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I've got 2 questions regarding the William T. Hornaday Awards:

 

1. How big are the Hornaday projects? Eagle Project size?

 

2. Should I earn this as a Venturer or as a Boy Scout? Is earning both possible? I already have 5 of the 8 required MBs but in a few weeks I'll be a registered Venturer [i also attended ILSC this morning(January 11)]. I do think the Venturing version looks a little easier, and I'll be much more active in Venturing than Boy Scouts.

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Generally Eagle project size. But, keep in mind that some Eagle projects are extremely large. If all you've seen are massive ones that take thousands of man-hours, then you don't need to do 5 of those! You can earn it as both. If I were you, I'd knock off the three merit badges. That way you can earn a palm. And I like palms!

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Generally Eagle project size. But, keep in mind that some Eagle projects are extremely large. If all you've seen are massive ones that take thousands of man-hours, then you don't need to do 5 of those! You can earn it as both. If I were you, I'd knock off the three merit badges. That way you can earn a palm. And I like palms!
When I said "Is earning both possible?" I meant whether I could earn the Boy Scout version, and then earn the Venturing version.
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Generally Eagle project size. But, keep in mind that some Eagle projects are extremely large. If all you've seen are massive ones that take thousands of man-hours, then you don't need to do 5 of those! You can earn it as both. If I were you, I'd knock off the three merit badges. That way you can earn a palm. And I like palms!
Are you talking about the William T. Hornaday Awards?

 

If so, there are no separate "versions" for Boy Scout, Venturing, or Varsity. Everyone completes the same requirements to receive the same awards. The only thing that might make earning them as a Venturer a bit more "easy" is that while Boy Scouts, and Varsity Scouts have up until their 18th birthday, Venturers can work on the awards up until their 21st birthday.

 

Also, while you might look at the Hornaday projects as "Eagle size", in the literature it mentions projects that make "significant contributions" to conservation, require a "substantial commitment of time and energy", involve "truly outstanding efforts", and are "truly exceptional conservation projects".

 

This is NOT a check-a-box award. This is NOT a project that can be accomplished in an afternoon of picking up litter.There is NO "easy" way to complete these awards.

 

To give you some perspective on Hornaday vs Eagle - According to the BSA national website -

In the SINGLE year of 2012 - 57,976 Scouts earned the rank of Eagle Scout.

in the past 80 YEARS only about 1,100 Hornaday medals have been awarded.

 

Granted, this is for the Hornaday medals (Bronze/Silver), so there might be a higher number of Scouts who have earned just the Hornaday Badge, but somehow I doubt it is as high as 57,976 in one year.

 

So, to answer your question, while I do not know for certain that a Scout/Venturer could earn a single Hornaday Award twice, why would you want to?

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Generally Eagle project size. But, keep in mind that some Eagle projects are extremely large. If all you've seen are massive ones that take thousands of man-hours, then you don't need to do 5 of those! You can earn it as both. If I were you, I'd knock off the three merit badges. That way you can earn a palm. And I like palms!
Looking at the various award applications, it appears that there ARE specific Venturing requirements that are in place of the Boy Scout Merit Badge requirements. However, there is only one set of Venturer requirements for BOTH the Bronze and Silver.

 

There is also extra project documentation for Venturers that is required in ADDITION to what is required for Scouts.

 

You really need to talk to someone in your council who is experienced with the Hornaday Awards to help you sort thru all of this.

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I realize the Hornaday awards will take a while to complete. Probably at least just a long as it took me to get from First Class to Eagle(little under 2 years). And I said "easier," than the Boy Scout version, just because the three MBs I need are Fish and Wildlife Management, Forestry, and Public Health, all of which are fairly long. The Venturing Ranger electives required look "easier" than those 3 MBs. I never said it would be easy. And the difference between the Hornaday Silver and Bronze for Venturing is 4 projects versus 3 projects.

I'm comparing the projects to my Eagle Project. Which involved replacing the handrail/guardrail system on a 8'x10' deck, constructing a 12'x12' mulch bed bordered by 4"x4" lumber(using rebar to "stake" it down) and constructing a 8'x6' picnic table.

One more question, if I earned the Silver, would I also be given the Bronze medal and Badge?

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  • 2 weeks later...

The Hornaday project is expected to be similar in size and scope to an Eagle project. The Hornaday project has elements that are not included in the Eagle requirements. As to the awards, the local Council would consider the first project for the Badge. Projects 2 and 3 (and 4) would be submitted to the Council with project 1 for consideration to be submitted to National for review. If the Silver is granted, the youth would not receive the bronze. If National does not feel all 4 are adequate, they may elect to award a Bronze. If a youth has received a Medal and did not apply to the Council for the Badge, I think they could do that , but defeats the purpouse of working with the Council Conservation Committee on the first project to ensure the scope is appropriate if it is desired to pursue the Medals.

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  • 7 months later...

A Maine scout is now working on his Hornaday Award. If successful he will be only the fourth Maine scout to earn the award. The last Maine scout to earn the award did so 72 years ago!

 

Regarding his conservation project:

 

After meeting with the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, the scout Cameron Patterson learned of the staggering amount of soft plastic lures being dumped in Maine waters. Patterson will be putting out recycling containers near boat landings in central Maine for anglers to discard their unwanted soft plastic lures.

 

“Most of the boat landings in Belgrade, both the boat landings in China and in Unity,†he said.

 

Once the lures are collected, they will be recycled and new lures made. Some will be donated to kids fishing clubs while others will be used as part of a study to determine if the soft plastic lures are harmful to Maine waters.

 

“We’re going to have three non-biodegradable ones and three biodegradable ones and we’re going to be putting them in Unity Pond. We’re going to have them in water seeing how quickly they biodegrade and seeing if the biodegradable ones biodegrade as the package says,†Patterson said.

 

But his project doesn’t end there. Patterson is also organizing a massive cleanup of a quarter mile stretch at Trickey Pond in Naples, picking up lures and garbage that’s been left behind.

 

“The Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife is going to have their dive teams out farther deep in the water as the volunteers and the boy scouts do up close.â€Â

 

Patterson says they are in need of volunteers for the cleanup effort that is happening this Saturday.

Anyone interested can meet at the Trickey Pond boat landing at 10:00 a,m.

 

For more information check the website: helpsaveourfish.com

 

News article link:

http://wabi.tv/2014/09/01/winslow-bo...aine-72-years/

 

Hmmm, I had not realized that discarded lures were such big a environmental problem rather lead sinkers (illegal) and fishing line. Back in the day, we used biodegradable lures - a worm on a steel hook :D

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  • 2 weeks later...

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