Ever feel like you are 'that metal detector guy/gal' around town?

[matthias]

I hunt locally in two different towns. I can be seen on Main Street doing my thing,I can be hidden back in the woods, or anywhere in between. Ive met Police officers, town laborers, neighbors and strangers. So far everyone has been cool and they like to ask me questions about detecting. Kids at the playgrounds recognize me and follow me around hoping to see me dig something interesting. I prefer to be alone while detecting, just with my dog, but the positive attention is cool once in a while. Anyone else feel as though they have this reputation? I think its kinda cool. I feel it makes metal detecting as a hobby look good. Just my thoughts. HH. Matt

 

[MNCoinhunter]

I live in a town of 600 and definately have that reputation. And it's a good one to have because it will usually lead to a new hunting spot. Or if anyone has an old coin collection, I am either asked to value it or I am asked if I would like to buy it !

 

[matthias]

Thats great McDave! I forgot about the fact I do get info on new sites to detect and sometimes a history lesson! HH. Matt

 

[Elton]

n/t

 

[Critterhunter]

I know the feeling. I'm not in a small town where "I'm that guy", but I often feel like people think something is "odd" about me and my curious friends swinging those strange machines around a park and such. I remember one time when I first started detecting years ago. I was hunting the site of a gambler's tent from a carnival that had stood on a section of grass. I was finding quarters and Susan B Anthony dollars laying all over just by brushing the grass to the side with my hand after the detector sounded off to it. That's what got me hooked on detecting. But anyway, there was a school just across the street that my mom worked at. One of her workers saw me detecting out the window (I wasn't on school property during school hours, or course...that's a bad idea...I was across the street but still very close by). Anyway, she didn't know I was my mom's son and mentioned to my mom that she "felt sorry for that guy out there because he must really be hard up for cash metal detecting like that"! HA! And she was DEAD serious about it and not making a joke. When my mom told me the story later that day it really made me laugh. The general public can think some very strange things about us when seeing us hunting. Anything from "that's really cool" to "what right does he have to be doing that in 'my' park?" That's why I tend to keep my distance from people when hunting, and I leave if too many people start milling about the area. I don't want to be a bother to them, and I don't want them bothering me.

 

[JB(MS)]

I've been the "on call" guy in this area for at least 25 years and it's not just individuals who have lost something, it's also the county Sheriff's department, law enforcement officials in the town I live in, two nearby towns and the city park and rec department. .They all have my number on file, as do the schools, and if someone reports a lost metal object to any of them I get the call.. Being available to hunt lost objects has opened up some places to hunt, but it's not all roses. It can also be aggravating. Last Saturday I got a call from the police chief in a small town about 8 miles northeast of where I live. Two kids told an officer another boy slipped his dad's pistol out of their house and buried it in a large wood chip playground in the park, and they wanted me to search for it. I had a trip planned with a hunting buddy to a site where we've found numerous silver coins, but instead of finding silver I spent over three hours searching the wood chip playground and surrounding area. There was no gun.

 

[sheetal]

I would like to suggest , Each winter or spring , it is good idea to check with your town or nearby towns to find out what kind of contruction plans have been scheduled for the up coming year. because of the budgeting process , towns and cities have to do thier planning well in advance.