St. Louis City parks

[sideshowbob]

I posted this in the Missouri forums... Just reposting for a bite

Hello! I'm fishing for first hand knowledge from those of you that have hunted these parks. Do park employees or police give you much grief when they see you out there? And secondly, do you use a trowel to dig with? I won't probe or pop out my finds. I'm not so interested in forest park and tower grove is off limits. I'm looking to hunt some of the larger south city parks. Any info would be great. I'm just double-making-sure before I head in that direction.

 

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[reddirtwillie]

And Carondelet as well. There were some that went out and hunted forest park after balloon glow. Just stop by a Stl. police station and ask about ordinances - be sure to get a name (did that in Ballwin today) if they give you trouble give them the name. I've never hunted any of them yet but I have thought about it. Let me know what you find out - will go with you. Bill

 

[Tom_in_CA]

reply

I posted this in the Missouri forums... Just reposting for a bite

Hello! I'm fishing for first hand knowledge from those of you that have hunted these parks. Do park employees or police give you much grief when they see you out there? And secondly, do you use a trowel to dig with? I won't probe or pop out my finds. I'm not so interested in forest park and tower grove is off limits. I'm looking to hunt some of the larger south city parks. Any info would be great. I'm just double-making-sure before I head in that direction.

Have you looked at the St. Louis city website? I just did, and didn't see anything there with any varition of "metal" and "detecting" or "detectors" in their search function. However, going to their parks dept. subsection within the website, they don't necessarily have their park rules printed there anyhow. (Not every city has super thorough websites unfortunately).

But I see they have a "contact us" tab on their park's dept. page:

Parks Division

Perhaps you could just send them an inquiry like this: "Where can the public see a listing of all the park rules?" And then simply look down the list of whatever they send you back (eg.: "no dogs allowed, no alcahol", etc...) and see if there's anything there specifically saying "no metal detecting". If you see no such prohibition, then presto, it's not prohibited. Rather than asking them, or the police "can I metal detect?". Lest you risk them saying "no", even though no rule exists that says that. Like simply because they morph something else they think applies to your "pressing question".

 

[Nickleanddime]

Just because it doesn't have a "no detecting" law doesn't mean it doesn't have a no digging or other ordinance that can be used against you. When researching a area laws I always look for anything that can apply to what I'm doing. Like I trash pick, so there's no laws against that alone but, there's public nuisance laws, privacy laws, trespassing laws since here the tree lawn is private property, leaving a vehicle on a motorway unsupervised all kinds of things. It all depends on the cop that stops you and if they want to waste their time on it.

Isn't st Louise a very bad town? A old boss had a son that lived there and said it was a very very high crime rate and very high amount of homeless. Might get mugged and loose your md and or life. Id keep the headphones off and hunt in pairs. Just a thought. I know your a big boy lol just hare to see someone get hurt. Well good luck out there and watch your back.

 

[sideshowbob]

Thanks for the tip. I had the same general idea when I looked at the same site you did more than likely, lol. I am just looking for some personal experiences in the field In these areas.

 

[Sandman]

What is wrong with probing or popping out coins. Being seen in many parks with a trowel can get you arrested for damaging park property even when they can't find any damage.

 

[Fletch88]

What is wrong with probing or popping out coins. Being seen in many parks with a trowel can get you arrested for damaging park property even when they can't find any damage.

Umh Umh. Shoulder shrug!! I'm not sure either Sandman. Is that here you draw the line? Although I will admit it's not my favorite method. But maybe for a couple of trial runs, try just carrying a decent sized screwdriver from home to see if anyone gives you any fluff.

 

[Sandman]

I used to use a screw driver and then went to using a bayonet cause I had one. The bayonet has a point in the middle of the blade and it is wider to make the slit for removing the coin. It also wedges into pull tabs and rings for levering them out with no cut plugs, three sided or other wise. If the coin can't be touched with the probe or bayonet, I leave it and move on to the next easy target. Course my ground is soft and mild. I use a lesche in the woods though. It is not for everyone but I enjoy it and that is what counts.

 

[sideshowbob]

I guess I kind if do draw the line at coin popping. The chances of damaging the artifact seem to great for my taste. I would hate to pop out something great only to find a big fat scratch on it. I hunt city house lots for the most part. The park is just an easy go to spot for me, if its feasible. So I'm looking for people that have hunted some of these parks to chime in with their two cents .

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Just because it doesn't have a "no detecting" law doesn't mean it doesn't have a no digging or other ordinance that can be used against you. When researching a area laws I always look for anything that can apply to what I'm doing. Like I trash pick, so there's no laws against that alone but, there's public nuisance laws, privacy laws, trespassing laws since here the tree lawn is private property, leaving a vehicle on a motorway unsupervised all kinds of things. It all depends on the cop that stops you and if they want to waste their time on it.

Isn't st Louise a very bad town? A old boss had a son that lived there and said it was a very very high crime rate and very high amount of homeless. Might get mugged and loose your md and or life. Id keep the headphones off and hunt in pairs. Just a thought. I know your a big boy lol just hare to see someone get hurt. Well good luck out there and watch your back.

nickel-&-dime, if that type verbage ("digging") is going to preclude metal detecting in your book, then I'd suggest just giving up the notion of detecting any park, in any city, in any state, of any level. Because let me save you some time: ALL parks have something to that effect. It might be something like "alter" or "deface" or "vandalize" or "dig", etc.. Which ... yes .... I agree: S omeone *COULD* come up and say detecting runs afoul of those things . Even if only "poking" or "popping" as some people try to re-define-as.

But you have realize, that all such verbage inherently applies to the END result. So technically, if you leave a place exactly the way you found it (no trace of your presence), then technically, you have not alterED, defacED, or vandalizED anything. Right? Even the troublesome word "dig" (if that appeared in codes), I would STILL argue applies to the end result. Since, let's face it, that IS the intention and connotation of such a word: holes. Ie.: "dig" vs "dUg".

Sure, not everyone will agree with these semantics. Avoid such lookie-lous and go at low traffic times. I mean, since when did everyone have to love us and roll out the red-carpets for us? Think of it a little like nose-picking: not necessarily illegal, but sheesk, aren't we ALL a little discreet on our timing, lest someone be offended? So likewise, if semantics about such verbage offend someone, then sheeesk, hunt after hours when "miss lookie lou" or "joe parkworker" is home for the day.

 

[Nickleanddime]

It doesn't matter what verbiage you and me use its the verbiage the LAW uses. Nothing will discourage a guy faster then getting arrested for going and "popping" a coin out and finding himself a pair of bracelets instead. Know the law keep your stuff and detect another day that's all I meant. Not using the word digging when that's what your doing is like going to war and calling it a tickle fight lol. Good luck out there everyone.

 

[sideshowbob]

Tried a park around here for two and a half hours.... Found a quarter in the kiddie area under the slide and dig s dime near the baseball benches. ...trash. And a lot. I'm gonna stick to my city house lots. Did well for me today silver numbers four and five today from a cousins house

 

[Normsel]

I have hunted all over Madison county IL and I have only been kicked out of one park and that's because the guy before me left holes. I was at a park on Wed that i had been told was off limits. I asked the maintenance director and he said fine just do not go on any ball fields or soccer fields. I showed him how I open and cover my holes he said that's excellent but you still can't go on the fields. I said my luck in ball fields isn't worth the effort anyway.

I have hunted a few parks in STL country with limited success but it's the thrill of the hunt for me. The more I learn what my ATP is telling me the more i find. I would love to hunt old house lots in STL. Just don't know where it is safe.

 

[65chevy]

WOW!!! Good job Bob. awesome ring an half dollar I found a Franklin half that was made into a ring. Congrats !!!

GOD BLESS !!!!

 

[sideshowbob]

Now that is something original there!

 

[Pointman]

The more I learn what my ATP is telling me the more i find. I would love to hunt old house lots in STL. Just don't know where it is safe.

I live close to Little Rock Arkansas and there are a ton of old houses with barely maintained yards. The problem is that they are not maintained and they are bad areas. Little Rock had been notorious in the 80s' for having one of the nation's highest murder rates per capita. I don't go into the very bad areas and detect as much as I would like to, and when I go into semi-neglected areas, I plan ahead and bring a buddy and we stay close together. Needless to say we may just present a larger target to aim at, but at least we can watch out for each other. It is tough seeing 2-3 story houses built in the 1890s' or later and knowing that the yards have never been searched, but having to pass them by.

 

[65chevy]

Thanks Bob. I would like to find one like yours.

 

[65chevy]

Pointman I'm in Conway now but from Little rock area baseline rd. that was scary in the 80's for sure like u said someplace's still are

 

[Pointman]

Pointman I'm in Conway now but from Little rock area baseline rd. that was scary in the 80's for sure like u said someplace's still are

Do you get out and hunt often? There are some nice old houses in Conway, but a few cranky homeowners also.

 

[65chevy]

Do you get out and hunt often? There are some nice old houses in Conway, but a few cranky homeowners also.

Yes I try to go every weekend for a few hours. Plus I go to the park on my lunch break I only get about 40 min. Of hunt time but most of my rings I found on lunch. I got permission to hunt a old house just outside of town my brother JeffB (T-Net name) found a silver rosie there going back after a good rain. HH

GOD BLESS!!!