To all my Jackson friends…...

Mike from MI · Jan 25, 2020

I was over in Jackson a couple weeks ago detecting at one of the big parks. About a half hour in, I started coming across these giant plugs that looked very bad. I took this pic of two holes by my detector. As you can see there is a bunch of dirt all over the surface, and the plugs no longer fit right. From this spot I counted 10 of these holes in a 30' circle. There were many more in the general area. I knew right away it was a guy with a big shovel. We had seen him there before a couple times, but it was always as we were leaving. This time he showed up again and my two buddies talked with him. I was about 100 yards away, by the time I got there he had moved on. He gave my friend his card, so I know his name. I found out by another guy I know that he has been encouraging the guy to use a hand digger and do a better job. He does not want to. This could possibly be a factor why the parks there get closed to detecting. As often happens, they close them all at once, not just one. Shovels should not be used on public property. Not only is it harder to put a huge hole back together, but a guy toting a shovel looks worse than a guy with a hand digger. Most coins etc…. in parks are no deeper than 6" with most being very shallow. That being said, if a guy digs a huge deep plug, you now have to dig way back down through the dirt in the plug scattering tons of dirt around to get back down to that shallow coin. I know that many newbies watched some popular tv shows or videos, and the guys in them have showed you only need a detector and a shovel. I see so many people posting their new shovel, and logos with guys with shovels. Don't get me wrong, a good relic shovel has it's place. (fields, woods, private land) I also know that some guys say they can make a better plug with a shovel, and it is easier for them. I'm sure that is true for a few guys. I did share with one guy, would you rather a surgeon work on you with a small scalpel or a large butcher knife? There are different tool for different applications. It also goes back to the mention of how you look in the park or school toting a shovel. I bet if a guy went into his surgery room and seen a scalpel it would not bother him. Seeing a butcher knife is a different story. There are already enough places closed to detecting. Moral of this story, don't be the guy who helped shut down public areas for the rest of us, and the future generations of detectorists.

A2coins · Jan 25, 2020

The same thing happened here in Ann Arbor a park that used to be an oild horse race track there were people doing the same thing even people that came from out of Town we can educate them but its up to them to listen . Many Park rangers here Ive met that are really cool and talk with us about our finds and even other places we should hunt. If that happens I think he would go talk to the person. Thanks for the post this is a huge thing and very seriuos problem I wish you luck Neighbor Tommy From A2

A2coins · Jan 25, 2020

Holy Moly I just looked at the pics again Thats freakin nuts I could have done better with a backhoe he needs some serious schooling. Gotta stop that yesterday

gunsil · Jan 25, 2020

That is some horrible digging!! Sadly, there are many people, and many on this forum who can't seem to understand that shovels are NOT for public property or any lawn situation. They whine and say they can make a cleaner plug with their shovels than others with trowel type diggers. I say BS, learn how to pinpoint properly and one should not need to make more than a 3" diameter hole to recover a coin at 6-7". I also carry a heavy duty gallon baggie in my pocket to put the dug out soil on which makes it easy to get it ALL back in the hole and leave no trace of a hole. I too have seen places that were once open to detecting get closed due to people with lousy recovery techniques. Next time you see this guy take his pic and post on here and any metal detecting sites including facebook. Or, as I suggested on another thread regarding this problem, just kick him in the shins every time he does it. Gotta do something to keep these people from ruining our fun pastime.

SD51 · Jan 25, 2020

Mike, get his address and I'll go do that to his entire f'ing yard! The problem is, he still won't get it!

teleprospector · Feb 4, 2020

The park authorities need to see him do this, maybe go to them when you can to report him and his behavior. Give name, vehicle plate number. This will protect yourself. Then they can decide what to do, then they will know who's doing it. Document all details. Right now they don't know who's doing it and if you are out there and they or someone else stops by they will think it's you and turn you in. I'm seeing his behavior as willful negligent destruction of property.
Let the park authorities make him the example, not you. Let him lose his freedom to use a metal detector and take some hits to his pocketbook. If you go to detect a park and see the damage get out of the element and report it. Someone is gonna trip over that mess he left and get hurt then sue. I don't like droppin' a dime on people unless it's needed, this would be a situation where it's needed.

Jon