Detecting a local park and my run in with a angry person !!!!!

[calbear]

I don't usually post here just do a little lurking. Mostly on the White's or Tesoro forums. But I thought I should let everyone know what happened to me yesterday at the park. I was detecting a park which I go too a lot. Know most of the grounds keepers. They always stop and asked me what I have found today. well it was a little difference yesterday. Groundskeeper drove up to me and told me that a man was demanding that I be Arrested for tearing up the park ! He informed hm that I was doing nothing wrong and stormed off in a huff. We had a good laugh over it we talked for about 10 minutes, he was giving me tips on where all the parents sit when the soccer game is being played. I started detecting again for about 10 minutes when the grounds keeper came back over to me. He told me that the man had call the Parks and recreation Dept and lodged a complaint against me and him. He then told me the Parks director was coming to the park to see what damage I had done.
About 10 minutes later he showed up with his assistant Director. They introduced themselves to me and told me about the complaint they had received. He told me he had been director for 21 years and never had a complaint about metal detecting. I showed him my tools that I use (pinpointer probe, brass probe and hand trowel) I then showed him where I had been digging. He took pictures of covered up holes, my tools, detector, and the trash and coins I was finding. He told me I was a good will ambassador to metal detecting. He told me I was welcome to detect in any park in our city. He did say when he got the call, he was told I was using a shovel and digging large holes. So I guess the moral to the story is : Don't use a shovel in a park and be very careful when digging your plugs !!!!! I should add that he was thankful that I was picking up the trash I was finding.

 

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[Tom_in_CA]

Hmm, interesting story. It's bound to happen, if anyone detects long enough. Just like driving a car: No matter how carefully you drive, and no matter how legal you are, you will always ........ at some point ..... get someone to honk at you (perhaps they though you cut them off), or flip you off (perhaps they think you're going too slow), or whatever. And let's face it: we're in an odd hobby that draws stares to the "man with the geigercounter".

There's just no way you can make everyone happy. Heck, I even had a lady say my detector bothered her dog on the beach! (electronic frequencies that only dogs here, like a dog-whistle? I dunno! I just blew her off, gave lip service, and kept detecting).

If someone thinks they can detect parks, schools, beaches, or anywhere, with 100% satisfaction of every passer-by and official, they've probably chosen the wrong hobby. There's always going to be kill-joys out there. And this hobby, d/t the way we "stick out" (or the knee-jerk reaction by some that we leave messes) is an unfortunate magnet for this sort. For this reason, I've gotten to where I actually prefer to hunt at nights, when it's possible. What people don't see can't bother them

 

[ivan salis]

well you got a "happy ending" thankfully -- and some decent parks people as well --normally it doesn't end this well --

if mr "jack wagon" bothers you more--- have him busted or sue him for "harrassment" --( so long as your not damaging the park , you have the right to enjoy your "hobby" in the park like any other person using the park without being unjustly bothered --personally I would get the "you can dig in the parks no problem "in writing" from the parks director for any future issues that the jerk might try to bring up at some other "local" park )--- some folks just have to be "jerks" and enjoy trying to boss and push others around -- they are the "do as I say" bunch --(most of these busy body type folks need to seriously get a life. )

 

[Sandman]

Calbear you did nothing wrong and the park supervisor was just following up a complaint. Most parks have provisions against digging up plants and such and some people just think of the park as their personal property.

 

[Smudge]

It obvious no one who knows him likes or respects him at all, so "Mr. Officious" needs to make everyone else's life miserable just so he can feel important.

Ugh! I've met that kind of person a hundred times.

 

[RW]

Good show. I hope you make a strong presence in the park the next few days. Maybe the complainant will see you and call again.... Fun times.

 

[Indianhead Jones]

You're a responsible treasure hunter, and you passed the park officials' inspection with flying colors.

You can be proud of that, my friend!

Larry G.

 

[Woodland Detectors]

You're a responsible treasure hunter, and you passed the park officials' inspection with flying colors.

You can be proud of that, my friend!

Larry G.

And I second that.

Thank you

 

[theseeker]

Calbear, Well Done !

 

[calbear]

well you got a "happy ending" thankfully -- and some decent parks people as well --normally it doesn't end this well --

if mr "jack wagon" bothers you more--- have him busted or sue him for "harrassment" --( so long as your not damaging the park , you have the right to enjoy your "hobby" in the park like any other person using the park without being unjustly bothered --personally I would get the "you can dig in the parks no problem "in writing" from the parks director for any future issues that the jerk might try to bring up at some other "local" park )--- some folks just have to be "jerks" and enjoy trying to boss and push others around -- they are the "do as I say" bunch --(most of these busy body type folks need to seriously get a life. )

I wish he would call the Police next time. He will be shocked when they pull up and call me by my first name . That's when I'll have him arrested for harassing me I am very lucky to have a Daughter who is well known and respected. She was one of first women to make it to the SWAT team here Also my son-in-law is a police officer for another Department who is well known

 

[bootyhoundpa]

i usually hunt parks early morn and only when nobody is there.. im glad your story had a happy ending so far, but unfortunatly people like this person also know people and all it takes one person to leave a hole open or damage the turf and next thing ya know no detecting in the park... out of site out of mind... ive already been to parks that i wouldnt because the skunks hunt for grubs at night and i didnt want to get blamed for all the many many little holes they leave behind... hope it all works out for you...

 

[dogpound]

i know how ya feel about animals diggin holes in the park, more than once i've filled holes that squirrels left.....sure wish they would refill their holes so i don't get the blame.

 

[Pickpan]

Well done! Whenever spectators inquire what I'm doing, I show them all the dangerous objects and beer lids,tabs and caps I find. People are often very surprised at the amount. This is because I remove all trash I dig(along with the good finds) up. I take the time to explain the shape of my digging tool that allows me to cut a perfect "plug" that will be placed back exactly as it was. Not to mention the aeration is good for the lawn. May those who remove all the trash they find GET MORE COINS!!! Pickpan...

 

[Lowbatts]

Excellent story! Congrats on winning over the hardest sell of all, a park department administrator! Wow! Wish they all had that man's disposition and open mindedness.

I had a parks department fellow in a nearby town come over and start filming me one day while I was doing a carnie cleanup. I asked him how he was doing and he got very rude and told me he was recording all the damage I was doing for town hall meeting reference.

Well I wasn't digging anything, just picking surface finds and had about two pounds of trash including lots of sharp objects and some drug accessories that had been left behind. The police officer on site laughed along with me as I pointed out he was filming tire ruts from the carnival rides and tent-post holes and would prove how big an idiot he was in the end. I gave him my trash and told him to make himself useful and throw it away for me.

Still hunting there.

 

[dtpost]

It's good to see so many, being able to enjoy the hobby. Plus seeing that local officals backed you up

 

[crazyjarhead]

Good job and thanks for all of us out here

 

[Damon64]

Great story.

 

[Bart@Big Boys Hobbies]

Good job Calbear!

 

[Iskuli]

great job being a top notch Md'ier. we should all be able to pass the test. it just takes one md'ier leaving lots of holes to ruin it for all of us. I make it a point to know the names of the beach and park folks so they will know who I am, and that I am respectful of the areas I hunt. I also keep a trash pocket of glass, nails, hooks, etc so when asked I can show them that I am helpful and not a hindrance to the park.

 

[Jason in Enid]

Just want to repeat what the others have said. You are obviously doing a great job recovering your targets. Don't worry about what others think, you now have the EXPLICIT permission of the administration to keep on detecting.

As for using shovels in parks, you would think it would be common sense not to do this but I still see people posting pics and videos of themselves hunting parks with shovels. It's just a bad image of us, and shouldn't be done.