Curb / Strip Hunting in Illinois?

achetadomestica

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Feb 5, 2017
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161
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I heard a funny answer this week. THis past weekend I was camping with my boyscout/cubscout sons.
I stayed up BSing with one of the Dad's Saturday night. He told me he met a guy who told him he has to take 7 pills
3 times a day to keep the voices from bothering him. This dad was hiking part of the Appalachian trail when he met this
guy at a shelter. Needless to say the Dad didn't sleep that night.

Seriously the cubscouts have the perfect answer: LEAVE NO TRACE
 

Truth

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Apr 13, 2016
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Abita Springs La....Born in New Orleans
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a public easement or right of way allows you to walk down the sidewalk, but not to dig.

If there is a tree there, can i cut it down? no.

Just ask permission, some people are pricks, but some will let you search their entire property.

It's no fun looking over your shoulder as you search.

I agree I hate hunting that way. I don't enjoy the moment.


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Kurios1

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Feb 25, 2017
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FEMA REGION 5 North Central Illinois
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One thing to make certain is that you take care of the turf. Do NOT leave dirt laying all over the place. Learn to cut a clean plug and return the sod to the condition you found it in as close as possible. If the ground is too dry I'd avoid hunting curbs until after a soaking rain. You are a part of a community of folks who are already "peculiar" enough to the common public. The home owners have to mow this section of turf and look at it every day. If you come barging in and tear up the turf and leave it a mess you'll end up making the metal detecting community in your area look like bandits who don't give a rats ass about homeowners. Learn to cut a clean plug and stealthily return the sod back to it's original condition with NO dirt crumbs laying all over the place. Nuff said.
 

hvacker

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Aug 18, 2012
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Ok. Sure. You and I can't do "whatever we want" there. We can only do those things that are not illegal. So ... is metal detecting "illegal" ? If so, then yes, everything you're saying logically follows. But if it's not illegal.... then this doesn't logically follow.



If this is the automatic equivalent of the definition of md'ing ? The connotation there is: geeks with shovels leaving a mess and holes. Right ? If so, then sure, you're right, we shouldn't be doing that. But since when is md'ing so loathsome and damaging, that this is the go-to definition ?

YES I AGREE that it's not a good idea to go showing up with a demanding in-your-face attitude. Just like ANY park ANYWHERE, we must not swat hornets nest "flaunting our rights". I agree that md'ing *does* have connotations to the mis-informed. But assuming someone stays clear of any such confrontations (picks low traffic times, knows how and when to do it, etc...) the concept is not inherently illegal.


It doesn't matter what someone uses to alter/damage property public or private. Driving a car is legal but tearing up my front yard spinning donuts isn't.
Buying/owning/using a detector isn't what qualifies as legal or not. It's like a gun. It depends on how it's used.

People aren't born with attitudes against MDing. They are born out of experience with MDers that shout out their "Rights" trespass, and become a general pain. Today we find more places have become off limits. Ever wonder why?
MDing can be a rewarding interesting way to explore. With so many places to go I'm surprised why so many prefer trouble spots.

Your rights are not user defined and probably by personal definition only exist in some minds. All your Constitutional Rights have been amended over time in the courts. It can be surprising after the courts take closer looks how your Rights become limited.
No longer "User Defined"
 

hvacker

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Aug 18, 2012
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I heard a funny answer this week. THis past weekend I was camping with my boyscout/cubscout sons.
I stayed up BSing with one of the Dad's Saturday night. He told me he met a guy who told him he has to take 7 pills
3 times a day to keep the voices from bothering him. This dad was hiking part of the Appalachian trail when he met this
guy at a shelter. Needless to say the Dad didn't sleep that night.

Seriously the cubscouts have the perfect answer: LEAVE NO TRACE


An easier way to get rid of voices is to do what I had to. Stop eating Rice Krispies and switch to a soft cereal.
 

darktower007

Sr. Member
Feb 21, 2017
455
854
Chattanooga Tennessee
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I hit strips like mentioned above about 630 on sat morning. Everyone's sleeping in and I can cover some ground before 8:30


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villagenut

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Oct 18, 2014
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If you are familiar with how to pop a coin out of the ground with just a flat head screwdriver, you will not cause too much of an uproar if someone does approach you. I have dug a lot of coins that way when I was younger. If you are just looking for clad then no harm done. Don't bring a shovel onto someone's curb, or just look for a strip of grass that looks uncared for......or go search the local park or school yard.
 

darktower007

Sr. Member
Feb 21, 2017
455
854
Chattanooga Tennessee
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Xp Deus/Vaquero/At Max/fisher f70/carrot pen pointer
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If you are familiar with how to pop a coin out of the ground with just a flat head screwdriver, you will not cause too much of an uproar if someone does approach you. I have dug a lot of coins that way when I was younger. If you are just looking for clad then no harm done. Don't bring a shovel onto someone's curb, or just look for a strip of grass that looks uncared for......or go search the local park or school yard.

I rarely ever bring a shovel anywhere. Unless I'm at an abandoned home or farm. I prefer to hunt like a ninja. Early in the morning or at dark and leave no trace.


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Tom_in_CA

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Mar 23, 2007
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It doesn't matter what someone uses to alter/damage property public or private.....

Correct. And if the md'r isn't altering or damaging the grass, then he's not guilty of these things.

And I agree with you about "rights" attitude that some md'rs think they can have about this. Standing their ground and debating semantics with a homeowner. I agree that while they may be "technically right" (because they're leaving no marks/holes), yet in the mental image of the homeowner, the simple PRESENCE of a man with a detector, could conjur up "holes".

So .... pick lower traffic times and be invisible :)
 

Honest Samuel

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Sep 23, 2015
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# 19. In response, You are causing problems where none are. People who complain about treasure hunters searching for coins and jewels on curbs are the same jerks and bullies who complain when we search in public parks and properties. I have too much too worry about in my life, to worry about maybe home owners may complain. I deal with these bullies and jerks when I meet them. Good hunting on strip curbs and good luck.
 

Tom_in_CA

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... People who complain about treasure hunters searching for coins and jewels on curbs are the same jerks and bullies who complain when we search in public parks and properties....

Samuel, I think that a person looking out their front window at their curb-strip at an md'r, is more likely to gripe than that SAME person walking through a park that sees an md'r. Not saying their gripes are well-founded, or that we are "illegal". But just saying .... md'ing *does* have uhhh, ... connotations. And this *is* in the feeling of *their* space. Thus, even though they may be a "jerk" and a "bully" : Sometimes in this life we gotta give lip service :)
 

Kurios1

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Feb 25, 2017
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I used to do them at night on the weekends after folks drifted off to bed. I don't hit them as much as when I first started hunting. I enjoy my privacy when hunting plus I talk to myself a lot.:tongue3:
 

mrwilburino

Hero Member
May 7, 2010
680
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Northern Ohio
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I have an ongoing interest in that little strip of grass in front of my house between the sidewalk and the curb. I mow it, edge it, rake it, fertalize it, and get down on my hands and knees to pull the weeds out of it. I appreciate that none of the other detectorists in my area choose to hunt it. In return, I don't hunt theirs either. Or anyone else's.
 

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SultansOfSwing

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I want to detect curb strips but I dont feel like pissing anyone off. I keep an eye out for strips that arent in front of peoples houses. Still havent detected one yet but I will!
 

villagenut

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Oct 18, 2014
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I think it is obvious that if you walk upon a curb strip that is nicely mowed,weeded and edged that a less cared for strip should be sought out. There are plenty of em to go around.
 

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