Anyone been/felt threatened while detecting?

[cw3]

About 10:00 am I was detecting a line of boats backed into the shore. The water was about waist deep. A drunk guy sees me coming and threw a quarter in the water said something to his buddy's to see if I could find it. I got up to the quarter found it scooped it up and put it into my pouch. He started yelling he wanted his quarter back. I turned around asked him if he always keeps his money on the bottom of the lake? I turned around and kept going. He stood up to come after me tripped and fell head first into the water started freaking out and drowning. Then his buddy grabbed him and pulled him back onto the boat and he forgot about me. I live in a tourist town people come up for the weekend and are drunk the whole weekend. I also had a homeless guy on drugs haste-ling me. I told him I thought I could decapitate him with my Trex scoop then he walked away talking to himself. They sleep in the bushes on the beach all summer. Normally they are harmless but once in a while one gets frisky.

 

[bigtim1973]

I was at a community center one time farting around detecting it. Some guys kept passing by in an old stationwagon and looking like they were interested in coming to get my detector from me.. They slowed down to turn in to the place and when they saw my lesch digger, I guess they thought it was a bowie knife of something, they hauled ass out of there.

I used to have alot of people approach me but I found out if you got a pistol on your side in an open carry position, you do not get bothered by people.


I had one lady ask me one time if I was supposed to be there doing that and if I was I trespassing. I asked her if she knew the owners of the property, she said no, then I said to her, now your trespassing. She left without saying anything else.

 

[Tot Lot Bandit]

I was field hunting one day and kept hearing someone shooting a rifle across the road and I could hear the bullets zing by above my head. Was on my cousins property.

 

[midalake]

So many years so many places. No problems, I am thankful!

 

[CalG]

I left one park where a homeless man was screaming and waving a large knife of some kind. I just eased my way to the parking lot kept my eye on him and got in the car and left. I didnt want to shoot him because he couldn't afford medicine. I didn't feel real threatened because I always carry a pistol with me metal detecting and about everywhere else now days. Just remember the second you need the police, they are minutes away and nobody has a right to harm you.

 

[u2robert]

Years ago, a club member was detecting a So Cal beach. A teenager approached and started asking questions about detecting. He asked if if could try it and as soon as he had it in his hands he took off running. Detector was never seen again.

I'm sorry but that's just funny AF

 

[Noah Huebner]

It was not metal detecting, but I was walking in the woods at 3:30 to 4:00 AM one time, and the straps from my backpack kept brushing against my leg. I thought something was trailing me because of the echo of my footsteps already, and every time I turned around I saw movement because of my flashlight. At that point I ran as fast as I could, tripping over everything until I landed in an 8 inch deep mud puddle. Soon, I discovered my mistake and remained in the woods until noon.

 

[jmaclen]

I usually hunt urban/suburban area parks and schools accompanied by a fierce little 9 pound dog named Mike Tyson. He is my eyes and ears when I am too distracted by a possible awesome deep target!!!! If anyone tries to get close to me he will snarl, bark or at least yank his leash attached to my pouch and I immediately have my 9" long sharpened flat head screwdriver blade digging tool ready.

 

[Monkeys Uncle]

Sic em...Mr. Tyson!

 

[Dan-MO]

A couple on instances come to mind. Once, I very nearly stepped into a deep well or cistern it a spot deep in the woods while alone. I literally dangled on one leg for a moment before I caught my balance. The opening was partially covered with grass and fallen limbs - I was concentrating on detecting and just didn't see it.

Another time I was detecting in a church yard of all places, when 3 teenagers (2 boys and a girl) walked up within 40 feet of me. The boys were laughing and pointing at me. I removed my headphones and one of the boys asked for money. I told him I had none to give. He then - in a smart azz way - TOLD me that they saw me digging coins and if I didn't give them to them - They would TAKE them from me. I told him he was right - I had dug 2 -$20.00 gold pieces (Of course I was lying) and if they wanted them - all they had to do was take them from me. By this time my detector and headphones were on the ground but I held a wicked looking digging tool in my hand. I then began walking purposely towards them inviting them to take my money. After a couple of steps toward them - they took off like scalded dogs. I packed up and left. Probably not a smart way to act on my part.....but that was many years ago and I was much younger, stronger, and dumber....and just didn't give a crap.

 

[IowaRelic]

Here in Mobile, there is some super sketchy hunting that I’ve done. On 2 separate occasions I’ve heard full auto gun fire in the neighboring blocks. Ive been followed around by kids while hunting in a half abandoned project, I dug so many hand gun bullets that day, they wanted to know what I found. I hesitated then showed them a bullet, not my silvers. They immediately both said it was their daddy’s bullet. I laughed then realized what I just heard. I got 4 kids. Do I need to be here for a Rosie dime?......probably not. Then I got to my truck, between 2 abandoned homes, I had a flat tire, had to put on the spare, I notice pretty fresh 9 mil casings all around me on the pavement. By now, I really know what hoods to stay clear the hell out of. I mean, I’m a transplanted corn cob to the south. I’m in great shape at 34 years old and I’ve been on both ends of a fight. But on some streets here, these dudes would kill me from their car just because how I look. Not worth it. I have considered open carry when my partner is with me. My wife doesn’t like it when we hunt Mobile.

 

[Noah Huebner]

Here in Mobile, there is some super sketchy hunting that I’ve done. On 2 separate occasions I’ve heard full auto gun fire in the neighboring blocks. Ive been followed around by kids while hunting in a half abandoned project, I dug so many hand gun bullets that day, they wanted to know what I found. I hesitated then showed them a bullet, not my silvers. They immediately both said it was their daddy’s bullet. I laughed then realized what I just heard. I got 4 kids. Do I need to be here for a Rosie dime?......probably not. Then I got to my truck, between 2 abandoned homes, I had a flat tire, had to put on the spare, I notice pretty fresh 9 mil casings all around me on the pavement. By now, I really know what hoods to stay clear the hell out of. I mean, I’m a transplanted corn cob to the south. I’m in great shape at 34 years old and I’ve been on both ends of a fight. But on some streets here, these dudes would kill me from their car just because how I look. Not worth it. I have considered open carry when my partner is with me. My wife doesn’t like it when we hunt Mobile.

I think you probably won the most threatened award

 

[SeabeeRon]

It's happened! Mostly it is some homeless guy saying he lost his Rolex!

I jus give them the ol' stink-eye!!

 

[Ron from Michigan]

About 43 yrs ago I drove up Sandia Mountain off of I25 by the small airport. Drove up a long ways to a picnic area and decided to try this area. As I was getting ready to detect I noticed a mountain lion, huge just stood there looking at me. Never seen one of these before so I calmly walked back to my car, loaded my detector and drove away. I never searched this area again.

 

[relicmeister]

Where I detect I essentially never encounter people, and animals don’t concern me. Often would feel threatened by getting lost but now I carry a Garmin Oregon 700 GPS so not anymore.
I’d like to carry but won’t in Jersey. May start to in PA though , just in case.

 

[BobOso]

About 43 yrs ago I drove up Sandia Mountain off of I25 by the small airport. Drove up a long ways to a picnic area and decided to try this area. As I was getting ready to detect I noticed a mountain lion, huge just stood there looking at me. Never seen one of these before so I calmly walked back to my car, loaded my detector and drove away. I never searched this area again.

I can understand that. I do quite a bit of prospecting, last year I was a bit off the beaten path with my wife. Here in southern Arizona there are a lot of illegals, drug smugglers, and human traffickers that find their way across the boarder. I was metal detecting an old miners camp and kept having the feeling I was being watched. I always open carry in the desert. Anyway after about an hour I moved away from the cabin area and into the brush where I noticed a spot with fresh urine, i loaded the wife and detectors back into the side by side and promptly left. I probably should have called boarder patrol, but I did not actually see anyone.

In case anyone does not know about the Arizona boarder area, it is littered with trash, back packs and anything else the illegals bring with them, several areas are set up by humanitarian's that leave food , water and blankets. the illegals consume the water and food, but also leave the trash which is never picked up.

 

[dirthunter308]

We have Constitutional carry here in Vermont!! I always carry.

 

[Ron from Michigan]

I can understand that. I do quite a bit of prospecting, last year I was a bit off the beaten path with my wife. Here in southern Arizona there are a lot of illegals, drug smugglers, and human traffickers that find their way across the boarder. I was metal detecting an old miners camp and kept having the feeling I was being watched. I always open carry in the desert. Anyway after about an hour I moved away from the cabin area and into the brush where I noticed a spot with fresh urine, i loaded the wife and detectors back into the side by side and promptly left. I probably should have called boarder patrol, but I did not actually see anyone.

In case anyone does not know about the Arizona boarder area, it is littered with trash, back packs and anything else the illegals bring with them, several areas are set up by humanitarian's that leave food , water and blankets. the illegals consume the water and food, but also leave the trash which is never picked up.

I know the feeling one year in NM I was going to find a Christmas tree. I hiked into an area for 3-4 miles and at the furthest point felt like someone was following or tracking me. I decided this was a bad idea and headed back to my car. On the way back stumbled upon a very old Spanish grave yard. Never went back to that area again..

 

[Missouri -- Ma Betty]

Just curious...have any of you encountered persons who threatened you, i.e., demanding $ or wanted your detector?

I have not...but often hunt alone and sometimes after dark in public parks, etc. Having become an "old coot", I've wondered if some passerby might be thinking, "Old man...easy pickings and I've always wanted one of those detector thingies. Could pawn for lots of $".

Stories...tell em!

I have felt uneasy a few times --once by an unfriendly dog & by some young black men in one of their parks--so me & my former husband left quickly, as they kept looking at us & he became afraid to stay detecting! An other time, one of our club members was detecing in a park & his detector was taken from him & the ones stealing it tried to sell the detector to another member, who owned the detector shop, who knew that the detector was stolen (as police had been notified) & he called the police who came and arrested them & Jack the shop owner returned the stolen detector to its real owner! Caused quite a stir in our club meeting! Ma

 

[C.J.M.]

TIMES have changed be suspicious of people around you as ex law enforcement officer you learn to read people and read the streets.Do you know what I meanYou be surprise what is happening in this world