What I Do When I Find Sloppy Digging

[RL OH]

I have read many posts over the years about people complaining about few slobs who are ruining our hobby. Twice in the last two years I have seen evidence of unfilled holes or huge plugs in two of the beautiful parks that I hunt. One of these parks is over 100 acres and I have been hunting it at least twice a week for the last four or five years. Last year I saw a woman hunting a grassy strip along the beach. I made it a point to introduce myself and preach about clean digging. She was new to the hobby and I thought I made her aware of how important responsible digging is to our hobby. A week later one of the park workers had to threaten her with being kicked out of the park because she was very sloppy. I have not seen her back, but there seem to be others taking her place because of what I am seeing. I went directly to the superintendents office and explained our hobby and how I remove hundreds of pieces of scrap metal along with the coins I find. I also gave this person my phone number and asked him to call me if he runs into any more unfilled holes. I told him I would come up to the park and fill all the holes. He did call me after he found 40 or more holes in one of the picnic areas. I was astounded at the mess this person left. Large holes with pieces of junk laying beside most of the holes. It doesn't matter if you tell the people running these parks and public places that it is not you doing the messy digging. The holes are still there and someone has to fill them. This particular park is the most scenic park within a hundred miles of my home and I don't want to lose my rights there because of a slob. We all have to take our time and do things RIGHT or more and more spots will be put off limits to detecting. R.L.

 

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[kenny1]

i agree.all we can do is try.ill admit im not the best plug cutter but then i dont go to well taking care of lawns.i never will till i can cut a plug and put it back like nothing never happend.i mainly hunt old houses and such.i am getting better with every plug.

 

[mlayers]

You should go to that park on a nice day and wait to see if another detectist shows up. thn watch them and see if they fill there holes. If they don't go over to them and them what they are doing wrong. If they don' don't stop th turn them in to the park supers......Matt

 

[johnnycat]

I wouldn't even bother confronting them. They have no excuse. You would really have to be stupid to not know that you should be covering your holes back up. I would go straight to the park officials and let them know that if they want too they can catch the person responsible for messing up the park.

 

[allen]

thats a big reason why lots of places
are off limits to us detectorist !

 

[Seamuss]

I wouldn't even bother confronting them. They have no excuse. You would really have to be stupid to not know that you should be covering your holes back up. I would go straight to the park officials and let them know that if they want too they can catch the person responsible for messing up the park.

Detectorist: Hey ranger, look at these holes someone left.

Ranger: Thanks for pointing that out to me. I'm going to shut this park down to detecting for those holes.

That conversation ACTUALLY happened down the road from me when another detecting person got to the park first and talked to the ranger. Minutes later an animal was seen digging for grub next to those existing holes.

What you say in public can and will backfire on you.