WATCH OUT ....dont step on that....

Cachefinder · Jan 9, 2009

....That is what i was thinking when i was out in the desert with some friends this past weekend, as
we were walking along, bout 25 ft from each other just MD'ing and looking around. I noticed an old
metal object sticking out of the ground about 2 inches. I called my friends over and told them the horrible thought that just came into my mind.--what if that was a land mine(explosive)

Now i know this might sound silly and it turned out to be nothing, but what if one of us is out there in
"virgin" areas ie. desert , forest , swamps , u name it., and did step on a land mine or other type of
explosive device that was set there years ago.

I was wondering if anyone else has thought of this or has a story about this happening

Good luck to all and be SAFE!

Cachefinder-

Montana Jim · Jan 9, 2009

Well - I have no idea where you live that "land-mine" might cross your mind...

It might bother me if I was still in Kuwait...

But I would never think that here in Montana...

Siegfried Schlagrule · Jan 9, 2009

I was stationed in Germany from 1974 to 1977. We had one gonzo detector nut that would dig anything and it got him an ass-whuppin'. While detecting on Sheriden Kaserne, Augsburg Germany he found and stacked four nazi anti-tank mines. A sergeant walked by and told him to get the hell away from them and called EOD. EOD came in with a sandbagged duece and a half and loaded the mines for transport to a local quarry for destruction. While they were driving there one of the mines went off and destroyed the truck and rang the bell of the EOD guys. The three other mines were thrown out of the truck and had to be reloaded on another truck. Eventually they were safely destroyed. EOD and the MPs escorted this guy back to the barracks to inspect his other finds. In his foot locker and wall locker were several rotted american grenades and some fragile german potato masher grenades with the wooden handles. None of them had been disarmed. His room mate took offense at that and beat the living crap out of him. The MPs and EOD waited until he got tired and then arrested the goof-ball. I suspect that his detector was confiscated and he got a long stretch in the brig. From then on everyone could expect a visit from every passing MP to make sure we weren't as stupid as that guy. He was known to us but was not a member of our metal detector club and always hunted alone so no one knew he was doing that. siegfried schlagrule

Siegfried Schlagrule · Jan 9, 2009

The only danger like that in the united states is around meth labs and pot plantations. Mostly they use trip wire booby traps and not land mines. A few will dig punji pits but they can't get monkey crap to rub on the spikes so they use dog crap. siegfried schlagrule

Cachefinder · Jan 9, 2009

r.emmons said:
I wouldn't be worrying about land mines, unless the area was inhabited by an ex military man who has gone bonkers.............

But this does bring up an interesting point. Out in the National Parks, there is a living crust-of-soil. It is called Cryptobiotic soil. Here is a link for more information in one particular area.

http://gorp.away.com/gorp/resource/us_national_park/ut/cry_arch.htm

Now, I normally don't look for this, or consider it of any danger in the open lands, where the cattle graze, and where the deer and the antelope play, but since learning about this, I have paid more attention as to where I walk and step.

Thank you for that link.

Would be good for all of us to just watch were we are walking!

Cachefinder-

Dirt Fishin Dale · Jan 9, 2009

The only landmines I need to watch out for are the ones left behind by four legged critters. I don’t want to step on one of those either.

Cachefinder · Jan 9, 2009

Siegfried Schlagrule

Thanks for your story!

Cachefinder-

BIG61AL · Jan 9, 2009

If one was in a wide open space I'd might think it more likely to stumble onto a old bombing/target range. There is a neigbor hood in San Diego that was just open space during the second world war and used for target range, now there are houses and such....the military fequently get calls to recover exposed ordinance - morter, grenades, artillary rounds and all sizes of bullets. they will never get everything out.

pegleglooker · Jan 9, 2009

hey gang,
Cache, since you said desert and bombs, I would ask which desert you were in. Here in SoCal, in the Anza-Borrego desert there is a area called the Carrizo Impact Area, and YES it has TONS of unexplored ordnance. This area is off limits, but, that doesn't mean no one goes there. So be careful, be VERY careful..

PLL

EDDE · Jan 9, 2009

deepskyal · Jan 10, 2009

r.emmons said:
Dirt Fishin Dale said:

The only landmines I need to watch out for are the ones left behind by four legged critters. I dont want to step on one of those either.

Click to expand...

I am rolling on the floor with that one!
I also forgot about this, when exploring old historic or dilapidated sites, where there are old boards with nails sticking out of them. I have almost stepped on several.

I'm with you on this one....a rusted nail might as well be a landmine.

Al

Digginman · Jan 10, 2009

Just be careful it's not one of these:

[youtube=425,350]0F324755_oA[/youtube]

DM

Cachefinder · Jan 12, 2009

pegleglooker said:
hey gang,
Cache, since you said desert and bombs, I would ask which desert you were in. Here in SoCal, in the Anza-Borrego desert there is a area called the Carrizo Impact Area, and YES it has TONS of unexplored ordnance. This area is off limits, but, that doesn't mean no one goes there. So be careful, be VERY careful..

PLL

In the Arizona Desert bout 35 miles N/W of Ft Mcdowell---Bronco Canyon

Cachefinder-

Crazy Greek · Jan 26, 2009

Actually, not a 'land story' but here goes. Down here in South Texas I used to haul fuel for a living. One day I have a load of diesel on for the shrimpers down on the coast. I pull into town and head down to the docks like I've done hundreds of times, only this time I am stopped by a Deputy Sheriff asking me where I am going. I told him just over to that shrimper over there to unload some Diesel and he tells me "Not today...get that fuel truck outta here. One of those shrimp boats pulled a bomb up in their nets out in the bay!"

Seems they guys had the thing sittin on the fantail of the boat all day when one finally looked at the thing and realized it looked kinda like a bomb. They brought the thing into port with them and the sheriff called the Army Ammunition Disposal out of Fort Sam Houston. They came down and took the thing and disposed of it out of town later that evening. About 2 miles out of town and the thing shook all the windows, breaking a few when they lit it off!

This came out of the bay along our coast here. Seems the Army Air Corps used to do a lot of practice bombing in the bays along the coast and evidently a few of them didn't go off when dropped and are still sittin around just waiting for some unlucky soul to come along.

Moral.......be careful!! :icon_pirat:

homefires · Jan 26, 2009

Folks, there is a REAL threat out here in Arizona and New Mexico!!!!!!!!!!!

We have these things called Critter Getters!

Check this out!

They are set off by pulling on the bated top. If you try to pull one out of the ground , Your going to get face full of Cyanide!

I have came accross them about 10 times on my ventures.

Sodium Cyanide in the M-44. The M-44 is a spring-activated device used to expel sodium cyanide into an animal’s mouth. It is currently registered by EPA for use by trained personnel in the control of depredating coyotes, foxes, and dogs.

The M-44 consists of a capsule holder wrapped in an absorbent material, an ejector mechanism, a capsule containing approximately 0.9 grams of a powdered sodium cyanide mixture, and a 5- to 7-inch (15- to 18-cm) hollow stake (Fig. 8). For most effective use, set M-44s in locations similar to those for good trap sets. Drive the hollow stake into the ground. Cock the ejector unit and secure it in the stake. Screw the wrapped capsule holder containing the cyanide capsule onto the ejector unit, and apply fetid meat bait to the capsule holder. Coyotes attracted by the bait will try to bite the baited capsule holder. When the M-44 is pulled, the spring-activated plunger propels sodium cyanide into the animal’s mouth, resulting in death within a few seconds.

http://www.google.com/search?source...GLJ:en&q=Predator+Control+Device+(M-44)+photo