Was I Right Or Was I Wrong In Pensacola Florida

Bridge End Farm

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Dec 2, 2006
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I did something today and want to toss it up for if folks feel I was right or wrong

Story:

I have the responsibility of about a 60 acres spread (church property) in Pensacola with fields, buildings, etc. Occasionally I work with the management above me to allow the local MD club to have a club hunt on the property. There is a lot of old history on the property they own. The club has insurance, etc and are always collecting the trash with their finds.
This morning about 11 or so I and another guy go to take a few of the church's vans in for servicing and I find a fellow metal detecting in the back areas. I drive up to him and ask him if he had permission to hunt the area and he replies he asked a guy hitting golf balls out there a few days ago if it would be ok and he said it would be. There is a gentleman that has permission to hit balls out close to where he was but this gentleman has no authority to give permission of such. I have not yet seen the golfer to talk with him but will to make sure he understands.
I kindly told the MDer that the MD club in Pensacola is occasionally allowed to come hunt but the man hitting golf balls didn't have permission to give him access to the area and the MDer said he would leave if he needed to which I said yes he needed to leave. I have a big problem in this area with vagrants, vandalism and drug traffic since it is kind of not out in the open.
I ask one of my contractor on the property (landscaper) if he had seen the Mder at all. I describe the red truck he is driving etc and he says yes "I saw him last week by your con-ex trailers and buildings over there. I didn't know what he was doing but he was walking around them as I watched him". So I believe he had probably already been hunting the area before he walked up to the golfer or the golfer came out there while he was there and he probably asked him hey you care if I'm here. I put the area as I am hoping the Mder reads this site and is welcome to come see me personally if he likes and discuss it.
I hold folks to the same standard and ethics I require of myself. There are many great places in Pensacola to hunt that I myself would love too. Several I am in the works of getting permission of. One recently had an excavator on and the operator told me to go ahead but he doesn't own the property and I didn't and won't till I have the land owners permission.

So here's is the question:

Was I right to tell him to leave since he didn't ask for permission of the folks that own/responsible for the property?
 

SHERMANVILLE ILLINOIS

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May 22, 2005
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bridgeendfarm,

think that after I talked with him, I would
have let him work the area.

Did you ask him to join the club?

have a good un.....
SHERMANVILLE
 

OP
OP
Bridge End Farm

Bridge End Farm

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Dec 2, 2006
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SHERMANVILLE ILLINOIS said:
bridgeendfarm,
think that after I talked with him, I would have let him work the area.

Did you ask him to join the club?

have a good un.....
SHERMANVILLE

Well honestly I did think about just letting him but I felt I wouldn't help what I understand the code of Mders to be. And he swinging to me represents it. It isn't hard to find the main offices and ask.
No sir that is one item I do regret I didn't tell him when/where they meet. He could already be a member as I don't attend regularly due to my work schedules and their meeting times.
 

Sandman

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Aug 6, 2005
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This is a problem in that he thought he had permission. I would have also let him hunt that day and given him a card or info on how he could contact you about hunting the area. Put yourself in his place......

I have this problem with water hunters hunting beaches where there is fabric under the sand in areas where I have the contracts to keep the beaches clean. If damage is done to the bottom, I am responsible for repairs which can total thousand of dollars. Also the hunter might find a item that is reported lost and we are still looking for it. I ask the hunters to leave the water and tell them why and tell them they may hunt all grassy areas but not to leave holes. A couple of these guys are now on the search team.
 

COUNTRY GIRL

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Aug 17, 2006
3,806
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I as many others work hard to get permission to hunt any property. I have chased property owners from out of state and been laughed at.... "Like they would have known or cared?" As it turned out she was happy I asked, thanked me and said to let her know if I found anything neat, she'd love to hear. :) Another site people "hunt" all sorts of stuff down there without permission, the folks that own it were impressed I asked. So I would ask if another Md was at any site if they had permission.

If you don't know the code of ethics, learn it. :icon_study: It's hard enough now to get permission, don't let a few ad apples spoil the whole bushel? Just read the very first line. :)

I will respect private property and do no treasure hunting without the owners permission.
I will appreciate and protect our heritage of natural resources, wildlife, and private property.
I will use thoughtfulness, consideration, and courtesy at all times.
I will build fires in designated or safe places only.
I will fill all excavations.
I will leave gates as found.
I will remove and properly dispose of any trash that i find.
I will not litter.
I will not destroy property, buildings, or what is left of deserted structures.
I will not tamper with signs, structural facilities, or equipment.

Keep our hobby honest, and happy hunting!
Kim
 

OP
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Bridge End Farm

Bridge End Farm

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Sandman said:
This is a problem in that he thought he had permission. I would have also let him hunt that day and given him a card or info on how he could contact you about hunting the area. Put yourself in his place......

I have this problem with water hunters hunting beaches where there is fabric under the sand in areas where I have the contracts to keep the beaches clean. If damage is done to the bottom, I am responsible for repairs which can total thousand of dollars. Also the hunter might find a item that is reported lost and we are still looking for it. I ask the hunters to leave the water and tell them why and tell them they may hunt all grassy areas but not to leave holes. A couple of these guys are now on the search team.

I did actually and being the business it is, the offices are not hard to find and open a lot.
 

OP
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Bridge End Farm

Bridge End Farm

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COUNTRY GIRL said:
I as many others work hard to get permission to hunt any property. I have chased property owners from out of state and been laughed at.... "Like they would have known or cared?" As it turned out she was happy I asked, thanked me and said to let her know if I found anything neat, she'd love to hear. :) Another site people "hunt" all sorts of stuff down there without permission, the folks that own it were impressed I asked. So I would ask if another Md was at any site if they had permission.

If you don't know the code of ethics, learn it. :icon_study: It's hard enough now to get permission, don't let a few ad apples spoil the whole bushel? Just read the very first line. :)

I will respect private property and do no treasure hunting without the owners permission.
I will appreciate and protect our heritage of natural resources, wildlife, and private property.
I will use thoughtfulness, consideration, and courtesy at all times.
I will build fires in designated or safe places only.
I will fill all excavations.
I will leave gates as found.
I will remove and properly dispose of any trash that i find.
I will not litter.
I will not destroy property, buildings, or what is left of deserted structures.
I will not tamper with signs, structural facilities, or equipment.

Keep our hobby honest, and happy hunting!
Kim

those are the ones I know
 

Pepper2004

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Dec 17, 2007
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bgf, if it had been me I probably would have let him finish his hunt since he thought he had permission. But would have explain to him that he could not do it again without permission from you.
 

OP
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Bridge End Farm

Bridge End Farm

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Pepper2004 said:
bgf, if it had been me I probably would have let him finish his hunt since he thought he had permission. But would have explain to him that he could not do it again without permission from you.

I did let him finish :wink: just earlier than he expected.
 

Pepper2004

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bridgeendfarm said:
Pepper2004 said:
bgf, if it had been me I probably would have let him finish his hunt since he thought he had permission. But would have explain to him that he could not do it again without permission from you.

I did let him finish :wink: just earlier than he expected.

:whip2: :angel12:
 

Quester

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Mar 1, 2008
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I laugh at the notion of people "owning" the land, rofl. It's the Native American in me. But I guess I understand if there are problems with vagrants, etc., defacing things.

But he's a fellow MDist, not like he's screwin' something up. Just my 2c worth though.
 

ZenAgain

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Nov 2, 2007
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Quester said:
I laugh at the notion of people "owning" the land, rofl. It's the Native American in me. But I guess I understand if there are problems with vagrants, etc., defacing things.

But he's a fellow MDist, not like he's screwin' something up. Just my 2c worth though.

As all Americans came to this land either by boat or across the Bering land bridge, the "are" no Native Americans. But I agree on the second point, sounds like the OP was being a tad territorial...... Now, if the guy was not filling holes or otherwise being a nuisance, sure, but otherwise why not help out a fellow MDer?
 

watercolor

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He made an honest mistake by asking the wrong person for permission
and you made a valid decision on behalf of the property owners.

If it was me, I'd ask him to "check in" with someone at the office
from now on when he's hunting (for everyone's safety). . . and also
inform us about any "unusual" activity on the back 40. . . it never
hurts to have an extra set of eyes. . . I'm sure management would agree :)
 

OP
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Bridge End Farm

Bridge End Farm

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ZenAgain said:
Quester said:
I laugh at the notion of people "owning" the land, rofl. It's the Native American in me. But I guess I understand if there are problems with vagrants, etc., defacing things.

But he's a fellow MDist, not like he's screwin' something up. Just my 2c worth though.

As all Americans came to this land either by boat or across the Bering land bridge, the "are" no Native Americans. But I agree on the second point, sounds like the OP was being a tad territorial...... Now, if the guy was not filling holes or otherwise being a nuisance, sure, but otherwise why not help out a fellow MDer?

Well if he had came in and asked probably would have been allowed. He would of gotten a back ground check as we have many children on premises inside and out.

As far as being territorial I myself have never hunted the property unless the local club was holding a club hunt there and I hunted the same area they were allowed with them.
 

COUNTRY GIRL

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Aug 17, 2006
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I'd be real curious to know if he did ask the gentleman hitting golf balls, would you find out Bridge? I heard of another person who admitted he fibbed by saying someone gave him permission in order to get into a constructions site and hunt. Now that is just wrong, it makes us all look bad. You did what you thought was right at the time Sir.
 

radarwill

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Feb 8, 2008
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You should have confiscated his detector as well.
That will teach him. Those darn evil detectorists.
 

T

trish76642

Guest
You were just doing your job Bridge.
Hope he filled in his holes?
 

desertfox

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Either way you went on this one you did good. You really did what you had to do and he learned a very good lesson.

Desertfox
 

OP
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Bridge End Farm

Bridge End Farm

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COUNTRY GIRL said:
I'd be real curious to know if he did ask the gentleman hitting golf balls, would you find out Bridge? I heard of another person who admitted he fibbed by saying someone gave him permission in order to get into a constructions site and hunt. Now that is just wrong, it makes us all look bad. You did what you thought was right at the time Sir.

yes I am going find out from him as anyway I need to discuss the item of permission if he did indeed say ok
 

OP
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Bridge End Farm

Bridge End Farm

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radarwill said:
You should have confiscated his detector as well.
That will teach him. Those darn evil detectorists.

lol no I am not that mean, but it was a fine machine he had, had the smallest coil I ever seen looked like a DD coil that was in a diamond shape and maybe 2 x 3 in. Don't think he was a newby or rookie
 

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