how do you Detect without digging

[Tom_in_CA]

Seamus, thanx for the clarification that it's for: "If you go into the parks deparment [asking] ..." For starters, asking might infer that something is inherently wrong, that you had to ask, to begin with. And yeah, I suppose that if they said "no", you could say "show me that in writing". But here's where you are legally lacking: The person at the counter can actually (yes, legally they can do this), morph something that seems un-related, and STILL say "no". Like, they can say "because we think it damages the grass" or "because you need a parade permit", or "because you might find valuables that belong, technically, to the city". And believe me, you WILL loose that debate.

I too thought like you did, when I got booted once. When I asked "why?", he just said "because you shouldn't do that, blah blah", but could provide no actual rule. I left, but later, took the issue to an attorney. I asked "can someone like this just arbitrarily say "stop doing such & such", simply because they said so? Doesn't it have to be in writing somewhere? I mean, what's to stop this same person from telling someone "stop wearing that pink shirt, because I think it harms the drinking fountain?" The answer the lawyer gave me still rings true: "government appointed rep's (cops, rangers, gardeners, and whomever) are given latitude in interpretting and applying the existing laws/rules, to fit each situation, and the higher powers will usually always side with them". For example: If a rule says "no dog walking", someone might walk their dog there, and defy a ranger by saying "but sir, I wasn't actually walking my dog, since he only has 3 legs, he hops, not walks", blah blah blah. Or a nudity ordinance: "but sir, I had my socks on, so technically I wasn't nude", blah blah blah.

You can try the line, but just be aware, that it could back-fire and result in a rule being written to address your objection :P

 

[Born2Dtect]

Actually the first mistake you made was asking. Now don't get me wrong, you should get parmission. However you got someone who was anti detecting. Why? I searched for info on Yuma Park regulation. I got a hit

http://tw.yumaaz.gov/WebWare/Default.aspx?Message=2270&t=-1

Stated nothing about digging or detecting. I would go to the park, if no on site posting says no digging or detecting Go for it. Use normal care dig only enough to get target, ID as good as you can, pinpoint, leave hole like you found it, take trash with you.

Just don,t be pushy. Leave if asked by anyone connected with Yuma, politely ask for a name and phone number, get position if you can. I would try to talk with boss if possible before returning.

If no one bothers you, you are home free and clear. If you strike out with the parks, try dirt parking lots, you may get lucky.

Ed D.

 

[Seamuss]

There are ways of popping coins out of the ground without a lot of digging. If a small trowel is used to move a small amount of grass to one side without actually pulling it out of the ground. Then it can still be considered digging without leaving magor scares in the grass. Then flatten out the grass putting enough pressure on it to get it back in place intack.

Find out what constitutes digging and the tools they consider digging tools.

Born2Dtect said what I was trying to say a lot better then I did.

 

[ivan salis]

for finding surface finds "only" -- carry a brush ( like umps use to dust off home plate with) and "brush away" the dirt -- thus your not digging --your "brushing"

 

[BIG61AL]

don't ask a idiot a question and you won't get an idiotic answer

 

[Monty]

The only time I have ever been admonished by a grounds keeper I showed her that the squirrels were making more of an impact on the sod than I was. I demonstrated how to remove a plug find the object of interest and replace the plug. It just so happened that this particular area was really easy to dig and she couldn't find the plug after I had finished. She told me to go ahead and really laughed at what she was expecting, ie: a gaping hole in the ground with grass and dirt scattered all around. Monty

 

[EddieR]

Good advice all through this thread. However....law enforcement and city/county/state park employees can (and often will) misinterpret the laws and ordinances. This I know for a fact. Several years ago, a friend that owned a detecting shop warned me about a gross misinterpretation of the law that occurred locally. A guy was riding his motorcycle with his detector strapped to the bike. As he was crossing a river he was pulled over by a state trooper. When the officer walked up and asked for his license, the cyclist asked what he had done wrong. As the officer was writing the ticket, he told the man that he was riding across a dam, which was federal property, while in possession of a metal detector.

The fellow went to court and got it thrown out, but had to miss work in order to do so. There was simply no point in this happening at all!