wilderness Survival core requirement for the Venturing Ranger award, Venturers must learn and practice outdoor skills.

Backpacking Elective

To complete the Backpacking elective, Venturers must learn the skills needed for backpacking and take part in several treks. Then they must share their knowledge with others.

Cave Exploring Elective

To complete the Cave Exploring, Venturers must learn about caving and the skills needed to explore caves. Then they must explore a cave and share their knowledge with others.

Cycling/Mountain Biking Elective

To complete the Cycling/Mountain Biking elective, Venturers must learn about maintaining a bicycle, safe riding, and trip planning. They must take several bike rides and share their knowledge with others.

Ecology Elective

To earn complete the Ecology elective, Venturers must learn about natural systems and study the environment. Then they must teach others about what they learned.

Equestrian Elective

Venturers working on the Equestrian Ranger Award elective learn how to prepare for a safe and enjoyable adventure on horseback. They learn how to control a horse while riding and care for equipment. They also teach others about horsemanship.

First Aid Elective

To complete the First Aid elective, Venturers must put together a personal first aid kit and teach others how to put a kit together. They must also take an emergency first aid course, emergency response course, or EMT course.

Note: This is the Ranger First Aid Elective. It is different than the Ranger First Aid Core Requirement.

Fishing Elective

To complete the Fishing elective, Venturers must learn all about fishing. There are options for freshwater fishing, fly fishing, and saltwater fishing. Venturers must then teach what they have learned to others.

Hunting Elective

To complete the Hunting elective, Venturers must learn about regulations, take a course, and take a hunting trip. They must also show others what they have learned and assist in a project.

Lifesaver Elective

To complete the Lifesaver elective, Venturers must have a BSA Lifeguard certification, take an EMT course, or take a lifeguarding course. They must also put a first aid kit together and teach somebody else to make a kit.

Mountaineering Elective

To complete the Mountaineering elective, Venturers must learn about climbing and bouldering, practice climbing and rappelling skills, and teach others about what they have learned.

Outdoor Living History Elective

To complete the Outdoor Living History elective, Venturers must research a culture and time period, learn to participate in that history, and teach others about what they have learned.

Physical Fitness Elective

To complete the Physical Fitness elective, Venturers must learn about fitness and develop a physical fitness program which they will carry out for eight weeks. They must also share what they learned with others.

Plants and Wildlife Elective

To complete the Plants and Wildlife elective, Venturers must learn about the balance of nature, study specific species, learn about conservation, and teach others about the subject.

Project COPE Elective

To complete the Project COPE elective, Venturers must complete a BSA COPE course, attend a COPE director’s course, or participate in an outdoor education course.

COPE stands for Challenging Outdoor Personal Experience. COPE courses usually involve team building activities combined with high and low ropes courses.

Scuba Elective

To complete the Scuba elective, Venturers must complete their Open Water Diver certification and assist with a scuba program. They must also share what they learned with others.

Shooting Sports Elective

To complete the Shooting Sports elective, Venturers must learn the safety rules for shooting and must complete a training course. They can choose to use an air pistol, air rifle, archery, muzzle loading rifle, pistol, shotgun, or small bore rifle. Venturers must also share what they learned with others.

Watercraft Elective

To earn the Watercraft elective, Venturers must learn to safely operate a paddle craft, board sail, or sailboat.

Winter Sports Elective

To complete the Winter Sports elective, Venturers must learn all about Alpine skiing, Nordic skiing, snowboarding, snowmobiling, or ice skating.