Bygone Merit Badges: What Happened to Them?

[ASM162 20]

915,

Yes, they were homing pigeons. It was amazing to us that the birds could find their way home; usually beating us back home during training flights! The tough part was coaxing the birds to get back into the coop. The faster they made their way into the 'trap', the quicker we could clock their time.

Those birds that didn't make the cut usually ended up on the dinner plate

My grandfather had birds that would fly from Cincinati, OH; South Bend, IN; and as far away as St. Louis, Mo. to their home coop in SW Pennsylvania. We always helped him on 'lookout' when the birds were due back. I remember him always worrying that a champion bird might fall prey to a hawk, or some other such fate. Once the bird(s) made it home, we had to lure the bird into the trap, usually with food and water, so that it could be clocked in.

Times were recorded and submitted to the Pittsburgh Southern Combine. Fastest birds were awarded trophies. (Owners kept the trophies!)Very neat competition! Always fun and interesting to see how your own birds measured up against others.

[moxieman 11]

SSS Wrote:

I don't think there's any truth to the rumor that the Pet Care and Cooking MBs are being combined.

 

Almost. You're thinking of "Road Kill Grilling" Merit Badge:

 

http://www.boyscoutstore.com/store/Scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=10276

 

 

Great site for spoof badges, some PC, some not PC. I gave a bunch of these as recognition gifts at our district dinner last year to those scout volunteers who stepped forward to present at one of our roundtables.