Public schools in CA? Where can we really MD in Ca?

[panchoveeya]

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.

 

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[g-olden years]

I've detected in central coastal California for 3 years. Here there's multiple small cities adjacent to one another. I went online to read the varied city codes regarding parks, schools, etc. Most either have no established prohibitions or else allow park & beach detecting as long as you don't disturb plants or fragile dunes -- often dunes are off-limits due to erosion problems or the ongoing re-establishment of native dune vegetation and endangered ground birds. You could also ask questions at each city hall, though the answer may depend on who's answering, rather than based on actual regulations. Some cities haven't minded our detecting vacant city-owned lots, abandoned street or abandoned railroad cuts and embankments. I've detected open schoolyards on weekends or school vacations. For locked schools, you'd have to ask permissions of the administration. More and more schools will probably wisely lock their campuses due to the rash of school shootings and due to the other lousy reality that vandals often break into schools to steal computer & audio equipment and even band instruments to resell for their drug habits or gangs, etc. Many cities have grass or dirt strips between the sidewalks and street curbs, which can be very productive to detect. Fairgrounds another possibility, especially the ones that have many popular public music events throughout the year. My son and I have discovered that the least likely, ugliest plot of land can often have the best and oldest coins and jewelry scattered underground. Oh, we've also had success detecting just outside the edges of big shopping centers. In such unlikely places, we've found silver and gold jewelry, silver coins, etc. In rural areas, excellent to detect around old fences where farmers or ranchers may have hidden coins or lost things while working. Wherever you detect, be aware of the danger of possible underground electric cables, which for example may still be live and dangerous even under abandoned lots.
HAVE FUN! Andi

 

[Tom_in_CA]

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 ?

 

[RustyGold]

And if you are asked what you are doing just say that one of the nice ladies on the PTA Board lost her wedding band here and they sent me over to see if I could locate it for her!

 

[panchoveeya]

Thank you all for enlightening me with your wisdom : ) I'm ready to attack public schools. lol. Yeah I think vandalism is a big factor in why the schools are locked up. I will definitely be careful with underground cables. (yikes!) And no, I'd rather not ask because they'll probably want to frickin interrogate me!

 

[cudamark]

Not likely that they will interrogate you......they'll usually take the easy way out and just say "NO". If you just detect without asking, you can claim ignorance and apologize, but, if they tell you "NO" first, and you get caught detecting there, what can you use as an excuse then? Dementia?

 

[Tom_in_CA]

And if you are asked what you are doing just say that one of the nice ladies on the PTA Board lost her wedding band here and they sent me over to see if I could locate it for her!

Haha Rusty-gold: that's amazing that the PTA lady asked your help in finding that ring. How nice of you!

As for me: my dad lost his boyscout ring when he was a kid in that school yard. Come to think of it, he lost boyscout rings ALL over this county back when he was a kid. See what a good son I am?

Seriously now: I rarely have encounters with anyone at school yards when choosing wise times to go (early Sat. AM, after 5pm, etc...) so long as you're not sticking out and being a nuisance.

 

[Koffee]

The central valley has a lot of nice places to detect. We have rivers with lots of public access points where you can coin shoot or prospect. There are huge tracks of recreation areas, take a look at a couple maps and you will see them. Depending where exactly you are you could be relatively close to the foothills. There are also lots of local lakes with minimal access fees. The BLM land is out there too but this will take a bit more research as easements can be on private land that the government pays owners so the public can have access. These are tougher to locate because they do not show up on BLM maps.

Oooh one thing if you are detecting on the rivers make sure you check and see if these are open or close due to the salmon run.

Hope that helps - Koffee

 

[panchoveeya]

Yes, very much needed information. I see where all you guys are coming from. KOFFEE-you sure opened up many more hunting sites. Didn't think about the recreational parks on the river and such. I don't know what BLM land is, but I will google it. : )

 

[Koffee]

No problem glad I could help

Cheers - Koffee