Orion District Camporee

April 11-13, 2025

Tellepsen Scout Camp
3450 County Road 317
Navasota, TX 77868 

Orion CamporeeAll hands on deck, me hearties! Welcome to the open sea on the Ship we’ve named Friend! Camporee is a weekend campout for troops and crews. Prepare ye self for games and activities that would make a landlubbers develop sea legs! In addition to these games, patrols are judged on leadership, teamwork, skill demonstration and Scout spirit. Perhaps there’s a coffer o’ loot for the best chanty! Bring your patrols out to compete and find Orion's best Scallywags upon us!

Events     Tellepsen Scout Camp Leader's Guide       Printable View

Registration

Registration is done by the unit leadership. Registration is a two-step process.

Step 1: RSVP - Every unit needs to RSVP as soon as possible to let the event staff if your unit is attending. Estimated numbers are provided to the council so the district can reserve the appropriate number of campsites and program areas for the event. Please let the event chair know if this number changes significantly before the event. Every troop is expected to help at the camporee (e.g., run a competition event, facilities, campfire, interfaith service).  

Step 1: RSVP

Step 2: Payment - The registration fee for Scouts in troops and crews is $15; the fee for adults is $4. Registration should be completed by the troop leadership online with credit card or electronic check before 4/10/24. There is no onsite registration. Council refund policy.

Step 2: Payment    

What to Bring

Personal (check with Scoutmaster):

  • Field uniform (Scout uniform) and belt 
  • Activity uniform (Scout t-shirt)
  • Shoes (closed-toe) or hiking boots 
  • Pajamas or sleeping clothes
  • Rain gear (pants and jacket) 
  • Flashlight and extra batteries 
  • Personal items (e.g., deodorant, comb, medications, toothpaste, toothbrush)
  • Water bottle (or canteen) and cup 
  • Sleeping bag, blankets, sheet 
  • Pillow 
  • Cot or pad 
  • Personal first aid kit 
  • Portable chair or camp stool, optional
  • Insect repellant
  • Medieval costume (no weapons, swords, etc.)
Mark all items with name and troop number.

Patrol:

  • Tents with ground cloth
  • Water containers for hauling water
  • Cooking gear and food: Saturday breakfast, lunch and dinner, Sunday non-cooking breakfast
  • Duty roster and menu
  • First-aid kit
  • Trash bags
  • Patrol flag
  • Items for campsite inspection

Troop*

Don’t Bring: 

  • Alcohol
  • Valuables
  • Electronics (e.g.,  iPod, iPad)*
  • Fireworks 
  • Sheath or hunting knives 
  • Pets 
  • Hammocks 
  • Personal firearms and ammunition 
  • Jewelry 
  • Personal bows and arrows
  • Drones

 

*Electricity is very limited. 

*The check-in staff will retain only patrol registration forms and troop registration summaries. Each unit leader will be responsible for maintaining all other forms and records. 

Schedule TBD

Friday

Activity

Location

6:00 pm Gates open Main gate
6:00 pm Check-in HQ
9:00 pm All units arrive by this time Campsites
9:30 pm Cracker-barrel for Scoutmasters and senior patrol leaders HQ
11:00 pm    Lights Out Campsites

Saturday

   
6:30 am Reveille Campsites
7:00 am Check-in for Saturday arrivals HQ
7:45 am Clean / disinfect restrooms Campsites
8:00 am Opening flags and organizational announcements Flag Pole
8:30 am Medieval Games Activity areas
11:25 am Clean / disinfect restrooms Campsites
11:30 am Lunch Campsites
1:00 pm Medieval Games Activity areas
4:55 pm Clean / disinfect restrooms Campsites
5:00 pm Retire flag and skit auditions Flag Pole
5:10 pm Dinner Campsites
6:15 pm Dutch oven contest judging HQ
8:00 pm Campfire program Canoe area
11:00 pm Lights Out Campsites

Sunday

   
8:30 am Opening flags, awards presented, interfaith service Flag Pole
9:00 am Back to camp to break campsites and clean latrines and sites. Campsites
10:30 am Start checkout and pick up patches after campsite is inspected. Campsites

Program

Scoring: Each patrol will be scored according to their Scout level. Each event will be scored with an eye toward skill, teamwork, leadership and Scout spirit.

Interfaith Service

An interfaith service will be conducted for all participants on Sunday morning. An interfaith service is a brief worship or meditation, specifically designed for Scouting events where there may be members of more than one faith group. The intention of an interfaith service is to provide a spiritual focus during a camping experience that does not reflect the views of a particular denomination or faith. An interfaith service can be defined as a gathering of Scouts held to contribute to the development of their spirituality and to promote a fuller understanding of the Scout Oath and Law, with emphasis on one’s Duty to God.

About Tellepsen Scout Camp

Tellepsen Scout Camp is located at Bovay Scout Ranch. Tellepsen Scout Camp has eight campsites that accommodate 50 individuals per site. Each campsite has a 30'x40' pavilion with electricity. One shower and restroom facility is available for every two campsites. It is the home of the council's largest rifle range and a 41-foot climbing tower. The rifle range consists of four 50-yard high-powered rifle stations, four 100-yard high-powered rifle stations, a five-station shotgun trap range, eight shooting stations for .22 rifles and pistols and an archery range. The climbing tower has four rappelling stations of 11 feet, 22 feet, 32 feet, and 41 feet. 

Tellepsen Scout Camp Leader's Guide     Maps  

 

The camp is located about six miles south of Navasota (one mile south of TX-6 BUS N and Tx-6 N Split) on the east side of TX-6 on County Road 317 (3450 County Road 317, Navasota, TX 77868).

Directions through Hempstead:

  • Take Hwy 290W through Hempstead
  • From Hempstead take
    Hwy 6N for 16 miles
  • Turn right onto County Road 317
  • Travel to end of road through camp gate

Directions through Conroe:

  • From Conroe take Hwy 105W
    for 45 miles
  • Turn left onto Hwy 6 South
    for 3 miles
  • Turn left onto County Road 317
    (just past Grassy Creek)
  • Travel to end of road through camp gate.

Note: When leaving camp, be extremely cautious as this is a 75 mph zone with poor visibility of oncoming traffic due to the hill. Many people will be leaving at the same time, do not bunch up in the median. Instead of crossing two lanes of high-speed traffic, it may be advisable to turn right and then u-turn at the next available median a short distance away. 

Late-Breaking Information

Late-breaking news and announcements will be emailed to those registered and posted on the Orion District Facebook page.

Please like our page at www.facebook.com/orionbsa. Invite parents and Scouters in the district to like our page. Units and Scouters can tag us (@orionbsa), and message pictures. To make sure you never miss a post, after liking the page, click on 'Following' and 'See First.' To help us promote Scouting, please engage with our content by liking, commenting and sharing our posts.

For additional district communications, sign up for the Orion District newsletter.

For additional council information, sign up for the eScouter and follow the Sam Houston Area Council Facebook page. Tag the council (@shac.bsa) and send them pics of your Scouting memories.

Orion District Facebook    Orion District Newsletter    SHAC Facebook

Photographs    

Notice!  Please be advised that promotional videotaping/photography may be in progress at any time at an event. Your entrance constitutes your agreement that the district has the right to reproduce your likeness in videography/photography for promotion (e.g., publications, internet, newspaper).

Scouting Safely

Safety is Your Responsibility posterScouting America's Commitment to Safety is ongoing, and the safety of our youth, volunteers, staff, and employees cannot be compromised. Scouting America puts the utmost importance on safe and healthy environments for its youth membership. The Sam Houston Area Council takes great strides to ensure the safety of its youth as well as the adult volunteer leadership that interacts with them. 

Guide to Safe Scouting policies must be followed. All participants must follow youth protection guidelines at all Scouting events. Highlights include:

  • Two-deep leadership on all outings is required.  
  • One-on-one contact between adults and youth members is prohibited. 
  • The buddy system should be used at all times. 
  • Discipline must be constructive.

Health and safety must be integrated into everything we do, to the point that no injuries are acceptable beyond those that are readily treatable by Scout-rendered first aid. As an aid in the continuing effort to protect participants in Scout activities, the National Health and Safety Committee and the Council Services Division of the National Council has developed the SAFE Checklist of safety procedures for physical activity. These points, which embody good judgment and common sense, are applicable to all activities. 

*About Medical Record: Scouting America requires all participants to bring an Annual Health and Medical Record to every Scouting event. The Scouting adventures, camping trips, and having fun are important to everyone in Scouting—and so is your safety and well-being. Completing the Annual Health and Medical Record is the first step in ensuring you have a great Scouting experience. Completing a health history promotes health awareness, collects necessary data, and provides medical professionals with critical information needed to treat a patient in the event of an illness or injury. It also provides emergency contact information. Please download the form and have it with you at all Scouting events for every member of your family.  

^Closed-toed shoes are highly recommended for all Scouting events. Many of our outdoor venues have snakes and sticks that can injure toes. Many of our activities include active games, so shoes that Scouts can run in (e.g., tennis shoes) are recommended.

Youth Protection Guidelines     Guide to Safe Scouting      SAFE Checklist      Enterprise Risk Management

Contacts

For questions, contact the camporee event chair or district activities chair.