This looks bad for someone...

[Silver Searcher]

Not a smart thing to do, but the stuff was not lost to anyone, because it will just rot. Was it taken by people who it didn't belong to, sure, but not lost.

That's true, it's only ever lost after it's been found and dug up. So much getting destroyed over here with modern farming methods, and the Archy's saying leave it for us to recover.

SS

 

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[flgliderpilot]

People have to much time on their hands. These guys were metal detecting on property that was not theirs. They went detecting on a nice day to look for coins or artifacts in a field without a NO Trespassing sign. They are harassed by a ninja who is bent on escalating nothing into something for no reason. Conversation should have been : Hello guys not sure if you know this, it is private property and the owner does not want you on the property. Done.. see ya move on. In addition why have you not dug on the property ? You should seek your own permission, remove any objects of any historic significance, and donate to the cause. BTW. Here in NY it will be a cold day in hell if you get arrested for trespassing without a sign. Its a non issue the first time, after that could cost you $50.00 fine. PS it could cost you a fat lip also.. To many more important issues to deal with in the world.. I for one will seek all possible options to get permission. These guys were just enjoying the day hoping the owner would drop by and grant them permission... JIm

Exactly, but this is the age of social media and everyone needs a good story to get those likes. " Ohhhh my heart is breaking thinking of all this history that has already been lost ..." Oh yeah I'm sure you are crying yourself to sleep. In the *real* world, someone says "Hey guys, you are trespassing. Please don't detect here. If you'd asked first I may have let you." End story.

 

[FreeBirdTim]

Private property is PRIVATE property. Not alot to discuss

Sorry, you're wrong. If this land abuts public land, then it could have been a simple mistake. And if you're afraid someone is going to dig up something historic (very doubtful) on this property, then post signs and put up fences.

 

[Rawhide]

Takes a crook to catch a crook. Glad I dont live with crooks. Unfortunately it appears all partys are wrong to some degree. If you havent checked your local museum or university lately. You will not be told the best and important finds are locked away and will never see the light of day nor will you hear about them. Since this also a detecting sight I would say lets lean towards the guys being told wrong or was on the wrong property by accident. The place wasnt marked and had been detected in the past by a diggers show. I carry GPS and I can tell you it doesn't even appear to be right as things arent always up to date. Even the BLM and Forestry departments give you the first warning free. But I have been in the same shoes as this lady. She was very nice about it. I actually shot the last trespassers as I wasn't putting me or my family in danger nor waiting for Barney Fife to show up. Now they had their running shoes on and I didn't hit anyone. Those guys were not detecting, they were flat out stealing out of a outbuilding. My point is you can be shot if your own the wrong property. I wish the lady luck with her bed and breakfast and the 600 plus acres she farms. Taxes got to be paid right, us retired types with our metal detectors need our monthly checks lol. I think her statement would have been more correct if she said how much history she has lost. Also the trinkets and coins are worth next to nothing compared to gas, times, and the cost of detectors. I never hunt without permission. I fill all holes. I cart out my trash. Unless agreed upon first, I never remove anything from a site i detect. I would like to think all folks are doing that. As I meet more and more people who dont understand what it is I do I find myself going farther and farther away to detect from people. I have lost some good friends over a coin in the mud. But Im not the one with the problem.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Sorry, you're wrong. If this land abuts public land, then it could have been a simple mistake. And if you're afraid someone is going to dig up something historic (very doubtful) on this property, then post signs and put up fences.

It wasn't a simple mistake of wondering off public land, they told her they had permission which they didn't....

 

[kcm]

Casca wrote, "As I meet more and more people who dont understand what it is I do I find myself going farther and farther away to detect from people."

Wife and I went so far that we live "literally" in the middle of nowhere. But that didn't work, either. Have been coming to the conclusion that I need to "expect" the worst from people, and then be pleasantly surprised when the "worst" isn't what happens. ...But even that is a hard way to live.

 

[Captain Caveman]

Private property is PRIVATE property. Not alot to discuss.

Exactly. If I've spent my hard earned money on some land, I should not have to spend more money to buy fences and put up signs to keep people off of it. For those that don't agree, would you be fine waking up one morning and seeing people doing stuff in your back yard? (metal detecting, playing horseshoes, sun tanning, drinking beer....) Do you have No Trespass signs up? What if they said they had permission? Your yard does touch a public road, doesn't it?

I just think this type of stuff makes all MDers look bad and I will never defend this type of activity. I always have permission before I detect land unless it's obviously a park.

 

[Jim in Idaho]

Here in Idaho you are required to have written permission in your possession. The fenceposts have to be marked with orange paint....OR the land has to be obviously cultivated. If either is the case...it's private! If hunting or fishing without permission, you lose your license for a year....mandatory. Don't know the penalty for metal detecting...doubt there is one....probably a fine. But, if you're asked to leave and you do....no penalty.
Jim

 

[kcm]

Here in Minnesota, for hunting season anyway, ALL agricultural land is considered Private Property/No Trespassing whether it's posted or not. For me personally, if I'm too lazy to go around and post signs even on the property corners, then it's "MY OWN FAULT" if someone claims to not know they're on private land. Anyone I give permission to, I give in writing - and the written slip states that it must be in their possession when on my land. Otherwise, it's their word against mine. I'd rather not have my word "tested" in that way. Too many people lie nowdays and would say I gave them verbal permission, and I've well-publicized that this just is not so!!

GPS is unreliable. Maps are reliable, though not always current. And the skill of someone to read said map may be questionable, at best.

Written permission ahead of time is the only way to go, along with written conditions that go along with the permission. Casca wrote, "Unless agreed upon first, I never remove anything from a site i detect. I would like to think all folks are doing that." Well said, Casca.

 

[FreeBirdTim]

Exactly. If I've spent my hard earned money on some land, I should not have to spend more money to buy fences and put up signs to keep people off of it. For those that don't agree, would you be fine waking up one morning and seeing people doing stuff in your back yard? (metal detecting, playing horseshoes, sun tanning, drinking beer....) Do you have No Trespass signs up? What if they said they had permission? Your yard does touch a public road, doesn't it?

If I owned a mansion with 500 acres of land, I think I could afford to fence it in and put up signs. This tourist trap is charging 7 bucks a head to let people check out six rooms in this mansion. They also charge 200 bucks a night (and up) to rent a room. Sorry, but I'm not going to defend these people because they don't want someone digging up a crusty LC on their precious "historical" property.

You're basing everything on this busybody's slanted view of the events. I'll give these diggers the benefit of a doubt until proven otherwise...

 

[wainzoid]

bernie sanders, is that you?

 

[huntnva]

Update..

 

[FreeBirdTim]

Constantly calling them "looters" is ridiculous, since they have no proof they "looted' anything. And this person is crying over the alleged lost relics? Time to get a grip, pal.

Funny how the rant never mentions any of the historic finds their personal detectorists have found. Are they on public display for all to see? Let's see some pics of these wonderful relics!

 

[kcm]

According to the above posted article, it states that they already have someone who is allowed to detect the property. Whether this is true or not we cannot know, but a MD'er who does not get permission is making things MUCH harder on everyone else - not only MD'ers and not only on this one site, but for people everywhere. Private Property is just that - it's private. Our forefathers built this nation to escape from the clutches of a society that wouldn't allow anything at all. People came here to find freedom. Is it asking too much for someone to ask permission to hunt a property that is private? It doesn't matter whether these people are broke or have millions. They may have enough influence to get a metal detecting ban within city limits or to cause other such hardships for an ever-shrinking world.

Besides, asking permission isn't just being polite, it's the right thing to do. Have respect for others. Regardless of whether she loses control and blows things out of proportion (which may not be the case), there appears to be a recurring problem. Can't blame someone for getting fed up.

At my last residence, our driveway entered the road on a blind curve and the speed limit was 55 MPH. Some snowmobilers would always cross the drive right near the road, making it glare ice. We would very often spin tires even in 4 wheel drive and almost got broadsided a couple of times. I tried my best to get the people to cross the drive on the other side of the culvert. All I got was one of them trying to run me over in my own driveway. ...Who was in the wrong - them or me?? It was MY driveway, yet the side of the culvert they crossed over on was the part that is not considered private property. However, it made a dangerous situation for us. So when I try to talk to these people, they turn dangerously nasty. They (meaning "someone") also did doughnuts in the yard and took wire cutters to Christmas lights - they cut every few inches for about 15'. Would I have been wrong to try and ban all snowmobilers from crossing the driveway?

Sometimes there are people out there who just flat-out don't care about personal rights....at least, other than their own!!

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Constantly calling them "looters" is ridiculous, since they have no proof they "looted' anything. And this person is crying over the alleged lost relics? Time to get a grip, pal.

Funny how the rant never mentions any of the historic finds their personal detectorists have found. Are they on public display for all to see? Let's see some pics of these wonderful relics!

They didn't have permission to hunt, they knew this so they were trespassing on private property, it doesn't matter what their "personal detectorists" found or what they did with it. No different than someone trespassing on your property poaching game, you can't justify it just because it is our hobby, they were trespassing with the intent of taking anything they found they considered rare, valuable or collectible.

 

[Captain Caveman]

If I owned a mansion with 500 acres of land, I think I could afford to fence it in and put up signs.

You're missing my point. I shouldn't have to fence it and put up signs, it's my property! If it's not your property, stay off of it without permission. I don't understand what is so hard about this concept.

 

[Jason in Enid]

They were trespassing, vandalizing and stealing. They knew they didn't have permission, this is as simple as it gets. I hope they get sued by the property owned, maybe that will teach them to respect others property.

 

[FreeBirdTim]

You're basing your opinions on the slanted view of this busybody. Give me some hard facts from law enforcement and I'll agree with everything you're stating.

Many of my relatives are (or were) cops, including one that's a detective. A beat cop might look into this "crime", but there's no way a detective would waste his time investigating this alleged "crime". That's why I think this lady is full of it and lying her rear end off. She's a drama queen, period.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

It wasn't their land, they did not have permission to be there, they were trespassing, they were looking to remove anything they felt was valuable, rare or collectible. There is no defense...

 

[T.C.]

You're basing your opinions on the slanted view of this busybody. Give me some hard facts from law enforcement and I'll agree with everything you're stating.

Many of my relatives are (or were) cops, including one that's a detective. A beat cop might look into this "crime", but there's no way a detective would waste his time investigating this alleged "crime". That's why I think this lady is full of it and lying her rear end off. She's a drama queen, period.

Bottom line Tim....it's her property and she can do with it what she likes!! I agree with you on one point though...sounds like she is a drama queen, but that's just her personality....