Some recent finds

[Lowbatts]

About two weeks ago, at a park here in town. Approximately 40 of these holes, all dug identically. Someone using a knife or or some other sod cutting tool. Depth was fairly uniform, between 3-4 inches each and holes were all about 8-10 inches diameter. First pic shows where the person or persons found a small cluster of can slaw and pull tabs. They simply tossed the plugs into a pile and left them.

This morning at my nearby big park, Wing Park, the cleaning crew came by with the boss to tell me MD'ing was no longer allowed in parks in this town as of last week. Police will be called and tickets will be issued if you are seen hunting there. They know who I am, I've been hunting there since the late 80's and left me to hunt but did tell me the cops were now actively looking for MD'ers. Not so much because of the holes I saw at another town park and posted here, because they did the same there at Wing and one of the high school track team members twisted and broke his ankle in one of those holes on the slopes over by the band shell.

The guys doing this are not newbies, they are fast and have no regard for what and how they do but only for the pursuit of gold. Easy to figure out, can slaw and pull tabs or crown caps were in each of the plugs or holes they left behind. I know they've worked this town for a couple weeks, and I've stopped and talked to everyone I've seen hunting and have been satisfied I haven't found these guys, yet.

If the guys doing this are lurkers around here, brag a little, show some pics, talk about your finds. A lot of us would like to go hunting with you.

In the meantime, over the last week, got a few shinies myself but I'll leave that for the next post.

Happy hunting and take the time to meet and greet any other MD'ers you see out there, it might save you some hunting ground.

 

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[DPBOB]

This is why I won't do parks during warm weather ( I don't do parks much during the nice weather either)
Construction zones no worries about the crap in the pictures.

 

[dbennett7]

these people will always be around i wish some of these tv shows were not so popular it just makes this hobby look bad when you see this hopefully it wont hurt your stomping grounds there good luck dennis

 

[jeff of pa]

if truly identical, with & depth, I'm guessing not detectorists.

if it were they were passing allot of things up

Depth was fairly uniform, between 3-4 inches

that would mean one of 2 Things;

1. Working fast with a certain tool & anything deeper was of no interest to them,

OR

2. tool of some type being used by party at park & the trash was a by product.
maybe even an adult invented children's game Game ,
Guess which hole will have something hidden. or bad golf

I'm more inclined to believe Yuppy invented children's game
(non-detectorists on this one)

also were they in some sort of Pattern ? Like perhaps Tables or other
heavy item, that could have been Sat, or rolled through the Park
leaving 8"-10" divits ?

without actually being there to see, All I can say is,
I Honestly would have insisted that is not how detectorsts Hunt,
and if they rent the parks out to family reunions, childrens Birth day parties,
or pre-school & Daycare type groups, investigate.

 

[Lowbatts]

Hey Dennis, I'm gonna bet these guys are the same ones that got Dekalb to place it's parks off limits also. Maybe a few of those guys from that other forum for instance.

Hey Jeff, holes were random and widely distributed across the park I saw them in. Workers told me they saw the guys doing the deed in the park near my house, but having seen so many of us hunt there over the years, they did not approach them until after the damage was done. I have run into a couple guys who told me they only look for gold, no high tones a couple years ago. They were doing tot lots and may have graduated to dirt.

Talked to Needle yesterday and he said most likely the same guys came through his town parks on the whirlwind of gold chasing and did about the same damage. That's why I'm sure these guys are experienced, undisciplined, and totally lacking in any common sense.

On the other hand, I ran into an individual hunting in another nearby park last week who was a total newbie and had never hunted with anyone else. Watched him hunt for a few minutes and he was using a BH and a Pro-Pointer. He was also doing a stellar job of cleaning up after himself and left no signs to the untrained eye that he had been there.

He said it was one of the TV shows that inspired him to take up the hobby only three months ago and he found it quite easy and natural to help maintain the grounds he was hunting in. I gave him a sand scoop and thanked him for his approach.

 

[jeff of pa]

hmmm , I'd think they would get frustrated quick,
or jump public Pool fences.
I just don't think there is that much gold Jewelry out there to make
it worthwhile.
I sure hope they get caught red handed & not only get fined heavy,
But have to pay for damages

 

[Seener53]

Wow what a bunch of savages! Only a matter of time before they punish everyone