Ethics Question.......

[morelic55]

Well our club had it's annual spring hunt today at a church grounds that we have had the use of for the last 3 years. Great hunt, lots of silver buried and found along with 3 detectors and other great prizes awarded. Ok, our club president returned to the site because he forgot something, after all of the members have left. He found a guy that was not a member hunting in the area that we had buried silver in. He aproached him and was nice and all and talked with him. Now, this guy has been known to hunt sites that our club members have invited him to hunt with them before and had returned to the sites alone to hunt, so as far as a few guys are concerned, he is a claim jumper. This individual was asked to join our club and gave some excuses as to why he could not become a member. It just seems like he just waited until everyone was gone to swoop in and clean out any targets that our members missed, but go back in the following days to maybe find a few, which is always welcome.
So, do you all think this is right for this non-club member to be a vulture and just go in and hunt?.......Mark

 

[Larry (IL)]

Tough call, he may have a phobia of some sorts about being with others yet wants to be a part of the club in some way. More likely he is just a loner and playing his percentages of finding silver.

 

[JimGilmore]

Actually you guys should be getting all of it...When my club does planted hunts there is rarely anything left...

 

[dewcon4414]

Not every club is created equal and with the net now days people may not see the a benefit in joining. I guess my first question is .... does he have permission to hunt these sites? If so i see it much like hunting in a park. Restrict the information hes getting.... obviously he knows when and where you are hunting. Its like posting a GREAT silver location here on the net, not a great thing to do. What upsets you? That he might find something, doesnt have permission, or just dont want to join your club and pay dues yet benefits from the information you provided?

Dew

 

[morelic55]

Let's put it this way, he is the kind of person that will return to a site that YOU have gained permission to hunt, not him. He has been known to just pull over and hunt a site with out permission and not care either. This includes private property that, if he sees a hunter there, he assumes that it's ok for him to hunt. If anyone thinks that that behavior is ok, well, I guess I'm in the wrong hobby. As far as getting all of the silver, I guess our club has alot of new members to the hobby, there are a core of about 10 vets to 30 newer members, this hunt was the 1st to quite a few.

 

[Joel-Winnipeg]

I've participated in those seeded hunts he'll be lucky to get anything after 40 people hit that site.

 

[BarberBill]

I've hunted after a seeded hunt was over (which I paid to participate in) and the pickings were mighty slim. That said, if the ground doesn't actually belong to your club, and if he isn't trespassing on the owner, I feel he or anyone else has the right to hunt it. Just because your club uses it doesn't make it their exclusive property. JMHO
BB

 

[morelic55]

Ok, I guess what it boils down to is that he just seems to be a scavenger.Just venting I guess..............I rest my case

 

[Dan-Pa.]

Fair game if its public property and when I attended planted hunts wasn't much left anyway...Which brings up another question if its public property whats to prevent him from entering the hunt
when it starts or for that matter after its seeded before the hunt....Just kidding of course as someone would break the detector over his head and of course imagine a rental agreement wrote up especially for insurance purposes which by the way limits the amount of seated goodies due to its cost..

 

[dirt doctor]

After your next club hunt plant some home made coins that say CHEAP SOB on them .