Running into homeless camps while MDing

SilverForBrains · Oct 9, 2013

Hi all,

I was getting in the last few hours of daylight in the woods last night and felt like I was being watched. I also heard next to the water (but covered by brush) what I thought to be a deer, but turns out I was likely wrong. 100 feet away I nearly walk right over a brand new fire pit, with dry wood (it rained the night before). so basically I was all over this guy's camp, and he was probably hiding waiting for me to go away. my guess is homeless, there is no hunting in these woods. could be a few boy scouts but seems very unlikely.

When I MD in New JErsey, especially in denser areas I find a lot of ramshackle tents. haven't stumbled across the residents yet, I try and steer clear.

Anyone have interesting stories about encountering the homeless in the woods? I for one am very sympathetic with their situation and don't mind at all, they likely just want to be left alone

gerryk · Oct 9, 2013

Boys counts are suppose to camp in designated camp sites not just out on the woods. When away at camp, they can go off i to the woods and do rustic camping.

As far as running into homeless people, yes i have but when geocaching, not metal detecting. I also ran into it a lot in the forest preserve near my hose when on he bike trail during the time the g8 summit was suppose to be in Chicago. I felt watched and smelled cigarette smoke and i dont think the local deer population smokes. I did accidently go right next to a camp of about 20. My son saw them first and we turned around and high tailed it out.

DiggityDiggity · Oct 9, 2013

I wish i had homeless around here. I'd subcontract the digging part of my MDing. ^_^

I don't have any homeless stories but a couple weeks ago I ran into a funny situation in the woods. I was deep in this forest detecting some old house foundations. It was getting dark so I started back to my truck (about a 1 mile tough hike back). The trail used to be an old road in the 1800s, speckled with houses which are now all consumed by the forest. So, I'm about halfway back and its starting to get really dark. I am by myself and I start hearing coyotes calling and owls hooting. Even in my ripe age I still manage to scare myself, thinking about ghosts of the houses walking the trails, sasquatches running about with malicious intent etc... In the height of my irrational paranoia, I hear a loud rustling in front of me about 10 yards ahead. As I walked closer I see its a chipmunk running in fast perfect circles, about the size of a milk jug. As I walked up to and literally over top of the chipmunk, it didn't stop the circle-running. About 5 yards past the chipmunk, I turn around. As I turn around, it stops and stares at me. About 10 seconds later, it then continues to run the circles and I continued walking. I heard it running until it was out of earshot. Never walked faster in my life after seeing that. lmao Thanks for peaking my paranoia, Mr. Rabid Chipmunk. I'll never forget you!

SilverForBrains · Oct 9, 2013

DiggityDiggity said:
I wish i had homeless around here. I'd subcontract the digging part of my MDing. ^_^

I don't have any homeless stories but a couple weeks ago I ran into a funny situation in the woods. I was deep in this forest detecting some old house foundations. It was getting dark so I started back to my truck (about a 1 mile tough hike back). The trail used to be an old road in the 1800s, speckled with houses which are now all consumed by the forest. So, I'm about halfway back and its starting to get really dark. I am by myself and I start hearing coyotes calling and owls hooting. Even in my ripe age I still manage to scare myself, thinking about ghosts of the houses walking the trails, sasquatches running about with malicious intent etc... In the height of my irrational paranoia, I hear a loud rustling in front of me about 10 yards ahead. As I walked closer I see its a chipmunk running in fast perfect circles, about the size of a milk jug. As I walked up to and literally over top of the chipmunk, it didn't stop the circle-running. About 5 yards past the chipmunk, I turn around. As I turn around, it stops and stares at me. About 10 seconds later, it then continues to run the circles and I continued walking. I heard it running until it was out of earshot. Never walked faster in my life after seeing that. lmao Thanks for peaking my paranoia, Mr. Rabid Chipmunk. I'll never forget you!

holy cow what a strange animal! great story :occasion14:

I'da been freaked out too!

BosnMate · Oct 9, 2013

There was a Rouge River Indian War in the 1850's, here is SW Oregon. One of the battles was in my area, so I decided to look for it, see if I could find any indications of where it might have been. I was way off any beaten path, and stumbled into three different pot plantations. It was after harvest time, but all their stuff was there. I ended up rolling up lots of garden hose, shovels, any thing I could use, packed it all out to my jeep and brought it home with me. While driving down logging roads in the woods I realized how stupid I was, if I'd got stopped they would have wanted to know what I was doing with all the pot growing paraphernalia. Lucked out, didn't get sropped. Never found the battlefield, but the BLM found a map in the archives, and they have it nailed down, and I wouldn't want to be caught poking around there now. Wonder if the BLM is getting along with the pot growers.

racer117 · Oct 11, 2013

Lisa and I were out detecting a park in Madison . Beautiful day , we were finding lots of clad . There is a small woods ,maybe 200 ft deep by 600 ft wide at the rear of the park. Lisa decides she is going to detect the woods .So she goes and 20 minutes later , comes back to me saying she had an altercation with a homeless guy. Lisa was white as a ghost with fear , as she said the guy really cussed her out and told her to get out of my house ,and if she didnt ,there would be problems . Well , it is a public city park , I decided to go back where she was detecting ,I was fuming at the way she was talked to . I found his camp , and it was compleatly littered with beer cans ,and trash . As I was walking away ,I heard the zipper on the tent open ,and out he comes cussing and threating me .Well , that did not last long when my Lesche made its presence out of the sheath . I told him i called the police for the threats ,which I should have but did not . He disappeared somewhere and we finished detecting .

SusanMN · Oct 11, 2013

Twice this past summer I have found tents set up in heavily wooded sections of large local parks. I didn't stick around to see if they were inhabited.

TheNewCatfish · Oct 11, 2013

I 've travelled the SW United States prospecting and living as a homeless person since hurricane Katrina destroyed New Orleans and my home and my career. Before that i was a fire captain for ten years on the Slidell Fire Department 25 miles north of New Orleans. I was also a St. Tammany deputy sheriff for five years prior to that. Not all homeless people are dysfunctional schizophrenics or criminals. In fact, i would venture to say the number of seriously mentally ill or criminal types in the homeless population is no higher than in any other segment of society. The most common mental condition in shelter populations appears to be mild cases of "OCD" Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Only rarely do i see anyone suffering from severe schizophrenia. What astounds me is the staggering number of professional people i've run into in the homeless population. People with college degrees, former business owners and the like. For whatever reason, these people have become marginalized and disenfranchised from mainstream America. Something happened that caused them to give up trying to rebuild their lives. Now they simply survive from one day to the next on the fringe of society. PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) i believe it's called. Next time you run into a homeless camp in the woods, you might try simply annoucing yourself and sitting down for a cup of coffee and a pleasant visit. I've usually got plenty of grub, cigarettes a radio and some coffee. And being a successful prospector, i don't need any of YOUR money or possessions. See ya' around.

rginn · Oct 11, 2013

Here in the mountain resort areas we have lots of homeless people in the woods. Homeless but not jobless. People want to come to the mountains and then get here and find out 'affordable housing' is considered $1,000 a month for a studio apt., IF you can find one. Some set up tents in the national forests; others just drive there after work and sleep in their cars. This mostly during the summer but you will find a few who aren't able to 'couch surf' toughing out the winter. For the most part they're just regular people. Most have little outdoor experience and it sometimes amazes me they don't get eaten by wild animals or squashed by falling dead trees. Nobody messes with anybody else's camp or equipment. In the last 10 years, I know of one freezing to death, one was beaten to death by his fellow camper, and a few minor disturbances. (alcohol was strongly involved in all those cases) Over along the front range around the metropolitan areas there's a large homeless population. Most don' have jobs, they get continuously hassled, and they have to constantly watch what little they have to hang on to it. Those folks will tend to be a little suspicious, defensive, and aggressive if you get too close, but I suppose experience has taught them that's the best course of action.

elgatodelnoche · Oct 12, 2013

gerryk said:
Boys counts are suppose to camp in designated camp sites not just out on the woods. When away at camp, they can go off i to the woods and do rustic camping.

As far as running into homeless people, yes i have but when geocaching, not metal detecting. I also ran into it a lot in the forest preserve near my hose when on he bike trail during the time the g8 summit was suppose to be in Chicago. I felt watched and smelled cigarette smoke and i dont think the local deer population smokes. I did accidently go right next to a camp of about 20. My son saw them first and we turned around and high tailed it out.

When I was in Boy Scouts we went wherever we pleased and camped. There never was a designated camp we always went to except at Summer Camp. That was part of the fun. Getting off the established trails and finding someplace new. Even today I will avoid the trails and go overland if I can help it.

I used to run into homeless camps along Apache Trail when out hiking and prospecting, but it seems the Rangers and Police are keeping people away these days. I always see remnants of hobo camps when hiking there today.

BARKER · Oct 13, 2013

Hi Diggity; Use Caution and some Common Sense Ok.

DiggityDiggity said:
I wish i had homeless around here. I'd subcontract the digging part of my MDing. ^_^

First is that if you try "subcontracting" the digging you are literally placing youurself in a position where you can be robbed. !! I know a "lot" of homeless guys and gals. Usually if you don't bother them they won't bother you.Thing is that from their view they are only interested in a few things. Eating, drinking or drugs and a place to stay warm. They want money but they don't care about it. To them money is only another means of getting what they truly want; booze or drugs. Yes, there are exceptions I know ok.
Now here you come with your nice looking detector offering them money and your in the woods near almost no one.Congratulations, "YOU" are now a target for them. They, if inclined would rob you of your money and your detector. Then sell your detector to the first person they see for $10 and go buy what they really want : Booze and/or drugs. You also "may" never see them again becauise they usually just leave the area they robbed you in. You lose ok. I am NOT saying that this will definitely happen but the chances are "VERY" real ok. So please take this warning to heart. I would hate to see your next post reading "I was robbed, beaten, or stabbed and my detector was stolen."
To EVERYONE; When your out in the fields please use caution. Stay ALERT and use Common Sense ok Folks. Thanks.
PEACE:RONB

BARKER · Oct 13, 2013

HI NewCatFish; Your right. Some of them can be the most interesting people you will ever meet. I just want to make sure people use caution and common sense. I wish you all the best. PEACE:RONB

DiggityDiggity · Oct 13, 2013

BARKER said:
DiggityDiggity said:

I wish i had homeless around here. I'd subcontract the digging part of my MDing. ^_^

First is that if you try "subcontracting" the digging you are literally placing youurself in a position where you can be robbed. !! I know a "lot" of homeless guys and gals. Usually if you don't bother them they won't bother you.Thing is that from their view they are only interested in a few things. Eating, drinking or drugs and a place to stay warm. They want money but they don't care about it. To them money is only another means of getting what they truly want; booze or drugs. Yes, there are exceptions I know ok.
Now here you come with your nice looking detector offering them money and your in the woods near almost no one.Congratulations, "YOU" are now a target for them. They, if inclined would rob you of your money and your detector. Then sell your detector to the first person they see for $10 and go buy what they really want : Booze and/or drugs. You also "may" never see them again becauise they usually just leave the area they robbed you in. You lose ok. I am NOT saying that this will definitely happen but the chances are "VERY" real ok. So please take this warning to heart. I would hate to see your next post reading "I was robbed, beaten, or stabbed and my detector was stolen."
To EVERYONE; When your out in the fields please use caution. Stay ALERT and use Common Sense ok Folks. Thanks.
PEACE:RONB

Click to expand...

lol I was joking

Number9 · Oct 13, 2013

Watch your step boys and girls!

I've run across pot fields and still sites... but I walk away without ever "seeing them"!

gerryk · Oct 13, 2013

Number9 said:
Watch your step boys and girls! I've run across pot fields and still sites... but I walk away without ever "seeing them"!

I walked upon a pot field that was being tended by illegal aliens who were forced to live in tents off the land, by hunting local animals and eating shrubbery. I should have turned back when i found the fishing line trip wires. I never found the pot or said anything, but a few months later the police arrested the illegals and burned up there pot.

BARKER · Oct 14, 2013

Hi Diggity; Sorry about that. Glad to err on the good side though. PEACE:RONB :laughing7:

pippinwhitepaws · Oct 14, 2013

forced to live in tents an eat local shrubbery?

too rich.. :sign10:

TheNewCatfish · Oct 14, 2013

90% of the pot sold illegally in the United States is now being grown on state and federal land. Twenty-five years ago, it was virtually impossible to get more than 12 miles from a manned forestry tower. With Congress penching more and more pennies, it has become more likely the forest tower 12 miles away has been pad locked and abandoned for years. Criminal drug operations are now rampant on most public lands. These fellas are packing serious firepower and won't think for a second about making some nosey homeless guy or anybody else disappear permanently.