Where to hunt in Colorado?

[Toph]

Hey all!

Just joined up today! Super excited!

I used to go metal detecting on the beach in Florida about 15 years ago. Finally just bought a metal detector off Amazon to get back into it.

I'm out here at CU Boulder for school, and was looking to see where I should go hunt with it! Also, any restricted areas I should be aware of too!

I've ridden my bike past a super old school house a few times, with a do not trespass sign in front of it. How would I go about talking to whoever owns it / the city to see if I can get permission to hunt there?

Thanks!

 

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[atomicscott]

Hey all!

Just joined up today! Super excited!

I used to go metal detecting on the beach in Florida about 15 years ago. Finally just bought a metal detector off Amazon to get back into it.

I'm out here at CU Boulder for school, and was looking to see where I should go hunt with it! Also, any restricted areas I should be aware of too!

I've ridden my bike past a super old school house a few times, with a do not trespass sign in front of it. How would I go about talking to whoever owns it / the city to see if I can get permission to hunt there?

Thanks!

I've found good spots by looking at google earth and finding open fields that only have large trees in a particular spot. Usually those trees were left there for a reason, perhaps a house or some other buildings were there in the past. If there are no signs or fences, I consider these lots fair game. I will dig a few small iron signals to see if I get any square nails, or other rusty iron that helps to date the site. I also look for glass shining in the field. Sometimes I will find the fragments of windows to verify there was a building there. Good luck and HH!

 

[SoCalBeachScanner]

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Hi Toph,

Welcome Aboard ... Enjoy the Ride

You can check with the folks on the Colorado Forum for places in your area.

If I was headed your direction in CO for an extended stay, I would Google some history of the area. And like atomicscott said, Google Earth and Google Map are my #1 go to.

 

[Toph]

I've found good spots by looking at google earth and finding open fields that only have large trees in a particular spot. Usually those trees were left there for a reason, perhaps a house or some other buildings were there in the past. If there are no signs or fences, I consider these lots fair game. I will dig a few small iron signals to see if I get any square nails, or other rusty iron that helps to date the site. I also look for glass shining in the field. Sometimes I will find the fragments of windows to verify there was a building there. Good luck and HH!

So by large field do you mean just out in the middle of nowhere, or farm field? Like is this public or private property? I just wouldn't want some crazy person to find me on their land and assume I'm up to no good and shoot me or something.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

reply

So by large field do you mean just out in the middle of nowhere, or farm field? Like is this public or private property? I just wouldn't want some crazy person to find me on their land and assume I'm up to no good and shoot me or something.

Welcome Toph. As for the school you cite, is it privately owned? (as in a school that is no longer used, so was sold as surplus to private party?). Or is the school still public? If it's public, and you see such "no trespassing" signs at the turn-style gates, those have just become "obligatory" so they can shooo away perverts or whomever. They have such signs up at all the school (public) around me. Yet people still help themselves after hours, or on weekends, for things like basket-ball, jog the track, etc...

But if the building is private, then you can always pay a visit to the assessor's office, to see who owns that parcel.

As for atomiscott's saying he would go to a vacant plat of land with no signs or fences ......... I'm just curious; Why would you think that the result of such a thing would be "getting shot" ? I mean, sure, if someone "has an issue", they're welcome to tell you (and they can get their duff in gear and put up a sign or a fence if they so desire). But being SHOT ? If you have any such incident to cite, of an md'r "being shot" for detecting at an un-fenced un-posted site, I'd love to hear it. Otherwise I think you're getting too riled up worrying.

 

[cactusrat]

So by large field do you mean just out in the middle of nowhere, or farm field? Like is this public or private property? I just wouldn't want some crazy person to find me on their land and assume I'm up to no good and shoot me or something.

He is talking about trespassing. Just because the field/land doesn’t have a sign or fence doesn’t mean everybody has the right to be digging on it, or anything else.

As for getting shot, you could sue for all they are worth as long as the land wasn’t posted or fence, and that you lived. Posted and or fence land you don’t have a leg to stand on.

Most likely all you will have to deal with is being run off (at best) to a visit to the local law office and/or pay some money (the worst).

 

[Toph]

Welcome Toph. As for the school you cite, is it privately owned? (as in a school that is no longer used, so was sold as surplus to private party?). Or is the school still public? If it's public, and you see such "no trespassing" signs at the turn-style gates, those have just become "obligatory" so they can shooo away perverts or whomever. They have such signs up at all the school (public) around me. Yet people still help themselves after hours, or on weekends, for things like basket-ball, jog the track, etc...

But if the building is private, then you can always pay a visit to the assessor's office, to see who owns that parcel.

As for atomiscott's saying he would go to a vacant plat of land with no signs or fences ......... I'm just curious; Why would you think that the result of such a thing would be "getting shot" ? I mean, sure, if someone "has an issue", they're welcome to tell you (and they can get their duff in gear and put up a sign or a fence if they so desire). But being SHOT ? If you have any such incident to cite, of an md'r "being shot" for detecting at an un-fenced un-posted site, I'd love to hear it. Otherwise I think you're getting too riled up worrying.

Thanks for the info. The school is definitely no longer in use. I took this picture from Google Maps:

http://i.imgur.com/xHrzrsD.jpg

Looks like such a great spot, even if I would have to dig around some horse poop lol. (there are a few ponies that graze around the school house)

There is a small "No Tresspassing" sign on the fence just outside of thise picture.

There's also a house to the left, but by the looks of it (very run down) I can't imagine they also own the school house property.

What are your thoughts?

 

[Toph]

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Hi Toph,

Welcome Aboard ... Enjoy the Ride

You can check with the folks on the Colorado Forum for places in your area.

If I was headed your direction in CO for an extended stay, I would Google some history of the area. And like atomicscott said, Google Earth and Google Map are my #1 go to.

Where would I find this Colorado Forum? And thanks!

 

[cactusrat]

Click on "forum" at the top of any page. Then on the Forum page go down to just about the bottom of the page and you will see "Select Your Area". In that box click on any State you want to look at.

 

[jmoller99]

Also look here: ? DetectorX.com » Colorado Metal Detecting Clubs ?

A Metal Detecting club can get you onto properties that normally you would never get access to.

Also, stop off at GOLD-N-DETECTORS Located in Golden Colorado (Not far from CU Boulder) - They sell Detectors and work a lot with people in the area. Its a Gold Prospecting Store as well, so they cover a lot of things that might interest you.

 

[l2hunt]

was at Gold N Detectors today for the 1st time, what a cool store, and everything you'd ever need for hunting and more!!

 

[Dig-It-Scoops]

You could look around for lakes with swimming areas. I think there was one around the old airport

 

[L.C. BAKER]

I would look anywhere possible near here. Central City, Colorado - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

L.C.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

reply

Thanks for the info. The school is definitely no longer in use. I took this picture from Google Maps:

http://i.imgur.com/xHrzrsD.jpg

Looks like such a great spot, even if I would have to dig around some horse poop lol. (there are a few ponies that graze around the school house)

There is a small "No Tresspassing" sign on the fence just outside of thise picture.

There's also a house to the left, but by the looks of it (very run down) I can't imagine they also own the school house property.

What are your thoughts?

Wow that's a great picture! The classic "norman rockwell" type of 1-room school house. But if you have any md'rs in your area "worth their salt", that spot would have been long since hunted.

If access is an issue, why don't you pay a visit to the local assessors office? Trouble is though, that often time owners of any parcels might just have a PO. box, or a coorporate entity, etc... with nothing but an address (they don't give you phone #'s). And .... if you try a "cold-call" letter, then guess what will happen? Whoever receives it will do exactly what every single one of us on this forum does with junk mail from a total stranger: throw it away.

If I were you ( and if you really want to get on this spot), I'd "bump into" that neighbor to the left. You know, even if it means staking out the place from afar, at 5pm-ish (typical time people come home from work). So that you "happened to be passing by". Be snapping photo's for the "article you are about to write", as a "local historian" and you wondered if they knew who owned it, and if it'd be alright if you got closer for some better photo's, blah blah blah.

But if you're new to the hobby, you can also find and check with long-time-local hobbyists (not just sand-box hunters, but the type who routinely find old coins). Ask them if they, or anyone they know, has hit it. Because that might save you a lot of time.

 

[RobRieman]

If there are ponies grazing on it then it shouldn't be too hard to figure out who owns it.

 

[Msbeepbeep]

If you join a MD'ing club in your area they can help you a lot with how and where. Just be real careful about Federal lands you can get into real trouble. Most of the city and state owned public places here in My state is ok to hunt, but I ask any how. As for the fear of being shot, I hear ya. I was at a play ground at dusk after work and had a guy come walking cross it with a shot gun across his arms. Seems he mistook ME for a drug dealer! Lol sign of the times !