Hunting etiquette- Seeking your input

[Surfline]

Forum,

I would like your input on hunting etiquette. I was at the Shore a month or so ago and found a very productive area after searching for a while. As I continued to dig many targets, I noticed other detectorists starting to slowly migrate in my direction (not my imagination). They were staying at least 10 feet away, mainly in the water or up higher on the beach. I would like to get input from the forum on this example. I look forward to hearing from you.

Surfline

 

[goodmore]

I think that you experienced some rude fellows. But that is something that can happen on public land. Same thing happens deer hunting. I had people plop right down near me. You would think with thousands of miles of coast line you would not have to compete.

 

[seeker41]

well....i would stay out of your area unless i was already headed that way(working a line or grid). then i would pass by(say within 20 feet) , say hi and keep going. is that what you experianced or did they think you were in a hot area and wanted in on the action? happens in fishing situations. and yes "horning in" on someones spot is wrong!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Surfline]

Seeker41,

Great input.

I noticed that they were not digging much in their areas and they seemed to accelerate their speed to where I was hunting. I realize it is public land (beach), but it seemed a little aggressive. It took me a while to find the spot, so I was trying to work quickly, digging like crazy. Maybe next time I will bluff and wait until they leave, marking my spots with "X's!" Kind of like fishing or deer hunting.

Surfline

 

[Surfline]

Goodmore,

Yeah, it kind of reminded me of an episode of Dealiest Catch when they were dropping pots and another boat was right behind them also dropping pots. Like the ocean (or beach for that matter) isn't big enough!

Surfline

 

[Goldak]

I think 10 ft. is too close even if you are just passing by. It could interfere with your tuning. Seeker41's 20 ft. rule sounds about right for a minimum but even that would annoy me, especially, if there was plenty of beach.

 

[Dig]

Messing up someones tuning is the worst part. It's not good for either of you. I try to always say hello to a fellow detectorist (making sure to turn off my detector first)...sometimes they are friendly...sometimes they are jackasses. You never know, but I have made some nice friends (and nice finds) by saying hello. The important thing though is to respect another persons area and not intrude. Say hey...then go about your merry. If you want to hunt the area they are in go after they leave or pick another day. No one can find everything....As one of my local hunting pals says " Imagine you are trying to paint the beach with a 10" paintbrush and invisible paint....Think you'd miss a few spots?"....It's food for thought. Dont let someone rush you and if they get close to where you are working mark your spot and go say hi and explain that youve been working the area your in. If they are decent people (like most of the peeps that frequent this site) they will know just what you mean.

 

[Surfline]

Thanks for the input.

Surfline

 

[Surfline]

Thanks for the info on tuning. I did notice this problem once when I was showing a friend how to detect.

Surfline

 

[SharkHunter]

n/t

 

[JOHNMARKHAM]

ive meet allot of new friends by just saying hello..some want to talk a bit some not..time is valuable to some, but its understandable, i just keep going and continue my grid line, never had anyone complain to me about being in there spot and ive never worried about anyone following my lead..im just out having a bit of fun and learning about this hobby,

 

[Surfline]

I agree. Most of the time I say hello and it is a friendly atmosphere. It was a little bit of a strange situation.

 

[king-ghidorah]

Forum,

I would like your input on hunting etiquette. I was at the Shore a month or so ago and found a very productive area after searching for a while. As I continued to dig many targets, I noticed other detectorists starting to slowly migrate in my direction (not my imagination). They were staying at least 10 feet away, mainly in the water or up higher on the beach. I would like to get input from the forum on this example. I look forward to hearing from you.

Surfline

It's not your imagination! They are just trying to hop on your back and get the rewards for your observation in the field. yeah it's rude in my opinion. I remember when I first started MD I woulod start MD and this guy with his $75 would start swinging in my projected path. I ignored him because I KNOW if get what you pay for in MD standards. No $1,100 is going to get routed by some cheapie MD.

 

[BigDan]

A couple of weeks ago an older gal encroached on me like this. Initially I was furious but as I observed her, I noticed that her coil cable was not even attached to he control box and she was dragging it behind her. She was also swinging her coil at knee height.

When I was done with the area I went over and gave her a 15 minute class

 

[king-ghidorah]

A couple of weeks ago an older gal encroached on me like this. Initially I was furious but as I observed her, I noticed that her coil cable was not even attached to he control box and she was dragging it behind her. She was also swinging her coil at knee height.

When I was done with the area I went over and gave her a 15 minute class

heeHee

 

[Surfline]

Funny BigDan. I also recently tried to help a new hunter on the beach. I tried to show him what to do. After a while, he gave up. Sure enough, when I checked the holes he started to dig, there it was....

Surfline

 

[Surfline]

Thanks to the forum for your comments. I will continue covering my holes, saying hello to fellow detectorists, and removing trash from the beach. If someone gets too close, I will tell them that it may interfere with signaling.

I will keep everyone posted on my adventures.

Thanks again,

Surfline

 

[deerman]

Yes as you found out people will try to get into YOUR spot because it looks to them that YOUR digging a lot of targets and thy will try to push you faster to get you out of the spot so thy might find something you missed by because you were swinging faster trying to cover the area YOU FOUND and its not very good thing to do on there part and in the long run you all end up losing in the end and as for other people doing a grid down the beach and running into the area your detecting that's not good on there part as you were there first and thy should go around you and not run thru your area of the beach....sorry if i got anyone mad at my response just my opinion

 

[seeker41]

deerman, thats what i said i would do...... say hi, go around, and continue hunting. here are some more questions.........
1. what if one guy is working north and the other south and they are about to run into each other, who should move off of there line/grid that they are working???
2. is it ok to aproach another detectorist to chat or should i leave him alone because hes doing some serious hunting?
3. if someone is working a spot how much of an area does he "own"?
.............. could come up with more but im tired and goin to bed.

 

[dirtdigginlady]

This is a very good topic. I guess I feel differently than most here. If it's on the beach, it doesn't bother me in the least for someone to come where I am hunting and I've honestly never given it a thought about me walking onto the beach and starting to hunt where others are. I guess I feel it is PUBLIC beach and it is free for all. Maybe my views reflect the fact though that I don't take it very seriously. It's just a very fun hobby to me. I've met a lot of nice people detecting who would stop and chat. Then I've met several that were not very nice or friendly (seems to me like most of them are carrying minelabs ). The last time I was at the beach at Folly, there were usually 6 - 8 detectorist in any given part of the beach so you really wouldn't have gotten to hunt if you were afraid of getting on someone's turf.