Reality check (for me): What percentage of your hunts ...?????????????????????

[GrizLeeBear]

as far as the first part of your question, about tresspassing, everybody's "zero" answer could be in entirely legitimate. But as for the second part of your question, about digging where you shouldn't, then maybe those same people never go on public land ? Because guaranteed that all public parks , schools, campgrounds, etc... have rules forbidding alterations, defacing, and maybe even the specific word "digging ".

Thus none of us who turf hunts public parks can *technically* say he's never "dug where he shouldn't have". But as long as you lay low, and aren't a nuisance,, you're usually okay.

I CAN say that if the place was POSTED as no MD I did not go there. If it is a public park and it is not posted, it is fair game. However, if asked to leave by competent authority I do so, but first ask why. If I get a poor answer I may push the envelope a little. As with so much in life..."It all depends..."

 

[GrizLeeBear]

Any relic hunter whose been doing this for years and tell you they have never trespassed a time or two either goes too church every sunday and is the most honest man like your grandpa or is lying... But trespassing these days isnt like trespassing in the 80s or early 90s more people getting upset these days.

With kindness, be careful who you call a liar. You have no basis for that statement.

 

[HutSiteDigger]

Well with new laws coming out like the one in King George,Virginia if you get caught trespassing you get criminal trespassing and also if the relic you took off their property is over $200 it is a felony. Use to be so easier to get permission but now its like pulling teeth. And it''s not like you committed the biggest sin like murder for trespassing if you hate relic hunters who have trespassed before then that is your business, it is good for every MDer to know their rights when being stopped or questioned on someones land even if you have permission you can still come into contact with some nasty people. only a deputy sheriff/trooper can detain you unless your breaking into their house/barn or kill livestock ..

 

[smokeythecat]

Zero-the only two places I go are public beaches.

 

[GrizLeeBear]

Any relic hunter whose been doing this for years and tell you they have never trespassed a time or two either goes too church every sunday and is the most honest man like your grandpa or is lying... But trespassing these days isnt like trespassing in the 80s or early 90s more people getting upset these days.

It is one thing to "trespass" on purpose and another to do so by accident. Yes, I have crossed a few lines by accident. But I have never covertly, with malice aforethought, gone onto private or posted property without permission and an agreement. I used to MD at schools early on Saturday and Sunday mornings. I really liked to be there the day after a game or event. Mostly I found chump change, but I also found a few rings and such that I posted for reward. After 9-11 I began to get asked to leave such places and I packed up and left. But I could find no law that said I could not be there and they did not post signs, so I would go back from time to time. Some individual not wanting me there is different than seeing a place is positively posted as "No Trespass". Now most schools have those signs.

"No Trespass" does not say "No MD". But it means that and more. I understand the problems school administrators have in today's world. I do not wish to be a worry to them. So, I now work other areas. But, as to the original question, I have never violated a 'no trespass' known private property. It is always so easy to get permission. Most property owners want to know of such things on their property.

 

[Hendrix]

Any relic hunter whose been doing this for years and tell you they have never trespassed a time or two either goes too church every sunday and is the most honest man like your grandpa or is lying... But trespassing these days isnt like trespassing in the 80s or early 90s more people getting upset these days.

Or it could be that some people just don't trespass on other peoples property. (They also don't steal cars, break into houses, etc.)

Personally, I have multiple dozens of places that I can go without trespassing. Most people have a lot of friends, relatives, coworkers, etc. All of them are potential sources of permission to hunt various properties.

 

[Keppy]

Any relic hunter whose been doing this for years and tell you they have never trespassed a time or two either goes too church every sunday and is the most honest man like your grandpa or is lying... But trespassing these days isnt like trespassing in the 80s or early 90s more people getting upset these days.

... I have to say... I think you are right.........

 

[atomicscott]

I've probably been nuggetshooting on someone's gold mining claim, but not knowingly. If there are fences or signs posted, I stay out!

 

[Davers]

WHO ME Nooooo...

I call BS on many of the no's .IF your talking about hunting Nat.Bat.park or St bat park. HECK no, But maybe I have heard of some folks doing it in the long lost past. Ive hunted a local lake w/ drawn down in winter for 10+ years ,that is ouned/run by the army corps of eng, and never thought I was doing any thing wrong ,heck the co police would watch me @ times ailo DNR SAW me many times but said nothing. I have picked so much LEAD out of that lake that the EPA should give me an award I never new this was illegal until this past year. Being our Co source of water I thought it was a public lake. "You know what say about ignorace of the law". IN this state as in many [prob] you need to have written permission of the land owner to LEGALLY hunt someones property ,most of the time Ionly get verbal. [with silly law suites no person wants to sign their name to nada] In those cases was I breaking the law probably. With so many foreclosed property's & un developed sub div cut in but never started ,that are bank owned its kinda hard to call the bank pres & get written permission from he or she so I usually call the real estate agent listed and they give me a yes or no ,mostly its "I dont have a problem with that" Then Im supposed to further burden their day and say where is your office or can I meet you some where to get written permission for that which in EVERY CASE HAS BEEN ,"OH WELL I CANT DO THAT" So the answer is ? have I MD where I was not supposed to maybe & have I trespased ? legaly in def, of the law yes. BUT WHO IS PERFECT OTHER THAN JESUS CHRIST IN MY OPINION NOBODY. All this kinda relates to a thread I started not long ago:? Why do so many relic hunters wear cammo? Anyway had to rant..p.s. I just try to treat others land as I would my own ,filling all holes ,remove all trash that I dig & can carry & respect their vegetation. Ill be waiting for that knock on my door [ JUST FOR THE RECORD ALL ABOVE COULD BE TRUE OR UNTRUE, I THINK I

 

[HutSiteDigger]

I was hunting once on land I had permission from and got detained by some old idiot redneck who belonged in the hunting club who thought the land was all his when in fact I was good friends with the land owner, for 20 minutes he blocked me in and said he was calling the sheriffs dept. and have me arrested for trespassing.. He acted like he was going to call the sheriff but for 20 minutes he sat there spewing out b.s. after b.s. about trespassing, so I decided to call the sheriffs office and when I told him I had the Sheriff on the way did he backed out and spun out, the sheriff told me that since I had permission and was there legally and if the Sheriff saw him blocking me from not being able to get out he would have arrested him for False Detainment and harassment.. Sometimes you have to take risks MD, I know most will disagree and feel insulted but long as your not messing around on federal property,state/national park or someones property in the state of Texas, you just need to know your rights, it is very common to accidentally walk onto someone elses property and not even know it.

 

[HutSiteDigger]

Or it could be that some people just don't trespass on other peoples property. (They also don't steal cars, break into houses, etc.)

Personally, I have multiple dozens of places that I can go without trespassing. Most people have a lot of friends, relatives, coworkers, etc. All of them are potential sources of permission to hunt various properties.

Well good for you, my appreciation for you for keeping it legal, there are a lot of MDers who only have 1 or 2 spots to go so having multiple spots like myself and you that you have permission to hunt is a blessing.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Davers, you say: "With so many foreclosed property's & un developed sub div cut in but never started ,that are bank owned its kinda hard to call the bank pres & get written permission from he or she ..."

Tsk Tsk Tsk. Say it isn't so Dave! You know durned well that no matter how derelict and abandoned that foreclosed yard was, you were supposed to get on your phone, call phone #'s in Los Angeles, or NY, or Chicago (wherever the mega-corp is that .. in the paper trail .. owns it), and get their written permission.

Seriously now, a few years ago, when the first wave of foreclosed homes was going on, in some parts of CA, it wasn't unusual, in certain neighborhoods (where the prices had hit un-realistic peaks at the height of the real estate market), for there to be a home or two on every single block, for large swaths of the city, that were sitting vacant, boarded up, etc... And I knew some guys (naturally it wasn't me, as I would never do such a thing ), who would hit the yards while they sat vacant and boarded up.

 

[kuger]

I can honestly say I have never trespassed ,and those that do,make my blood boil....I have lost long hard worked for permission because of them!!As a landowner ,it is much more common now too,people just go,and dont think they are doing anything wrong

 

[HutSiteDigger]

I can honestly say I have never trespassed ,and those that do,make my blood boil....I have lost long hard worked for permission because of them!!As a landowner ,it is much more common now too,people just go,and dont think they are doing anything wrong

It make a lot of peoples blood boil this issue of "Trespassing" However you cant be to quick to judge someone for trespassing in a lot of cases the MD got lost or was not paying attention or thought that was say part of the farm he had permission to hunt and accidentally stumbled onto someones land who gets upset. There have been 1,000s of cases of this and what makes it worse if you accidentally stumble onto someones land who is not in good relations with the farmer next door who gave you permission, we all want to be good and do thing legally but this is planet earth we are talking about here and things dont always seem like they do on reality shows and stuff like that, if you do this long enough your bound to run into a problem sooner or later and like i say it's just good to be prepared to know how to deal with it when it does happen.

 

[Hendrix]

Davers, you say: "With so many foreclosed property's & un developed sub div cut in but never started ,that are bank owned its kinda hard to call the bank pres & get written permission from he or she ..."

Tsk Tsk Tsk. Say it isn't so Dave! You know durned well that no matter how derelict and abandoned that foreclosed yard was, you were supposed to get on your phone, call phone #'s in Los Angeles, or NY, or Chicago (wherever the mega-corp is that .. in the paper trail .. owns it), and get their written permission.

Seriously now, a few years ago, when the first wave of foreclosed homes was going on, in some parts of CA, it wasn't unusual, in certain neighborhoods (where the prices had hit un-realistic peaks at the height of the real estate market), for there to be a home or two on every single block, for large swaths of the city, that were sitting vacant, boarded up, etc... And I knew some guys (naturally it wasn't me, as I would never do such a thing ), who would hit the yards while they sat vacant and boarded up.

I don't hunt foreclosed or so called abandoned properties because it is too hard to get permission. However, if you get to know a lot of people and are an honest person, you will have a lot of people volunteer permission for you to hunt their property if you know them well and they know you enjoy detecting. (I had two different people do that just last week.) Most people that live in non-urban areas know a hundred or more people that they could ask for permission as well.

 

[kuger]

It make a lot of peoples blood boil this issue of "Trespassing" However you cant be to quick to judge someone for trespassing in a lot of cases the MD got lost or was not paying attention or thought that was say part of the farm he had permission to hunt and accidentally stumbled onto someones land who gets upset. There have been 1,000s of cases of this and what makes it worse if you accidentally stumble onto someones land who is not in good relations with the farmer next door who gave you permission, we all want to be good and do thing legally but this is planet earth we are talking about here and things dont always seem like they do on reality shows and stuff like that, if you do this long enough your bound to run into a problem sooner or later and like i say it's just good to be prepared to know how to deal with it when it does happen.

I can understand mistakes...but I have heard all of the excuses.Where I come from the land is fenced........if not I can see where a guy could wander into the wrong area,but I have never experienced that situation.Posting land.......anymore people tear down sighns as quick as we put them up!We have had cattle shot....by people we have refused permission too...really leaves a bad taste in folks mouth.
Parks,foreclosed etc....thats a different ball game,I dont care what ya do.With private property the reason stuff is in the ground is because the people that have owned it have protected it...its theirs and when you take it without their consent you are stealing......nothing short of it.Trust me,there is some ground I would love to get on........lots of that ground,but I have been told "No",so thats what it is

 

[Brian M]

Got my first detector yesterday and can not wait to use it. I have already asked the owners of a property that I want to detect on, and they had no problems with it at all. What's the worst that can happen, they say no. I'm thinking if people are detecting without asking permission, they probably don't have the people skills do be doing this anyways. If you don't have people skills, stick with public spots that won't get you in trouble and keep your head down. I'm a newbie, and really don't know anything about this hobby yet, but I do have common sense.

 

[Night Stalker]

Only a fool would indict themselves on a public forum...generally, activities such as nighthawking are frowned upon by the enthusiastic hobbists.

 

[New Orleans Relic]

Abandoned properties, forclosures, vacant lots, road cuts, sidewalk or road lifts are actually 6.238% of my hunts.
I do feel better about the other almost 94%.
I will NEVER hunt occupied property, open gates, posted land, cross fencing without permission.
Won't ask for written permission, until a handshake and a thank you, mean less!
Ray

 

[Frankn]

Hay, I got to be honest here! The answer is no, BUT if I located a large cache of money, gold, or jewels, on a closed, no hope to get permission, piece of public land, I would give it serious consideration. The way I look at it, Uncle will never miss it. Hay, don't look at me that way, I will fill the hole like it was never there. Now lets see someone else be honest. You did notice I used the word consideration, didn't you? Frank