I was kicked out Detecting a ball field...

[Eagle101]

I have been detecting for 3 years. I've hit my town pretty hard. So today i thought i would go to a park that i haven't hit yet and detect around some picnic tables and the basketball court. I was there for about 1 1/2 hours and doing pretty good. I found 67 coins nothing great but it was fun. Then all of a sudden a DPW worker comes up to me waving his finger like i'm a 12 year old kid saying "you can't be doing that" So i said "who says i can't". He replied that there's a town ordinance. I'm pretty sure there's not. He said that the town owns the land and i have to leave. I said i paid $7100 a year in property taxes and it's my land not the towns and that he works for me . So i left there pretty pissed. I wasn't on the baseball fields. I filled my holes perfect. Am i in the wrong I really feel bad for this generation. It seems like all they do is make laws to screw us now.

 

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[3stooge]

I don't think I would argue with the guy. Just be polite and leave.

I would simply detect spots like that first thing in the morning when there is less chance of someone seeing me and complaining.

 

[Eagle101]

It was the way the guy was talking down to me. I just found out there is no ordinance. So i'm going back this weekend and covering every square inch of that park.

 

[kyrock]

I totally disagree with 3stooge. If you "know" you are in the right, I would stand my ground until someone called the law....."Never give up, never give in".

 

[releventchair]

I have been detecting for 3 years. I've hit my town pretty hard. So today i thought i would go to a park that i haven't hit yet and detect around some picnic tables and the basketball court. I was there for about 1 1/2 hours and doing pretty good. I found 67 coins nothing great but it was fun. Then all of a sudden a DPW worker comes up to me waving his finger like i'm a 12 year old kid saying "you can't be doing that" So i said "who says i can't". He replied that there's a town ordinance. I'm pretty sure there's not. He said that the town owns the land and i have to leave. I said i paid $7100 a year in property taxes and it's my land not the towns and that he works for me . So i left there pretty pissed. I wasn't on the baseball fields. I filled my holes perfect. Am i in the wrong I really feel bad for this generation. It seems like all they do is make laws to screw us now.

Show me the ordinance in writing. You know where to find me. If your wrong bring your boss.

 

[Eagle101]

This was my first time being confronted for metal detecting and it burns me up. I'm not a criminal... I'm a good person. Just leave me alone. He's lucky I'm older now. When I got out of the service I would've gave him a whoopin for talking to me like that...lol

 

[NJSouth]

Its all how you talk to people... this guy was a dope. I've got experience in Law Enforcement (26 years and counting) and I would have asked the guy.. "Are you a cop?" and when he said no you could keep digging until one showed up. Some towns may have an ordinance and some may not. If they did he should have been able to quote it to you chapter and verse. I don't take kindly to people talking down to me and I TRY not to do it to other people. Oh and PS.. 67 coins is awesome!! You can buy the DPW guy some manners....lol

 

[3stooge]

I totally disagree with 3stooge. If you "know" you are in the right, I would stand my ground until someone called the law....."Never give up, never give in".

I agree if you know you are right, but in his original post it sounded like he had some doubt. Now that he knows for sure there is no ordinance then yeah stand your ground.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

The solution is simple : Instead of fighting guys like this , just do as 3-stooges said: Go when he, & other potential lookie-lou gripers aren't around . So peaceful . So serene. It's gotten to where I do nice turf mostly at night.

 

[jeff of pa]

I'm not sure how I would react.
I suppose it would depend on The way it was said & My attitude at the Moment.

I think I would laugh at first & at least Pretend (act, feel ) like he was trying to be funny.

& hopefully defuse the situation into a Conversation where I can say something like,
Yea Everyone's been really nice around here when I asked

if I'd get a Who did You ask ?

hmmm I guess I should have taken down his name... He was here with his Kid & said he works on the
borough, city, Township (Whatever applies) .

If he just got really Irate & I couldn't get a Calming word in,
about having permission (real or otherwise) I guess I'd apologize & leave.
Then decide whether to go back or ?

but Personally, I have been at this for over 40 years
probably closer to 50 years.
So Ive gained permission before or after the fact for
just about all the public places around here at one point or another
even had people offer to unlock gates for me without even asking.

 

[Keppy]

I'm not sure how I would react.
I suppose it would depend on The way it was said & My attitude at the Moment.

I think I would laugh at first & at least Pretend (act, feel ) like he was trying to be funny.

& hopefully defuse the situation into a Conversation where I can say something like,
Yea Everyone's been really nice around here when I asked

if I'd get a Who did You ask ?

hmmm I guess I should have taken down his name... He was here with his Kid & said he works on the
borough, city, Township (Whatever applies) .

If he just got really Irate & I couldn't get a Calming word in,
about having permission (real or otherwise) I guess I'd apologize & leave.
Then decide whether to go back or ?

but Personally, I have been at this for over 40 years
probably closer to 50 years.
So Ive gained permission before or after the fact for
just about all the public places around here at one point or another
even had people offer to unlock gates for me without even asking.

I liked the part were you jeff said you have been at this for 40 years and could be closer to 50 years.. I am in that club also..

 

[jeff of pa]

I liked the part were you jeff said you have been at this for 40 years and could be closer to 50 years.. I am in that club also..

I'm 59 first detector I used was My Grandmothers
all I know is I was somewhere between 9 & 13

I do remember My First dig was hard Ground on an old Mining Road,
and for a cheap $19.00 ish detector with an ear plug
I pulled a green 1919 penny at a nice depth (maybe 4" or more)
& was automatically Hooked

 

[DigginDownUnder]

I got approached at a soccer field a couple days back.
He thought I was looking for bombs lol
Probably because I was still in my high-vis work shirt.

He was cool though and thanked me for cleaning out some of the old bottle caps from the field, as he was concerned for players getting cut by them.

Seems to be a different mentality for metal detecting around here, I'm yet to have a negative (touch wood) although I did get driven out of a spot by an angry magpie the other day.

 

[James/Texas]

I have been detecting since 1971. I have run into this a few times. There is no ordinance in the towns that I hunt but I have been asked to leave a school or park several times. A couple of times by police. I have always been courteous as possible to whomever asked me to leave and I leave right then. I have gone to the head office of parks and recreation and spoke to the manager and gotten written permission to hunt with a signature. I then go right back to the place I was run out of and resume detecting. One time my permission letter paid off when the person that originally asked me to leave came trudging over and angrily said that he had already asked me to leave. He sure did change his tune when I showed hin the paper. My solution is to always get the last laugh. It does get a little tense when a cop asks you to leave and this happened to me just last month when I was detecting the front lawn of a local elementary school. A cop drives up and says I can't detect on school property. I turned my detector off and we talked for about 30 minutes. I gave him my business card (I am presently the president of out local metal detecting club and have business cards I hand out at every chance) The cop changed his attitude and then said he was the supervisor of the school policy e and said I could go ahead and hunt. He even told me that I should hunt some of the other schools and gave me his name and said if I was questioned again to give his name and tell the cop that I have his permission to hunt. Be as nice to whoever approaches as you can. Many times things will work out in your favor. Get written permission when possible. Good hunting.

 

[Boatlode]

He replied that there's a town ordinance. I'm pretty sure there's not.

Well, is there or isn't there? If not, go back and tell him to kiss your azz.

 

[George (MN)]

If your town has it's own PD ask them. If not ask co sheriffs dept could I be fined for detecting town parks. If they say maybe of you left a big hole that could injure someone, you can consider that permission. Likewise if they say only of you damaged the place to the degree that repair was necessary. Best wishes, George (MN)

 

[jeff of pa]

If your town has it's own PD ask them. If not ask co sheriffs dept could I be fined for detecting town parks. If they say maybe of you left a big hole that could injure someone, you can consider that permission. Likewise if they say only of you damaged the place to the degree that repair was necessary. Best wishes, George (MN)

I have 2 Questions I like to use.
When I see a Park out of my area & see someone like a Grounds Keeper, or
Cop, I ask "Is this a Public Park ?" if I get a Yes, I take for Granted I can Hunt it.


my other choice at non Publiic Parks, (Church, Fire Co.,school) where I have never been,
"is detecting still allowed here ?" even if I've never been there before,
I'm old enough they don't Know that. I always got a Yes on this,
But hesitate to use it at times for obvious reasons.

If there is nobody around I go by signs .
If the Signs say No trespassing Dusk To Dawn I know I'm OK if it's light out.

If signs say Private Property, or no trespassing I definitely wanna ask.

But I once pulled up to a Church Grove I've never been to before,
The Grounds Keeper was on a Riding Mower, & I just suited up & went at it,
Like I belonged there. after about 30 minutes or so he took a break
and come over to ask how I was making out,
And I eventually landed permision for His House & Yard across the Street
which was also church owned. so I guess Sometimes a little guts doesn't hurt.

 

[ZR2guy]

I choose to not burn any bridges if possible. I was hunting a local soccer complex(this one is huge) and was approached by 2 city P&R employees in a truck. Right away, I noticed that they were my age(48) or older. The driver said " man, I can't allow you to be digging here, we have a big soccer tournament coming in this weekend and I don't want any of the "big wigs" seeing you out here". I replied, no problem buddy, I would not want to get you in trouble. I was here earlier in the week and found an old token and some square nails. You look like the right guy to ask, did all this property belong to the old farm down the road? I wish I could hunt the farm itself. Just so you know, I don't hunt on the actual soccer fields themselves and I only dig plugs, not holes left unfilled." We went on to talk about metal detecting; he informed me he was a supervisor and then he pointed out an area of the old original park that had been around since 1930. He said I could go hunt that area and if anyone asked , tell them that Big Dave said you had special permission. He thanked me for complying and said that any other time but this tournament weekend, I could hunt. Now if I had become defensive and said something like" hey pal, I don't see any signs that say no metal detecting, and you aren't a cop"; chances are with my luck this guy would get the city to ban metal detecting and in the meantime, tell the other P&R employees to run off anyone with a metal detector. In this case, I'd rather rub another person's foot than shoot my own, especially when it comes to metal detecting..

 

[dnewbury2]

I hunt on Sundays to avoid seeing any city employees and if anybody shows up it will be the law and then I do as they say.

 

[jeff of pa]

I choose to not burn any bridges if possible. I was hunting a local soccer complex(this one is huge) and was approached by 2 city P&R employees in a truck. Right away, I noticed that they were my age(48) or older. The driver said " man, I can't allow you to be digging here, we have a big soccer tournament coming in this weekend and I don't want any of the "big wigs" seeing you out here". I replied, no problem buddy, I would not want to get you in trouble. I was here earlier in the week and found an old token and some square nails. You look like the right guy to ask, did all this property belong to the old farm down the road? I wish I could hunt the farm itself. Just so you know, I don't hunt on the actual soccer fields themselves and I only dig plugs, not holes left unfilled." We went on to talk about metal detecting; he informed me he was a supervisor and then he pointed out an area of the old original park that had been around since 1930. He said I could go hunt that area and if anyone asked , tell them that Big Dave said you had special permission. He thanked me for complying and said that any other time but this tournament weekend, I could hunt. Now if I had become defensive and said something like" hey pal, I don't see any signs that say no metal detecting, and you aren't a cop"; chances are with my luck this guy would get the city to ban metal detecting and in the meantime, tell the other P&R employees to run off anyone with a metal detector. In this case, I'd rather rub another person's foot than shoot my own, especially when it comes to metal detecting..

Exactly

when they approach with an Agenda, it doesn't take much to set them off.
after all, they are just looking out for #1.
more then not, when you throw them a Bone & treat them with respect, They give respect only exceptions are the true arses