NO TRESPASSING signs around public schools. Is this becoming the norm now???

[TrpnBils]

One thing that does always cross my mind when I'm hunting schools and somebody is around (groundskeeper, cops drive by, etc) is I do have an "I'm a safe guy, can you cut me some slack?" in my back pocket. I'm a teacher myself and have my parking permit and school ID in my truck all the time anyway...I figure at the very least that might get somebody to back off thinking I'm "suspicious" or whatever because my teaching permit means I've been subjected to all the state police and FBI background checks and all that saying that I'm not going to put kids at risk (not that I'm there detecting when they are anyway, but still...). Haven't had to try to pull that card yet, but I've always wondered about it.

 

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[Carolina Tom]

We hunted a school in the hood last summer. The field was covered in posted signs... so we hunted the front of the school. A couple of cop cars arrived, but didn't say anything to us. After I built up a little nerve, I went over and asked them if I could detect the field, they acted like they didn't know what I was talking about. I explained that I wanted to hunt the field, but was not into getting arrested. They laughed and said the signs are to keep the Latinos from tearing up the soccer fields. Since then, I have hunted any public school field posted or not, without incident.

I never go to schools when the kids are there. I leave no trace.
GL&HH!

 

[Flapjack23]

A public school funded by tax dollars does not mean that the property is free for anyone to do with it as they please. It is owned by a public entity (the school district) and bought with the schools tax dollars. It is private property of a public institution and as such they can post and enforce "no trespassing". That being said, I dont think anyone would get in trouble using the property after school hours and during vacations provided it is being used respectfully and MD'ers leave it as they found it. Likely the signs were put up as a result of a situation that occured to provide a mechanism to deal with abuse of the property.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

If people take the time to research you will find almost every state has laws listing school property as private property owned by the school districts, it not only means buildings, it means the land it is own. You need to get permission to hunt school property.

Posted From My $50 Tablet....

 

[slink]

I have not hunted a school since the late 70s early 80s.I really have no desire to hunt one either.So it sparks my interest as to why a lot of people talk about hunting schools.Is it lack of better place?Are schools old ? Close to home?

 

[TrpnBils]

I have not hunted a school since the late 70s early 80s.I really have no desire to hunt one either.So it sparks my interest as to why a lot of people talk about hunting schools.Is it lack of better place?Are schools old ? Close to home?

One school I hunt on a fairly regular basis constantly turns up Civil War lead and the occasional old button or colonial coin, and the other I hunt is my go-to spot for Mercury dimes.

 

[jeff of pa]

I have not hunted a school since the late 70s early 80s.I really have no desire to hunt one either.So it sparks my interest as to why a lot of people talk about hunting schools.Is it lack of better place?Are schools old ? Close to home?

actually the only Civil War 3 Ringers I've Found were at Schools that were built 1900ish
(souvenirs from Trips to Gettysburg probably brought to school to show off)

And I have also found Gold rings at Schools.
(class rings)

Most of my Silver Halfs have been found in Ball fields, some next to schools.
(Kids getting a Half for a home run maybe ? )

my only Definite coin cache that included Silver Dimes & Halfs,
was buried in a school yard

 

[FreeBirdTim]

If people take the time to research you will find almost every state has laws listing school property as private property owned by the school districts, it not only means buildings, it means the land it is own. You need to get permission to hunt school property

Wrong. I have as much right to be there as the 30 year old guys who are playing basketball, the old guy hitting golf balls and the annoying woman with her little dog pooping everywhere. Do you really think all these people asked for permission to walk on public land they helped pay for with their tax dollars? No way!

 

[FreeBirdTim]

I have not hunted a school since the late 70s early 80s.I really have no desire to hunt one either.So it sparks my interest as to why a lot of people talk about hunting schools.Is it lack of better place?Are schools old ? Close to home?

Most school grounds have a lot of Sterling silver jewelry on them. And some of the baseball and football fields around here have pre-1900 coins and relics as well. I've found 1700's half reals, KGIII coppers, large cents, IHC's, musket balls and colonial relics on the ball fields in my town.

 

[mikeraydj]

I found both my gold rings last year on school grounds.

 

[roobinjake]

same here in uk, no detecting on parks,playing fields, common land,any public place,even in canterbury no detectors allowed in the river stour which runs through the city,or any were in the city,you have to apply for a permit just to do the beach,

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Wrong. I have as much right to be there as the 30 year old guys who are playing basketball, the old guy hitting golf balls and the annoying woman with her little dog pooping everywhere. Do you really think all these people asked for permission to walk on public land they helped pay for with their tax dollars? No way!

Do what you to do on your on detecting but if you pull up your local laws you will see school property is not public lands..

Posted From My $50 Tablet....

 

[Tom_in_CA]

same here in uk, no detecting on parks,playing fields, common land,any public place,even in canterbury no detectors allowed in the river stour which runs through the city,or any were in the city,you have to apply for a permit just to do the beach,

Roob-in-jake, the UK is an entirely separate issue. Over in your country, all the resources beneath the ground "belong to the queen". Unlike here in the USA, if you strike oil on your land, you're rich, haha. But in the UK, if you strike a cache of buried treasure, the queen gets first dibs EVEN when found on private ground (oh yeah, sure, you'll supposedly get fair market value, blah blah).

Bottom line is though, the UK is different than here. Why do you think that 99% of all hunting there is done on farmers lands with permission? Well, for starters, because you guys have so much history, that random furroughed fields are worth hunting, doh! And secondly : common modern silver from turfed parks would bore you guys, doh! But even if it excited you (and you cared to troll turf for 1800's silver coins), it would present itself with problems, since all resources belong to the queen. Hence 99% of UK hunting is done on private land. With the possible exception of beach hunting there.

 

[mikeraydj]

It is sad that people in highly populated areas are dealing with closures of land that was once accessible to all because of drugs and violence. I live in an area that does not have this happening yet, so they are more lenient than a lot of other areas in this country. But that is changing as well. We have people who move here from those states, saying that want the lifestyle we have. They bring their money and buy property here to get away. But they also bring their paranoia. And the first thing they do is fence off their property and use their influence to put the same laws and restrictions that they ran from here. They cannot be content in just living here. They have an attitude of I have mine and screw you. They ruin the very thing they said they came here for. They kill the lifestyle and culture in the name of safety before there is any threat. They get on the school councils and say those metal detectorists are really looking for a reason to hurt my child, ban them, they are strange and they make me nervous. The public parks are to be kept well manicured and don't let those detectorists disturb a blade of grass. Look don't touch. If they are willing to wallow in the dirt to dig for a coin, how desperate are they to take from you?

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Do what you to do on your on detecting but if you pull up your local laws you will see school property is not public lands......

TH'r, perhaps so. But does there ever come a time when you would agree that actual reality ( places where persons have always detected and never had an issue or problem) takes precedence in a decision on whether you choose to hunt a certain site or not ?

 

[FreeBirdTim]

Bottom line, you cannot allow some people to use public school grounds for recreational use and not others. The guy hitting golf balls does a lot more damage to the grass than I ever could. And Muffy pooping everywhere is a health hazard to the kids, but that's allowed as well. As long as I see someone over the age of 18 using a public field, I'll be there as well.

 

[RGINN]

I don't know what the laws are in all states, but in jurisdictions I am familiar with signs had to be properly posted at certain intervals before a person could actually be right away arrested and charged with trespassing. No signs, you pretty much just ran them off the first time. In some areas you could serve notice on them that if they returned a second time and trespassed it would be go to jail time. I had never seen anyone arrested for trespassing until I moved to Colorado. Here in the high country they will take you to jail if you ignore the signs, the owner calls it in, and they catch you.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

TH'r, perhaps so. But does there ever come a time when you would agree that actual reality ( places where persons have always detected and never had an issue or problem) takes precedence in a decision on whether you choose to hunt a certain site or not ?

Tom, I'm not arguing the "never been an issue" I'm only arguing the premise "it's public property or it's Federal property and I'm part owner so I can legally hunt it ".

People can hunt where they want privately, it is when people start using TN as a podium advocating and or telling new members on TN to detect private property "no one cares" that I have an issue.

It is the new members to treasure hunting that it is going to hurt the most and it makes it look like TN supports hunting private property without permission which we do not, TN never supports breaking the law ...

We already know TN IS monitored....

Posted From My $50 Tablet....

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

TH'r, perhaps so. But does there ever come a time when you would agree that actual reality ( places where persons have always detected and never had an issue or problem) takes precedence in a decision on whether you choose to hunt a certain site or not ?

True enough. If the gates are open and there is no sign that forbids trespassing at the time I am there I will detect. Sometimes if you don't look guilty and appear harmless you won't be bothered. As I said - the only permission you need is from the person who would be upset that you didn't ask permission - or the one that wouldn't have given it anyway. THAT's the person you have to appease.

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

I don't think anyone has made that blanket statement.

"It's public property"

"My tax dollars pay for that school, so I am free to use the grounds after school hours. Sorry, but no trespassing signs mean squat on public property."

"If someone tells you you're trespassing, tell them you're not... You're a tax payer, you're part owner !!"

Now, these might have been in fun - but they're pretty blanket statements. See how they hold up when the nice officer arrives.