Went back to the hunted out park.

[bk]

Jerry and I went back to the dug up park that we found last weekend. Not much had changed in the landscape since the week before. We both did equally well with more nice coins. We each got a few Barbers, Indian head cents, V nickels, and wheat's.
As we were getting ready to leave a motorcycle cop comes over and informs me that there is an ordinance prohibiting metal detecting in the city parks. But officer, I said; "The whole park has been dug up with a backhoe. Certinly I can't be doing any damage to the lawn". He said; "Normally we won't bother to enforce this ordinance unless there is a complaint", So I asked him who could possibly have complained? It turns out it was a local detectorist who was booted out of the park twice before for carless digging (This was before the park was all dug up and before any sod was removed.
The officer was very nice and said that he has to respond whenever there is a complaint, which I can understand, so we left.
The ordinance does not apply to metal detecting. Rather to the the "usual and customary": Destroying park property, removal of, and/or destruction of trees, shrubs, flowers, and animals.
I guess I'll have to go to work and see if I can get the city park board to allow a variance or permit to at least allow me to detect there until they lay the sod or plant seed. There are no signs posted. and there are no construction barricades except next to the Civil War statue.

Heres today's finds.

 

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[bk]

Here are some pics of the dug up park.

 

[Gypsy Heart]

Man alive ...I have seen MD'ers ripping it up...but you take the cake! What are you digging with ....a backhoe! Hahahahaa! Nice finds,BK Hope you can get back in there!

 

[bk]

Gypsy, Here's my digger.

 

[Michigan Badger]

Man, this ticks me off and I'm not even hunting there

Like to talk to the shrew that turned in the complaint.

I'd stay with that park until I got permission or a flat out NO from somebody.

Hope it all works out.

Badger

 

[mlw67]

Congrats on another nice pile of gorgeous coins!

Poo on the sourpuss who filed the complaint!

 

[Green1]

i can see a hole you forgot to fill !!! just kiddin very very nice finds there, there has to be a way to work some majic, before the rest of the histoy is buried forever,,

 

[Dave N Japan]

Well, That was one complant for that day..., I would go back again and if the guy complains again, well, then leave again if the cops comes back... Maybe a headlight at night may work!
Happy I am in Japan...It will hard for me when I come back in the future!

 

[goldencoin]

At least you didn't go empty handed... + those coins beat every single coin i've found and are comparible to my crusty colonial....

HH
-GC

 

[Detectingfreak]

Very nice hunt! I hope i find that stuff when i go to an old 1922 school in a few minutes! Very cool finds! Look at all those indian heads wow! I apploud you!

 

[hollowpointred]

if there are no plants, shrubs or grass left due to the backhoe, where is the violation of the law? this kind of stuff pisses me off to no end. people who metal detect are treated like criminals way too much. just last week, i sent an e-mail to the county parks office. i had contacted them a while back about detecting in county parks and they said it is permitted. just call first to let them know. why is it that everyone else with a hobby can use the park whenever they want, but i need to make an appointment? anyway, i contacted them about detecting sat, sun, and mon. they replied, that its not a good time to go to the park, to stay away from the pavillion, any sports fields, any buildings and not to make any holes. i was pissed! they do this stuff every time i contact them.either detecting is allowed or it isnt allowed. dont play these trifling little games with me. it makes me want to just go and detect without calling them, because every time i do, they have something negative to say about it. people who fly model airplanes and rockets dont have to make special arrangements, and thier hobby could actually hurt someone. it really is a bunch of bs..............sorry for the rant.

 

[mlw67]

You GO Hollowpoint! I'm with you on that one. What a load of crap. Their discrimination is turned up too high.

 

[scott-devon]

Great spot! and beautiful coins. Congrats, thats a great day out.

 

[Getty]

Nice haul!! Good luck with the rest!

 

[Pennyworth]

BK, sorry to hear that they told you not to detect but you sure got a lot of nice coins before being told to leave. So congratulations on the finds,very nice!


The area that I detected today is near a police station so I walked in and asked if I could detect the area. I would be carefull, fill in my holes,and take any trash with me. It's near a structure that is not safe,and I told the officer that I would not go in or near the structure that my saftey is important to me. The officer was VERY nice and said we don't have a problem with you detecting,go right ahead and just be careful. I was shocked because I expected to get a no right from the begining,but it was nice to hear yes. I feel a little more confident now about asking for permission,might have to try it more often.

 

[bk]

if there are no plants, shrubs or grass left due to the backhoe, where is the violation of the law? this kind of stuff pisses me off to no end. people who metal detect are treated like criminals way too much. just last week, i sent an e-mail to the county parks office. i had contacted them a while back about detecting in county parks and they said it is permitted. just call first to let them know. why is it that everyone else with a hobby can use the park whenever they want, but i need to make an appointment? anyway, i contacted them about detecting sat, sun, and mon. they replied, that its not a good time to go to the park, to stay away from the pavillion, any sports fields, any buildings and not to make any holes. i was pissed! they do this stuff every time i contact them.either detecting is allowed or it isnt allowed. dont play these trifling little games with me. it makes me want to just go and detect without calling them, because every time i do, they have something negative to say about it. people who fly model airplanes and rockets dont have to make special arrangements, and thier hobby could actually hurt someone. it really is a bunch of bs..............sorry for the rant.

Thanks for the replies and support. Thats how I feel about it too. They take a legitimate ordinance regarding destruction of park property and turn it around to fit everything that suits them. Yeah, I could go back and play innocent, and tell them that there is no vegetation to destroy, but then I'm not breaking the law because I killed a plant, I'm breaking the law because I was told to leave and came back after being told to leave. Maybe I should tell an archaeologist about all the historical objects in the park. Then they would have to stop construction to allow them to do a dig.
Anyway, Jerry sent me pics of some of his finds from the last two weekends.

 

[groundfisher]

Excellent digs again bk! A coinshooters paradise.I would definitely see about getting a variance or permit to hunt like you said.That site is too awesome to let some careless idiot screw it up for those that abide by the laws.Best of luck to you on getting back there.Great post and pics! HH!

 

[allen]

those are some really nice coins. i hope you get the parks board to give you permission. keep on digging...

 

[hollowpointred]

Excellent digs again bk! A coinshooters paradise.I would definitely see about getting a variance or permit to hunt like you said.That site is too awesome to let some careless idiot screw it up for those that abide by the laws.Best of luck to you on getting back there.Great post and pics! HH!

im gonna have to agree with groundfisher. i dont know about your area, but around here sites like this are very very rare. it would be a shame to lose out because of some political bs.

 

[Michigan Badger]

It's really amazing how much can be found in these little parks. But today we don't really realize how important and used parks were in the early 20th century.

Good finds

Badger