Looks like it won’t be another day at the park. I got BANNED.

[Truth]

This public City Park, dating back to the 1850’s,and where I’ve been going to for 3 years has come to an end. I was told today by the Park’s Police that I had a complaint called on me, but they excused it but the they got another call from the same person to a “high up” so they have to check into it to see if there’s a rule or law against me. The officer to down my name and number and promised me man-to-man that he would let me know, good or bad, a let me know. I could tell he felt bad. He also thanked me for how I handled myself and to me how sorry he was.

The park is 1300 acres so I could always spread out in locations but when I stumbled across that 3 ringer in November it was in a more populated area near the museum and that did me in. I can’t lie I always wanted one more and it gave them up one at a time with a total of 28. Unfortunately it was in a 40x40ft spot and with the large chucks of clay and them being down 8” to a foot the plugs where very lumpy and noticeable. I hit it pretty hard and often on a 3 ringer bender and it caught up with me man it hard to stop a spot when it’s hot. Hopefully good news will come my way and I learn a lesson, if not I’ll have to look at is as a opportunity to look else where, water hunt this summer or start my 2018 door knocking career. When one door closes another one will open. I will miss you my friend. Thank you for giving me many happy days.

R.I.P. City Park (2015-2018)

 

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[RustyGold]

Cool post! Sorry that happened (banned) Truth. Tom is dead-on right.

 

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[Truth]

Cool post! Sorry that happened (banned) Truth. Tom is dead-on right.

I’m gonna let things calm down RustyGold, but I’ll be back.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

....There will always be someone who hates hunters digging into the nice grass....

Sure. And no doubt someone in traffic that doesn't like my lane change. And someone who doesn't like the religion I ascribe to. And someone who doesn't like the lawn furniture in front of my house. But you have to realize: It's the md'rs obligation to please every last person on earth. And until then (until he has everyone's "yes"), he can not go detecting. Right ?

... Did you look into the park regulations yourself.

I bet that it says absolutely nothing at all about "metal detecting". It is SUPER RARE that any city, anywhere, has ever dreamed up anything in their verbiage about that. It would fall under ancillary wording like "alter", "deface" "remove", etc... NONE OF WHICH I deem to apply to me. And no, I won't go swatting hornet's nests t put the idea in anyone else's head either. Sorry.

Do some night hunting...

90% of my nice -manicured park turf hunting these days is done at night. So peaceful. So serene.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

... when one door shut ....

I do not consider isolated fluke "scrams" to constitute "shut doors". It just means: Give the place a brief rest, and avoid that one individual singular griper in the future

 

[HighVDI]

I love it. I absolutely love it. This question gets on the "Frequently" asked questions list, eh? Same for other parks in the USA where it shows up on FAQ lists. Bless the little hearts of the past md'rs who showed up "frequently asking" this "pressing question" . That no one in authority there cared or thought about till they asked. And then .... presto .... some lawyer can sleuth and come up with oddball technical answers like this one.

Are they serious ? 1) Since when does an item found on city property belong to the state ? Wouldn't it belong to the city ? 2) And I actually sort of agree with the answer : Sure, items (aka "park features") found in the park belong to the entity that owns the park. Eg.: the park benches, turf, trees, etc.... Could a coin be construed to be a "park feature" ? SURE ! Just ask enough lawyers and city pencil pushers. And did you really think any of them would have cared less if you picked up a coin or a seashell ? OF COURSE NOT. But hey it's the technical answer and .... gee, aren't you glad you asked ?

Now we're on their radar as someone who "takes" things. Guess what they'll be thinking the next time they see an md'r in the park ? Who probably would not even have registered on their conscience before this ?

Ok, let's take a show of hands: How many guys do you think ran to the state offices and turned in any item they found ? And if they try, I'll bet you dollars to donuts they'd have been met with blank stares and confusion . No one to want their junk. Unless it's a gold bar or whatever. Then ... sure, give us the gold bar . But was it ever meant to apply to casual fumble fingers stuff we do ? OF COURSE NOT. But gee, aren't ya glad you asked ? So that someone can give this "pressing question" an odd-answer like that ?

In fact, I'm surprised they didn't answer the FAQ with simply saying : "No you can't" . Or "yes but you can't dig". Or other types answers that frequently get tossed out there.

Sorry to go off on a tirade, but this is the drum I've been beating for years. It's as if we md'rs can be our own worst enemy at times

Not a rant it's just telling it like it is!

 

[Evilpope]

Man that sucks,, parks here are starting to do that,,hope you get your park back

 

[Truth]

Man that sucks,, parks here are starting to do that,,hope you get your park back

I will the rules state that detecting is allowed so I’m got sit back let the heat come down and get back to my V nickel, 3 ringer haven, better known as my home away from home. Very much hunted out over the years as far has high tones, which is why the mid tones are left and the 3 ringers are deep, but I know I just know there’s a Spanish Silver there waiting for me to find it.

 

[ZR2guy]

Truth1253 : Let me see if I understand this correctly: A) You've been hunting the park for 3 yrs. with no issues, right ? B) There's no express/specific rule re.: metal detecting , right ? (just ancillary verbiage that you *might* make a hole, blah blah). C) But now a single fluke busy-body complaint comes in, right ? D) EVEN THE COP didn't have a problem with you, RIGHT ?

Then I hate to say it, and I know people will disagree with me, but : I do not consider fluke experiences like that to constitute "new law/rule going forward". Oh ... sure ... I'll give lip service at the time. And .. oh sure : I'll give the park a rest for a month.

But I can tell you SCORES of such "scrams" that turned out to be nothing but isolated incidents. And ... later on, I find out someone else continues to go with utterly no problem (singular lookie-lou gone or whatever). So... I bravely join them one day. 10 or 20 yrs. pass, and we never hear "boo" again. And as you can see, if I'd /we'd gone "seeking clarifications", we could have ended up swatting hornet's nests.

I would also add: This is EXACTLY why I do 90% of my nice manicured park turf hunting at night (over ... at least ... very low traffic times). So peaceful. So serene.

I completely agree. You did the right thing by not arguing at that moment. Truth is, if there is no ordinance/law/park rule about metal detecting that park, I would also take a small vacation from hunting it and return later to hunt it again. People can walk their dogs in the parks that I hunt and while the owners keep their dogs on a leash and pick up the piles, the dogs still urinate on the grass and leave brown spots all over the place, not to mention the amount of human litter I pick up while hunting.
It is like saying that if you are walking in the park holding a can of soda, a bottle of water etc, you could be asked to leave the park because some busy-body complained about the litter left laying in the park. I just don't understand why metal detecting gets singled out. Total B.S. if you ask me.

 

[Truth]

I completely agree. You did the right thing by not arguing at that moment. Truth is, if there is no ordinance/law/park rule about metal detecting that park, I would also take a small vacation from hunting it and return later to hunt it again. People can walk their dogs in the parks that I hunt and while the owners keep their dogs on a leash and pick up the piles, the dogs still urinate on the grass and leave brown spots all over the place, not to mention the amount of human litter I pick up while hunting.
It is like saying that if you are walking in the park holding a can of soda, a bottle of water etc, you could be asked to leave the park because some busy-body complained about the litter left laying in the park. I just don't understand why metal detecting gets singled out. Total B.S. if you ask me.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

View attachment 1540689

Well now GEE ... aren't we glad all those yesteryear md'rs went in asking that question "frequently" ? So they could get an odd-ball answer like that one ? haha

 

[Geobound]

If it were me and I got that promised call back and things weren't working out in my favour, I would then propose that since the park is 1300 acres that perhaps it would be okay if I moved to a much further away spot.

Perhaps I would stay away from my honey hole for the rest of the year, but then venture back to it the following?

Something to think about anyway?

Good luck.

 

[Truth]

Well now GEE ... aren't we glad all those yesteryear md'rs went in asking that question "frequently" ? So they could get an odd-ball answer like that one ? haha

I know lol

 

[Al Bundy]

Sorry to hear about this foolishness. I hunt city park occasionally. I'll get the occasional "find anything?" or "I get to keep half of anything good you find!" in passing, but I've yet to encounter anything close to the harassment that has been thrown your way. Do you bring a shovel? I use a lesche hand digger for parks, which I keep sheathed until it's time to dig a target, and I have yet to receive any attention from the busybodies that apparently frequent the park (knock on wood). If you do use a shovel, I wonder if using a hand tool would draw less attention from them?

 

[Truth]

Sorry to hear about this foolishness. I hunt city park occasionally. I'll get the occasional "find anything?" or "I get to keep half of anything good you find!" in passing, but I've yet to encounter anything close to the harassment that has been thrown your way. Do you bring a shovel? I use a lesche hand digger for parks, which I keep sheathed until it's time to dig a target, and I have yet to receive any attention from the busybodies that apparently frequent the park (knock on wood). If you do use a shovel, I wonder if using a hand tool would draw less attention from them?

Absolutely right. I bring that blue Piranha Lesche shovel. Not good but only because those 3 ringers where a foot down plus. But I think that play a visual part as well. I got 3 ringer fever I have to admit.

 

[Evilpope]

Absolutely right. I bring that blue Piranha Lesche shovel. Not good but only because those 3 ringers where a foot down plus. But I think that play a visual part as well. I got 3 ringer fever I have to admit.

I've had people at a local beach tell me they would "allow me to hunt their beach" it's a public beach there is private but I was no where near it sometimes people want to sound like they have authority but don't have it.

 

[ivan salis]

like a famous baseball player once said -- when asked about how he got so many base hits ..he said --I hit em where they ain't ...learn avoid others ...go when other folks aren't around to avoid nosey nellies and whiny willies who need to get a life ...and snivel non stop to ruin other folks happiness

 

[cudamark]

View attachment 1540689

I find it interesting that they have the word "technically" in the sentence. Without it, there would be no doubt as to legal ownership (even though I disagree with their assessment). With that word in the sentence, it gives me hope that there may be ways around it or that there is doubt as to their claim.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

.... With that word in the sentence, it gives me hope that there may be ways around it....

Nope. Sorry. There's no way around it. Face the fact cudamark. All items that you find md'ing in your state, on every/all different types of land, "belong to the state". If you have any doubt, get on the phone or email, and ask various govt. lawyers, city attorneys, etc.... Don't stop till you find one that , likewise, gives you this technical answer . After all: You want to be law-abiding right ?

Or you can just make it simple and send me all your finds. I will make sure they get to the proper authorities . And will absolve your conscience of all guilt.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

.... ...learn avoid others ...go when other folks aren't around to avoid nosey nellies and whiny willies who need to get a life ......

Nope. Sorry. It's your obligation to please every last person on the planet. You can not leave your front door and engage in any activity, till you've made sure that all others around you have rolled out red carpets for you.

Sheesk, I mean ... do you think you own the world ? Are you THAT selfish of other people's wishes ? Are you trying to give metal detecting a bad name, and get parks banned ?? Sheesk, some people.

 

[puddle jumper]

Sidewalk and a little grassy strip in front of the houses?