I would disagree with those of the answers so far, that pin this blame on either: a) TV shows about detecting, or b) past md'rs who "left holes",
The reason I am not so quick to have the knee-jerk reaction of those two oft-cited reasons, is this:
For: a) I've been at this for 35+ yrs. now. LONG before any such shows came out. And TRUST me: bootings (because some busy-body perceived you might be about to leave holes) has ALWAYS been going on. And I highly doubt that many non-md'rs are watching that junk. I mean, sure, we've all tuned into it (if for nothing else but curiosity). Why? Because we're into md'ing, doh!
And as such, we are victim to the pscyhology known as "portrayal". The thinking that ... in the same fashion ...
so too is everybody else tuning in. And when we see a glaring error or poor portrayal that we gasp at, we automatically "portray" that
so too have all sorts of other people tuned in, and have gotten turned off by the same mis-perceptions. But think about it: When was the last time you tuned in to the home shopping channel? The Yoga Channel? Real Housewives of NY? informercials on kitchen blenders? etc... Of COURSE you and I don't watch that type stuff (because we're not into yoga, or blenders, or hollywood gossip, etc...). But those type people that are into those things, when they see an error on those shows, they too portray that everyone is watching, everyone cares, etc... Thus I highly doubt that anyone, except those like us might be "into that", are watching. But even if you disagree with this,
it still doesn't matter, because as I say: Bootings where someone says "because of holes" has been going on LONG before those shows.
And for b) While it's certainly possible that "someone left holes" thus leading to a city-wide rule (or policy of interpretation on existing rules), you also need to take this into account: The person booting you might say "because of holes" or "you can't dig", right? So what's the knee-jerk reaction of the md'r ? It's to think this:
"durned those people who must've left holes in the past". But this too need not necessarily be the case. Because let's face it guys: What is the inherent implication and connotation of metal detectors .... TO BEGIN WITH (even if the casual observer has never actually seen one in use before, or paid attention before, etc...)? HOLES of course. Even when they have no actual case of past holes, or have ever encountered one left by an md'r, it can STILL be the automatic assumption (understandibly so), when they see an md'r, and the wheels-of-thought get started in their brain (I mean, doh, how else are we going to recover those things?). And when the come up to boot you, they cite "holes", or "dig", but it never meant there was actually ever a case in the past that they're aware of.
But let's cut to the chase: All cities, in every state, have rules for their parks which ALWAYS forbid things like "alterations", "defacement", "vandalism", and so forth. I mean, duh, of course. Because how else would they prosecute someone who puts graffitti on walls, or sets fire to the picnic benches, etc...? But all such verbage distinctly and inherently refers to the end results, right? In other words, if you leave the park exactly as you found it, then technically, you have not alter
ED, defac
ED, or vandaliz
ED anything,
now have you? Now sure, someone can come up and debate those semantics with you if they want, I agree. And sure, this doesn't solve the dilema if the word "dig" is used in the rules (but which I would still argue pertains to the end results).
The trouble is going to be, that you can certainly go argue that 1) there is nothing specifically forbidding detecting, and 2) that verbage about "alterations" and so forth don't apply, because you leave no trace. But the problem is going to be, that you will be on the loosing end of that argument. I mean, let's face it: why should they be bothered? If they say "yes ok" to you, then the next yahoo may not be so careful, so .... what do you think the easy answer is going to be?
So I do not accept verbage about digging, alterations, and so forth to apply. Yes someone else can come up and morph those things and say they apply, sure. It can happen. But we can not assume ahead of time that they do, lest ..... you might as well give it up now and choose another hobby. Because as I say, rules like that exist everywhere. Yet as we all know (for example as attested to by your having gone 4 yrs. and no one cared less!) that most of the time, so long as you're not being a nuisance, sticking out, or actually leaving a mess, then ........ no one cares or thinks to morph such things.
Thus I've gotten to where I just avoid those busy-bodies. And yes, you have to develope a tough skin if turf-hunting is your type hunting, because you can't 100% gaurantee that such encounter will never happen. Even going in ahead and time and thinking "permission" (as if it were needed) will solve that, fails on 2 counts: 1) they can just say "no you can't", when no one would ever have cared or noticed (till you asked), or 2) they can say "sure, have a ball, go ahead". But the someone else comes along and gripes. You proudly whip out your "permission". So that cop or gardener gets on his phone, calls down to city hall, and says "....
but he's tearing the place up" (which isn't true, but guess who they'll believe?). And then guess what happens to your "permission"? It gets promptly revoked. So permission is rarely the answer either then (nor was it necessary to begin with, if there wasn't a *specific* prohibition, in my opinion, no-more-so than you'd think you need permission to fly frisbees).
I've had places like that, where I detected for years unbothered, yet one day got booted. And to be honest with you, I just give that one place a rest, and go back later anyhow. I mean, just avoid "just that one person" or "just that one park", etc.... Like for example, sometimes when it's a cop doing the booting, believe it or not, they're just responding to a call (when perhaps they personally could care less). And when they show up, they're duty-bound to follow through and satisfy "miss lookie-lou" who griped because she thought you were bothering parakeets. Or if it's a gardener that did the booting, then odds are, their shifts end at 5 or 6pm, right? Or don't work Sundays right?
We have a major park here in CA, in a major city (the park is many square miles big) where ....... it's been detected for 40+ yrs. now. In that time, there's been a few lone isolated incidents where someone got booted, or told "you can't do that". And oddly, like in your situation, other gardeners could care less, or you can waltz right in front of cops on their lunch breaks sitting in their squad cars up on the street while you're in plain view of them. It could be just a single gardener or official with a "bee in his bonnet" who just doesn't happen to like mdr's (because he connects the dots of the admitted connotations). Or someone "just having a bad day", etc.. WHO KNOWS? And on one of those occasions, several of us discussed it on regional specific forum for our area, and got up in arms thinking "
we need to fight this" or "
we need to get this clarified" etc.... But in the end, we coorporately decided that it's better left alone and NOT makes ourselves an issue of a "pressing question that needs attention". In other words, we all sort of ... wink wink .... knew that it was rare, and that truth-be-told, there was probably just a single guy to avoid, and just give that one fellow lip-service, etc.... Contrast to if we were to start asking, petitioning, fighting, etc... we might only end up with a new policy or rule, to fit this.
I have parks where I've been booted before, and just gave them a 6 month rest. Go back later, and ..... odds are, it was an isolated incident. But this is case-specfic of course. I mean, sure, if it's a small Mayberry RFD town with city-hall and police dept. over-looking the park, or some such thing where you can't give lip service, and simply go later, or to another park, then ..... that's on a case-by-case basis.
But if there's no actual specific rule (and I don't mean ancillary "alterations" stuff), then I would just return at a more opportune time. Heck, it's gotten to where I hunt turfed parks at night now. So peaceful. So serene. No busy-bodies or lookie-lous
