What A Putz!

[bigscoop]

In these forums I have often encountered threads regarding hunters at parks, etc., who leave the place trashed, and honestly, I seldom entertained those threads because I personally just haven't witnessed anything too terribly bad.....until today. Folks, I don't know who it was but they apparently were using one of these golf course plug type diggers and I got to tell you, there were holes all over the place, the plugs laying near the holes, the pulltabs and canslaw also laying next to nearly every hole. To make matters worse, nearly all of these holes were directly around and under all of the swings, sliding boards, etc., etc. I'd never seen anything like it in my entire life. I didn't even want to be associated with it so I immediately turned around and left. No doubt this will be another park sure to become off limits to metal detecting. I wish I would of had my camera with me because I simply couldn't believe just how bad and obvious it was, even from a fair distance. Yes, that person should be prosecuted for vandalizing.

 

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[trancedigger23]

I've never seen a place metal detected that was so bad that I could describe what you guys are describing. I would say if you just aren't experienced enough or have the best digging tools then find an easier/safer place to detect, there is plenty of them. But it's like they didn't even try, can't even imagine what it must be like to leave that much of a mess.

But like someone said above I'm willing to bet it's a bunch of losers with terrible detectors that heard about finding gold and silver and selling it and they wanna get rich quick not even caring about the hobby. The same people who are responsible for you pulling up so much trash in the first place. I am sick of seeing places trashed because of littering, not only does litter just look bad but it contaminates the environment as if we don't have enough of that already in everything but the ground. Nothing ever just disappears and you know where that trash goes? Into your water, air, and body through one way or another.

 

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[bubbaslight]

I'm thinking their will be a detector for sale on ebay soon. Someone who does this probably bought a cheap detector and thought they would "get rich quick". After seeing so many pull tabs, I don't think they are likely to stay with the hobby.

 

[trancedigger23]

Think people who profit from metal detecting well already have a lot of money to put towards it anyways. Honestly I more hope for finding strange, old relics than any silver/gold and I would hold on to it all anyways just because any precious metals are good to have.

 

[Kansas_Jayhawk]

LETS FACE IT ALREADY!!! ....

The buy a machine and go to their local park and expect to find vast riches. The first signal, a can. Then a pull tab. Then more junk(because they dont know what they are doing). They get frustrated and just leave the holes and the junk. Here is the kicker, they wont care if we lose rights, because they are in it for the short term.

So is there anyway to fix this? NO NO and NO. The cat is out of the bag and most people will never look at it from the hobby collective's point of view.

....

There might be a reason "newbies" don't get the start they need. Because experienced detectors will not take the time to share the dues and don't and take them out.

Here is my experience starting out ... back in 2005 or 2006 I bought my first detector. Got in touch with a guy in Hutchinson KS (I lived 60 miles south). He was part of a club that met at the Methodist Church - still might. It had a lot of members. Anyhow I went sat through one of their meetings. After that meeting I had a handful of "experienced" detectors come up and shake my hand. Had an initial question asked - like "what kind of detector". The very next question out of their mouth was "do you have places to hunt down there"? Where I lived was a rural community with lots of old school sites, military history. churches, parks, lots of good places. I was naïve and said yes - which I had access to places fairly easily due to my job and related contacts. I had a handful of names and numbers and even a couple of them wanting to come down and "hunt with me". Spending my time hunting upland birds and deer ... I knew instantly they could careless hunting with me but find places to hunt for themselves.

Experienced folks need to invite less experienced MDers out. If you see someone not doing it right talk to them and let them know that MDers are on a short rope and not digging right will get "us kicked out" of the park, school, etc. Worst case - if they continue and are doing this that are out of line turn them in.

 

[b3y0nd3r]

There might be a reason "newbies" don't get the start they need. Because experienced detectors will not take the time to share the dues and don't and take them out.

Here is my experience starting out ... back in 2005 or 2006 I bought my first detector. Got in touch with a guy in Hutchinson KS (I lived 60 miles south). He was part of a club that met at the Methodist Church - still might. It had a lot of members. Anyhow I went sat through one of their meetings. After that meeting I had a handful of "experienced" detectors come up and shake my hand. Had an initial question asked - like "what kind of detector". The very next question out of their mouth was "do you have places to hunt down there"? Where I lived was a rural community with lots of old school sites, military history. churches, parks, lots of good places. I was naïve and said yes - which I had access to places fairly easily due to my job and related contacts. I had a handful of names and numbers and even a couple of them wanting to come down and "hunt with me". Spending my time hunting upland birds and deer ... I knew instantly they could careless hunting with me but find places to hunt for themselves.

Experienced folks need to invite less experienced MDers out. If you see someone not doing it right talk to them and let them know that MDers are on a short rope and not digging right will get "us kicked out" of the park, school, etc. Worst case - if they continue and are doing this that are out of line turn them in.

We were all new once. No one taught me, and no one needed to teach me, proper metal detecting etiquette(filling holes, cleaning surface junk). The issue isnt new people starting out, the issue is the ones that are only in it for the money who don't give a damn. Just last weekend, I was at a spot. This spot was REALLY good to me. The problem is I was sharing it with another experienced detector. He thinks only about the "money" and as such, left massive open holes. He also left a pile(I mean a whole lot) of junk in an open hole. The guy hates my guts because he felt I was in his spot.

 

[Kansas_Jayhawk]

We were all new once. No one taught me, and no one needed to teach me, proper metal detecting etiquette(filling holes, cleaning surface junk). The issue isnt new people starting out, the issue is the ones that are only in it for the money who don't give a damn. Just last weekend, I was at a spot. This spot was REALLY good to me. The problem is I was sharing it with another experienced detector. He thinks only about the "money" and as such, left massive open holes. He also left a pile(I mean a whole lot) of junk in an open hole. The guy hates my guts because he felt I was in his spot.

You have one way to look at it but I don't agree. There is ample evidence in life where those who have mentors and/or guidance have a much better chance of doing these right. Be it sports with a good coach or in professionals experienced team leadership, or in an office environment with quality management, or a family unit with a father involved vs one without. Could even provide examples in the animal kingdom where this happens - where inexperienced learn from the experienced in how to do it proper.

Now will there be those who still do it wrong for reasons that we take as wrong - absolutely. But I would still be dollars to donuts that if those new to the hobby were to be educated in the proper way to dig, clean, etc. there would be far less issues.

 

[Geobound]

I'm starting to sound like a broken record even to myself, but here goes..........

Metal detectors in my opinion should not be sold at big box stores, rather specialty shops where training can be given.

All metal detectors should come with a universal code of conduct

All manufacturers of metal detectors should have to mandatorily post on their websites the proper etiquette on how to dig a plug, what tools are acceptable to use where, and the importance of bringing your trash out and leaving the space as clean as possible.

We know that they make videos showing the gold and sliver that they find to increase their sales, and we know why they don't show videos of the pop tops, pull tabs and ring pulls that we find because where is the glory in that, but if there was an industry standard on etiquette then life would be so much better.

As for getting a mentor to show you the ropes in your local area............I suspect most knew people never ask.

In fact the most common question I see from new people (after which machine should I get), is where is a good place to hunt?

I don't ever recall seeing a thread that says "I'm new to metal detecting, could somebody show me how to dig plugs and what digging tools should I use"?

I am a member of another forum which is predominately a Canadian members site, and I have offered on more than one occasion to meet up with a new person and help them out........well providing they are within a certain driving distance to me.

By in large I find metal detectorists are willing to help those who ask, and perhaps there is a small percentage of people who want to "steal your good spots", but I find that is the exception rather than the rule.

 

[cudamark]

I've seen both the ignorant newbie and the lazy, greedy veteran detectorist leaving holes. The newbie doesn't realize the consequences of his actions, the veteran doesn't care. The newbie can learn, the veteran refuses to. Their attitude is that they want to find as many targets as possible and to h@ll with the rest of us. They figure, "once I hunt this area, I've found it all and I won't ever be back anyway, so who cares". Of course, they're short sighted. No place is ever hunted out, especially as new technology comes along. Also, and most importantly, when one place gets banned for the damage they inflict, other places will follow, even if they haven't been hunted yet. Rules banning detecting can be imposed on a statewide or even nationwide basis, based on local problems that get out of hand. It happens in local park systems all the time. One park has a problem and the whole park system gets new rules enacted. I know it's tough to do, but, we need to police our own. Confront these idiots (in a nice way, if possible) and offer to help them learn the errors of their ways. It will probably fall on deaf ears with the veteran, but, maybe if enough of us hassle them, they'll change or quit the hobby.

 

[Geobound]

I'd like to think that I am a veteran of the metal detecting world, and I care.

I travel a lot for work so I have the ability to hit many different places away from home, and each of those places I treat as if it were in my backyard.

I agree that there are people from opposite ends of the spectrum that just don't care, but to blanket the veterans with not caring is a little harsh in my opinion.

However the rest of your statement I agree with.

 

[cudamark]

Sorry, I didn't mean to imply that ALL newbies and ALL veterans were inconsiderate. It's that I've seen both types leaving holes and for the reasons I mentioned. It's a relative few that do this, but, it reflects on us all. This applies to most areas of human behavior, not just detecting. The few always seem to ruin it for the rest of us.

 

[Mikeya9697]

We lost a good location in my area due to people leaving open holes and garbage....our local fairgrounds is the oldest continually running fair in Illinois and was also a camp for the Union Army during the Civil War. Poor ethics took a good hunting spot from us in Western Illinois.

 

[b3y0nd3r]

The way I look at it. IF I had a kid, would I want them stepping on trash OR twisting their ankles in open holes OR tripping over plugs? The answer is NO. I may not care to interact with the civvies, but, I don't want someone to get hurt because I didn't care to clean up after myself. I may have found a piece of junk, but at least no one will be getting hurt by it.

 

[Deft Tones]

Somebody needs to bury the trash that left open holes in a public park.