Why More & More Sites Are Off Limits To Us! YOU'RE THE CAUSE!

[Crispy Critter]

the phycological impact of using a 'shovel" in a park that has closely mowed grass
is devastating to the casual observer,and WILL create in someone's mind a perceived act of destruction.

(h.h!)
j.t.

We're not talking about using a garden spade....are we? I use a small Lesche Samson. I believe that if someone is going to be impacted psychologically by a person detecting, that person IS going to be affected no matter what you are using to dig with, be it a small, skillfully used shovel or a hand.

 

[Ron from Michigan]

Critterhunter,My simple rules, smaller plugs or flaps are less work,and faster.Small diggers trowels and knifes= less taddle tale foot prints.don't go after deep targets close to ground keepers or park goers.Don't search close to sidewalks in heavy traffic parks unless you like complaints and talking to park rangers.Dig quick its not a mining expedition.

 

[jmaryt]

a lesche samson in a well manicured park is totally unnecessary!..you KNOW this!..why be cute?
use what ya want!..i'm just glad i'm NOT huntin' with ya!.i would rather hunt ,then get pitched!

(h.h!)
j.t.

 

[Crispy Critter]

a lesche samson in a well manicured park is totally unnecessary!..you KNOW this!..why be cute?
use what ya want!..i'm just glad i'm NOT huntin' with ya!.i would rather hunt ,then get pitched!

(h.h!)
j.t.

I wasn't being "cute" J. I was being serious. I use what works well for me for the task at hand. I do not intentionally hunt shallow clad coins. I hunt deep old coins and relics. Been doing it for 30 years without being pitched and in many cases, after working a park, receive open invitations to return from the park workers themselves. There's been several times when both they (park workers) and park goers have turned me on to other sites as well.

I think it's up to each hunter to decide for themselves, what tool is best for his or her location/situation. Just use common sense.......be neat, be courteous and don't try to hide behind trees. jmaryt....I don't want to hunt with you either. I do just fine by myself.

HH, Crispy

 

[slingshot]

Do parks and schools require anything more than a thin 10" screwdriver? Are ya'll finding coins deeper than 3-4" at these places? I pinpoint while in motion, also.

 

[fongu]

I use a small shovel at old home sites and plowed fields. Otherwise I use the small digger that came with my Garrett pouch and a phillips screwdriver. My brother who smokes always field strips his butts like they taught him in the Army in the late 1960's. My Pro Pointer helps me out a lot when I'm able to metal detect. Of course, I don't consider myself lazy, just disabled.

Common sense was still in vogue up until about the late 60's or early 70's, but it's been relegated as old fashioned by the political correct crowd. I watched a you tube video of these guys metal detecting about a year ago and they looked like they were digging foxholes on the front lines of some war.

My local church allows me to metal detect there and one of the members thought I had dug some awful holes, but after I explained it was Armadillos looking for grubs and not me, I have permission to hunt anytime.

 

[jmaryt]

i don't believe you!..if you are hunting in a well kept park with a lesche "samson" shovel,then you have either been VERY lucky for 30 years
OR you own the parks you are hunting in!..are you kidding me?..(w.t.f!)..in any event the point is,we ALL have to be cognizant that we do not
cause damage to the turf,because it effects EVERYONE'S interests!..as mentioned,in my view,using an inappropriate digging tool (shovel)
reflects on all of us,and furthermore,why attract unnecessary attention to yourself,and practically "invite" people to take a shot at ya,and get yourself kicked out!
anyway,good luck to you!..i suspect you are gonna need it!

(h.h!)
j.t.

 

[Crispy Critter]

i don't believe you!..if you are hunting in a well kept park with a lesche "samson" shovel,then you have either been VERY lucky for 30 years
OR you own the parks you are hunting in!..are you kidding me?..(w.t.f!)..in any event the point is,we ALL have to be cognizant that we do not
cause damage to the turf,because it effects EVERYONE'S interests!..as mentioned,in my view,using an inappropriate digging tool (shovel)
reflects on all of us,and furthermore,why attract unnecessary attention to yourself,and practically "invite" people to take a shot at ya,and get yourself kicked out!
anyway,good luck to you!..i suspect you are gonna need it!

(h.h!)
j.t.

It's all in the technique JT. Believe it or not, I can dig an eight inch or more deep hole quicker and neater than any I've seen being dug on videos here on the forums. In case you're wondering, I do use a groundcloth.
It's been nice chatting with you.
HH, Crispy

 

[donl98632]

I started detecting in 1980 and have never dug a plug in a park or schoolyard. I started out using a 8" screwdriver, and recovered all my finds that way for many years. The last few years I have been using a type of coin popper that Jimmy Sierra sells that resembles a long screwdriver with a bend near the end. With this you can retrieve a coin at close to 9" in depth and leave no trace of your digging and causing no dead spots on the field. I have been asked to not dig on some sports fields because of previous detectorists digging poor plugs which are pulled up by lawn mowers or by cleats on sports shoes. If asked to leave I explain my retrieval methods and if still asked to leave then do so. I try to show the same respect in digging in parks and playgrounds that I would expect from someone digging in my yard. One plus to this type recovery is you learn to very accurately pinpoint.

 

[jmaryt]

been at this too long!..sorry! not buyin what you sellin'.now IF you was using
a small "wilcox"or a coin popper,or even a standard lesche in a well kept park,i would believe that,
however a relic shovel?..don't think so!..blow somebody else with that "crap!"..nice chattin' with you!

(h.h!)
j.t.

 

[dirt doctor]

I am currently training a regiment of night crawlers for deep coin recovery on manicured lawns . I had some trained Gophers but the gardeners got ticked off and killed them ( I kept telling them little buggers to fill in their holes ). Now , the local animal rights activists want the city to compensate the families of the deceased gophers . A protest rally/flea market /car show (along with music supplied by local bands ) will be held this weekend at the park . There should be a lot of good surface finds ( not requiring any digging tools at all ) following these events . Also the town Mayor is proposing a rule that would require all people playing soccer on the fields to play barefoot .

 

[Crispy Critter]

been at this too long!..sorry! not buyin what you sellin'.now IF you was using
a small "wilcox"or a coin popper,or even a standard lesche in a well kept park,i would believe that,
however a relic shovel?..don't think so!..blow somebody else with that "crap!"..nice chattin' with you!

(h.h!)
j.t.

The blade on my shovel is five inches wide at the eight inch line and narrows down to three and one half inches. If you can't believe what I can do with the shovel, you would be completely amazed at what I can do with my Raptor. But, you won't hunt with me so I guess you'll never know for sure.

Nice chatting again
Crispy

Forgot to mention that one of the hunters dispatched (at the ranch owners request) a five foot rattler here today. We cooked it up over a fire tonight and I have to admit, rattlesnake is some good eating! I'd never tried it before. Just wanted to share that with ya. Talk to you later.

 

[jmaryt]

yes!..you are correct !..very disconcerting,however i feel with the tool (relic shovel) you describe,i would be remiss if i
DIDN'T tell you i don't want to hunt with you in a well kept park!..as others have stated,and i concur,there really is no "logical"
reason for someone to use such a tool in a park like setting!..i am NOT the only one expressing anguish over this,others
have mentioned it as well..it's "overkill" for the site mentioned,and as such, sets a dangerous precedent.

(h.h!)
j.t.

 

[jbow]

knowingly giving up our rights to those who have no authority.

I decided to leave this alone in another thread about hunting sidewalk strips. Some say that they always ask the homeowner for permission to hunt the sidewalk strip... I didn't post my thoughts there because I didn't feel like being contrary but... I would NEVER consider asking a homeowner for permission to do something that the homeowner has no authority over. If the sidewalk strip belongs to the city... then only the city can give or deny permission and most will give permission. Asking the homeowner for permission is asking for trouble and giving the authority to deny you permission to someone who does not have that authority... that, to me, makes absolutely no sense... it is voluntarily ceding our rights and I refuse to do that.

Now, if a homeowner comes out and asks me what I am doing, and if after I tell them and show them... if they ask me to not do it I will move on to the next house but I would not allow them to run me off from there because it is none of their business. I am also very careful to not make a mess if I am hunting a sidewalk strip. Also, I have never been denied permission to hunt a sidewalk tearout by workers, they are always interested to see if I find anything. The last one I came on was right beside Tanyard Creek on Collier Rd in Atlanta... right in the middle of the battle of Peachtree creek. It was about a 15' tearout and I quickly found a yankee 3-ringer. I gave it to a young black worker... i'll never forget his look when he asked me if it was a union bullet from the civil war and I gave it to him.

Anyway, we can lose our rights to hunt by presenting a bad image, an image of someone digging holes in a park but we can also lose them by just giving them up to those who have no authority.... I am too old and too southern to do that. I find most people to be reasonable if I do not become defensive and if I am open with them and friendly... but I won't just give them my rights.

J

 

[dirt doctor]

knowingly giving up our rights to those who have no authority.

I decided to leave this alone in another thread about hunting sidewalk strips. Some say that they always ask the homeowner for permission to hunt the sidewalk strip... I didn't post my thoughts there because I didn't feel like being contrary but... I would NEVER consider asking a homeowner for permission to do something that the homeowner has no authority over. If the sidewalk strip belongs to the city... then only the city can give or deny permission and most will give permission. Asking the homeowner for permission is asking for trouble and giving the authority to deny you permission to someone who does not have that authority... that, to me, makes absolutely no sense... it is voluntarily ceding our rights and I refuse to do that.

Now, if a homeowner comes out and asks me what I am doing, and if after I tell them and show them... if they ask me to not do it I will move on to the next house but I would not allow them to run me off from there because it is none of their business. I am also very careful to not make a mess if I am hunting a sidewalk strip. Also, I have never been denied permission to hunt a sidewalk tearout by workers, they are always interested to see if I find anything. The last one I came on was right beside Tanyard Creek on Collier Rd in Atlanta... right in the middle of the battle of Peachtree creek. It was about a 15' tearout and I quickly found a yankee 3-ringer. I gave it to a young black worker... i'll never forget his look when he asked me if it was a union bullet from the civil war and I gave it to him.

Anyway, we can lose our rights to hunt by presenting a bad image, an image of someone digging holes in a park but we can also lose them by just giving them up to those who have no authority.... I am too old and too southern to do that. I find most people to be reasonable if I do not become defensive and if I am open with them and friendly... but I won't just give them my rights.

J

Well put Julien , you've got a good attitude and are a reasonable person .

 

[dirtdigginlady]

It's not JUST what you use to dig but how you dig as well. I've seen Minelab users with the right digging tool cut out a big round clump as big as a dinner plate and about 6 inches deep, lift it out then dig the target out and just lightly lay the bug clump back on the place. The clump was not even close to being embedded back in the hole as it was so hugh. When I asked about this, the guy said well Minelabs can't pinpoint so this is how we have to do it. To beat it all this was in my town park. I was never so embarrassed in my life by the mess he left every where. This person also had the reputation of being one of the BEST metal detectorist anywhere.

 

[Dadsnorz]

The biggest reason we are finding it harder to gain permission to detect, I believe, is how our litigation happy society has trained virtually every person in a position of authority to question "How much legal exposure will I face by letting a total stranger on this property for which I am responsible?" or "Will I lose my job for an accident happening while on my watch"... While the size of our digging tools, disposition, and property condition we leave are vitally important, I think the one common thread that all decision makers have is how much legal exposure do they face for letting anybody, outside of those who have the express need to be on property, on site to dig, (or to do anything else, for that matter.) Getting permission from one decision maker may work this week, but that persons boss may reverse that decision the first time you are seen on site. Just my take in what has changed over the last few decades....
"The more I think about, ol Willy was right.
Lets kill all the lawyers, lets kill 'em tonight.." - The Eagles
(sorry to my attorney friends)

 

[norman maassey]

I feel the same way when it all come bown to it most of the people that try stop us from .hunting a public site don't right to or don't KNOW the laws or rule that they are that in to enforce.

I hunt a mostly demo site. Been a demo contractor and carry a $100,000.00 General liability on me and my company I still run to site were i still get the What if You do something or smoothing happens B.S.

 

[norman maassey]

[size=medium][/size] In Houston, TX. Metro is the transit system You know the city buses and rail lines. Metro is at this time are adding three new rail lines and making some longer.

I am a member of the Houston Artifact Recovery Club and have been hunted all Metro demo.sites for years. Some of this demo.sites are in the older parts of Houston and are great Sites to hunt. One of best sites is across the street from University Of Houston. This area is to be a depot and they removed one side of six block to make room for it.

There were about 6 to 10 of us hunting this site 2 to 3 days a week. Most of the time there would be 2 to 3 of us on weekday late afternoon and that the most 6 on Sundays. From better two months to hunt this site that less-est once a week the Metro Police patrol car the Transit system has they're own Police force) would come by on their brake to see what we were digging

. One of the best lots is on a corner. This lot gave up more silver and jewel then most of the other lots together. and we hit HARD. In the house that backed up to lived a little old LADY in mid 80's just as SWEET as She could be. I called Mrs. D. Some Sunday morning she gave me cookies or eat one of my donuts. BUT SUNDAY AFTER CHURCH about 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. some of her family would show up and there would be a younger woman that looked a whole lot Mrs. D. Some Sundays she would came out in to the back yard and start rising H-LL and she had ALL the rights to everything on and the ground for six blocks and we were Stealing from her. We would move off down the street. And or she called the Metro Police. the Police would pull up get out the unless it was MUDDY and meet the closes of us to the street and shake hand and tell us we had to leave and they would see us later in the week. This happened 5 or 6 Sunday out of maybe 10. It by came a Game between The Police and us.

 

[norman maassey]

I have been hunting all over Texas ( no that' a bit to much). Let's just say Abilene, Dallas, FT. Worth, Houston, and many other cities and Towns in TX. I call my self a URBAN BUFFET hunter. Will try any where once------ if it is Good I will go back for seconds and thirds. Been known to hunt 10 to 12 hours a day in my younger years, but had to cut back due to bad knees and hips. I roofed for 25 years).


I too started out using small knives and screwdriver. Today I too use what gets the job do be it a Sharpshooter with half the cut off. Lately it is a long handled water line shovel with a 4 X 9 blade made by Rigid Tool and sells it. It Does not matter want one uses if they leave less LONG TERM damage then a dog, cats, or rodent it is all Right. I Cover And Hide My HOLES!! animals don't

. [size=large]I still can hunt a few Harris county even after they were ban due to the State of TEXAS Antiquity Laws. Anything under ground older then 50 years is protected and just about City, county, state and Federal owned land fell under these.[/size]

.This closing more sites then ALL BAD DIGGER do.
Now I hunt mostly demo sites.One can only dig some much CLAD so I don't hit school and parks like I used to.. Must of the schools and parks are less then 50 years here. Now if I lived East of the Mississippi it would a another story.


For over 20 years. of hunting I have been told no twice. The first time was a small town school that hunted for years. A Newbie last this to me. He sneaked around with a a (Small digging tool and) butcher the football field,.
Here in Abilene, TX there is a University (HSU) and a Large medical center (MC) real close together that are buying up blocks and blocks in the same 1920's of 1930's area. I have permission to hunt all those sites before and after demo. I was told the M. C. and H.S.U. if the electric meter was remove from a a House it belong to one or the other hunt it. What I I would is pull into the ally stand on the tailgate of my P/U to check meter. One St. morning we found a meter gone from a Large Victorian I had been watching for three years. We hunted for about two hours before a man from next door walked up and asked if we had permission. I nicely said yes Sir I do. if doesn't have a meter and belongs to MC or HSU. Come to find out It do not and We were trespassing. I spent the next 0 minutes TELLING him HOW SORRY I WAS And it was my fault not my Bibby's. Some one out state grabbed it first. The next 10 minutes was showing him our finds and before it was over he turned me on to 2 homes he own and 5 homes of friends and family.