Got run off today

[KinTN]

1st time ever, I was asked to leave a schoolyard by deputies today.

Now I had asked the Sheriff's Dept and the city Chief of Police before I began hunting the parks and schooyards in this area. Everyone said, "there is no law against it; be sure and fill your holes and dont be an idiot" (or words to that efffect). The chief said that if I found anything REALLY valuable I had to split it with him. I told him Of Course, while telling his sectetary he'd have to hunt me down in the Bahamas if I found anything that good.

Anyway, I've hunted this school every weekend for about a month and had, literally, about 50 sq yds to go when a deputy rolls up. He said someone called the principal and the principal called them as asked them to ask me to leave. I said, OK cause when a officer tells me to leave, I Leave. After making sure that he understood that I wasnt arguing with him, I told him about my permissions and assured him I always leave a place better than I found it (removed trash etc). He was very sympathetic, suggesting that I see the principal on monday and get her ok. I thanked him but declined as I was all but done here and theres so many other places to hunt. Everything was totally professional on both sides.

I think what happened was a teacher came to the school and was scared of me or something. Now, I'm not particularly scary, kinda on the small to average size, and have said hello and/or waved to 15-20 other teachers over the course of my hunts here, but this one wouldnt catch my eye as I tried to say hi and wave to her when she walked in. Musta thought I craved her or something. (actually she was seriously [size=x-small](like missing a chromosome type)[/size] ugly and fat so maybe she was acting out her fantasies.....shudder!)

So I busted my cherry today. Very suprised as everywhere I have asked, even at some parks I never expected to get permission, I have gotten an "Sure and Thank You for asking". I guess I've been spoiled.


Oh, pulled in $11+ in change including wheats and 2 nice 925 Ag rings. All in all a good day at the schoolyard.

 

[mudpuppy]

Bummer! Makes for a great post though, and You dealt with it correctly...I've been hitting the schools over this Spring break hard too, but I noticed a lot of activity with teachers and whatnot going on..some of them I have just passed because I got the creepy vibes...lets see, its been a while since I got tossed, probably due! Congratulations on the rings and cherry and all...
Mud

 

[kscowgirl]

Whow, today must be run off day. I got run off today also but it was totally my bad. A friend and I went detecting at another friends parents house trying to find a ring lost many years ago. After a couple hours of searching, and hearing several different accounts of where the ring was lost we both gave up on the ring. But we both noticed a old rock house next door that we were told by the parents of our friend, and our friend also told us it was left abandoned several years ago leaving all their junk (tons of junk cars, trash, old washer, worn down buildings ect) and that they didn't know of anyone really owning it anymore. So we drove over there, saw the trash, no cars that looked like they have ran in years, grass uncut for years, no walkways to the doors, front porch gone to the front door. So we started to detect. Oh I should have listened to that little voice inside me. After about 10 mins of detecting a man with a gun came out around to the front where I was asking me what I was doing there. Whow, was not expecting that at all. Told him how sorry I was that we had been told that no one owned it and it was left abandoned and then my metal detecting friend and I hear about the feud that has been going on between him and friends parents since they don't like how he keeps his place and will have friends out to shoot guns. We again told him how sorry we were and then went back to confront our friend and their 80 year old parents. We also then got a visit by two sheriff officers where we explained ourselves but again inside I realize that I was totally in the wrong and should have went and did research on the property before ever stepping foot on it. We didn't get ticketed so lesson thank goodness was a cheep one. It was diffidently a lesson learned to ALWAYS get permission first NO MATTER WHAT.

 

[kschae4]

Glad to see that you both are okay after these unnecessary incidents.

 

[Prep1957]

I quit hunting active schools during the school year only hunt on summer break when kids are gone.Even then I hunt early Sunday or Sunday evenings it is every ones day off at school and the less people know what you are doing the better.Do not use a knife to dig with and that includes a Leshe Digger I have had 2 police officers tell me as far as they are concerned the Leshe is a knife inside the 1000 foot school safety zone.But I was OKed to use small shovel or Raptor.Welcome to Communist Republic of Illinois.Also hunting by yourself seems to get you less noticed also.

 

[KinTN]

I think thats a good way to do it and have adopted only hunting when school is out as standard policy. I think all the year end stress may have played a part in it as I have hunted local schoolyards literally for years(as have many others). Just no need to stir up any bad feelings if you dont have to; theres plenty of places to hunt in the meantime.