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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[Indiana Bones]

Wow.....that's. Insane....it is actions like that ...that WILL get a park closed to metal detecting.

I know of only two parks in my state (Indiana) that are marked. "No Metal Detectors"
Because of the same stupidity.....fortunatly, those are the only ones I've seen...
That's a real shame
Maybe you could catch them out there and. "Re arrange " his thinking....if you catch my drift!
HH

 

[Obsessive]

Not cool at all.

But, I must ask, provided the plug is properly replaced as any good detectorist would, are these turf plug cutters a good idea? Seems they'd be even cleaner than cutting a plug with the lesche tool.

 

[Eleven Cents]

The ones I've seen are too small. You'd ding a lot of finds that way.

 

[Geobound]

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.

I'm not saying that it should be your responsibility to clean up after somebody else, but if it's a park that you plan to go back to, maybe you should have considered it?

I only say that because that's what happened to me a few weeks ago.

I was in a park doing some hunting when way off in the distance I noticed somebody who was moving from place to place rather quickly. I ignored him for a while, but then decided I had better check things out.

He had left the park, but also left the park in one heck of a mess.

I hunt there quite often and didn't want people to think it was me, so I spent 30+ minutes going around picking up his trash that he left by the "plugs, and then fixing what I could.

I stayed away from the park for a few weeks, but have been back just recently and no signs of him.......or banning.

If I see the guy again (or any other detectorist for that matter) I will make a point of going over and introducing myself and see how they dig their plugs.

Good luck with your park, I hope it doesn't get shut down from hunting.

 

[Geobound]

Not cool at all.

But, I must ask, provided the plug is properly replaced as any good detectorist would, are these turf plug cutters a good idea? Seems they'd be even cleaner than cutting a plug with the lesche tool.

The problem with using something like that is that you take the whole plug out of the ground, instead of digging just a 3 sided plug......or at least I hope that's how you dig your plugs?

A 3 sided plug gives the grass a better chance of staying in place, is easier to smash back into the ground and blend in, and makes it harder for animals to lift your plug up and hunt for grubs.

I know that sometimes things happen and we all screw up a plug every now and again, but it's easier to blend one mistake than it is 40 or 50 of them?

 

[Back-of-the-boat]

The problem with using something like that is that you take the whole plug out of the ground, instead of digging just a 3 sided plug......or at least I hope that's how you dig your plugs?

A 3 sided plug gives the grass a better chance of staying in place, is easier to smash back into the ground and blend in, and makes it harder for animals to lift your plug up and hunt for grubs.

I know that sometimes things happen and we all screw up a plug every now and again, but it's easier to blend one mistake than it is 40 or 50 of them?

I went back to a park only I detect and from the day before all my plugs had been flipped back and I tripped out.So I went around putting the plugs back then realized what was doing it,It was crows watching me.After that I started only doing a" V" plug harder for animals to remove.The park guy said he saw the crows doing it and knows me,He told me no problem because he has seen me dig and normally can't find my holes, that day was the exception.

 

[RustyGold]

I agree Geobound. If it was me, I would probably take the time to clean it up. Especially if I wanted to return to that park.
I'd be ticked though.

 

[ARC]

And people wonder why there are restrictions against detecting in many places.

Stupidity... Inconsideration and selfishness bother me immensely.

This is unacceptable to me... and threatens what we enjoy.

IF YOU CANNOT RESPECT THE "CODE"... DONT DETECT> !

IF I see anyone disrespecting / tarnishing / threatening the ability to detect due to idiotic moves like this ... I will confront them with a piece of my mind... regardless of the outcome.

Lets hope these stupid people do not breed.

 

[CASPER-2]

think the TV guys should emphasize the proper way to dig and replace plugs - (though ive seen them tear it up a bit and don think the grass grew back in some of their spots) and the importance of picking up/ taking out the trash
I think a lot of the culprits are newbies and need to learn - or they are just inconsiderate POS

 

[tlane38003]

I agree with Casper-2 it was probably newbie young kids I am guessing I have encountered the same thing I filled the holes up so I wouldn't get blamed I have also seen holes dug back up by animals easy pickings I guess if I see someone doing it i will ask them nicely if they are aware of what they are doing wrong and try to convince them to be more considerat to others and our hobby

Sent from my LG-V410 using Tapatalk

 

[wingmaster]

I think all parks in Plainfield are no detecting, I don't think it was because of anybody leaving them in bad shape though. HH

Wow.....that's. Insane....it is actions like that ...that WILL get a park closed to metal detecting.

I know of only two parks in my state (Indiana) that are marked. "No Metal Detectors"
Because of the same stupidity.....fortunatly, those are the only ones I've seen...
That's a real shame
Maybe you could catch them out there and. "Re arrange " his thinking....if you catch my drift!
HH

 

[SD51]

I have seen this in the past after detecting for more than 40 years. The morons that do this are also the genius's that litter everywhere they go and just don't have two brain cells to rub together. I see the same thing when I'm trout fishing pon a beautiful stream! I have to carry bags with me when I fish to carry it out.

 

[Catanza]

That's messed up. I'm new to the hobby but I try to make it look like I wasn't even there. If people would put just a little pride in what they do the whole world would be a better place......

 

[bigscoop]

I considered repairing all of the wholes but then who's to say I wouldn't be the one getting blamed for them should someone from the Parks Department show up? That was the scary part, standing there with a detector in my hands looking down on the minefield of holes and plugs all around me, sort of freaked out at the thought of suddenly becoming the poster boy for someone else's disaster. So, I just got away from it as fast as I could.

 

[b3y0nd3r]

LETS FACE IT ALREADY!!! The main reason why lazy, uncaring, unscrupulous, pieces of trash, that leave places a mess, is the prospect of easy money. Period. They see the shows and the see youtub3 videos of people finding gold AND silver coins and get in a fever.

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.

When Im out, and a civilian(non-hobbyist) approaches me with questions, I give all answers to dissuade from the hobby as I don't know what their intentions are.

"Did you ever find anything GOOD" -No all the good stuff is long gone

"How much is your machine" -About $100(rain man answer, they may be trying to steal my machine).

"Whats your best find" -two dimes in the same hole

"If you don't find anything why do you do it" -Exercise. My dad.

"Can I watch you" That would make me uncomfortable, im sorry(Then I walk away, UNLESS, its a chick(I got priorities and im not ashamed))

If the conversation is more than two minutes -I got to get back to it, have a nice day.

If the keep bothering me -this is my only day off, I need a little time to myself

I am sorry if this attitude is not friendly, but it's MY time, I work hard all week.

Getting back to the OP, im sorry that you had to deal with that. I would keep on the look out for that SCUM BAG. If I saw him, I would video him for a while, then go over to him and tell him what needs to be done. then if he is not compliant, well, use your imagination...and the video.

 

[bigscoop]

On the flip side, what an inspiring turnaround I experienced this morning....just read the following:

http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/b...azing-inspiring-conversation.html#post5383640

 

[Geobound]

I went back to a park only I detect and from the day before all my plugs had been flipped back and I tripped out.So I went around putting the plugs back then realized what was doing it,It was crows watching me.After that I started only doing a" V" plug harder for animals to remove.The park guy said he saw the crows doing it and knows me,He told me no problem because he has seen me dig and normally can't find my holes, that day was the exception.

A V plug is also a good solution, but the potential problem is that you haven't got your target in the V and have to care a lot of earth out.

If the earth is packed back in it helps, but I found that if the tip of the V is curled in the slightest then it just starts to come up easier.

Again this is WAY better than digging the entire plug out.

 

[Geobound]

Oh I wasn't impressed either I can tell you that, but I would have been a lot more ticked off if detecting got banned from a park that I hunt at. Especially if all it took was 30+ minutes of my time to clean up after the guy.

 

[cudamark]

I've cleaned up after a few numb sculls in the past. Not a fun job, as they usually tear up the plug pretty bad. I put my detector back in the truck and just do it. That way they don't associate me detecting and the damage. I haven't ever been blamed for the damage, even though many people have checked out what I was doing. Most thanked me and I made friends with several park employees.