"Ethically correct" metal detecting.

[Greg (E.Tn)]

I am asking for an opinion, consensus, and hope I do not offend with this question.

As we all understand the courtesies that should be extended to a property owner who allows us to detect on their property, especially regarding digging and target recovery, how we treat the property owner's yard is critical to being invited back to detect again, and also reflects on the hobby as a whole.

I recently viewed a video in which two detectorists had gotten permission to detect the yard of a house, and they were using shovels designed for metal detectorists. They were being as neat as possible with those diggers, but the image of the two of them, armed with shovels, digging holes all over the front yard, made me cringe a little bit.

I have always used a hand digger when digging targets in yards and areas where the grass is manicured. If I'm in the pasture or woods, I don't worry about appearances other than making sure my holes are filled properly.

In the yard of a permission, though, I wouldn't use a shovel. For one thing, I would be afraid I'd be told to leave---or not invited back.

Am I being too sensitive about this? Does it depend on circumstances I haven't considered?

Thanks in advance for any input.

 

[jim tn]

I am with you loud and clear, Greg, on this topic. Lawns, parks and school yards are a huge no, no, for shovels. Many such digging devices actually do a great job of digging a plug, but its the perception on lookers have of seeing someone with a metal detector in one hand and a shovel in the other. Using a shovel on yards and public spots hurts the individual that does and the hobby as a whole. HH jim tn

 

[Confetrit]

I would have to agree with this also. I am primarily a relic hunter and we hunt deep in the woods using shovels, but even then this ground that we hunt has Historical significance and is sacred to most all relic hunters. Even in the middle of nowhere we replace the plug and leave the ground as we found it. But manicured lawns with the owners permission would be a no go using a shovel. This was a good post.

 

[dfmike]

I agree with what has been mentioned in this post. I use a Barracuda shovel in the deep woods exclusively and hand diggers for everything else. I think the shovel actually makes a cleaner plug with less effort but it gives the wrong impression in open public spaces. I try to look as inconspicuous as I can when metal detecting so using a short hand tool and replacing the plugs with care is the only way to go.

 

[still looking 52]

Just makes good common sense to use the hand diggers in open view of the land owner.

 

[mrwilburino]

Most people will never notice the holes that most of us dig, but they will certainly see that shovel. Let's keep our sites open.

 

[LTimedigger]

I see this from a somewhat different perspective. I do not dig a plug with a hand digger. Where I dig most good stuff is really deep and i'd still have to dig out a lot of soil to find it which takes a lot of time. I've also have had at least 2 shots in my hand from stressed tendons from using hand diggers. This doesnt mean I don't use good technique. I NEVER use a wide blade shovel only one's made for MDing. If i miss my pinpoint, I then digout the object with a trowel place the extra fill dirt on a towel and pour it back in the hole. I also dig my plug only on three sides which makes replacing the plug easy and avoids killing the grass. I do not hunt in the driest months which makes fill in harder. If I do a yard, I only ask permission from folks who I already know not strangers since they're not likely to get uptight if they know I use a shovel. Now for public spots. Maybe its the area in which I live, but folks here as long as your covering your holes, if they notice you at all, its to ask questions about your hobby. This includes maintenance workers, teachers, policemen, or just folks using the facilities. They have sense enough to know that the first good rain will wipe out any trace of your hole, while all the trash that people are too lazy to carry out will still be seen on the ground. Hope this helps. HH

 

[jmaclen]

Great topic and answers.

I always get a kick out of watching YouTube videos of people digging huge plugs in public parks. That could never happen where I live without consequences. Two counties in my area have completely banned metal detecting in public areas and the city of Colorado Springs has banned it in public parks. It is way too dry here for big or small plug digging in parks and school grassy areas. The only "safe" method is cutting a slit with a turf knife or sharp screwdriver and coin popping. I would love to see some of those same plug diggers on YouTube make some videos trying to do coin popping of 8" targets like we have to do here.

Jeff

 

[Simpsonslammer]

I couldn't agree more. What really gets me is when guys who fling loose dirt all over the grass. I all ways carry a towel and place any loose dirt on it. It makes for a much cleaner dig site and makes it much easier to dump it all back in the hole

 

[Greg (E.Tn)]

n/t

 

[DirtyDeedsDugDirtDeep]

I've been detecting on and off since the mid 70's .
Back then, we didn't have all the fancy purpose built tools they have today, but the code of ethics was the same as now: treat other's land better than your own,take all trash with you, and leave little or no trace of your activity. Heck, I used to get by with nothing more than a dandelion digger or a broad blade screwdriver when I was in a park. And I was pulling out coins that were down 4-5 inches without having to dig a bomb crater. I always carried a paper plate or piece of old carpet to put the dirt on and pour everything back in the hole, nice and neat.
I think the new detectors are so sensitive and some operators a bit too lazy, that they just automatically dig a hole assuming the target is deep when it could be only an inch or so.
I got in the habit of checking with my pinpointer before I cut a plug just to be sure it isn't right under the grass. Many times I've coaxed coins out of the sod without any real digging.
But yeah, I've seen guys in nice front yards and in parks with a shovel and I'm thinking WTF ??? !! As always, the few will ruin it for the many.

 

[IDXMonster]

Just makes good common sense to use the hand diggers in open view of the land owner.

If I was on a private permission with a decent looking lawn,I totally agree. It simply “softens the blow” by appearing to be more sensitive to the property,whether that’s actually the case or not. You’re dealing with a person one-on-one,so it’s more personal and deserves at least the appearance of respect. If I were a “permission guy” I would use the trowel. JMO...

 

[BobOso]

I've been detecting on and off since the mid 70's .
Back then, we didn't have all the fancy purpose built tools they have today, but the code of ethics was the same as now: treat other's land better than your own,take all trash with you, and leave little or no trace of your activity. Heck, I used to get by with nothing more than a dandelion digger or a broad blade screwdriver when I was in a park. And I was pulling out coins that were down 4-5 inches without having to dig a bomb crater. I always carried a paper plate or piece of old carpet to put the dirt on and pour everything back in the hole, nice and neat.
I think the new detectors are so sensitive and some operators a bit too lazy, that they just automatically dig a hole assuming the target is deep when it could be only an inch or so.
I got in the habit of checking with my pinpointer before I cut a plug just to be sure it isn't right under the grass. Many times I've coaxed coins out of the sod without any real digging.
But yeah, I've seen guys in nice front yards and in parks with a shovel and I'm thinking WTF ??? !! As always, the few will ruin it for the many.

X2 on that, I only used a screwdriver in the 70's

 

[HaroldILL.]

You can't tell the YouTube hero's anything as people in other forums pat them on the back and call us guys grumpy old men because We try to do things right in order to keep the hobby around. One day they will pull up to their favorite site and there will be a No Detecting sign. And then it will be too late.

 

[alaskaseeker]

Here is what I've done before, you may too water the lawn carefully the night before, I never had a problem doing that for the owner ...Some parks too I would never go there until after a good rain.. Just some thoughts I'm throwing out there simple things to do to protect lawns...

 

[dgerst]

If it's too deep to pop out with a screwdriver I use the slit method with a Wilcox trowel and a silicone baking sheet to dump the dirt on. It's quick and you can recover deep targets without leaving a trace. Just pour the dirt back in and close the slit.

 

[doc holiday232]

Excellent post,however, the longer I am around the Less respect I have for my fellow man---tooooooo many Slobs.Especially the ones who put their trash in the bed of their truck uncovered and just let it blow out along the road.

 

[mtdoramike]

I'm sure the property owner saw them with shovels. Now, I don't use a spade to dig with in most all situations, I use a hand digger or if in a yard of private residence, I use a screw driver. I went to metal detect a bus parking lot of a high school years ago with permission from the Principle. But when I got to the parking lot, I found hundreds of spots of brown dead grass in the shape of an "O". When I got to investigating it, I found that the parking lot had been visited and hunted by some other metal detectorist (if you can call the SOB that). They had dug out a plug then put the plug back, which might have been OK if it weren't during the hottest and driest part of the summer here in Florida. I was ashamed to have to go back to the Principle and report what I had found and reassure her that It had not been me. I didn't have the heart or will any longer to hunt that parking lot. It turned out they DIDN'T have permission to hunt the field.

I'm constantly take back by how many detector people that don't seem to understand that just because a property has public access like schools during business hours is still not open to hunt without permission. It's errors in judgement like this which cause us to lose hunting grounds.

 

[mtdoramike]

That will teach you next time to back off

 

[chuck ky]

In Kentucky and Indiana per!mission isn't needed to hunt public schools after school hours.