a "how to" in getting yourself and everyone else banned from your local park(s)

[JimmyCT]

Take this post as a hint of what NOT to do.


I was coming back from a hiking trip and as my buddy drove by one of the town-owned properties, I see this joker out on the property with his shovel. I know there have been many posts about this the last couple months and this sealed the deal burning me to the core Idiot. Duh - let me carry a big shovel over my shoulder and walk through the park with my metal detector.

 

[Critterhunter]

Simply outrageous! That would have really got me mad. I think I would have had to stop and say WTF do you think your doing with a shovel on public property.

 

[Critterhunter]

And another thing that I can't understand. Primarily the main reason why these guys are using shovels is because they are too lazy to bend down and dig a hole, but don't they have to bend down anyway to retrieve the target? If that's the case then just go ahead and get on your knees to begin with and dig with a proper digging tool that is less intimidating to the public. And don't tell me they can repair a hole well standing up. To do a proper repair you need to be on the ground using your hands to brush any extra dirt back into the hole, carefully place the plug into the hole the right way with the same orientation it had when it came out, and so on. I also bet many of this shovel lovers, since they don't want to bend down, see that the target is trash and so just leave it on the ground so that don't have to bend down and pick it up.

 

[Jason in Enid]

Is that a park? Sure doesn't look like a park.

 

[nick1curtis]

i use a shovel.....in the woods, that shovel is completely unnecessary in an enviornment like that. ESPECIALLY if it is public property. you should have stopped and nicely and politely informed them of what they were doing, because they probably really didnt know any better. instead of cussing them out in your head and taking pics to post here, maybe you could have taught them something and the whole MD community would benefit from it. not saying you are wrong or anything, because this thread will inform more people(plus people these days are crazy and approaching someone you dont know can be dangerous)

 

[Critterhunter]

Reminds me of a guy in the Views forum (see the thread about chased by some bees) who proudly proclaims that he uses a shovel in public parks all the time. One park, by the way, that another Findmall member called and it turns out there is a law against metal detecting there, which is why the guy is always posting all these great easy finds he is making. This guy was even hunting tree lawns with that lousy looking shovel. Despite our best efforts to convince him otherwise he chose to mock us and call us names. It's people like that who don't care about this hobby or their fellow detectorists, and will soon have us banned at more and more places.

Can't be sure but from the pictures it looks like he is using an Etrac? Pretty expensive machine to buy and eventually not be able to use because you've managed to ban detecting in all your local parks.

 

[Critterhunter]

Read this new thread about bad behaviour getting another place banned...

http://www.findmall.com/read.php?21,1684063

 

[JimmyCT]

I am positive it is a park. A town-owned park / open field to be exact. Even though he is in the field, it doesn't give him the right to carry that shovel with him.

Is that a park? Sure doesn't look like a park.

 

[JimmyCT]

Hi Nick,


This is owned by the town and it is public property for all to enjoy. I thought about stopping and saying something but like you mention below, is what exactly went through my mind and the possibility of the shovel going through it too. (People have certainly been assaulted and battered for less ) I felt it was best that I didn't approach but to record the activity and share here on this forum to give newcomers an idea of how not to conduct business in the field. (Hopefully I can reach more people sharing these pics) then that one guy in the field. I certainly don't have a problem with you or anyone using shovels - please just don't use them in public parks where there are hundreds of people and cars driving by to see. Wish you the best in the field - Jim

i use a shovel.....in the woods, that shovel is completely unnecessary in an enviornment like that. ESPECIALLY if it is public property. you should have stopped and nicely and politely informed them of what they were doing, because they probably really didnt know any better. instead of cussing them out in your head and taking pics to post here, maybe you could have taught them something and the whole MD community would benefit from it. not saying you are wrong or anything, because this thread will inform more people(plus people these days are crazy and approaching someone you dont know can be dangerous)[/quote]

 

[plidn1]

GET A ROPE

 

[Dude]

I think your blowing it out of proportion. Unless you walked over and checked it out you don't know what he's doing.

Starters It doesn't look like the area he's in is well kept meaning you don't have to be perfect, besides that, you can cut a plug or flap and fill in your holes just as easy with what he's using.
I've used a small shovel at times and you'd never know I was there.

 

[JimmyCT]

Dude,

What I am getting at is this guy could of very easily carried a lesche digger or other short cutting tool and not walk around through the area with a shovel on his shoulder. Perception is all it takes to close down public park hunting areas. We can be neat as possible and not even show a trace that we were there....but carrying a shovel ( like this guy) says "big holes" to the public. All it will take is for one person to say to the parks dept, " that man over there is digging holes with a shovel" and goodbye hunting area. HH - Jim

I think your blowing it out of proportion. Unless you walked over and checked it out you don't know what he's doing.

Starters It doesn't look like the area he's in is well kept meaning you don't have to be perfect, (I disagree, I am always as neat as possible like someone is watching me )besides that, you can cut a plug or flap and fill in your holes just as easy with what he's using.
I've used a small shovel at times and you'd never know I was there.

 

[plidn1]

If you don't think the public is not aware and doesn't notice, or doesn't get overly excited, Just get an air rifle and walk down the street in town some time.
The reaction will scare you.

 

[GunnarMN]

[size=large]WHY NOT GET A BACK HOE AS WELL OR A KOMATSUE[/size]

 

[slingshot]

Geez, I only use a thin screwdriver, but I'll have to bypass on this judgement call 'cause that pic makes it look like an overgrown field that no one gives a flip about as far as maintenance. I tried searching places like this and a shovel, albeit MUCH SMALLER than that one was the best tool for the quickest and neatest recovery. Now a manicured school or park, etc. and my blood boils on ANY DIGGING tool.

 

[Fabio]

Is that a park? Sure doesn't look like a park.

Hyde Park, in central London, looks just the same.

 

[Fabio]

I noticed the plugs turn dry for a couple of days, but after the first showers, they turn green and you can't even tell where they were.
In tall grassy areas, not parks, a short handle shovel with a narrow square spade would come in handy for digging small square plugs, but I haven't seen any of these in stores. I always carry two small tools with me because the ground here is grassy, rocky, muddy, dirty, rooty, and rubbishy. Sometimes I take earth from the mole piles to fill in my plugs so they come out perfect.

 

[SteveP(NH)]

I know you care a lot of public perception of digging in a public park with a shovel. But comparing a criminal who is detecting on federal land on a posted National Historic Battlefield and digging at the your local town park with or without a shovel is in no way a valid comparison.

I tend to agree with you about using hand digging tools when digging in a nicely kept public park but making a comparison like this doesn't do anything for making your case because the difference between the two is so extreme. Its like saying nobody should be able to go hunting because some nut shoots 6 people at a college campus, the two situations are very different.

 

[Elton]

There may be places for shovels, But a Park is not one of them !! Enough said.

 

[Critterhunter]

Public perception is EVERYTHING. Doesn't matter how good you repair the hole. Also, he looks fairly close to the road for everybody to see. And my local park has "wild" areas where they let the grass grow for a few years for wildlife, and then mow that section and keep it mowed for a while, then reverting it back again for a while to a wild state. This is done on an every two or three year rotation. It's done for the birds and other animals, and any park ranger who sees somebody digging with a shovel in one of those areas is going to be in for a rude surprise.