Hi All.

[Mike Chgo area]

Earlier in the week I finally got a silver ring in the wood chips. Remember those 2 old silver coins I got a while back. Those came out of a Cook County Forest Preserve. I have found out that these are now off limits for metal detecting. Hope the clubs in this area will get together along with all who metal detect around here and try and get something done about it.

 

[steve in so la]

answers my question to you Hope a detector force can do something, steve in so az

 

[Ma Betty in MO]

n/t

 

[SeniorSeeker]

To some extent, I can see the issue of no metal detecting from what happened here locally. Someone, without proper digging ability and or training, went to one of our local city parks detecting and used a shovel to dig rather than use a hand trowel. Unfortunately it ended in that part of the park being closed to metal detecting. After speaking to the director of the parks, it opened it to metal detecting again but with the condition that we not leave any divots.

Part of the problem is that the retailers want only to make a sale and won't take on the responsibility of giving the new hunter at least the basics in proper digging techniques.

The other end of the issue is that most of the local clubs don't actively work with the retailers to make their club available to the new person. So the end result is parks being closed to metal detecting because of the damage done to the area. I can understand both ends of the issue. As far as I know, I'm the only one who contacts the local retailers offering to train the 'newbie' in proper digging techniques. I haven't gotten any calls to speak of in the past year or so.

 

[tometusns]

yep, I work for the park dept and I`ve seen those shovel guys...but for the most part we don`t have any trouble. I try to recover my target and replace the dirt/plug so as you aren`t able to tell I was there. I also remove all I dig, unlike some people . I was with a guy a while back and he was just tossing his junk off to the side while we were looking in one of the parks. I did pick up what I saw that he had discarded but I know I didn`t get it all...just silly to do that...at least that`s what I think...

 

[Ma Betty in MO]

n/t

 

[Mike from MI "Iron Brigade"]

I just learned about the closings. I plan to see what our club can do to help out.

 

[C.J.M.]

we need all the help we can get,if people who detect go down:veryangry:then the dealers are soon to follow!!!

 

[PeggyK]

Yeah - our local club emphasized "code of ethics" hunting. I even published an article on digging a hinged plug in our newsletter. It is REALLY important here, because we are a semi-desert area. But we still have the "treasure hunters" who run out with a shovel and leave holes/ garbage. It makes it really hard for serious hobbyists.