Beach policy on leaving holes

[mortarman]

imalookin2 said it all. Case closed!

 

[kaptainkosmic]

Mortarman imalookin2 expressed the overall sentiment of all responsible detectorist and obviously the forum here and thats GREAT!
I was looking for ideas as to what to do about the small but very present group of actors that are doing unrepairable harm to our hobbie. With the great potential to actually make our hobbie illegal in many public places.
I'm suggesting we become much more proactive and would like to see this discussed. My suggestion to involve the authorities made me the ethics police. What do we do? Is there a solution?

So I must disagree that the case is closed! In fact I would argue that court is in session and we had better mount a strong case or the case will be closed and we will not like the verdict!

HH Steve

 

[kaptainkosmic]

n/t

 

[ROBOCOP]

Man I was about to post something politically incorrect but I restrained myself.

 

[mortarman]

Well kaptain, when I sid case closed I meant for my original question. But I do agree with you that we need to be proactive. If we don't police ourselves and others, we are doomed to extiction. If I see a police officer parked near where I detect, I go over and talk with them. They always seem willing to chat. Never hurts to keep a good repoire with law enforcement!

 

[kaptainkosmic]

Motarman I completely understood and took you post in context. I also hope you understand that I'm not trying to be antagonistic towatds you or any of the others. I think if we all put our heads together we can start to formulate a solution or atleast work in that direction. As you can see this post has drawn some attention and gotten folks thinking about this issue! This is a good thing!
Steve

 

[greenmeanie]

I always fill mine I just don't need the headaches of someone complaining about it.
It only takes a scoop of dirt or my foot pushing the sand back into the hole.
Sometimes I think people are doing it just to get detecting banned on beaches.

 

[mortarman]

I really don't see what we can do other than if we see someone detecting and not filling holes, to politly talk to them. If they are noobs then they might listen. If they are not then they are going to do whatever they want anyway. Maybe. I believe the vendors share part of the blame. I've read other posts relating to our code of ethics that when a dealer sells a machine they should stress the importance of following the rules! Of course that would be hard if someone buys online but they could still include some kind of mailer. I know the manufactures do this for the most part in their manuals but it would help if the dealers did it as well. Just a thought.

 

[thinkin2]

I don't like telling lies but sometimes, If I think it will be beneficial, I'll tell one. In this case here's what has worked for me. I have always filled in my holes no matter how large or how small because people are watching us and, as has been pointed out, people are also jogging, riding bikes, etc., and not watching us and one spill off the bike or a twisted ankle for a jogger and you can bet somebody saw a person with a metal detector leave that hole and will make it a point to say something that may get back to the beach patrol or police and eventually there's one more place we can't hunt. I've already seen it happen a number of times as I'm sure some of you have. So when I see one of our own digging and leaving a trail of holes behind them I walk up to them with a made up story. I tell them somebody stepped in a hole a little while ago and the police came down and asked me if I had left that hole to which I replied "no sir, I didn't". But I then tell the culprit that the officer told me he had a report of a person with a metal detector who left that hole and that if he finds that person they will be facing a possible fine, possibly a civil lawsuit from the injured person and that they will be banned from detecting the beach. I also say that the officer said that they are considering banning metal detecting on the beach altogether because of such things and I politely ask/warn the person leaving the trail of holes to start covering them up, especially since the officer said he will be making more stops to check. Usually this has been an eye opener for the person I told the little white lie to and they thank me and start filling in their holes. It doesn't work every time but most often it does. Now I know some of you probably think this is silly but if silly works and keeps the beaches open for us then that's okay by me. This topic has been discussed before over the years here and there are always those who don't believe we should be policing other detectorists and those who do. While I normally mind my own business, when I see somebody doing something that might have a negative impact on me then I feel I have the right to try and change things but I try to do so in a polite way. However, I realize not everybody will be convinced. But give that little white lie of a story a try and see if it helps where you are.

 

[ROBOCOP]

California dreamin', nanny state educated, let's legislate human behavior and tell little white lies.
Yeah tell me that on the beach. I'll believe you. LMAO!!!

Time to close this thread.

 

[thinkin2]

California dreamin', nanny state educated, let's legislate human behavior and tell little white lies.
Yeah tell me that on the beach. I'll believe you. LMAO!!!

Time to close this thread.

Yeah, this is the way I remember this topic going the last time. Thanks to a few people the rest will suffer. You can LYAO all you want to but there have been quite a few who didn't and it got them to at least pay attention. Some will and some won't but if we don't try something then at some point you can sit out on the beach with all the others dreaming about the good ole days when you used to be able to detect the beach. And nobody's trying to legislate anything, only trying to preserve a hobby that many people enjoy and a great many people have seen taken away. The beaches are just about the only public places left that haven't been taken away around here. You want to talk about legislating? Wait until somebody steps in a hole and gets hurt. You'll be legislated right off the beach and then see how much you're laughing. And btw, unless you're a mod with some authority the thread will remain open as long as there are people wanting to talk about it. You are free to leave if you choose, though.

 

[Grunter]

I always try to fill my holes, however I'm not going to waste my time filling others. I've been down the beach many times and there were holes everywhere. They were either from kids digging or fellow detectorists. I think to myself what if someone complains, are they going to hold me accountable for all the holes. I was on a fed protected beach and was told no detecting allowed because the ground could not be disturbed because of the eco-system. I noticed there were holes and trenches dug everywhere by children and adults, of course they were just participating in usual beach activities. Alot of times I feel like I'm providing a free and valuable service by ridding the beach area of numerous sharp items that could ruin someone's day alot worse than a sprained ankle or some abrasions from falling in the sand. What I'm trying to say is by taking personal responsibility for your own actions will alot of times only assuage your own conscience and want be noticed by others.

 

[mortarman]

Just ignore it thinkin2. Their kind is to only comment to rile people up, not contribute.

 

[E-TREC-Virginia]

I fill all of my holes whether on the beach or land hunting. After 30 + years of doing this, it's just second nature. What I worry about is falling into one of them 3 + feet craters that the kids dig all over the beach when I'm night hunting. Those suckers could really put a hurting on you.

 

[thinkin2]

Just ignore it thinkin2. Their kind is to only comment to rile people up, not contribute.

Thanks mortarman, and yeah, I know it. This thread has made the rounds before over the years and it's always the same. Actually I can understand both sides of the argument though. The families and kids dig a lot more than we do and it's all left open at the end of the day. And I also understand how lots of people don't want somebody coming up and telling them to fill in their holes even if done politely. But I have seen areas closed to detecting so many times that I gave it up for quite a while. I was a relic hunter for 30 years and if you don't think places will be shut down to detecting just ask a relic hunter. Same thing can happen to the beaches. If you enjoy detecting then you should be willing to help preserve the right to do so. If you can't be a part of the solution, at least don't be a part of the problem is all I ask of people.

 

[thinkin2]

I fill all of my holes whether on the beach or land hunting. After 30 + years of doing this, it's just second nature. What I worry about is falling into one of them 3 + feet craters that the kids dig all over the beach when I'm night hunting. Those suckers could really put a hurting on you.

Actually, I did that one night. There was a good moon up and some light and I saw it out of the corner of my eye but was so busy with what I was doing that I just thought it was a shadow. It didn't hurt anything but my pride but I was lucky and started paying more attention, lol.

 

[mortarman]

The problem is is that the holes made by kids and such, for the most part are larger and shallow. Our holes can tend to be small and relatively deep. At least 8". Policing ourselves is the best we can do.
Here's an idea on the subject of being proactive. I was thinking of an idea of a laminated wallet card with the code of ethics on one side and the dealers info on the other. Or clubs could make them with their info on it. They'd be cheap to make. They could be giveaways for sponsered hunts and such. Just a thought. If I had the resources, I'd make them.