Terrorizing Kids

[steelslaver]

My brothers and I used to tent camp a lot. Kids were always welcome. Great fun teaching them outdoors stuff, how to catch fish, birds etc. One of the things we used to do when some new kids came along was first have a conversation about Big Foot and how they like to hang out in the area. We would also inform them that they didn't like fire. Then a while later as it was getting dark, we would start in on the subject of snipe hunting. How easy it was how good they taste etc. My brother would get them all fired up, each gathering up some kind of sack to stick their snipe in etc. I would decline to go on the expedition, As soon as he lead them out of camp I would put on a big brown coat and hat and head out at an angle to find a place to hide. I am 6'4" and in those days weighted in about 250-260 but would stick a few pine boughs in my sleeves and one down the back of my coat. to increase my size effect. My brother would have a the kids going cheep cheep cheep to call for snipe and once I was setup I would start cheeping back to help guide my brother and his flock to my location. Once they got really close I would raise up from my spot with a roar. Interesting reactions, some froze solid in mid stride for a second or two while others took off running immediately and wildly usually in the direction of the camp fire. We were always careful to stay away from any steep drops or fast water. One nephew flew into camp, jumped the fire while screaming Sasquatch. When his mom asked where are your sisters? He replied there is a Sasquatch, not my problem. My youngest who had trouble walking because of cerebral palsy was pissed because everyone except my brother abandon him. Then he was really torched to find out it was a prank, he could have had a heart attack you know. Everyone of them was always gung ho to bring another kid along on the next trip to scare the crap out of them however.

Were we mean or what.

 

[mtgianni]

In my neighborhood you would have been considered normal.

 

[CalifEd]

A grand tradition that needs to continue.

Many of my friends that were transplanted from the mountains, having experienced a Snipe Hunt, had to be convinced that a Grunion Run was a real thing.

Seems they were traumatized, didn't trust this local activity, and avoided any night time animal seeking expeditions entirely.
Once they relaxed, or found a worthy partner, the night time submarine races or meteor hunt didn't seem to bother them.

 

[madmikeb]

The apex of my parenting (terrorizing), was many years ago.

It was around easter, I was cleaning solids out of a catbox with a paper towel by picking them up and taking them to the toilet. My stepdaughter was watching so me being me I started chasing her around the house with a loaded paper towel. She quickly ran into her room and shut the door. Seizing the opportunity I quickly washed my hands, got a fresh paper towel, unwrapped a small chocolate easter egg, put it in the paper towel and waited. Shortly she came back out of her room and I renewed the chase with the easter egg laden paper towel. Shortly I stopped, started laughing like a maniac, rolled my eyes back in my head and popped the egg into my mouth. The look of horror on her face was extremely gratifying and made it all worth while. To this day she remembers and talks about this. Made it all worth it!

The epitome of my parenting.

 

[Tom S.]

What's the plural of Big Foot? Big Feet? Big Foots? Would three of them be called Big Yard?

 

[steelslaver]

I have been watching survivor man and his now doing some searching for bigfoot episodes.

I have my doubts about their actual existence, But, can not say they don't exist with 100% certainty. There is a lot of empty space out there where an intelligent creature could exist and hide. I have lived most of my life in mountain lion country where there are estimated to be as many as 5,000 in the state, yet I have only seen 3 of them in my 74 years and except for one instance it was a pretty quick look. Same thing goes for wolves, there are estimated to be over 1000 of them in this state. I have only got a glimpse of 2. Despite the fact you can buy multiple tags and trap them only 260-280 are taken each year. Nether lions or wolves approach humanoid or even primate intelligence.

I have gone up and down the inside passage from Washington to Alaska over a dozen times, fished all over Southeast Alaska, driven from Prince Rupert to the US and I am here to tell you there are plenty of empty areas where Sasquatches could be riding around on mammoths and we wouldn't ever see them. While British Columbia has 5 million people, most of them are in the Vancouver metropolitan area and that leaves a whole lot of empty in the other 350,000 square miles. There are areas at least half the size of Wyoming with no roads. Same with Alberta and the rest of the providence's except for the little ones on the east coast. Canada is larger than the US and only has 40+ Million people but over 90% of those live within 100 miles of the boarder.

 

[Rule3]

Good old snipe hunts! Really funny when we would shout "I got one" then a little later a novice would shout "Me too"

 

[Rustyt1953]

Snipe are quite common in the UK. When I waded onto these shores I had a hard time convincing the locals that they exist.

 

[Rule3]

Snipe are quite common in the UK. When I waded onto these shores I had a hard time convincing the locals that they exist.

We have them in the US.

 

[Rudi]

That is a great story! RUN KIDS RUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Onomea]

Gotta put salt on their tails to catch 'em, ya know.

 

[Greyman50]

Stories bring back many good memories of summer camp close to where I grew up. I worked on the weekends teaching horsmanship and riding ( Western Only) but went to camp with all the city kids. Every week each cabin would sit around their fires and the counselor would tell ghost stories or stories about the local swamp monster( near Great Dismal Swamp). Another camp guy would be in the bushes near the cabins making noises, what a good time it was…..

 

[Kinman]

Whenever I would take off for a week or so to do some serious fishing while tent camping or later using a camper and in the last few years an RV I always made of point to tell a few stories to people that wandered into my camp asking questions and generally being neighborly which is not why I'm out to get away from it all and even though I understand the whole idea of public campgrounds I always made a point of bringing up the subject of rabies carrying mosquitoes and to be sure you wear lots of repellent and "Oh, by the way if you see my old hound dog would you let me know, he took off after a mountain lion a few days ago and I haven't seen him."