We made bows out of tree limbs and string and arrows out of straight hedge shoots. We put a METAL bottle cap over the end of the “arrow” and stomped on it to sandwich a sharp point.Had one of those buggers go right through my cheek.
We used the bottle caps for arrow heads, too. I guess we were into recycling long before it became hip.
We also made slingshots. Marbles and ball bearings were great ammo. I got to be pretty danged accurate.
Born in 1960 - all sorts of similar stories. Summer days were usually spent down at the creek about 2 miles from home with my friends - no parents. I know for sure I was in the fourth grade doing all of that on my bike, and perhaps earlier. Ride to the indoor mall, etc.
Your arrow story - a buddy had a big “rubber band” - I have not idea what it really was, but it was big and strong. We tied it around the two light posts at the end of his driveway and got it really tight. Put an arrow on it to see what would happen.
That arrow went across the street, across the neighbor’s front yard, over their one story house and then disappeared. We assumed it landed in her back yard (spinster widows actually) - but we never heard more about it - so who knows where it went.
She and her sister were still there during my college days. She had a pristine 1954 Chevy BelAir that was garaged and she drove maybe twice a month if it was sunny out. When I would come home from college I would ask her if she was ready to sell it, and to keep me in mind.
One Christmas I came home and she told me “I sold it to a nice Christian man from my church.”
Probably for the best. I would not have given it the care it deserved. Hopefully he did. I can just imagine him giving her $500 to “take that old car off of her hands”.