Feral Kids...

[Duff]

-Camping every weekend during the summer
-Swimming in the creek we had dammed up at our camping spot
-Fishing in the pond near the house--all day
-If a trout was in the creek below the house, it wasn't there long

-Building 1 bike out of 3 to jump the God awful ramps we built
-Building tree forts
-Just plain exploring the woods and creeks
-Checking the trap line I had set up the creek
-There were no squirrels to hunt after I got my .410
-Oh at the trouble I got into with those old M80's. Do y'all remember those? They were like a 1/8 stick of dynamite with a fuse in the middle? . Lawd!

 

[oldfella1962]

That is part of the reason there aren't as many kids out. With all the development and increase in population, the traffic is absolutely insane in many parts. I know several parents who won't let their kids ride their bikes down the road simply because it's unsafe. You cut a kids mobility and of course there they will be inside more. It doesn't help that the GDOT doesn't know how to build proper shoulders on roads either..

Good point! In my residential neighborhood (and adjacent walking distance neighborhoods) I can't even safely walk with my wife & dog in the evening anymore because of crazy drivers running stop signs and speeding, barely missing cars parked along the curbs, and whatnot. We drive to a nearby park and walk there.

 

[Nicodemus]

My prized things back then were my single barrel shotgun, shot sack, pocketknife, Johnson Century reel, tackle box, cane pole, cricket box, and that huge river swamp.

 

[Batjack]

Johnson Century reel

Do you still have one? If not, would you like one? My Dad and his Dad were "Johnson Men" if you will, got enough Century, Citation, and Sabre reels still in working condition that I can give one to a friend.

 

[Nicodemus]

Do you still have one? If not, would you like one? My Dad and his Dad were "Johnson Men" if you will, got enough Century, Citation, and Sabre reels still in working condition that I can give one to a friend.

I appreciate it but I still have that old reel. It`s older than I am.

 

[Batjack]

It`s older than I am.

So are all of mine, even got some Zebcos, Mithchels, and off named ones older than both of us put together.

 

[WOODIE13]

A Bb gun, book of matches and a bike, I was set for the day...maybe a couple hooks and fishing line too

 

[HermanMerman]

My prized things back then were my single barrel shotgun, shot sack, pocketknife, Johnson Century reel, tackle box, cane pole, cricket box, and that huge river swamp.

Of all those things, the huge river swamp you mention was the most valuable. Got to have the setting for everything else to fall in place.

 

[WOODIE13]

My prized things back then were my single barrel shotgun, shot sack, pocketknife, Johnson Century reel, tackle box, cane pole, cricket box, and that huge river swamp.

I was 10 and had access to two ponds, had largemouth, smallies, striped bass, catfish and monster bluegill. Was catch and release but I still take the grandkids there

 

[NCHillbilly]

I got a .410 shotgun for my 8th birthday. And took it out hunting by myself every afternoon in the fall and winter after school and chores. Ran a trapline most of my formative years, too.

 

[WOODIE13]

I got a .410 shotgun for my 8th birthday. And took it out hunting by myself every afternoon in the fall and winter after school and chores. Ran a trapline most of my formative years, too.

About the same, Winchester 410, gold trigger, squirrels lived hard. Also had a 1917 Remington 22 single shot. Those were passed down to my brothers, my boys, my neice...

 

[Lukikus2]

I’m not even going to say what I got into back then. But before the age of 10 I had already outran the cops three times on my bicycle.

 

[WOODIE13]

I’m not even going to say what I got into back then. But before the age of 10 I had already outran the cops three times on my bicycle.

Yep, had some chase us and bury a cruiser up in a mud hole...

We did a big loop, changed clothes and watched the wrecker

 

[Lukikus2]

Most here could probably be considered a hellion as my one Grandmother Mother would call me. My late wife raised two ferals. They wanted to get away from their parents and show up and stay for a week or two before the parent would call to see if they were there and doing okay. . It’s even more common now.