Just looked up rules in Michigan parks on MD'ing....

[Stix]

Wow they make you out to look like criminals here my god. They have there own search and recovery team and you cannot search the waters. You can only search beaches when closed to public. Why on earth do they make you feel like a dam crook. Like they are gonna give back what they find. They are a bunch of crooks. Can't search freaking anywhere in parks.

. Now the park by me just closed up of due to some dipwad leaving 30 HOLES!!!!!! Who are these idiots digging holes in the local parks!!!! Makes me sick I picked a hobby that people have such disrespect. And local parks think we are criminals.

 

[Wolfdog]

anything you get into now days there is some~#$@^%&* that will mess it up.they should have there detectors taken away, a long ways a way. My 2 cents.

 

[Stix]

The first post was a bit excessive but really someone dug 30 holes did not fill them and made a mess locally. State parks around here are terrible for MD'ing as they say you can in parking lots which are PAVED!!! Come on.

I was just surprised by how badly a rep they give us. I just wish there was a way to make a class for a special license to hunt anywhere anytime. Teach them the rules and if they mess up guess what license revoked!!!!

 

[ohio fred]

n/t

 

[Uncle Willy]

We ain't criminals but often we are made out to be such due to the actions of some of the idiots in this hobby who leave a path of destruction behind them wherever they go. We as conscientious hunters can only try to set an example to help delete this bad rap hung on us in some areas of the country. These types of restrictions seem to be worse in the East and Midwest whereas out here in the West restrictions are almost unheard of. Out here the beaches are publicaly owned so we can pretty much do whatever we chose on them.?

Have you checked to see if you can get a permit to hunt in these restricted parks.

I was hunting a big school in Southern California some years back when the head groundskeeper approached me and said, " Oh my God!, you're not going to dig up my beautiful lawn are you?" I first showed him that I carried no digging tools, then I told him I had been there for 45 minutes and had dug several targets and showed him the path I had taken. He walked back and checked where I had been then returned and said, " I can't believe it, it's hard to tell you were even here. You're not like some of the goons who come here and leave gaping holes all over the place and you're more than welcome to hunt here whenever you choose." I thanked him and assured him that not all detectotists were like the ones he described and that most of them showed a great deal of respect for the property they were hunting on.

One time here in Portland I was hunting a big park down by the river when the park attendant ( who knew me from past hunts there ) came over to me and said, " Bill, come with me and let me show you something you ain't going to believe." We walked a ways and came upon the most hideous examples of idiot beeperswingers I had ever seen. It looked like a battlefield. In several places there were holes two feet or more in diameter and up to 18 inches deep. I had seen some bad stuff but this was by far the worst I had ever seen. I could not wrap my mind around the reason that anyone would have for digging a hole this size to retrieve a coin an inch in diameter or less. It was beyond all comprehension. I spent a couple of hours helping the attendant cover and attempt repair on these "bomb craters."

But this is what you are up against in this hobby or any other hobby for that matter. There are rotten apples everywhere that spoil everything for everybody else. I don't understand their beach restriction but there must be a reason. That would make me extremely curious and I would have to ask them why since you would pose no problem or harm to the public or the area. Like I say, they have some weird rules and regulations in that part of the country, like banning detecting from parks, schools, etc. This is all public property paid for and maintained by the public and should be open to the public regardless of what you arrived with or how you used the property - aside of course from destruction of same in any manner, shape or form. Sure hope things improve for you.


Bill.

 

[Uncle Willy]

Hey I've seen guys come into parks packing enough tools to excavate for a shopping center. If it wasn't so sad it would be hysterical. Watched a goon one time enter a school yard with his two kids, his detector, and all three of them were packing full-sized shovels. There are just to many people out there who are absolutely brain dead. These are the same retards you see on the roads and highways - a rolling accident waiting to happen.

Bill

 

[Stix]

I am gonna do some checking and see WHEN I get better at pin pointing and improve my abilities. I am still learning and digging in my area and a girlscout camp by my house but in the middle of the forest. I fill my holes and take all the junk. I will move to better areas of the old closed down camp when I get my skills to where I leave barely a trace.

Sure I would love to go right now and hit a park and find some goods but at this time I'm afraid my digging abilities are not there. I was just checking into the rules as to when I do gain that skill I would be able to and follow the rules.

It just seems there search and rescue water teams are a bunch of their buddies that want in on whats under the water. I bet people have a better chance with us then any formed team by them.

I will do some poking around and see what I can find.

 

[deerman]

I live in Michigan and have had a park police officer tell me I couldn't detect in the park until after labor
day.which i knew i could detect in the park as i had the rules in my truck(no detecting on the beach or in the swim area until after labor day)and told him in a pleasant voice that i could detect just not on the beach/swim area and instead of checking with the park got very pooed so i packed up my detector and went to the park supervisor and asked to make sure (i was right) then asked him to contact the police officer in question and let him know(he was the captain in charge of the whole park and didn't know the rules in the park he worked in)the supervisor called him up and asked him to come up to the office and then told him the rules so he knew and i went back to detecting the park and he never came over and said he was sorry or anything but i never saw him the rest of the day also had a police officer tell me i couldn't detect a park because the country commissioner would get mad at me,(I asked him what kind of detector he had and he told me a whites must of thought i was a dumb *(&) so i went to the next commissioner meeting and asked he said go ahead and detect just fill your holes and remove the trash i find so i was good to go.sometimes its just asking the right person in charge not the low man on the pole who want to be the boss

 

[flash5153]

I am from mid michigan . Wondering where you found these rules. Are they on the web? Im not interested in state parks at all. If local ,,I would I would like to take a look at these rules ,if possible.(no matter what area)

I normally stay in my area but on occasions I go to other parts of the state.

I have been teckin for about 8 yrs now.I do a very good job when digging and take the time to make it look as it was b4 I got there.
I detected wt a guy a few years ago.(In his area of MI) A friend of a friends.The first time ,was the last. After an hour or so at this school, I came across some of his work,,, started filling these holes in ,,,and picking up the scrap metal next to each one, as I worked my way to him. I couldnt believe what he was doing, "hole,,,dirt next to it,,,,and a piece of metal scrap laying by most"
I fianally got close enough to say something to him and he got mad at me,,,,told me he wasnt the one doing this,LOL. well we had some words. The last thing I said to him was how bad of a job he was doing and that I would fix the mess he made. Then he watched me walk around and fill all his holes ,, for about a half hour more,, then get in my car and leave.

I was told since then, that he started doing a better job, but Im a little skeptical about this. I have a feeling he may be your culprit. I really dont want to say where he's from, but here's a clue. " Indian Chief". lol

I need to know if that is where you are having a problem.

 

[Stix]

http://greatlakesmetaldetecting.com/phpBB3/oakparks.php

Also

Oakland County Parks and Recreation
Thanks for the note! We are so glad to hear that you enjoy metal detecting in your Oakland County Parks! Here are the official guidelines...

" Metal detectors will be allowed in the picnic, campground, and general park area. With permission from the park supervisor, metal detectors will be allowed in the beach area when the beach has been closed... Read More ... Read Moreto the public.The use of metal detectors in the water will be done by a group of volunteers approved through the Commission

 

[fongu]

I try to cut out a small plug with the grass intact and cover all my holes when I do feel like metal detecting. My local church lets me metal detect there and they said they could not tell I had been there. I would like to know how to pop those coins out of the ground like Uncle Willy said he did, but I don't know where to find the video he mentioned some time back. I would hesitate to metal detect
a place with a pristine lawn, tho. Due to my lack of experience.

 

[DJR]

Some of the "diggers" that you guys are seeing signs of could also be artifact hunters. I see signs of them all the time down here in Fl and they are absolutlely the worse! It looks like a war went on in the woods sometimes you'd think they had a backhoe to dig with...they leave holes...no not the right word... "trenches", "craters", and "bowls" enough to bury a dozen people in the ground and not only do they not fill all these holes they leave their trash and debry behind that they bring in! Don't get me wrong I see signs of both parties when they have been digging and there is a big difference between them. "They" actually down here where camo so they can hide better in the woods. I chased one guy for some distance in the woods one day and lost him in the palmettos. I did acquire his gear though.

Between irresposible artifact hunters and detectorists these scum bags are ruining it for us all.

Don

 

[Uncle Willy]

I have a diagram in the archives showing how to do it. If you can't find it I'll post it again.

Bill

 

[Uncle Willy]

Yeah way to many chiefs and no Indians. Give some Yahoo a $1.98 worth of authority and they thin they are God.




Bill