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Digging in parks play grounds?

The guys are right. Here in Boston we have the Archaeologists to contend with all across the State. They have regulated "everything" to death. In Boston there are major Parks where you can detect or dig until your blue ok. The Rule Of Thumb is that if you are not damaging the Park grounds by leaving holes and divots all over the place then NO PROBLEM. This is in spite of all the Regulations here. I've had Park Rangers ask me how or what I'm doing. After I've showed or told them they say COOOL. Have Fun. !!! Then there are whole towns here like Concord and Lexington where if you are detecting OR digging you WILL be stopped and you WILL get a $50 Fine for your First Offence, A $100 Fine forr your Second Offence, Then a $250 - $500 Fine AND Conviscation of your detector as well. Jow I have detected in these Towns with NO PROBLEMS at all. !!!!! REASON : I don't wave a red flag in front of a bull. I have had Police watching me in these Towns and NEVER had a problem at all. If they asked it was purely out of curiousity and NOT out of some need to stop me at all. Now if I acted like an idiot and left holes and bothered people and damaged property and left my trash everywhere I went the guess what, you WILL be stopped, You Will be Fined and very possibly loswe your detector as well. Now as far as wanting to know the Regulations. You HAVE asked and you HAVE been told by guys with a "LOT" of experience what they are. We ask that you follow the advice we have given you. Fill your holes. Don't leave trash. Be Polite. Don't run around playing Legal Eagle. You want trouble trust me you'll get it ok. If asked by any Officer then show them or tell them what you are doing ok. I guess to sum this all up for you. Please "DON"T BE STUPID" ok. I can't make it any plainer than that. I am speaking as one with 39 years in the field ok. So I guess I know my stuff here as well. Good Luck and Good Hunting. PEACE:RONB :thumbup:
 
Sure, that's why I say that even though we may not LEAVE any indication of our presence (and hence do not consider ourselves in violation of "digging" or "defacement" or "vandalism" type clauses), doesn't mean that someone ELSE may not find the temporary process of extraction to be technically in violation (even if subsequently erased).

The problem with basing our definitions on what someone may think ("tolerant of how we are viewed" as you put it), is that if we seek that lowest common denominator, then you might as well give up this hobby, or choose only to hunt private property. Because I can gaurantee you, there will NEVER be zero busy-body killjoys out there, to say that you are bothering them. I mean, to me, that would be like saying: "since sometimes other drivers flip me off in traffic (because they didn't like my lane change), then maybe I shouldn't drive, or should ask that driver permission to change lanes, etc...". No, on the contrary, sometimes in this life we can not let a few gripers out there dictate what/where/when we can stand on what sidewalk, drink from whatever fountain, swing on whatever swing set, etc....

I too don't like someone "taking issue" with my hunting a park (I'm not saying I enjoy that they might have those connotations). But I also realize that if my highest goal is to make sure that no one can ever say "boo" to me, then I've probably chosen the wrong hobby. Because let's face it: we're in an odd hobby, that draws the stares of the curious, and no matter how you slice it, ..... contains conotations. So the best tactic seems to be, to avoid those lookie-lou kill-joys, to begin with.
 
Watching a kid run and catch a ball in a ball field will draw a lot less skepticism than seeing " You" or " I " digging a hole in the middle of that field.
So we need to be aware of how we do it.

Some folks think were doing wrong, and if we don't watch how we do it..pretty soon the Park Officials may agree with them.
 
RonB, good post. You are right: there are a lot of places you can detect till you're blue in the face, as long as you're not a nuisance. But gauranteed: If you asked enough desk-bound archies: "can I?" I'm sure they'd roll out some archaic cultural heritage verbage, or no disturbance verbage, to be able to tell you "No". Why? Because you asked!! Doh!

I mean, heck, wouldn't that be a little like asking the president of PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, a wacko animal rights group): "Can I leave my pet bunny in the car, while I run into the 7-11 to get a soda?" They would scream NOOO!! How can you be so cruel!! You can be fined $1000 for animal cruelty, and have your car confiscated!!" etc.... But what did you expect asking the president of PETA? :rolleyes:

So too are a lot of these questions that come up on forums about "is it legal to detect here or there?" or "can I dig?" blah blah. But as experience shows, there's a lot of times where no one cares, as long as you're not being a nuisance. The mere fact that someone thinks they have to grovel at city hall desk somewhere, merely presumes that something is inherently wrong or damanging, to begin with (lest why would you think you need to ask?) And with that inference in mind, someone will simply find something to morph to "your pressing question".
 
Elton, yes, our hobby is much more of an oddity, than the person flying frisbees, playing catch, etc..... And it's the hobby we've all chosen. Until the day comes when that "oddity" factor is erased, I don't see much other way.
 
Grovel???? LOL...........not in my world. The conversations I have are quite professional & respectful.......with all parties involved. Like I said prior....much has to do with how one approaches these situations. I have actually been thanked several times by these 'bad bureaucrats' for taking the time & effort to find out the regulations. Geez........maybe I wear the right colonge or something.
Try to keep in mind that the bureaucrats one is contacting regarding regulations, are not the same people who made the regulations. Having a contentious attitude doesn't help matters.
 
terradigger, the occurance of a cop, gardener, city clerk, or ..... whoever "thanking" someone for asking, or giving a "yes", or a "no", is often-times brought up as evidence that permission was needed, in the first place. In other words, the mere issuance of a "yes", "no", or "thankyou" is perceived, by some to, IN ITSELF be evidence that it was needed to have asked, to begin with. Because otherwise, you might think, that if permission hadn't been needed, that the person fielding the question, might have answered this way, instead:

"That's silly. Why are you asking me? You don't need permission to do that"

But that's not the way it works. No matter how innoccuous or non-prohibted an activity may be, you will find that person willing to extend their "princely yes" or their authoratative "no". The mere fact that you are asking them their permission, simply implies that they have a decision to make, and that whatever it is, that you're asking about, MUST have some sort of problems, or issues, or oddities, that you had to ask, to begin with (lest otherwise, why would you be asking them, if something weren't needing their sanction? :rolleyes: ) So naturally they will bestow on you their yes, no, thankyou, etc.... and never will you hear someone tell you "you don't need to ask that, why are you asking?"

Not saying you did wrong to get that "yes" and "thankyou", etc.... Just saying that that .... alone, .... does not lend to the debate on the need to have asked permission. Even if someone got a "no", I do not even consider those answers to be some sort of "pheeww, it's a good thing I asked". Because even then, there are scores of places where those type "no's" get passed out, where no one ever had a problem before, and there's no actual prohibitions (nor would anyone have cared or noticed).
 
n/t
 
Not sure where in ca you live tom but I think you leave a pet bunny in most of sunny ca your looking for a dead bunny.
Average tems often go over 140 in the car where I live.
 
I live in the central coast of CA, which has meditteranean climate. Never freezes, and rarely goes over 90*. Regardless, in the point of the illustration, it was assumed the bunny would obviously go unhurt (ie.: it's not 140* outside). Thus ........ I think you know what the illustration was trying to show :poke:. That if you ask the right person anything (even "can I pick my nose?") you can eventually find someone to tell you "no". :huh:
 
Generally speaking, most of the time, nobody really cares what you are doing so long as you are doing what's been said in numerous prior posts i.e. minimising the size of hole you are making, cleaning up after yourself and being professional and friendly to all as best you can.
If you act suspiciously like the 'world' and everyone on that park and those people looking at you 'digging' in the park are against you, they will sense it and will not be as friendly as they might have been. A friendly wave to strangers, the elderly people especially enjoy that kind of greeting! and will neutralise that cold encounter and awkward feelings with others you don't know.
Your carrying a digging implement of some kind..a blade? Hopefully NOT a shovel)!!!!, a metal detector and a probe that people really don't understand how they work, so maybe strangers can feel a little threatened especially if you are shifty looking.
I think I am naturally friendly and WILL NOT BRUSH KIDS AWAY pretending I cannot hear them because I have headphones on and I don't think or sayDON"T BOTHER ME KID and I cannot hear their questions with "Whatcha looking for mister?" or "Have you found anything yet?"or "What's the best thing you have found"? BECAUSE MOST TIMES PARENTS ARE WATCHING THEIR KID'S INTERACT WITH YOU!!!!!!! A friendly response, it can be short, can instantly warm their parents up in their feelings towards you. I do that all the time and continue detecting and everyone is happy or at least ok with you being there.
Earlier this year, I took a trip to England where the laws are very rigid!! I detected about 100 old coins, some dating to the 1800's and some relics from an undisturbed part of an old park. Most of them were only an inch or two deep and would have been detected very easily if someone beat me to it so I know it hadn't been detected before me!
I met a fellow detectorist that had a huge attitude against the City Council and Park Rangers. By his own admission, he had been "kicked off the parks before" probably and I suspect for being irresponsible in his actions.
He warned me about "keeping an eye out for the Rangers" and went on his way (thankfully!!) Later I was finishing up detecting that spot (luckily) I had found when the Rangers approached. They were professional in their attitude because I believe I acted friendly and 'disarmed' them first by a friendly greeting. ALSO they said that "they had been watching me for awhile and were impressed by how I left the areas I had dug"!!! It was a heavily wooded area so I don't doubt they had been watching me and I was thankful I left the areas I had dug clean!
It ended up that I received a very cordial and apologetic! letter from a City Council member telling me that the parks were off limits to metal detecting "BECAUSE OF THE ACTIONS OF A FEW"
So that said it all. If we act professional with everyone we meet and what we do, I have no doubt we can continue detecting in those areas that haven't been messed up by "THE ACTIONS OF A FEW" HH everyone!
 
Thank you all for your input, almost more than my meager mind can comprehend. Digging is a hot topic. I can see why, to pursue our hobby, we must dig. I will check the park rules, whether posted signs, or on the Internet. I have already discovered MDing is not allowed in Wisconsin State Parks, without a permit. I have gone to some local parks in the past few days, and the park rules signs say nothing about MDing, or for that matter digging (vandalizing etc.......). I live in Kenosha County, Wisconsin, along Lake Michigan. Many of the parks are on the lake, and they have beaches where no one will care if I dig. I plan on extracting objects from the grassy areas, but will do it discreetly. I will leave no trash behind, or any evidence of the extraction. I know from personal experience digging around my home, it is better to dig when the soil is wet, then bone dry and your plug wants crumble. I will do my best to advance MDing in the eyes of the public.

Thanks again for all the input, findmall.com is a great site with helpful members!

Bob
 
Goldstrike,

Absolutely well thought out and written! I "second" your whole post and could not have said it any better. Thank you for posting as this hits it all so perfectly. - Jim



Goldstrike said:
Generally speaking, most of the time, nobody really cares what you are doing so long as you are doing what's been said in numerous prior posts i.e. minimising the size of hole you are making, cleaning up after yourself and being professional and friendly to all as best you can.
If you act suspiciously like the 'world' and everyone on that park and those people looking at you 'digging' in the park are against you, they will sense it and will not be as friendly as they might have been. A friendly wave to strangers, the elderly people especially enjoy that kind of greeting! and will neutralise that cold encounter and awkward feelings with others you don't know.
Your carrying a digging implement of some kind..a blade? Hopefully NOT a shovel)!!!!, a metal detector and a probe that people really don't understand how they work, so maybe strangers can feel a little threatened especially if you are shifty looking.
I think I am naturally friendly and WILL NOT BRUSH KIDS AWAY pretending I cannot hear them because I have headphones on and I don't think or sayDON"T BOTHER ME KID and I cannot hear their questions with "Whatcha looking for mister?" or "Have you found anything yet?"or "What's the best thing you have found"? BECAUSE MOST TIMES PARENTS ARE WATCHING THEIR KID'S INTERACT WITH YOU!!!!!!! A friendly response, it can be short, can instantly warm their parents up in their feelings towards you. I do that all the time and continue detecting and everyone is happy or at least ok with you being there.
Earlier this year, I took a trip to England where the laws are very rigid!! I detected about 100 old coins, some dating to the 1800's and some relics from an undisturbed part of an old park. Most of them were only an inch or two deep and would have been detected very easily if someone beat me to it so I know it hadn't been detected before me!
I met a fellow detectorist that had a huge attitude against the City Council and Park Rangers. By his own admission, he had been "kicked off the parks before" probably and I suspect for being irresponsible in his actions.
He warned me about "keeping an eye out for the Rangers" and went on his way (thankfully!!) Later I was finishing up detecting that spot (luckily) I had found when the Rangers approached. They were professional in their attitude because I believe I acted friendly and 'disarmed' them first by a friendly greeting. ALSO they said that "they had been watching me for awhile and were impressed by how I left the areas I had dug"!!! It was a heavily wooded area so I don't doubt they had been watching me and I was thankful I left the areas I had dug clean!
It ended up that I received a very cordial and apologetic! letter from a City Council member telling me that the parks were off limits to metal detecting "BECAUSE OF THE ACTIONS OF A FEW"
So that said it all. If we act professional with everyone we meet and what we do, I have no doubt we can continue detecting in those areas that haven't been messed up by "THE ACTIONS OF A FEW" HH everyone!
Click to expand...
 
Thanks Jim, thats very kind of you to say that! best wishes and happy hunting!!
 
Not to change the subject here but sometimes I wish my mm had nt named me Jim.....
Leads to confusion n what's being said and whom is being thanked......or if it is sacarsim....which was my first impression....
Glad I went through the posts....I'm sure there are too many jim's ,john, and terry's to avoid confusion sometimes....

I meant no disrespect when I said it is not just peta whom would complain about leaving animals in cars...
The last year I was living in my RV I had visited a park in Palmdale and the were complaining about me having a bird and a cat in my rv. But I wonder why they do not go to mobile home parks and complain about people with pets in their mobile homes also ?
My cat was free to roam I kept windows and vents open and it was the same temp. I had to live. Yet they worry about where just the animal lives. Really makes me wonder who has Me as their concern ?
 
I love animals in general. But Jim, I gotta agree with you. Seems some folks care more about animals than humans. Thats a bit extreme and unbalanced in my book.
 
scubadetector said:
You probably will NEVER be hastlled by ANYONE, UNLESS you upset somebody OR a police officer finds you that has nothing to do. I was a cop for 9 years. NOT even they know 1/10th of the laws.
Click to expand...

You are so right, here is WV there are so many "useless" laws on the books that most are ignored. You have to check to see your area prohibiting metal detecting in parks or on city property. Most of our local places are open to hunt until someone messes it up by leaving open holes or seen in the park with shovels. Ohio is another story, I was researching Ohio parks and city property's and found lots of the Ohio parks in larger city's ban detecting. It pays to check, you may get away with it or you may run into the officer that is having a bad day or is going to enforce every law "Even if it is walking in front of a horse with a red flag to have auto's yield right of way".

HH Rick
 
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