Hunting schools and fairgrounds in Florida

[Silver Surfer]

As we all know, many people have great success hunting school grounds and fairgrounds.... Seems to be here in Florida that you cant hunt those areas, and it really makes me wonder why...
Every darn school I have checked out (in many cities and towns) are fenced and locked after hours... Why is that? Are the schools that people post about fenced and locked, but permission is gained? I have also checked out several county fairgrounds here, and not one of them would let me hunt... "Liability" seems to be the general excuse they have for turning me down, but how can that be, when the public can roam around them? We have a fairgound here in my county that is always having flea markets, and I can go to them anytime I want, so why does having a MD make any difference?
I would appreciate any thoughts on this, and especially from those that frequent these areas as to how they get permission to hunt them.. Especially schools.. I have a school near my home with a HUGE play area on it, and I just know that it would produce.. I have thought about walking in when the kids are out but the gate is open and take my chances, but then always figure it isnt worth it to get into trouble..
Boy have things changed since I was a kid.. My schools were never fenced in or had locked gates..

 

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[Tom_in_CA]

I will answer this from the perspective of having hunted schools for ~35 yrs. Back in the mid 1970s, none of the schools (in my area anyhow) were fenced. And so schools were simply used, after hours, by anyone who wanted to. Ie.: jog the track, use the swings, shoot basketball, fly a kite, etc.... No one cared. However, in this litigical age we live in, things changed. All it takes is one pervert to be wandering around a school campus, and a parent to threaten to sue, and PRESTO, you get a fence policy (and signs and all that junk).

Or here's another true story: Back also in the 1970s, a young married couple in the Los Angeles area, took their toddler kid to the local school yard to play one weekend. The parents were pushing their kid down the slide. The kid falls off the slide, and is greviously injured. The parents sue the school .... AND WIN!!! True story!! So now all the elementary schools in that district (heck, probably all schools in all So. CA) are now fenced.

But here's where it gets interesting: As these fences started going up at schools everywhere in the 1970s and 80s, it still didn't seem to stop after school users from still using the facilities (jogging, basketball, walking their dog, etc...). There is still usually a turn-style opening or whatever. And no one pays attention to the sign (ie.: "permission to pass revokable, check in at school office..." blah blah blah). So it was the same for me and my md'ing friends. We just figured the fences are there so no one can sue the school if they bash their head or whatever. Like, if we see other afterschool activities, and a way in, we still help ourselves, fence not withstanding.

Is that to say that if we asked enough people, high enough up the chain of command: "can I enter the school yard?" or "Can I metal detect?" that I/we might not get a "no". But the reality is, no one really cares, as long as you're not a nuisance, making a mess, etc....

My advice would be the same for PUBLIC (note the emphasis) fairgrounds as well.

But be aware, you're asking your question on a forum where some people think you need "permission" to hunt a public park sandbox

 

[Silver Surfer]

I may must give it a try.. I would think that as long as the kids are gone for home, whats the danger? I know it has never been hunted before, it would probably pay off big. As for the fairgrounds, all of my neighbors think the "lady in the office" at the fairgrounds is FOS. They feel as I do, how can they tell you that you cant be there, but others can? I should look into the county laws, and if there is none directed at no MD'ing in the fairground property, then I have a right to be there as much as any other public citizen.
I will look into that, and surely go over her head. She was young, and probably really didnt know. The "Liability" thing is somewhat factual in our world today, but it is grossly overused IMHO... I found it the same in the medical field. The doctors use it all the time when I would argue million dollar workups on kids who, to anyone with a grain of sense, had a mild cold.. It is just an easy excuse.

Will keep you posted.