Thinking about trying to start a metal detecting club for the Thumb of Michigan

[Toecutter]

Not sure where to start and what I would need to know, can any of you guys help me out?

 

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[releventchair]

You are out of my cruising range over there to the East to be on hand.

You'll want a meeting place for regular meetings. Or on a regular month day, rotate locations.
A coffee break might be a good start to see who is interested.
Getting the word out would be most important.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Toe-cutter, good luck on trying to get a physical brick-&-mortar club going. Up till the mid 1990s, there used to be a lot of clubs, in a lot of cities. Eg.: with 1x p/month meetings, hunts/rallies, show & tell time, raffles, etc.... Fun Fun.

But then the era of internet web forums came, and has since taken over as the social outlet . Nowadays, people get all the same factors from the comfort of their living room. Eg.: to see who else is in their area (buddy up, compare notes, hunt, etc...), show & tell, learn about the latest tech, etc.... It's all done from 'puters these days. Everyone is too lazy to get off their duff and drive to a meeting. Clubs only exist in the very largest cities these days. And even THEN-SO, with declining memberships.

Clubs: R.I.P.

 

[releventchair]

Toe-cutter, good luck on trying to get a physical brick-&-mortar club going. Up till the mid 1990s, there used to be a lot of clubs, in a lot of cities. Eg.: with 1x p/month meetings, hunts/rallies, show & tell time, raffles, etc.... Fun Fun.

But then the era of internet web forums came, and has since taken over as the social outlet . Nowadays, people get all the same factors from the comfort of their living room. Eg.: to see who else is in their area (buddy up, compare notes, hunt, etc...), show & tell, learn about the latest tech, etc.... It's all done from 'puters these days. Everyone is too lazy to get off their duff and drive to a meeting. Clubs only exist in the very largest cities these days. And even THEN-SO, with declining memberships.

Clubs: R.I.P.

So, are you suggesting a web site?

Not a bad idea.
Group hunts and/ or a potluck , or project , or field trip could still be arranged.

 

[Toecutter]

Thanks guys....

Tom in CA I agree with you 100%

Maybe I will join the local history group in town and see what i can come up with, it just seems like it would be easier to get permissions if your in a club, since Iv never bin a MD club i dont know if it actually helps....

Ill claim T-net as the club Im in.... lol

 

[Tom_in_CA]

.... Maybe I will join the local history group in town and see what i can come up with, it just seems like it would be easier to get permissions if your in a club, since Iv never bin a MD club i dont know if it actually helps....

What type sites are you seeking to get permissions to ?

As for historical societies and museums: Yes, that can lead to "in's". You can get back-room access to white glove material @ historical research. HOWEVER, you've got to play your cards VERY carefully. Get involved. Volunteer your time manning desks, leading tours, etc.... Get to know the others on a first name basis, etc... Don't let anyone there know your ulterior motives for the first year or more. You are a "fox guarding the henhouse"

I volunteer at 2 museums/societies in my area. And the credentials come in handy to get permissions. BUT YOU MUST PLAY IT WISELY. Because a lot of those museums and societies have archie-types on their boards of directors.

An example of how it can help, is to simply have the credentials (a badge on a lanyard with your name and "such & such docent leader" on it), is helpful when dropping in at areas you're researching. To say : "Hi, I'm so & so, and I'm researching such & such for an article I'm writing", etc... (while casually flashing your badge). That is a great ice-breaker.

 

[Toecutter]

Great info Tom , I guess Im more about having credentials to present when getting a permission to help gain the trust of the owner

Around here we have bicentennial farms those farms have a big green sign in the front yard saying that the farm has bin in the same family for 100 years or more, makes it easy to locate older properties,

I feel like if i said i was part of a club or had some credentials it might help the owner to give their trust also might help me with confidence....

 

[KevGA]

Over the past few weeks I've visited the two clubs here in the St. Louis area and determined that it really kind of depends on what you want to get out of your own metal detecting experience.

These two clubs, while fairly well organized and very friendly folks, spend their meetings pretty much entirely on "business" (think along the lines of a HOA or PTA). I've been in a variety of other non-metal detecting clubs or groups over the years and just don't feel that it's a good use of my time. They did have some good raffle giveaways, but other than that, the meetings themselves were just *meh. In the field, they focus on organized hunts which involve a lot of people in the same place at the same time, and some seeded hunts.

For me, I enjoy the research and privacy of hunting my own sites, and the occasional team-up with a few other people. Personally, I think it's much easier to get permission when it's just me, or me and one or two other detectorists, than it is to say: "Hey, we've got 50 people who we want to bring to detect on your property".

I find that the support, additional research, and camaraderie I get here on TN is perfect for my style. Not to knock the clubs at all, I see that the folks involved enjoy it, and that's great for them. I even met a few people that I swapped numbers with and would gladly hunt with on a personal basis, but as far as being involved with the club itself? I'm good with you guys That being said, if you decide to go with the "internet only" idea, why not just post in the MI forum here on the site? No sense in reinventing the wheel.

Just my .02 worth for today (Sorry, just clad... no IH )

 

[A2coins]

There are 4 of us here in Ann Arbor we hunt together a Club would be great there are alot of tnetters in Mi Ohio area. Tommy

 

[A2coins]

The Mi forum has cricket sounds thats it but I would be willing to help put something together how far up nort are you.

 

[Toecutter]

The Mi forum has cricket sounds thats it but I would be willing to help put something together how far up nort are you.

I am about 30 miles east of Saginaw in Caro...I have one buddy that hunts with me most of the time and have ran into a couple locals out detecting,

KevGa I see what your saying there and givin my location that will most likely be the route I take, I really dont see a club in my area having more then 10 members, but who knows...