Did he find it or not?

[Eddie in Poulsbo]

Hi fellows,

We had our club Christmas party last Saturday night and our yearly scavenger hunt contest for detectorist of the year. I had a pretty good idea who might win, but when the winner was announced, myself and most of the rest of us hard core detectorists were shocked. This guy who won has only been in our club for about four months and some of the things on our scavenger list are things that some of us have never found and may never find, but this guy seems to find it. A good detectorist, lucky or just full of bull@%$#!! I think it's the latter as does some of the other fellows in my club. Have any of you fellows ran into someone like this in your club and if you did, have you any ideas on how to deal with someone like this in a diplomatic way? Another thing he does at our monthly meetings for finds of the month is that he will see what's on the table and then go sit down and pull out this briefcase and picks out something that knows he can win with. This guy seems to have no conscience and has this "how great I am" smirk on his face and a cheater like this takes the fun out of events most of us work hard for and look forward to every month and at the end of the year. Okay, I'm through whining now........Any help or advice on this would be appreciated. Thanks, HH and a very merry Christmas and happy new year to all of you and your families.

Eddie

 

[James N.D.]

Just playing with you Eddie. What you need to do is start looking at his items and see if they in fact have been in the ground. One thing to look for is pitting on the Nickels and Pennies, along with any surface blemishes on the Silver. I have found a few Silver that look like they were bought in a store, but they actually did come from the ground. You don't find too many Silver in this shape due to Frost Heaves moving the objects around a bit in the ground during the winter and early spring. I hope this guy isn't playing everyone as a fool and hope he is actually finding the finds presented. Too bad I didn't live closer to you Eddie, I would give this guy a run for his money with all the Luck I have. Hope he slips up and you guys catch him at it if in fact he is cheating. Good Luck and HH to you Buddy.

 

[Eddie in Poulsbo]

Thanks James. Off with his head it is!!!!............ We have looked at some of his finds and some are pretty obvious and very questionable. The first hunt we went on with this guy he comes up with a large cent that was just too darn clean to have come out of the ground and my first impression of him was he was full of crap and trying to pull a fast one on all of us. I have no doubt this guy is a fake and most of the other fellows in our club feel the same way and now it's just a matter of how to handle the situation. I wish you lived out this way also James as you would know first hand just what I'm talking about probably more than anyone. Me and three other fellows went to an old park yesterday and it was wet and miserable!! First we had snow and now lots of rain. Haven't found much of anything even worth posting lately. One fellow did get a 1907 injun and a pretty nice 1909 S wheatie. No VDM, but still worth some bucks and at least he paid for his gas. Nice post by the way helping out that other fellow..... Wishing you and your family a Happy Holidays James and continued HH.

Eddie

 

[savage]

Greetings, Eddie in Poulsbo. In our club I am basically a newbee. A little over a year. Some of the seasoned members find allot of stuff each month. I have noticed that a couple will also wait and see what basically hit the displays before retrieving their items to display. Now, If I found 7 relics, 3 pieces of jewelry, 4 silver coins, 2 three ringers etc;, Naturally I would want to display the best of each category. Could it be that if they see something that they do not think they can beat, they wont put their item in that category? I do not know if it is the fear of loosing or the competition that does this. As long as monthly finds are made available for all to see prior to judging, Your situation will continue. Could your club Hunt master come up with a way to conceal the monthly finds before judging? Perhaps a barrier (a sheet or blanket) hanging in front of the table. Then lead each person one at a time with their items behind the barrier with him to display them? Also, like James N.D. said, check the items carefully and question them if necessary. The old adage is; If you give him enough rope, he will hang himself! Happy Hunting Grounds,

Savage.

 

[Eddie in Poulsbo]

Thanks for the comments and insight on this Savage. Good points and I'm sure our club will come up with something to weed this guy out. It only takes one person to ruin a good thing for so many and it's the honest detectorists that actually find things on our scavenger list that are getting cheated. Like you said, give this guy enough rope and he will hang himself. One thing we can do is just not vote for any of his finds and when he doesn't win anymore then maybe he'll get the hint. He also only puts items in the finds of the month that he knows will win. We have best coin, jewelery and a miscellaneous categories and the idea is not so much if you will win or not, but to show off your finds in all the categories for everyone to see. HH to you Savage and thanks again for your comments.

Edd

 

[therick]

years ago. He was from up north and came to retire here in central Fla. Whenever we went out, he always had something in his pouch that out did everyone elses finds. Even if he didn't find as many targets, his always stole the show. I was always leary of the "finds" but because there were no prizes involved I just chalked it up to him needing the attention and let it go at that. He was always fun to be around and because he was retired he was usually ready to go out on a moments notice. The club needs to collect everyones finds before they are laid out on the table and then present everyones stuff at one time. That may stop some of the cheating, and cherry picking.

therick

 

[NH Bob]

Make a rule that one item be brought to the meeting and given to the secretary and not displayed till the time is right.

 

[savage]

Good point Eddieone thing for sure each persons vote is their decision. Thanks, Good luck. Happy Hunting Grounds,

Savage.

 

[Jack(IN)]

He just may have an arrogant attitude, but good at what he does detecting. I have seen many things hunting with other people over the years and am constantly surprised at finds in places where they just shouldn't be. I pulled an 1877-CC quarter with mint luster on it that was about as beautiful a coin as I'll ever find, tho with a loupe I could see the tiny scratches caused by the ground. Hard at times to see if someone is being dishonest and I sure hope he isn't. Hunt with the guy, see what and how he digs and go from there. He may just have that "James" kind of luck as well?? I sure hope he isn't dishonest, makes a good event less enjoyable.

 

[RonNH]

Wanted to thank you for the hunt Sunday. It was good to get out with some other people and we did pull a few keepers out of that field, thought nothing after you left. We hunted a cellar hole after the field, nothing there but pulled a few bottles out of the dump and a cool horse rosette. Maybe we'll get out again this year if this global warming stuff keeps up, eh? Ron

 

[NH Bob]

n/t

 

[James N.D.]

Glad to see you posting again. I thought maybe you found your Seated Coin and had a Heart Attack or something! I wish I could get out and find a few keepers but next Spring will be about the time I will be able to get out and do some digging. But, I have been thinking of buying a Small Pick Axe and hit some Farm Fields that I know have Relics and Coins in them. I will have to wait and see if I can wait until Spring or just go out and hit the Farm Fields. This Hobby is too addicting! NOT! I hope the club will figure out a way of catching this guy in the act of cheating and tell him to hit the road. I hate Cheaters! Anyways, Glad to here from you Buddy and have yourself a Merry Christmas and a Very Happy New Years! Good Luck and HH on your next adventure out!

 

[jimb]

Have a nude treasure hunt!
You are only allowed the detector and sandals
If his coins smells like you know what, you know he is lying

He actually sounds like a person that is very insecure with himself and builds himself up by doing this. He might have an inferiority complex that tells him he will have friends by doing this. Or his whole life he has only cheated to win.

You reap what you sow.
Keep your bases covered while around this person.

jimb SE WI

 

[Krusty]

James, well said as always and to you all (even Savage the Silver King Big B he is).

It seems that this would be a situation that should be brought up to the executive board (as our club has) for the club officers. At that point, the complaint or "thoughts" can be expressed to members of the board and kept quite, thus diplomatic, and let them decide the next course of action (or vote).

Hard to deal with this no matter how you take it, but I think Savage's idea's and some of the others are all good starting points, and I wish you well with it. Our group of Savage, Sunzabeach (and sometimes Michelle - or "Cadillac") and I very much adhere to the honesty of "All" hunting, ethics and we have the best of times (especially the bragging rights when we out hunt each other).

Otherwise, Keep it Wide Eyed and Wide Open.

Krusty (EX II)

 

[James N.D.]

n/t

 

[Knipper]

Eddie,

Unfortunately, we have one in our club too. Same deal...waits to see what's on the table, then out with the 'right' find to win. I usually present our finds and when the winners are voted on, I ask them to tell us all a little about the find; such as how deep, where it was found. Not specifically, but generically, like park, yard, church, beach etc. This guy NEVER REMEMBERS where exactly he found the item, just that it was found within the last month!! He turned in a large cent two months ago (his first ever found) didn't remember where he dug it. I remember where I found the first one of every type coin I've dug, and that goes back to the mid '70s!

He's even had the gaul to ask the club as a group to share their old 'worked out' sites so he can revist them, but will never tell anyone where HE hunts. He hunts a lot and knows his machine, so I'm certain at least some of the finds are legit. However, he loses credibility with his paranoia about giving away any 'secrets' and with his 'me first and to hell with everyone else' attitude. My belief is that some of the finds presented were found with a detector, but in the mid '70's or so. Some do look questionable, though.

Another member (no longer with the club) once found a kick-a$$ find of an old leather coin pouch, with barbers and Indian heads, V nickels etc in it. You could see the coin impressions on the leather. It was a legit find. He got so many ooh's and aaah's over the find, that from then on, every thing he turned in was a multiple find of some kind. Two Barber halves, same hole; 60 cents in barber silver, same hole etc. After a while, it was obvious and no one voted for his stuff, even though if true, would have won the monthly recognition. He was so starved for some kind of praise and attention that he lowered himself to cheating to get it....pretty sad, really.

Knipper

 

[Eddie in Poulsbo]

No, I haven't found that darn seated yet, but I haven't given up.... I bet you are socked in weather wise back there and I can only imagine how anxious you are for spring to get here. I really hope maybe someday I can make it back to your area and maybe we can get together and you can show this old fart some tricks. I have one more year to go before I retire and we just got a new 5th wheel a couple of months ago and want to do some traveling and ND is definitely on my list. As far as trying to catch this guy, he has yet to come to any of our club hunts. I think that since I am the vice president of our club I will do what one of the other forum fellows suggested and have a meeting of the officers and see what we can do to get rid of this guy. Best of luck with your pick and your relic hunting. I am sure that what ever you do that you will do well at. I asked Santa for a wet suit and I'm looking at a water detector maybe next spring. There are lots of old swimming holes out there that haven't even been touched. Thanks James and the best to you as well. HH.

Eddie

 

[erikk]

Bottom line. If he is cheating he knows it and is only cheating himself

 

[txbluesman]

At the next meeting, tell everyone that you want to put together a picture book (or website) of everyone's finds regardless of when or where they were found. Ask for everyone to take digital pictures of them and email them to you. If anyone doesn't have a digital camera, you can offer to assist in someway. Most likely he will want to show off his finds and send you pictures of them. Of course, once you get his picture of his finds, he can't resubmit them at future meetings without exposing himself.

 

[Eddie in Poulsbo]

Another good point and thanks txbluesman. I think I will just call a meeting of the club officers and see what we can do to fix this problem. Finding things on the up and up is one thing, but to say you found things just to win a silver half for finds of the month and then get detectorist of the year after only being in the club for about four months baffles the minds of a lot of us. We'll get it straightened out and bring back honesty and integrity to our club. Thanks again and HH.

Eddie