Has anyone ever been mugged while MD? What if anything do you carry for protection?

[treasurefiend]

[size=medium]I have a pocket knife that I carry, when I walk throught the woods, I saw another thread where a guy carries a pistol. What if anything do you carry, and have you ever been robbed while MD?[/size]​

 

[Uncle Willy]

Never have had that problem but carry pepper spray and usually a knife for plugging. Your best defense - don't look like a victim.

Bill

 

[r.r.warren]

depending on where i detecting and time of day i carry a 9mm or a 357 i will not be another casualty of crime. the old saying goes rather have and not need it well u know.

 

[tab-nabit]

I was digging a find once and something caught my attention. Looked up and 3 guys that was approaching just stopped about 18-20 feet from me. I noticed they were looking a bit off to my side, so I quickly turned around and my son was coming up knowing that what he saw before me didn't look good. The 3 guys turned around and went back in through the trees. Probably didn't know how many of us there was, or didn't want to mess with a young football player, weight lifter. Didn't seem like they would have cared about the Lesche in my hand, and hanging on my side, the 22" Wilcox All-Pro Long Handled Trowel. The No. 300 that has a 14" handle for digging deep holes. And they seemed to chance what else I might be carrying in one of my pouches. I didn't hear them coming as I had good headphones on.

Then I had a time where a guy was rushing up on me. I jump into a ninja position with the mighty trowel in hand. Turned out to be a friend who happened to be down at the river also. He was going to try and put a scare in me - but my reaction caught him off guard - he said he just about released a payload in his shorts. I played it off

I usually take my dog along now- they have good awareness when I'm digging - wearing headphones.

 

[treasurefiend]

[size=medium]Wow, I am a gun nut, but in IL you can't carry one off of your property, do not pass go - go straight to jail!!![/size]

 

[treasurefiend]

Me and my "Street Howitzer"

 

[Paul(NWO)]

You can open carry. Certain cities you may not be able to. They don't allow gun shows or sales. They are the cities with the most violence. When we got our concealed carry, some businesses started putting decals in the door windows about no weapons! Let's see the permit holders have been checked for previous law violations and psychological problems but they aren't allowed to defend themselves or anyone else, hmmmm! Yeah, logic at it's best.
HH

 

[Neil in West Jersey]

I live in a nice upper middle class neighborhood. One of the earliest settlements in North America is only about 7 miles from here. It is now one of the most dangerous cities in the US, but still has wooded areas and fields at the site of the settlements.

When I go to these areas, I usually make sure I have a buddy. We try to go Sunday morning at sunrise and be out no later than 9 or 10 AM. There are studies that show there is very little violent crime at these hours. All the dope fiends and crack-heads are still recovering from the night before.

A bigger worry of mine is when I head in the opposite direction, to the remote New Jersey wilderness (yes, believe it or not wilderness exists here). There are miles and miles of remote pine barrens that offer good detecting, but you better have a GPS and a winch. There is no cell service and one can easily get disoriented and not be able to get back to the main road.

 

[robert roy]

We can carry here in Indiana as well but even though I bought the permit, I just never got around to buying
a weapon. I originally got the permit to carry because of my background in security work. Never got around to
getting the weapon though.

RR

 

[NM5K]

I've never had any problems detecting so far..
Most of the time I don't really feel the need to carry for other people..
But just depends on the area..
I carry a pistol when I'm on my own property, but that is actually more
for animals and snakes than people.
If I left my property, I can't conceal as I don't have a conceal permit.
I might get one later though..
These days in OK, and some parts of TX, your greatest likely threat out in
the woods will often be meth cookers, and weed growers if a two legger
was actually a problem.
They *can* be a problem if they think you are after their stuff and most all
will be armed.
So it just depends.. If I'm in an area where hunting is legal, and I can carry
open, I might take it with me. But if not, I'll leave it locked up being I don't
have a permit yet.
I do have a gunbelt and holster, so I can safely carry one without fear of
blowing my leg off. I wouldn't just carry it in my pocket..
#1, my S&W .40 is too large to keep in my pocket, but also it has no
external safety, and if a round is chambered, and you pull the trigger,
on purpose or not, BANG!!!!
I'm not keen on shooting myself with my own pistol, so I'm pretty careful.
My holster fully covers the trigger, and also straps the pistol down so
it can't fall out.
My setup is basically the same thing many police use...
But, overall I'm not really a paranoid person. I agree with Bill, don't
look like a victim, and you probably won't have any trouble.
But... I can't deny that my .40 on my belt adds a warm fuzzy feeling of
security when out in the sticks.. :/ Four leg animal, or two legged,
neither one will really want to mess with me if I'm packing..
But I'm comfortable around firearms as I've had them my whole life.
I don't really recommend it to ones that are not. Could make things worse,
if it's taken away from you, or you shoot a hole in your leg, or detector...
When I do prowl the woods, I usually don't chamber a round until I might
actually need it. That's my extra "safety". I can rack the slide and chamber
a round real fast if I had to.

 

[JASONSPAZ1]

Pepper spray is the answer. Guns are bad news. If you shoot and kill you are going to get sued by the family in a civil case even if you are in the right. However a good blast of pepper spray should do the trick, plus it is useful against bears, coyotes, and maniac pit bulls.

Jason

 

[r.r.warren]

pepper spray will get your ass kicked. it will just piss off the attacker and he or they will get more violent. i live in the great state of Florida and we can carry and defend ourselves and cannot be sued because of it. i would not live in a state that takes away my rights 2 defend myself, family and property go ahead call 911 while your family being raped and murdered by the time the cops get there it will be all over

 

[awhitster]

[quote r.r.warren]pepper spray will get your ass kicked. it will just piss off the attacker and he or they will get more violent. i live in the great state of Florida and we can carry and defend ourselves and cannot be sued because of it. i would not live in a state that takes away my rights 2 defend myself, family and property go ahead call 911 while your family being raped and murdered by the time the cops get there it will be all over[/quote]Settle down Francis, this is a family site.

 

[r.r.warren]

maybe where u live crimes not a problem. here i Orlando people are getting kill for no reason. just because the thugs thinks its fun. never before has the murder rate been so high and this year is estimated to surpass all years. the first murder of the year was committed because a man was backing out his driveway and all most hit a passing car the driver gets out shoots and kills the other driver and wounds 2 teenagers. pepper spray gives people the false sense of security and that can and will get u killed. and i didn't mean to offend anyone put this can not be taken lightly. later Connie

 

[DirtDiggler]

Center mass people, center mass...Seriously though, As an ex law officer, I usually carry my glock with me (unless hunting in certain areas such as a school)
I know it is there if I need it, although I hope I never have to, if it comes down to me, or some idiot. I will execute my right to defend myself.

 

[devildog3rd]

Here in Kentucky you can carry a handgun out in the open even in stores but I wouldn't except the local ones. I don't take chances with pepper spray unless I intend to use my new metal detector for a club!

I keep my Springfield XD 40.cal on my side 24/7 except for going into town. The chances are slim to none of being robed unless they like lead.

I forgot to mention that I am former military and law enforcement.

 

[wally]

HI
We have some unsavoury types in Australia that will wait until you are far away from your vehicle, then they will break in to it looking for spare Detectors.
I guess the bottom line would be to have mate's.or a good Dog as a security measure trained to protect you, and if left at your vehicle that also, and don't forget they will be a great companion as well. This way you don't become as bad as the bad guys and end up in Gaol by shooting them.
After all we are enjoying a hobby and the only weapon we should have is a Detector.

 

[cwilk]

Did you find that Columbus half?

I carry a digging tool that has honed itself to a fine edge from the thousands of times it has been inserted into the ground. I accidentally ran it across a pair of new blue jeans and slit them with almost no pressure. Luckily I missed my leg. I wouldn't want to be on the other end of it if I were brandishing it. I rarely travel too far from my vehicle or civilization when hunting.

I almost never lock my truck and I always leave my keys on the sront seat when hunting. I suppose I should rethink that.

Chris

 

[topknocker]

you carry a gun around on your side everywhere you go. i have hard enough time getting permission to detect, i can't imagine what it would be like if i were to carry a gun on my side. as soon as the property owner saw that, not only would he tell me no, he would probably go inside and call the law.

 

[Leslie(nova scotia)]

From the land of the Bluenose.....man that is a sad thing to think about and hopefully it hasn't happened to too many fellow diggers. Carrying a hunting knife as a digging tool I'm sure has made potential wrong doers think twice. Was digging in the Dominican one year and actual shook it at a fellow bothering Marie on the beach. He got the message.

Sad to say the worst thing I have had to content with here is my car was broken into twice in one summer while hunting the Dingle (Sir Stanford Fleming Park) and the only other incident was I was almost kicked in the face by a deer while hunting the scout camp in Mineville. My digging buddy had spooked a buck who ran down a path that I was bent over digging a target and the darn thig jumped over me...too close!

Being an expoliceman I thik one of the best defensess one has is in their demeanour and the way they carry themself.

Hazzards of digging in Nova Scotia
1. ducking Sea King helicopters falling out of the sky
2. jelly fish when swishing
3. leg leeches on land(dogs)
4. leeches in the water
5. tics
6. poison ivy