Decision made...Motherload found

[furchaser]

First off I would like to thank everyone who helped me decide which metal detector to buy - Whitez LXT. Second, I would like to thank the gentlemen at Minneapolis Metal Detecors for putting up with me for over 3 hours. He answered everyone of my annoying questions. Greatly appreciated!!!!!

Now for the motherload. Got down with work and was 2 minutes away from a small park - less than a half a block square. I decided to hit it. Got out of my truck, set the machine up, and the first sweep a quarter. I'm thinking this is going to be great. I didn't get another 2 feet and bam - a dime. Another foot - my first wheatie. I'm thinking, someone just emptied my pockets right infront of me. I was trying to get toward the play ground area, but kept finding coins the whole way. Finally got to the playground area and that is when the problem started - KIDS!!!!! Lots of them little pests. How do you sweep your detector when you have 8 kids surrounding you? I figured it out - smack them in the shins once or twice and they move fast. The bad part is - when I found a signal and leaned over to dig, I had 16 little hands trying to get it before I did. I ended up with 8 quarters, 7 dimes, 6 nickles, 34 pennies, 1 wheat penny, 2 match box cars, and a belt buckle. All in less than 30 minutes. I think the kids got more than what I got. Obviously no one has hunted here before. I will return! Hopefully no kids!

Brian

 

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[nedigger]

Try searching the park early in the morning on a Saturday or Sunday. Most kids are still in bed or watching their favorite cartoons. A lot of times they don't start to venture out until after 10:00am. As a general rule I don't approach playgrounds when there are kids already there. I will pass it and come back later or another day. When kids have gathered while I am detecting I will try to answer their questions (depending on my mood I have also just flat out ignored them, packed up and left or kept the answers very short). When they start getting in the way I tell them if they want to watch they have to walk on my left, not in front or to my right, as that interferes with my swing. I have also told them that when I get a signal, I will dig it myself - I don't want anyone else's hands in the way. Surprisingly, most kids will listen although occasionally you may have to remind them of the rules that you have layed down. I don't mind showing them my finds as I recover them but I won't let them hold them (make sure they can't snatch them away from you as some kids can be pretty mischievous). If it is valuable, you may want to play it down and put it away quickly. Once they have seen it, they can describe it and tell someone you found something they lost and won't give it back. That has never happened to me but I have heard of it happening to someone else ( may have been someone on here). HH.

 

[rvbvetter]

WOW! I guess you did hit the motherlode! WTG!! HH

 

[Cfm]

Playgrounds are for the children... You should not detect them when there are children there, find somewhere else to detect...

 

[Getty]

Sounds like a great spot.Perhaps the story of b1pw3ha plays in here. He didnt know where his daughter got the idea of an MD.Maybe by seeing someone like you?Be easy on the little people,they are our future MDrs. Its up to us to teach them the ethics and correct ways of MDing.If one chooses to hunt these places we sould go in with wide open minds.Knoledge/Pass It On,its not yours to keep.

HH,jimmy

 

[omnicognic]

I agree with jimmy, show some encouragement to the future of our hobby! Those stuffed shirts in office might go easier on us if their sons, daughters, grandsons, and granddaughters Md!

 

[Mi$$ouri Jim]

I hit a park before anyone arrives. Best policy in my opinion.? ?

The kids are usually not the problem.... its the kids' parents.? Every once in a while curious kids will? bother me a bit, but i dont usually have that problem... kids generally keep their distance. If they dont I politely remind them that they shouldnt talk to strangers.
? I always move to a remote section of the park when parents arrive with their kids.? I have had more problems with parents who think parks are only for their kids than I ever had with children. I have had parents call the police or park workers on me in the past. Doesnt happen often, but all it takes is one overprotective parent to get you booted from a park forever.? ?
? Sounds crazy doesnt it? Its not like I dress like a vagrant or lurk about the park with a big digger in my hand or leave potholes where I dig..... I dress normally (jeans & t-shirt), keep the digger out-of-view until needed, pick up trash & leave no trace where I have dug. And I make it a point to stay out of people's way.?

The only reason i can think of why it happens is probably because I dont fit the "harmless old guy with a metal detector" image people are used to. I am in my thirties.
? ?

 

[fishercz20]

Those little rug rats. It just reminds me of the times when I used to hunt with this friend of mine in some of the local parks and the kids would always come running up to me saying " what did you find" and I would always say, " Hey you see that guy over their he always finds all the good stuff" and they all run over to my buddy and bug him, LOL

 

[PrizmIV]

You know, Im 13. So I guess I still can be considered a kid. I had 4 North Korean adult guys swarm me yesterday and start digging with there hands lol. And they flipped out and started jumping and kicking and screaming when I found a sac. They were jumping around screaming "One Dollar!!!" One Dollar!!!" in there accent. HH Jonathan

 

[SugarSand]

I agree with the others. If you want the fanfare then detect with the people there. I prefer stealth mode and hit places when they are quiet. We're all different, I'm there to detect and not interact for the most part. When I do detect with kids around though I give them my clad but am firm on the "I'm the only hand in the hole" rule, usually because I'm looking for older stuff.

 

[Monty]

I don't mind dealing with the kids. Unfortunately there's always one that is a little fart and has no manners. I just keep my earphones on and pretend I can't hear those kind. After a few minutes of being ignored they go away. All they want is attention and when you don't provide it they go elsewhere. Some of the kids are genuinely interested and are fun to talk to and explain how a detector works and they are awed when you tell them there's a penny in the ground and actually pull one out. One kid in partucular told his mom he wanted a detector for Christmas and she said he could have one. A new recuit! JIM

 

[treasurekidd]

I agree: I move on when someone shows up to a park or playground to use it for it's intended purpose. If I'm at a schoolyard playground, I'll move on out to the ballfield, away from the kids, and I always keep a few shiney pennies in my pocket to give to them, telling them I found them, of course! As for the parents, well, I'm a parent myself, and it's our job to be cautious about the rugrats. I prefer the snooty, overprotective parent then the morons who don;t watch the kids at all and let them run roughshod over everything. Those are the worst! They're probably also the ones who leave all their trash behind!

 

[furchaser]

bad news. barney with his one bullet kicked me out of the park. and said "there are civil war artifacts" in the park. The last time i check there was no battles in iowa. its too bad i had about $3 in clad for about 15 minutes work. maybe i'll find another park in central iowa like that. if there are any central iowa guyz out there let me know and maybe we can md together sometime. looking forward to my california trip in about 2 weeks. any good beach programs for the XLI please let me know. thanks for the help

FUR

 

[lonewolfe]

bad news. barney with his one bullet kicked me out of the park. and said "there are civil war artifacts" in the park. The last time i check there was no battles in iowa. its too bad i had about $3 in clad for about 15 minutes work. maybe i'll find another park in central iowa like that. if there are any central iowa guyz out there let me know and maybe we can md together sometime. looking forward to my california trip in about 2 weeks. any good beach programs for the XLI please let me know. thanks for the help

FUR

That's BS, and I'd go over HIS head just to piss him off,

go to the local parks dept. and get a "written permission slip" to hunt the park, and next time the self ego boosting tripping control freak comes up and tells you to leave,

whip out the slip, and tell him to get lost!?

HH

Lonewolfe

 

[rvbvetter]

I agree with Lonewolf. I've only ran into this a couple of times. But both times their self motivated desire to control, made it obvious they were running on a out of kilter control mentality.


As far as the kids; I don't mind them hanging around nearly as much as their parents seem to.
Not sure why, i guess they get tired of getting them down from the limbs i been hanging them on. Go figure.

 

[furchaser]

STopped by City Hall today.? The city fathers outlawed metal detecting in the entire town .? No schools, no parks, no public right aways.? Something about civil war artifacts everytime they dig.? I still can't figure out what battle was fought in Iowa or what Civil War company was stationed in Polk City.? Guess I will have to find another town, not worth the fight.

Fur

 

[AmericanCoinHunting]

I know what you mean about being harrassed,by the cops, and the kids.. I have more trouble with the kids though...I have had little bullies lurking for the right moment ,when I am digging a find..He (about 12) came up ,acted like he was kind of interested,,,and when he got close enough.........Snatched most of what I had in my pouch.....He came back about 15 minutes latter lurking around again......Taughnting me.......I left.........I really wanted to whip his DADDY's A$$
Several times kids and teens alike were interested,and even threw down coins out ahead of me (Like I didn't see l.o.l.) I came to that spot and acted like my detector located the coin,and put it in my pouch....Once a kid threw out a dollar bill , I got over by the bill and acted like my detector had found it..........I put it in my pouch ,and kept on swingin that coil........The kid said "Hey Mister"
"That thing really find paper money ? " ......' I said Nope ! '........and kept on swingin that coil........The kid said "Hey Mister"..................
"Hey Mister"..........Give me my dollar back.............L.O.L. ..........So I did.......................L.O.L.

 

[Xraywolf]

I agree with CFM and treasurekidd that kids should always have the right of way when detecting play areas.
I just judge each situation on its own merrits and act accordingly.
Usually I'll just amble on over to an unused portion of a lot when children arrive when I'm already there and searching ... And not stop at all when theres bunches of them.
I have 3 kids of my own 2 girls 7 & 11 and a 8 year old boy, so I've been going to playgrounds for quite a few years now as a matter of course - And
detecting gives me something to do while they play besides just sitting around or hitting up on cute mothers [I'm a single dad].
Even with my kids I get looks of suspicion often from parents, and I do my best to not get too freindly with any kids, and always make them ask
their parents permission before letting them keep any coins - Never a good idea to instill the belief in a kid that it is at times Ok to accept money
from strangers.
I've had parents thank me for taking the time to interact with thier kids in a positive fashion, and I've also heard others telling their kids flat out to stay away from me, at which time I gathered up my own kids and left the park entirely.

Good finds, and it looks like that spot has potential.
As others have said, hunting at other times early/while they are in school ect will minimize the amount of kids there.

 

[resurector]

When kids approach me and ask "Hey dude- whatcha doin? Lookin for pennies?" I just look up and say" No I'm just lookin for the last little kid I buried here!"-- LOL-- That usually does it-- Just Kiddin-- I've only had to be rude once or twice and can usually get them to leave me alone by taking a handful of digger change and saying "Look at this handful of money!! Then throw it as far as I can back in a place I've already scanned.That sets off a free for all and like a lizard that leaves its tail, I'm lost in the confusion.Most kids are good about it and I try to be a good steward for our sport.