It finally happened, Investigated for Detecting!

[Lisa-Acuff]

We were recently told we couldn't hunt city parks or property anymore. There is not really a law other than a general code for removal/defacing the earth. I am drafting a proposal for review so we can get permission reinstated. Apparently, some moron, decided to leave his trash and holes and he has ruined it for us responsible hunters.

 

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[Tom_in_CA]

We were recently told we couldn't hunt city parks or property anymore.....

Did someone accost you in the field and tell you this ? Or was this something told to you at city hall when you were tallking to them ?

.... There is not really a law other than a general code for removal/defacing the earth.....

Then if you leave no trace of your presence (I assume you fill your holes, fluff them up, etc...) then .... seems to me you're not violating this.

.... I am drafting a proposal for review so we can get permission reinstated. ....

"Permission" ? Your prior ability to detect there was based on permission ? Yes: that makes it easy for them to "revoke it" now. But if it was never dis-allowed to begin with, why did you need their permission in the first place ? (such that now you're on their radar as something they "permit", and so forth)

... Apparently, some moron, decided to leave his trash and holes....

How did you get that information ?

You'd be surprised how often "holes" gets thrown out there as the "go-to answer" for the "no" they're about to give you. And the md'r is muttering under his breath "durned those guys that must've left holes". When, in fact, perhaps there was never an incident (or at least not one that would have led to a rule). All it often is, is simply the knee-jerk mental image that a pencil-pushing desk-jockey has, when tasked with thinking about metal detecting. Doesn't mean there was ever actually a case. It can simply the the "go to" reason to answer your "pressing question" type scenario.

 

[Fletch88]

We were recently told we couldn't hunt city parks or property anymore. There is not really a law other than a general code for removal/defacing the earth. I am drafting a proposal for review so we can get permission reinstated. Apparently, some moron, decided to leave his trash and holes and he has ruined it for us responsible hunters.

People in general really disgust me! I was at my favorite swimming hole last week and there were beer cans left all over, with a garbage can 30 feet away. I then see a poopy diaper thrown out on the ground and almost exploded. I only wish I could see this being done I would probably go to jail. The state will likely close it off to general public if these bozo's keep on.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

....there were beer cans left all over, with a garbage can 30 feet away. I then see a poopy diaper thrown out on the ground . ....

You know what the difference is between those persons who chucked their beer-cans & diapers on the ground, versus md'rs is ? Those guys didn't go ask for permission. If they had, then they too would have been told "no you can't do that". Then they too could start forums lamenting their lack-of-freedoms to leave beer cans on the ground as their hobby.

It also occurs to me that if a sierra-club environmentalist wacko had seen them polluting in that fashion, then they MOST CERTAINLY WOULD be scolded, and told to "stop polluting". That would be analogous to us being seen by a purist-archie.

 

[releventchair]

Did someone accost you in the field and tell you this ? Or was this something told to you at city hall when you were tallking to them ?



Then if you leave no trace of your presence (I assume you fill your holes, fluff them up, etc...) then .... seems to me you're not violating this.






"Permission" ? Your prior ability to detect there was based on permission ? Yes: that makes it easy for them to "revoke it" now. But if it was never dis-allowed to begin with, why did you need their permission in the first place ? (such that now you're on their radar as something they "permit", and so forth)



How did you get that information ?

You'd be surprised how often "holes" gets thrown out there as the "go-to answer" for the "no" they're about to give you. And the md'r is muttering under his breath "durned those guys that must've left holes". When, in fact, perhaps there was never an incident (or at least not one that would have led to a rule). All it often is, is simply the knee-jerk mental image that a pencil-pushing desk-jockey has, when tasked with thinking about metal detecting. Doesn't mean there was ever actually a case. It can simply the the "go to" reason to answer your "pressing question" type scenario.

I agree on not bringing a choice of yes or no into a public official making the call.
If detecting is off limits then there is no risk of less being allowed by lobbying for permission.

Leaving holes is a valid concern.....
One park hunted had a manhole cover sized piece of sod ill fitted.
I removed it and found a piece of tin below it
Reseated it and snugged up edges best I could.
Other pieces of sod were left similar....
Guess what? I found out who did it and had a chat days later.
A field/park I've been working a couple years some one else hit.
Any one is welcome where I hunt.
Not in this case as soil and jumbo loose plugs were abundant.
In the past the village mayor ,municipal workers and local residents have visited me making recoveries ,(not a low key approach I know).
It would be preferred I be involved in conflict resolution rather than an outright ban on detecting though.....While not making waves is better than attracting attention , pics of some detectorist's work would be enough for most council's to end detecting.
Like it or not, there are detectorist's who either don't know how to make a recovery without evidence of an attack on sod...or simply don't care.
Once an offence occurs by one..all are suspect ,seen or not.

 

[Doc Arey]

Did you find anything??

 

[SirWalterRaleigh]

People in general really disgust me! I was at my favorite swimming hole last week and there were beer cans left all over, with a garbage can 30 feet away. I then see a poopy diaper thrown out on the ground and almost exploded. I only wish I could see this being done I would probably go to jail. The state will likely close it off to general public if these bozo's keep on.

same here. Im currently on a "working" vacation. Went to the mountains in NC to go to Turtleback and Rainbow falls - trash everywhere. Also saw a poopy diaper discarded along the trail. I, too, about exploded.

I'm now in Florida - Fort Myers Beach (hope bigwavedave responds to my PM about hunting) and the beach is just littered with trash. Went out last night and found a toy car, 3 pennies, 2 dimes, several burried cans, even a few beer cans just laying on the surface, and a bag full of pop tops and beer bottle caps.

Im hoping the metaldetecting gods look highly upon my litter cleanup efforts and rewards me with something other than clad over the next few days. I quit my hunt last night early because I was so mad at the amount of trash people just leave behind. It's really sickening.

 

[bottlebum]

same here. Im currently on a "working" vacation. Went to the mountains in NC to go to Turtleback and Rainbow falls - trash everywhere. Also saw a poopy diaper discarded along the trail. I, too, about exploded.

I'm now in Florida - Fort Myers Beach (hope bigwavedave responds to my PM about hunting) and the beach is just littered with trash. Went out last night and found a toy car, 3 pennies, 2 dimes, several burried cans, even a few beer cans just laying on the surface, and a bag full of pop tops and beer bottle caps.

Im hoping the metaldetecting gods look highly upon my litter cleanup efforts and rewards me with something other than clad over the next few days. I quit my hunt last night early because I was so mad at the amount of trash people just leave behind. It's really sickening.

I've witnessed the "poopy diaper" thing before, when I lived in Indiana. I pulled in to a park that I hunted on a regular basis that has a large pond in it. The only other people there was an, I think, Mexican family, fishing along the edge of the pond. After they had left left, I worked my way along the edge of the pond over to where they were hanging out. When I got there, I found that they had left a nice, fresh, poopy diaper laying next to a tree and an assortment of fishing tackle wrappers and a bunch of other other fresh junk laying right next to the water. What really got me was the fact that there was a trash can right there!! I've also witnessed the same thing here in Fl. at a soccer field that I like to hunt. After a game or practice there will be trash strewn all over the ground, empty drink containers stuck in the chain link fence, and again, trash cans are right there. I've since wondered if maybe it was customary to do that kind of thing South of the border? How else would one explain it? I don't mean to sound like a racist or anything like that ... I'm just telling it as I see it.

 

[kcm]

I don't think it's "customary" to do that anywhere. I think it's that people simply do not give a rat's but about anything that isn't theirs, and sometimes not even then!!

There's a tremendous lack of respect for other people, for nature, and for this country. Want to really see RED? Find out where some of these people live, then look at how nice and clean it is at their home.

 

[Deft Tones]

I don't think it's "customary" to do that anywhere. I think it's that people simply do not give a rat's but about anything that isn't theirs, and sometimes not even then!!

There's a tremendous lack of respect for other people, for nature, and for this country. Want to really see RED? Find out where some of these people live, then look at how nice and clean it is at their home.

Yep. Respect. Courtesy. Integrity. It's tough teaching kids by example at times, when so many seem to have failed those lessons. Times going through changes.

Give a hoot, don't pollute!

 

[bottlebum]

Give a hoot, don't pollute!

Never be a dirty bird. In the city or in the woods ... help keep America ... looking good! lol!

 

[Honest Samuel]

Never stand under birds who seeking a good place to go to the bathroom.

 

[USMC Reaper]

Semper Fi my Brother, well done!!

 

[Jeremy S]

Glad you stood your ground and won!

Around a month ago I was detecting in my favorite park when I saw a Ford Ranger marked with some security company pull in to grass near me. I could see a woman inside talking on the phone watching my every move. I kept detecting and after a while she gets out, waddles over to me with an attitude and tells me to leave the park.

Not backing down I ask her "why?". She stammers around about I might be digging and there are underground utilities. Being polite, I explained what I was doing and there is no way possible that I am going to find any underground utilities when I am retrieving objects from the top 6" of the ground. She repeated her earlier demand that I can't do that in the park and needed to leave, so I kindly explained myself again in a stern voice. At that point she admitted that she had no idea what metal detecting was and when she called to ask about what I was doing she just said somebody may be in the park digging holes. At that point she backed down and left me alone. I noticed that she sat in her truck for a while watching me before driving off, leaving shallow ruts in the soft soil with her truck

You can win in a situation like this but you have to keep your cool and know the rules. If you are blatantly violating a posted rule about metal detecting then you deserve to get booted. Otherwise stand your ground and they will leave you be.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

.... I ask her "why?". She stammers around about I might be digging and there are underground utilities. Being polite, I explained what I was doing and there is no way possible that I am going to find any underground utilities when I am retrieving objects from the top 6" of the ground. .....

Logic dictates that we md'rs are *not* going to harm pipes and underground utilities, right ? Thus those admonitions of "call before you dig" warnings (to call 811 to get your lines marked out, etc....) are OBVIOUSLY meant for guys with back-hoes, right ?

However, there's no "magic depth" (6 inches versus 6 ft) where those admonitions kicked in. There was a humorous story a guy posted on-line, of how he got told "no" at a city office. Where he'd gone thinking he "needed permission" to hunt the city parks. When the md'r asked "but why?", the clerk handed him a utility co. brochure (which had a picture of a back-hoe on the front), that said "Call before you dig". The md'r busted up laughing and handed the brochure back to the gal, explaining, like you .... that:

"I'll only be digging 6", not 6 ft.. So obviously this doesn't apply to me. It's for guys with heavy equipment"

The gal leafed through the brochure, scanned the paragraphs, and handed it back to the guy saying:

"But sir, it doesn't say how deep. It just says all digging. So we're still going to have to tell you no"

Hence Sometimes it just doesn't pay to try to defend or explain such things (you really can't win a debate like that). So sometimes better just to avoid such persons, and pick lower traffic times !

 

[digger460]

Wow! What an experience. Bet you had a little smile on your face when everyone had left. Great story and your knowledge of the laws really came through. Maybe a lesson for all of us. Congrats

 

[Honest Samuel]

Good for you. It is legal to give him the Bird, it is call: Freedom of Speech.

 

[kcm]

Logic dictates that we md'rs are *not* going to harm pipes and underground utilities, right ? Thus those admonitions of "call before you dig" warnings (to call 811 to get your lines marked out, etc....) are OBVIOUSLY meant for guys with back-hoes, right ?

However, there's no "magic depth" (6 inches versus 6 ft) where those admonitions kicked in. There was a humorous story a guy posted on-line, of how he got told "no" at a city office. Where he'd gone thinking he "needed permission" to hunt the city parks. When the md'r asked "but why?", the clerk handed him a utility co. brochure (which had a picture of a back-hoe on the front), that said "Call before you dig". The md'r busted up laughing and handed the brochure back to the gal, explaining, like you .... that:

"I'll only be digging 6", not 6 ft.. So obviously this doesn't apply to me. It's for guys with heavy equipment"

The gal leafed through the brochure, scanned the paragraphs, and handed it back to the guy saying:

"But sir, it doesn't say how deep. It just says all digging. So we're still going to have to tell you no"

Hence Sometimes it just doesn't pay to try to defend or explain such things (you really can't win a debate like that). So sometimes better just to avoid such persons, and pick lower traffic times !

Hmm...that "call before you dig" thing, I've never heard it interpreted that way before. Guess you need to ask that woman if everyone out there raising petunias and roses calls in before they shove a hand spade in the ground. I don't care what a stupid brochure says - the LAW is on YOUR side!!

 

[rjw4law]

I have not run into any problems at city parks. Sometimes I do see signs forbidding metal detecting and just go somewhere else. About 10 percent of my time I encounter home owners who do not like the area within street and sidewalk hunted...just move on to the next house solves the problem.

 

[Deft Tones]

Did you find anything??

Sorry, I missed your post.

I found trash - .22 short lead and shells, melted aluminum, iron slag, and a few tabs.

Thanks for asking.