The old ways

[earlierstart 27]

Just thinking of when I was a kid going out with my dad and him carrying a small car baterry and a old lamp that looked like a head light of an old car, then buying a motorbike baterry which was still a lump. Just wondering what people used to use them selves and if you had any pictures of your old set up.

[cocker 2,654]

i had a car battery in a rucksack and an old spot lamp off the front of a car in 1973, but this was far to heavy for me to carry about as a kid really, so later on i managed to get hold of a used motorbike battery and wired this up with crocodile clips to the spotlight off the front of a car, the glass was removed from the lamp to make it lighter, and it also created a better beam, the battery was carried in an old plastic 5ltr kia ora orange juice can which had the top cut off to fit the battery in it, and with car seatbelt gaffer taped round to hold it in place, this made a comfortable shoulder strap and i used a doorbell switch for the on/off, the switch was mounted on a handle made from a piece of brush shaft, (this was the dogs bollocks of a lamping outfit back then and i was as pleased with it then as you would be with any lithium and lightforce gear today)i used to usually catch about 10 to 12 rabbits a night like this. with a brindle broken coated mongrel lurcher, called ben, then when i couldnt carry no more i used to walk home laden down, my clothes were dunlop wellies or baseball boots (the original ones) depending on the weather, flared jeans and a parka, the clothes were rotted by battery acid, long hair was the fashion for boys, all hunting was done on foot as i was to young to drive, and didnt know anyone who had a car,

 

back then i was only a kid, my dog was kept in a shed in the back garden, and dad wasnt keen on me going out lamping, so i used to wait till he went to bed at about midnight, then when i thought he would be asleep, i would get dressed then quietly open my bedroom window, hold onto the guttering and stand on the windowsill outside, and shuffle along to the drainpipe, then climb down the drain pipe, get my dog and gear and go,

when i got home hours later, i would have to climb back up the drain pipe to the guttering and climb back along the window ledge into my bedroom without waking my dad,

Edited December 26, 2012 by cocker

[border lad 1,047]

the first man I saw with a home made lamp was my late friend, Danny Brennan, back in 1969 he had a lamp of a motor bike, and a 12 volt battery, from a Ford Anglia car, the boys who worked down at the local seat belt manufactures,(( kangols,) they made a chest Harness up,with two shoulder straps, for the 12 volt battery to sit in and secure it safely without tipping over, but needles to say the acid from the battery used to leak out now and then, and his shirts and ole jeans were full of holes from the acid, but that did not stop him from going out to train his young dogs, an average walk for him would be about 7 or 8 mile round trip, his gear + a few rabbits, yes he was a very fit Lad, when his dog was coursing a hare in Daylight, he would be running around, encouraging his dog on, (((( they were the days,,,

[terryd 8,439]

I did the same as a kid a small car battery and a head light never went any great distance with it though. Eventual got a motor bike battery. Getting over fences was all ways fun because you new you could kiss good bye to some of your clothes next day

[bostonboy 27]

my dad used to go lamping in the seventies with an old car battery and his clothes used to fall apart at the end of the night.

[kyle mckay 2]

am only a 15 now and still doing what you lads are saying, does me well for a few bunnies

[paulus 26]

thank fook for progress

[cocker 2,654]

am only a 15 now and still doing what you lads are saying, does me well for a few bunnies

 

[cocker 2,654]

mind you, back then there was no cars about at night, and everyone was in bed asleep for 12ish midnight,

[Millet 4,497]

thank fook for progress

.. what will folk of used before car batteries and lamp's where invented..would it of been a candle and a magnifying glass..

[border lad 1,047]

mind you, back then there was no cars about at night, and everyone was in bed asleep for 12ish midnight,

or we were bird nesting, as the old saying goes,

[Millet 4,497]

We used to call it egging Border Lad..

[border lad 1,047]

No ma ole mate Joe used to say when you were having the leg over, were you away bird nesting, he come from Grimethorpe,Nr barnsley

[slips 114]

those were the days you add to love it or you wouldnt of put up with it espesaly when the old canvus rutsack use to fall apart were the acid use to spill when out lamping and i remeber seein a camper van with these spot lights on when goin to shcool .....well one foggy night i barrow one and made a top notch lamp after blackin out the lens because the beam was the whith of the field good ole days

[kyle mckay 2]

a wouldnt really fancy payin maybe 100quid for a strikeforce lamp and lithium ion battery for the cops to take off me