The Park After Dark?

[Crush N Cans]

I have a park/playground close by just off a main road that is PACKED during the day...sometimes hundreds of people. I've tried detecting during the day but the park is so busy with balls, frisbees and kids whizzing around it's quite a challenge. So I thought I'd try after dark once the park closed and everyone was gone. Weighing the risks it seems the worst that can happen is a fine of some sort. Any thoughts?

 

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[maui]

if you are concerned about your safty, carry bare spray, it will do the trick instantly. take care and be safe out there. ron

 

[Keppy]

It depends on the rules of your park . Most of the ones around me i can hunt after dark in the daytime any time . A lot of parks have hours like every one out at dark or 9 o clock or something like that. Most parks around me you do not have to leave at dark you can stay all night if you want so it all depends on the park.

 

[mlayers]

If it is not posted to be out after dark go for it.....Matt

 

[Toby1858]

I know that the parks here close at a certain time, and if I tried MD'ing after hours sure as you know what the cops would come! And I would be worried that that might not be good for me and any other MDetectorist's future park hunts.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

I hunt parks all the time at night. So peaceful. No pesky kids, no busy bodies, etc.... There might be "park closes at dusk" type signs, so..... that would just depend on if anyone really cares there, I suppose. I mean, just as in noise ordinances, sometimes rules like that are on a complaint-type-basis. We have such a sign at the entrance to the city park across the street from me. But the only time I've ever seen anyone actually care (and call a cop to get someone ushered on), was/is just when beer drinking kids are down there having a party or whatever.

As for the machine is your pix, you need to get the slack taken out of the chord that's lying all around and on top of your coil Make some more rounds around the pole to tighten it up, or use some velcro straps, etc....

 

[dank]

i would just get a 6:am start and leave when it got too crowded!

 

[Tank69]

I hunt my parks an tot lots mostly at night at dark here .....dont let anyone scare you if you feel ok doing it go for it just use common sense an you'll be fine .....go dig all then good hits



HH Tank

 

[Tom_in_CA]

4H, glad to see you'd never go into a park after sunset, if it were posted as such. Just wondering what you would do with this rule, which I've pulled straight from a nearby city's park's rules listed on-line. This may well be in most cities sandbox park rules as well:

"No person 18 years old or older shall loiter in or about any park facility or play area primarily designed or restricted for use by children under the age of 12 unless accompanying a child under the age of 12 utilizing the facility and who is under their custody, supervision, care or control if the area is appropriately signed as a children’s play area."

Now obviously 4H, you can see, that this was designed for purposes of keeping perverts from loitering around sandboxes and leering at kids, right? But naturally, since we don't want to give our hobby a black eye, and be un-ethical, I assume this keeps you from hunting any sandboxes, anywhere? (unless you bring your < 12 yr. old with you?) Remember, you can't go by the spirit of the law (which was to usher on people abusing the park) you have to go by what it *technically* says, ok?

 

[battlecat]

Cant say I havnt done it myself

 

[DGDancer]

I do as dank said. Start at 6am till its to much of a bother. Or earlier~ after 3am so all the drunks and druggies
go to bed. Depends on how comfortable you feel about the whole thing. Hunting during
the week the mornings should be pretty good as kids are in school and parents working. A thought.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Hi 4H, I was testing the concept of complying with the letter of every single rule. Specifically the "park closes at sunset" rule. I have a suspicion (based on park's I've seen with the sign) that most of the time, this is to usher on people who are trying to camp out over-night, having mid-night beer parties, etc.... Sort of like noise-ordinances: No one's out there with decibal measuring equipment, unless there's been a complaint generated. And if such a complaint came in, there's the "ordinance" to point to, as enforcement.

So to check on this "spirit of the law" verses "letter of the law", I am asking if ..... we could all agree .... that something like this "no adults in the sandbox without their own children" is not to be taken literally. I mean, yes: it means what it means. But honestly, do you think anyone is there (or even cares) and is "carding" all adults to see if they have their own children there? Of course not. We all know why that rule was enacted. Does that mean the rule isn't a "rule"? Of course it's "still a rule". Does it stop you from detecting the sandbox (if you didn't bring a child under 12 to accompany you)? That's the question. I wonder how many would go that far in being so on the up-&-up, when we all know why that rule exists.

 

[Woodland Detectors]

Hi 4H, I was testing the concept of complying with the letter of every single rule. Specifically the "park closes at sunset" rule. I have a suspicion (based on park's I've seen with the sign) that most of the time, this is to usher on people who are trying to camp out over-night, having mid-night beer parties, etc.... Sort of like noise-ordinances: No one's out there with decibal measuring equipment, unless there's been a complaint generated. And if such a complaint came in, there's the "ordinance" to point to, as enforcement.

So to check on this "spirit of the law" verses "letter of the law", I am asking if ..... we could all agree .... that something like this "no adults in the sandbox without their own children" is not to be taken literally. I mean, yes: it means what it means. But honestly, do you think anyone is there (or even cares) and is "carding" all adults to see if they have their own children there? Of course not. We all know why that rule was enacted. Does that mean the rule isn't a "rule"? Of course it's "still a rule". Does it stop you from detecting the sandbox (if you didn't bring a child under 12 to accompany you)? That's the question. I wonder how many would go that far in being so on the up-&-up, when we all know, that no one cares less.

Understood.

 

[treasurehound]

Personally I like to hunt parks first thing in the morning around sun up and leave when it starts to get too busy or crowded. I do not hunt at all at night.

 

[Old Relic]

I like to go when the weather is less than attractive to most people - overcast, damp, windy, chilly, light rain - and the park is pretty much all mine. I just dress appropriately.

Relic

 

[longsocks]

I day hunt, be there at sun rise and leave when people come.. Where I live, your odds of survival are not the best, if you night hunt, you would either lose your wallet, detector, or your life maybe all 3.... I can any summer night with the windows open after 9 pm here automatic gun fire till wee hours of the morning.. So with that in mind, i stick to days.

 

[Monolyth]

Ive done it before. Its very peaceful and nice to have the park to yourself. Many parks do not have any time restrictions.

The only drawback can be drunks or drugged out freaks. A better time I have found is very early in the morning. I show up just before first light and will only see the occasional jogger for the next few hours or so. Still peaceful and NO drunks or freaks to deal with.

A buddy of mine swears by night hunting. He seems to have a theory about the ozone layer or something and swears he gets extra depth with his detectors at nite..

Hope this helped,

Monolyth

 

[Jeep]

I like the early morning hours

People are still asleep or just thinking about going out.

Wino's are still sleeping in the playground equipment and never hear me.

Crackheads are like vampire's and flee at first light not to reappear until dusk.

It's like me and my detector are one in the universe.

 

[Newt]

Refer to this post before you go.
Newt

http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,294204.0/topicseen.html

 

[cheese]

I hunt after dark all the time. It's more peaceful, and it's often the only time I can spare to go. The parks around here close at dark, but nobody cares that I hunt at night. The police drive by and wave, sometimes ask a few questions and mostly just converse for a little while, but they know I'm not out there with bad intentions. I've had one ask me if I had "protection", which I do. He just wanted to make sure and said he would drive by once in a while to check on me, lol. I don't use lights. After a short while your eyes adjust. I don't use the detector backlight... it helps me be more in tune with my machine and attracts less attention from busy bodies. My finds are better at night, I think due to not looking at the ID. I use a tiny light to look at my finds when I pull them up. If the police stop, don't be all nervous, be friendly and don't act like you're trying to get away with something, just tell them the truth and show 'em what you found. It's usually a good ice-breaker and conversation starter. They can tell a good guy from a bad one and most lawmen are good folks in my experience.