Enounter with local law enforcement

[Chilli]

Here on our goldfields its not uncommon for greenies to go around digging holes for the sole purpose of contacting Parks Victoria and lodging complaints that prospectors have done it to give the hobby a bad name and have areas closed down to detecting.
It doesn't help though that this current generation of hunters here, about 80%, don't bother filling in their holes. To be honest if they closed everything and everywhere down here it wouldn't surprise me.

 

[Tesorodeoro]

When I got back into detecting I had been watching videos on youtube and saw a couple guys who pulled out hand towels to put dirt on if they had to dig deeper in their plug holes.
I liked that idea and never go out without one,I will not leave a dig unless it looks like I was never there even out in the woods.
Was looking at a video not long ago and was infuriated to see guys who were using $700.00 to $1200.00 detectors yet could not be bothered to buy proper digging tools nor to do a proper job filling in their plug holes.
These guys were using regular utility shovels digging foot and two inch diameter plugs had dirt flung all over and left it laying there, and at one point went as far as to trench form a 12+ inch plug hole to about 14 inches away all just to get a couple wheat pennies.
I suspect when they were done tearing up that persons yard they were never allowed to return.

Grandpa ALWAYS had a canvas apron that he would lay down on the grass and a probe with a bronze tip to find the target. Most of the dirt went in the hole, a little on top to seal the plug. Step on it with the shoe then brush the grass with your hand and it disappeared. It people had the patience to do this there would be much less problems. However many like to use shovels and if someone approaches while the hole is open it looks bad.