THIS IS MY SPOT!!!!

[bigfoot1]

I've never had another md'er around.I only rarely hunt parks and beaches only a couple times a year.the problem I run into is flatlanders pulling up in the woods,dropping tailgate and start blasting away with every gun they own.I pretty much let them have the spot..

I think I know what I would say to a "spot claimer"at a public park...cant say it here.

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Family Maps of Hinds County, Mississippi, Deluxe Edition - Grab it through Amazon!

[Nitric]

I never go back to a place by myself that someone has taken me to unless I ask them if they care. Just kind of an unwritten code? I met up with someone from Tnet a while back and we hunted a local park. It was his research, he invited me to go along, we detected a little and talked for a few hours. I've never been back there with my detector. Maybe as years go by I'd feel a little different about it. But I view it as "his" park. There are plenty of other places to go.

In detecting I've never really run into a problem. I've never had a stranger tell me "this is my place to hunt". I don't run into other people detecting though. Years ago...A friend of a friend found a really good spot. His friend, which is my friend and didn't know I detected told me all about it. I was very tempted to go there since it was public ground. But I never did I had to follow my own rules. That and they both confided in people they could trust, I couldn't break that. I guess he was finding some really old silver coins though.

I guess everyone does what they are comfortable with doing! Not really sure there is a right or wrong on public ground, as far as whose spot it is.

Not sure how I would take it or react if I was detecting, saw another person detecting at the other end, they leave, then I go into where they were, they turn around come back and tell me "this is their spot"? I'd probably laugh at them!! How would they even know? Why would they care?

Are there pieces of this story missing?

Just reread your post....If someone was at a park detecting when I pulled up? I'd go to the other end. I would let them have their space. Unless I knew them and we were just there to have fun. I like my space when I go out, so I'd give it to other people too...

 

[b3y0nd3r]

"Just reread your post....If someone was at a park detecting when I pulled up?"

There is a lot more to the story, I am getting all the pics and everything together. I just wanted to get a general idea on "territory distribution in a public area." lol

 

[Tom_in_CA]

B3y0nd3r, this is an excellent topic you bring up. It has many flavors and nuances besides the specifics you spell out. For example:

1) What if you add this to your story: You're an out-of-towner, and he's a local guy ? So now not only was he "first", but you're also an out-of-towner (that perhaps, like in AARC's story, fears you'll "leave holes"). I mean, go figure: It is true that the more md'rs descend on a site, then the more sore-thumb status it attracts from passerbys. Who might ask "gee, what are all those guys doing ?" and "gee, is that allowed?". Scrutiny that might never happen with a single lone ignored hunter. So put yourself in the local long-timer's shoes.

BTW, I would never have the above attitude. I actually enjoy meeting others, co-hunting, sharing, etc... But just saying, when I've run into the psychology you spell out, there IS the "other person's side of the story".

2) What if 2 guys did the research together ? And if the site turns out to be good, can the co-researcher announce "don't tell anyone, and don't go back" ? What if he never gets his duff in gear to ever even hunt there again ? Doesn't your co-finder status allow you to hunt there on your own ? Or even invite a buddy ?

3) What if he merely casually mentions this site, in a long list of 6 or 8 different sites that the 2 of you are co-reconn'ing. And all he did was snap a few pictures on his smart phone to text you, and you , likewise, had been feeding him your reconn. results. And it just so happens that one of his reconn. pix spots was the beach that was "going off". And let's say that you'd only just met the fellow on-line, and .... after finding the eroded spot, you try like heck to get ahold of him. To no avail. He no longer answers his phone or texts or emails. So can you hunt it ? If it's large and un-ending, can you invite friends (before it sands in and ends).

In the above scenario #3, I can certainly see where the guy can "make the calls", but what if he's nowhere to be found, and never made any restrictions?

4) What if the person you run into there is your long-time old hunting partner. You show up at an eroded beach, at either a) the exact same time as him, or b) he was there first that morning. But in any event, you both reconn. the same beach and bump into each other. Un-known to him, you had made arrangements with a few other mutual friends of yours to reconn. multiple beaches, and share results (tit-for-tat, since you can't reconn. 10 beaches alone in a single day). But before you can get on your phone and share the agreed-upon terms with your other friends, your first friend comes up to you and says "don't tell anyone". Now you're in a pickle. Because this first guy is ALSO your friend, and you don't want to offend him.

Interesting topic !

 

[b3y0nd3r]

Tom in CA, I am honored! I want to take this quick opportunity to say, I admire your posts and I look upon you as a, Champion, of metal detecting rights! You instill confidence and provide much needed knowledge!

Those are some great scenarios and I would imagine everyone would react differently. The closest one that matched what occurred was:

"What if the person you run into there is your..old hunting acquaintance. You show up.. b) he was there first that morning"

Like I said, I am going to post this story(most likely in parts). It will be packed with detail! One thing that I am hung-up on though(and it is the reason that i am slowly debating posting this), is that I don't like MDing show boaters(why, is a post for another time). If I post this story, I will be branded a hypocrite, but if i don't post this story, it may be lost forever and it may inspire some and it MUST be told. This is a tough choice for me.

 

[Deft Tones]

Tell what happened honestly from your perspective. Don't care what others think of you for telling it...it's not important.

I don't digitally record 99% of what I find, nor post it for public viewing, probably for similar reasons that you don't like show boaters.

Vent it out to us who understand. Looking forward to reading about your experience. Get er done!

 

[Trezurehunter]

I dont have to worry to much about the courtesies of hunting around other people, as I hunt 95 % private property. I will say this though - public property is just that, its public and that person has no right to claim it as his spot. I'm sure some of your tax dollars are also going to support the place that you mentioned. I would say whoever gets there first has the right to hunt the area he has chosen and the next person who shows up should give some leeway.

 

[Calgarychef]

"I'm sorry sir, but I've been coming to this spot for 11 years. I was being polite by letting you hunt it, but it's time for you to leave now."

If it's a public area, you have no right to say it's "yours."

 

[SeabeeRon]

"I'm sorry sir, but I've been coming to this spot for 11 years. I was being polite by letting you hunt it, but it's time for you to leave now."

If it's a public area, you have no right to say it's "yours."

I think you may have missed G.I.B.'s sense of humor!!

 

[b3y0nd3r]

story posted "Picnic ground yields"