So I'm a newbie and have been doing some research and haven't been out much. I know public parks and public schools are a go but in California, or at least where I live almost all the schools are fenced and locked up? Shouldn't they be open to public? Other than parks and private homes where else is can we dig? Im located in the central valley by the way. Quite a ways from beaches, but will go when I have a chance. Thanks.
Panchoveeya, I'm going to answer your question via the vantage point of having hunted school yard turf since the mid 1970s. At that time (if you're old enough to remember), schools had NO fences around them. And school yards, back when I was kid in the '70s, were just sort of the de-facto after-school playgrounds. We'd go back for little league, or to play on the monkey bars, etc... So naturally, when I got into detecting, we, likewise, would go to the older elementary schools in my city in our quest for the elusive merc. dimes and buffalos
But lo & behold, by the later '70s, you're right: all the school yards began to have fences appear. I believe this was because of things like vandalism, or perverts hanging out, or to prevent lawsuits if you slipped on a bananna peel, etc.... For example, there's a true story that back in the 1970s, a young couple was pushing their toddler down the slide at an elementary school yard in southern CA. The toddler was still in diapers! The kid falls off the slide and is greviously injured. The parents sued the school district and WON! So fences appeared not only at all those districts yards, but spread across all the rest of southern CA by the early 1980s too (no doubt, others taking a lesson from such stories).
HOWEVER, during all the evolution of this, you will notice that there is always still a gate (often time propped open permanently), or turn-style or whatever. And the obligatory sign to the effect of "visitors check in at office", etc... And you will notice that ....... despite fences, there's usually still a way in so that .... you will still see people jog the track, shoot hoops, etc... after hours and on weekends (and no, I doubt any of them asked "can I?"). In other words, it seems the fences are there so that if you slip and fall, it's your own fault, and you can't sue them. It doesn't seem to stop people from still going in, for whatever purpose. This may vary from place to place, school to school, but ...... as to whether they really button up or enforce. But here where I'm at, we still hunt the schools, if we want, despite any fences. And as long as you're not being a nuisance or sore thumb .......
You can certainly knock yourself silly and go to city halls and school admin. offices and ask till you're blue in the face, if you want. But guess what the obligatory answer is going to be ?
