Philmont bull urban legend

[kahits 10]

I have heard this tale told so many times, and thought I would just ask here. The felt Philmont bull patch that you seen on many a red scout shirt/jacket, and whether the tail is over the shoulder or not. Is there a PSR police force out there with the official regulation?

[GNX Guy 10]

There is no regulation

[Oak Tree 15]

When I was at Philmont, one of the staffers told me this was an urban legend. Might be a kind of fun idea, but it's not official.

[Aquila calva 10]

You may be interested in this old thread....

 

http://www.scouter.com/forums/viewThread.asp?threadID=40484

[GNX Guy 10]

Actually I should have been a bit more clear. The insignia guide states that it goes above the left pocket, no regulation or specifics about the tail position.

[Its Me 10]

 

 

Even 5 years ago Bob White was being miss-quoted. It only took seven posts back then. Scouters we are letting our traditions languish. Please return to your keyboards and in earnest begin miss-quoting Bob White at the rate that is consistent with our heritage. Our fore-posters would expect nothing less.

 

 

[Gold Winger 9]

There are no rules about the position of the tail however, conflicting sources say that if you climbed Baldy or ToT (depending on the source) that you may wear the tail over your shoulder.

 

This is tradition/folklore just like wearing the Bobcat upside down until the first good deed. However, it is fun folklore.

 

Since I climbed both Baldy and ToT and I'm quite proud of having survived, when I get around to sewing my bull onto my jacket, the tail will go over the shoulder.

 

 

[PPC2152 10]

The term "urban legend" implies that "it isn't true." And that is misleading. Simply because there is no "regulation" regarding wearing the bull with the tail over the shoulder to indicate the wearer has scaled the Tooth of Time does not mean that this "tradition" does not exist, or is not observed by a lot of units and Philmont Scouts and Scouters.

 

Its very similar to the tradition in sailing that you don't buy or display blue or green fenders for your sailboat unless you've done some blue water sailing. Otherwise, you stick with white fenders. There is nothing to stop an inexperienced sailor from buying blue fenders for his freshwater boat, but the "Old Salts" will snicker at him behind his back.

 

The simple fact of the matter is that many Philmont Scouts have observed, recognized, and respected this tradition for a long, long time. It was a firmly established tradition in 1965 when I first went to Philmont. I didn't scale the TOT that year, and didn't date sew my bull's tail over the seam. When my son went in the 1990's, the tradition had not changed. And so it has remained a tradition that is frequently spoken of whenever Philmont Scouts and Scouters gather.

 

Now, let's be honest:

Have many Scouts sewed their bull's tail over the shoulder seam in accordance with this tradition? Yes! Of course!

Have some other Scouts who have scaled the TOT chosen not to do this? Undoubtedly.

Have some Scouts who have scaled the TOT never even bought a red Philmont coat? Undoubtedly.

Have other Scouts who have never scaled the TOT sewn their bull on with the tail over the shoulder seam? I'd like to think not, but some may have.

Are their "uniform regulations" that detail this tradition? Of course not.

 

But, does any of this mean that the "tradition" does not exist? Of course not.

 

The tradition exists, and has for many, many years. To say that it is an "urban legend" implies that the tradition does not exist. And that, my friends, is simply not true. It does exist.