Lucky 9

[Radar]

I grew up in the 60's and 70's coon hunting with my dad and his friend. They hunted hard and drove a big old Rambler station wagon with the dogs loaded in the back. I got paid to skin, scrape and hang the coon hides. My first "skinning money" was used to buy my own walking light and spotlight. Western Auto had a big 5 cell Ray O Vac sportsman light that I bought along with three battery extensions that screwed on the body. Gave me a total of 9 "D" batteries.I would buy bulbs by the case and go through them looking for the ones that gave the best spot without a dark center.

Dad used to call it Lucky 9, because of the 9 batteries it held and how bright it was. My walking light was a carbide lantern that hung off my hat with some wire. High tech

[Radar]

[Radar]

My walking light.

[Gumbo Man]

Great light that doubles as a great self defense head knocker.

[Radar]

Originally Posted by Gumbo Man

Great light that doubles as a great self defense head knocker.

It was heavy and could get in the way when stomping through the brush

[myway]

Very cool! I am a little young to have seen them in use but I do remember a survivor or two in my grandfathers garage and shop. The crazy thing to me is that technology didn’t really changed for 20 years with the mag light and then it changed over night with the headlights and small handhelds that are crazy bright.

[HogHunter34]

I used to run traps alongside my grandfather back in the early 80s when coon hides were bringing $15-25 per pelt. He used the old #2 steel traps and welded steeples on the jaws to prevent them from chewing their leg off to get free.
We also had a big grove of persimmon trees on our property and I would go with my dad late at night around 9:30-10pm and it was like Christmas tree lights from all the eyes in the trees snacking on the persimmons.
The good ole days

[red-fin]

Can you just imagine the critters we could have killed with one of the rechargeable spotlights we own today?!?!

[Smart]

That is greatness! Crazy that you still have that thing.

[J Loves Huntin]

Saw a few of those growing up but been a while

[Texas Grown]

My grsandfather had one of those Raovacs. Brings back memories Jeff.

[Aggiebush]

Ha, I remember those old lights! For years, I carried around a big 6 cell Maglite in the truck. It was bright but also served as a nice club for any riff raff that I came across. Once I got pulled over for speeding and the Shemale trooper was really rude with me. I had a gunrack in the back window, with a cool looking walking stick that a beaver had chewed hanging on it. She looked back at it and rudely asked "What is that stick for, beating up people?" I reached down and picked up the light and replied, No that is what I use this for! lol She gave me a ticket, but don't think I was getting out of it before our exchange.

Cool piece of history.

[RifleBowPistol]

Never seen a flashlight with a sling, that would have been interesting. Us not being from east Texas, we never saw lights like that, back when I was a kid.

When I was a kid back in the 70s and 80s, we sometimes carried a small Ray O Vac, two cell flash light, I think it had two C cell batteries, may have been two D cell batteries. It generally sucked for trying to find hogs at night. We took guys hog hunting that would shoot hogs, that way too often, would run off into the brush. Then we would take off into the mesquite brush with that POS flashlight looking for wounded hogs. The light we had, was good for reading a map in the truck at night, or finding your keys on the ground, when you dropped them. Beyond that it was worthless.

Then one of the guys who was on that same place showed up with one of those big lights, that had a 9V or 12V battery with posts or coiled wires, that fit in a box, under that hung under the handle. Then it had a large light, that you could tilt. Those were gave off much more light, but we never bought one, they were expensive.

[Mexico]

So what you're saying is..... is you're old

[PYBUCK]

Great flashlight Jeff. I used an old Ray O Vac 6v headlight that I modified with the bottom of a lab chemical bottle to concentrate the spot. Found some red cellophane and put that on there for an awesome calling light. Still have it, I think. I'll post a pic if I can find it.

[Radar]

Originally Posted by Mexico

So what you're saying is..... is you're old

Kinda

[Radar]

Originally Posted by Smart

That is greatness! Crazy that you still have that thing.

I been finding things I forgot I had. Even found my FFA jacket and I can still put it on. I cant zip it though

[HeliTremor]

Anything I had or did with my Dad was cooler than the stuff I can buy now...must have been the company.

[hogslayer78]

Originally Posted by Radar

I grew up in the 60's and 70's coon hunting with my dad and his friend. They hunted hard and drove a big old Rambler station wagon with the dogs loaded in the back. I got paid to skin, scrape and hang the coon hides. My first "skinning money" was used to buy my own walking light and spotlight. Western Auto had a big 5 cell Ray O Vac sportsman light that I bought along with three battery extensions that screwed on the body. Gave me a total of 9 "D" batteries.I would buy bulbs by the case and go through them looking for the ones that gave the best spot without a dark center.

Dad used to call it Lucky 9, because of the 9 batteries it held and how bright it was. My walking light was a carbide lantern that hung off my hat with some wire. High tech

Attachment 1118484

You could have brought that to the crappie fest Radar and kept Pat in line with it......

[breadman]

i remember those well , mine was alot shorter though . i still have it somwhere tucked away.

[Radar]

Originally Posted by hogslayer78

You could have brought that to the crappie fest Radar and kept Pat in line with it......

I bring it this year in case he falls out of the boat again, it will give him something to hang on to when I fire up the big motor.

[hogslayer78]

Originally Posted by Radar

I bring it this year in case he falls out of the boat again, it will give him something to hang on to when I fire up the big motor.

🤣🤣🤣....

On a side note, you need to come this year! We been missing you the last 2 years! 👍

[Radar]

Originally Posted by hogslayer78

🤣🤣🤣....

On a side note, you need to come this year! We been missing you the last 2 years! 👍

If it aint real far away, I be there.

[Smart]

Originally Posted by Radar

I been finding things I forgot I had. Even found my FFA jacket and I can still put it on. I cant zip it though

[BTLowry]

Dad has my great grandad's similar to that Jeff

Don't think it holds 9 batteries but it holds a bunch

[Chew]

Great memories right there. Flashlights were a big deal to coon hunters. My dad and grandpa went once or twice a week....52 weeks a year. I remember when my dad upgraded to the Nite Lite. Big old battery pack on the belt, helmet with a flashlight, and some other stuff with it. Cheap chinese LEDs are probably brighter than that expensive light that cost a weeks pay.