<b>Don't Get Kicked Out Of The Park Yet! Please Read! </b>

[metalfun]

I moved back to my small hometown (population around 700) 3 & 1/2 yrs. ago. Although I do more water hunting, I had started to hunt on land in our small town park after reading some of the posts on park finds. I had never had any problems until last Friday. I was hunting & a guy on a town truck pulled up beside me in the park & told me I couldn't metal detect out there. I told him I had been hunting out there for some time & had never had any problems. I told him that a matter of fact some of the town police had been out there eating lunch in the car while I was hunting & never even spoke to me. I started walking toward the truck saying "I'm not trying to start any trouble, but is there a town ordinance saying that metal detecting is not allowed?" I don't think he even heard what I asked as he drove off while talking on his phone. About 15 minutes later, the town police pulled up beside me & told me I had been called in. This officer used to be the chief of police & I happen to know him. He told me if I would go & talk to the 5 town commissioners they could vote on it & if 3 out of 5 voted yes I wouldn't have any problem continuing to hunt. After seeing 3 of the commissioners, who seemed not to oppose, I was told to go by the town hall and let them know that I wanted to be in the town meeting Mon. night. When I reached the town hall the first one in the office I saw was the town Mayor. I told him that I wanted to address the town board in the meeting. He said that I could, but I wouldn't get an answer the same night. He then said that if I could tell him what I was trying to find out he might could give me an answer. Not wanting to, I told him anyway what I was doing in the park when I was confronted by the town employee that called the law on me. He then said that his thoughts were what would his park look like if he allowed me to hunt & then 50 other people wanted to hunt there. I told him that in our small town I didn't think that would be a possibility. I also told him how I pick up cans, nails, tin, etc. that would keep kids from getting hurt on them. He said he didn't know if we have an ordinance against this, but he would look it up & I could go back by that afternoon he would let me know. I went back to the officers (previous chief) house thinking that the Mayor would surely say no. My police officer friend told me that if I went back & he said there was an ordinance against metal detecting to ask to see it because it is PUBLIC RECORD. So, dreading to go back, I showed up about an hour before closing and the mayor was still there. He told me that all he could say was that when you dig a hole cover it up (which I always do anyway). He said there was digging ordinances, but the all pertained to sewer lines. I told him Thank you & he told me if there were any changes in the future he would let me know. I felt several times during this four day ordeal that maybe I should just forget about it, after all I only found 27 cents on my last visit before being run off by police, but I'm glad I didn't give up and I'm happy to say for now I can hunt in our small town park! Just remember if it happens to you first of all be nice, second stand up for your rights, and make sure the guy who tries to run you off has the authority to do so. (By the way, the guy who ran me off I found out was in charge of parks & recreation in our small town.) Thanks for reading! HH!!!

 

[ToddWisconsin]

Awsesome story...One day about the same thing happened to us..a park I've detected over thirty years...but someone called the police ..they came and asked what we were doing and he was just doing his job answering the call.. He did not feel we were causing any harm.. just asked that we leave for the day and come back when the caller ( who was watching a ballgame ) was not around anymore.. we left politely and have been back many times since...trouble free.. we just don't detect when there is a lot of people at the neighboring ballfield...that caller had a bug up his butt...and if I were one to leave holes..I should be warned.. lots of new people getting in the hobby..kellyco should have a manual written on how to retrieve coins properly.. because it does take a lot of practice to get good at it ... And these videos on YouTube showing guys with shovels don't help matters...save the shovels for the fields..and buy a Letsche digger ... It is the best retrieval tool ever made in my opinion..

 

[banditicey]

Thank You for Posting such a current and relevant subject

Something of the same sorts recently happened in our not so small Town to a member of our MD Club in a
local Large Old Park

It is so Important that people are aware of their rights and also cover their holes

In our MD Club we have Doctors, Lawyers, Law Enforcement and Others who have contacts with local government
We are not above using those contacts to assist us in protecting our rights to MD
In New England there is a saying, "Live Free Or Die", Dramatic but appropriate

Regards

 

[Damar2003]

Way to go! I sort of have the same problem inour snall town. It seems that I am a topic of discussion at bourough council meetings because I hunt the sidewalk stips. I had the former and current head of council stop one night while I was detecting and both were just curious and said they did not think there was an ordinance as the strips are town property. I showed them my finds and garbage and they thanked me for picking up the surface trash. Then I was in the post office 2 weeks ago talking about detecting to someone and this older guy who is code enforcementjumped in and said " so you are the guy". I talked to him for about 15 minutes and he said there is nothing he can find about me detecting the strips, although he said try and contact owners of prospective house's and explain the situation to them before I dig. So I am sure I will hear something one way or another in the future.

 

[ScottTX]

Thats story is particularly relevant. Most towns don't have anti-metal detecting ordinances but I keep reading about people being hassled doing it. Often wondered how the squirrels get away with it, the digging in the park thing. I've kept my hunting to tot lots and volley ball courts for the exact reasons above. Today, for some reason people seem to have the need to worry about what other people are doing. What ever happened to 'mind your own business'. I've been told by retired police officers that it's ok to hunt in the parks but I prefer to hunt without an audience. Refer to my previous statement!

In north Texas this time of the year the ground is so hard anything dropped on it bounces unless its dropped in the grass.

 

[Critterhunter]

I posted my view on this in the Explorer forum in the same thread, so I won't re-post it here. Good points from everybody.