Fear Factor :help:

[Wishful-thinker]

How do you get over the fear of hunting in public? Im from a small town and dont really feel comfortable MDing in public places ie,parks,playgrounds,and schools.
what helped you get over your fears/uncomfort......Please share your views/comments. I even go so far as to MD at the beach at night..lol
I guess my ? is.. does a couple dollars in clad and a couple pieces of droolry...lol justify the gaulking/stares/childrens antics or am i just crazy.
And yes I hunt woods,fields etc.Dont get me wrong I do love this hobby and have lots of $ invested.

 

[usmc0351]

be honest, you sound like you need some expert mental health care,,,,

 

[Darkflight]

Big full cover headphones work for me...

I used to fish Strped bass & bat rays (mud marlins we called 'em) on the Sausalito waterfront . Tourist city would be an understatement. I'd try & go way down the breakwater & not have to explain myself every 2 minutes... I finally started wearing a walkman headphone setup. I never turned on the music-it just allowed me to ignore the tourists for the most part...

I'm not anti-social but I don't go out detecting or whatever to meet new people.

And as I'm graduating to the grumpy/old phase of life I figured it was mandatory to start swinging a metal detector....

 

[Joel-Winnipeg]

Being retired I can hunt any time of the day.
I usually do public places such as schools,
and soccer fields early Sat and Sun mornings.
Other wise usually daytime during the week.
As soon as the ankle bitters start coming,
I pack it up and go elsewhere !

 

[jabbo]

Last weekend I was going to the beach with my detector. A guy was waiting at a red light, sitting on some kind of wierd bicycle (not a motorcycle). This bike had 3 or 4 wheels, and a really huge wind shield shaped like half an egg. He was leaning way back with his legs stretched out in front. I thought this guy had to have guts to be seen in public with that thing. I know when people see me with my detector in public places they are curious about what kind of exciting things I'm finding and I'm sure they know nothing about all those pulltabs out there. Today, everyone knows that detecting is a fun thing to do and they would like to give it a try but no way will they go out and buy a detector. I would say the longer they stare the more curious they are about what we are finding at that location but most are too shy to ask.

 

[Wishful-thinker]

be honest, you sound like you need some expert mental health care,,,,

Sorry cant afford it I guess I had that one coming. My wife agrees with you
But seriously I'm not anti social ,I just was raised self conscious.And I'm sure I'm not the only one.
I do need to "get over it" that's why i am asking the forum what works for them.

usmc...If your willing to pay,I'll go!

 

[space_weaseal]

When in public places i wear a set of Rattlers, because i like to hear what is going on around me and don't want anyone to hear me....
"I like to watch out for the two legged snakes"

 

[fowlercharles]

with you and am by my raising and certain circumstances have come to be more than a little self conscious. One of the best parts of detecting is the solitute and undisturbed time that you can tune out everything except the process at hand. Not meaning anti -social ,because my best detecting is always with my digging buddies. The "public", in some cases can be enjoyable but mostly appear as disturbances to the enjoyment of detecting.Detecting to me is much like the 43+ yeras I spent under a welding shield, where I was in my own little world and I had only one concern at the moment, and that was the job at hand.

 

[dmckee17]

Well, most people don't have a clue what your doing out there. Last summer a I was detecting a row of demolished home lots, a woman kept watching and watching. When I finally got close enough for her to speak she asked what I was doing, after I explained it she said she thought I was "polishing" the grass. But really, if you want to find stuff, you have to get over it and get out into the public eye. If its a really public area, I might be a little nervous for about 2 or 3 minutes but I start thinking about other people being uncomfortable being where I'm at and the old coins that are probably undisturbed.

 

[tab-nabit]

Go out with old Army boots, rainbow color thong, red fireman hat, and a beef rib hanging out one side of your nose - detector in one hand and dog leash (no dog) in other hand - folks won't be so concerned with your detecting then - may not want to be too close around either

 

[Wishful-thinker]

May have to try that,cause I never thought of the dog leash,and I'll switch my pork-chop for a rib.

 

[usmc0351]

go to the library and check out "the little train that could" that should help you, its helped millions of people

 

[Wishful-thinker]

And for you I'll get Georges Marvelous Medicine cause the meds your on aren't working.

 

[jersey devl]

Learn about 3-4 lines in Russian, they'll go away after a question or 2,lol!

 

[dahut]

Get a highway workers vest, one of those bright orange ones. Wear real clothes under the vest, like jeans and work shirt topped off with a scruffy cap. Your goal is to look like a workman of some sort.
Then when people "see" you, they won't really see you - we are socially conditioned to essentially overlook such people.

This way you can blend in to the background and most people wont even notice you. Its a sort of "hiding in plain sight" tactic and may help ease your self conscious feelings.

 

[slingshot]

I find that wearing a smile always works for me.

 

[usmc0351]

or better yet, put down the crack pipe

 

[dirt doctor]

Do you "fear" as in being afraid or are you embarrased to do your hobby around others ? Hey , no matter what you do someone
isn't going to like it anyway so sc--- em' if they can't take a joke !!

H H,
George

 

[silversmith]

Hey, not a big deal. Just flip the weakness into a strength. When you go detecting, just say hi and wave at everyone you see, for a while. If someone says "what are you doing" don't say you're looking for pennies and tuck your tail between your legs. Tell them you are training for a trip to an old ghost you're going to, That's macho. Good luck You betcha.....

 

[usmc0351]

hey thats it, suck in that stomach, stick out that chest, throw back those shoulders, show the world youre a man, show'em youre not scared of anything,,,,,,,let'em all know you are the charles atlas of the metal detecting world,,,remember the lion only the hunts the weekest out of the herd,,,get tough, give it the ole college try,,,,,be a man,,,,,,,,,you really arent serious with this post are you,,,this is a joke,,no one in their right mind can be that much of a wimp