Find's Treasure Forums
Welcome to Find's Treasure Forums, Guests!
You are viewing this forums as a guest which limits you to read only status.
Only registered members may post stories, questions, classifieds, reply to other posts, contact other members using built in messaging and use many other features found on these forums.
Why not register and join us today? It's free! (We don't share your email addresses with anyone.) We keep email addresses of our users to protect them and others from bad people posting things they shouldn't.
Click here to register!
Need Support Help?
Cannot log in?, click here to have new password emailed to you
Changed email? Forgot to update your account with new email address? Need assistance with something else?, click here to go to Find's Support Form and fill out the form.
One idiot shuts down a whole town to metal detecting - Thanks you moron:rant:
- Thread starter JimmyCT
- Start date
Jason in TN
New member
I never hunt public property not much left around here any way. I get permission on private property. Bummer that happend though.
Jason
Jason
Instead of taking the guy (individually) to task for what he has done--we all pay for it.------That's the TERRIBLE part about all of this.------I have "preached" proper recovery techniques for YEARS till I am "blue in the face".------There's no easy answer to this but SOMETHING has to be done or we are all going to be out of business.------My suggestion would be--go to the top, to the people that put these regulations in place.---If a better understanding of this situation (on their part) is realized--maybe they will re-consider.--------I feel for you man, it's a sickening feeling.------Don't give up without a fight & try & get others in your area to back you on this thing--try to meet (as a group) with whoever put this regulation/law in place.----Maybe get a petition circulating also.----Keep us posted how things are going on this.-----------Del
delivery-boy, this is often the knee-jerk reaction, whenever stories like this surface: "wouldn't it be nice if we had a permit system implemented" or "wouldn't it be nice if this were licensed like fishing or hunting", etc... But believe me, you do NOT want permits or licenses. The only thing that would do, is put it on their "radar" for their princely yes or no, from then on out, annually. Things like permits or licenses would not be a good idea to "pre-empt" such things (otherwise you might simply dictate a "no", where it had never been a problem before). The only time permits or licenses are the lesser of evils, is when a proprosed or existing ban is already in place. NOT to pre-empt something, lest you merely become on their radar, as a "pressing issue", blah blah. And if you look closely at the places (very few by the way) that ever had such a thing as permits or licenses for md'ing, you'll see that you really don't want them. Silly things like "no digging beyond 4 inches", or "only on sandy beaches", or "digger tool can not exceed 6 inches", or "stay 10 foot from any tree", and all such balogna.
So as easily as "permits" and "licenses" may roll off the tongue, it's only a tool to further restrict you (or reason for them to abolish those things in the future), NOT a free-for-all to simply wave at any busy-body.
So as easily as "permits" and "licenses" may roll off the tongue, it's only a tool to further restrict you (or reason for them to abolish those things in the future), NOT a free-for-all to simply wave at any busy-body.
We use to be required to get a county permit and it didn't cost anything. Now, as of last year, they're charging $10. They give us a paper stating the two parks you can't hunt in. They also want us to turn in anything of historical value. That's our govt. again, making jobs that don't produce anything, except red tape.
deliveryboy
New member
@ tom you have valid points I guess what I was trying to get at was more like a certification or something where people would have to pass a test in order to purchase a MD... or something along those lines, granted you could buy used but regardless there needs to be some type of formal education for those ignorant to our code of ethics
MNCoinhunter
Active member
At the very least the metal detector manufacturers or dealers should provide some literature on proper target recovery with every box they sell.
Critterhunter
New member
Man, sorry to hear that. Plan of action below. I know many of these things don't apply now to you, but I feel they are good things to heed for others looking to prevent such a thing, and I've got a few ideas for you to get back in the game in your town.
First, I am with Tom in CA (I think?), as I have remarked in the past- ALWAYS fly under the radar. Stay away from people in parks, and leave when it gets too crowded. Don't give them reason to complain.
Second, never ask for permission to hunt a public site unless there is a sign there that says detecting by permit only or such. If you don't ask they can't say no, and when they do you no longer have an excuse if you get caught.
Third, never approach the city UNLESS you no longer have a choice. If they have now banned detecting, then no harm in trying to talk to them and get things changed. I just think asking permission when none is expressed as needed via posted signs at a park only begs for being told no and bringing your activities to their attention. Out of sight, out of mind so to speak.
I've read of guys who pride themselves on arriving at a strange town and first thing they do is head to city hall and ask permission. That's insanity. It only asks for trouble where there wouldn't otherwise be any. Politicians hate to stick their neck out, so if you ask, chances are they'll say no just to avoid any lawsuits or such.
Even if a town has banned detecting, most cops will give a stranger a warning IMO, so long as no public sign is posted that says otherwise and you have no reason to be ignorant about it then. I find a few "Yes Sir, No Sir" type words thrown in when talking to an officer goes a long way as to how I get treated. I'm not talking about detecting here. Never been kicked out by a cop. I'm talking about a speeding ticket or such. Show respect and they will show it back.
Fourth, if somebody, Joe public or city worker or otherwise, approaches you at a park and tells you to get lost, don't argue with them. Just say you are sorry you upset them and walk away. Live to fight another day, and chances are you'll never see that person with a chip on their shoulder again at that place when you come back, especially if you now time your hunts to avoid when you saw them the first time.
Believe me, I love to argue, but I know that chances are that will only lead to a phone call to the authorities and I'll end up being told to leave. Even if there are no laws against detecting, they only want to shut up the person complaining about something, and they for sure don't want their supervisor finding out they were called to the same place twice in one day. For that reason guess who gets to leave when they sort out the situation?
Fifth, I even go so far as to keep my back to any Joe public or the road when digging, just so they can't see the "act" of it. I also always carry my digger in a holder, as holding it in your hand all the time looks intimidating to people, and I also would never dare carry a shovel at a public site, big or small. I've heard people argue that they can dig a more clean hole with a shovel. That may be true for some, but we are talking about perception here to the public's eye, and that's the whole ball of wax we are dealing with.
I've been criticized for expressing my views to "fly under the radar", and had people tell me I shouldn't be "ashamed" and stand up for my rights. Believe me, I'm the biggest voice when it comes to our rights as a "free" people these days, but I realize that the best way to when a battle is often to never have it in the first place. We simply don't have the numbers to stand up for our rights in any given town most of the time. Only take your voice to city hall when all other options are gone. That's when it's worth taking the risk. I'd say you are there now...
If I were you, I'd get a group from your area of like-minded hunters together, write up a proposal for a "free" permit to the city with a set of rules, and then ask if they'll permit it. Have it so that all who wish to get a permit have to wear a tag on their shirt that shows their name and ID #, just like a deer hunter, so they are exposed to Joe public if they are mucking things up and not filling their holes.
Also have the permit where you agree to sign it to waive the city of all responsibility should your actions result in the injury to another. If done right I think the city would agree to allowing it again under those conditions, provided they get enough of you guys showing up at town hall meetings to express how angry you are as a voter. Votes always talk in politics. The squeeky wheel gets the grease.
And another good idea would be that anybody who wants a permit to detect must show the city in person that they can dig a proper plug and repair it, and also that they have an apron to pick up any junk they dig, along with having a proper hand held digging tool and not something they are digging graves with. If you tell them you'd be willing to volunteer heading up to city hall to teach any new permit holders the required proper recovery techniques I bet that would impress the heck out of them.
Good luck...
PS- If all else fails, please don't give up this great hobby of ours. Find some farm fields you can get permission to hunt. Those will take you a life time and then some to work. Also, start knocking on doors. A simple yes/no answer is all it takes to hunt a yard. Rejection is hard to take but I promise you once you've been told "no" a few times you'll realize it's not the end of the world in terms of ego. It'll start to be as easy as hearing "hello" from people. Trust me, as a deer hunter, I had to get over my shyness in that respect real quick if I wanted to find some private land to hunt game on. It IS worth the effort to force yourself, and you'll laugh at how scared you were after you've done it a few times. Like water off a duck's back after that. How do you think car salesman make a living? You can't tell me they weren't shaking in their boots the first few times they got rejected...
First, I am with Tom in CA (I think?), as I have remarked in the past- ALWAYS fly under the radar. Stay away from people in parks, and leave when it gets too crowded. Don't give them reason to complain.
Second, never ask for permission to hunt a public site unless there is a sign there that says detecting by permit only or such. If you don't ask they can't say no, and when they do you no longer have an excuse if you get caught.
Third, never approach the city UNLESS you no longer have a choice. If they have now banned detecting, then no harm in trying to talk to them and get things changed. I just think asking permission when none is expressed as needed via posted signs at a park only begs for being told no and bringing your activities to their attention. Out of sight, out of mind so to speak.
I've read of guys who pride themselves on arriving at a strange town and first thing they do is head to city hall and ask permission. That's insanity. It only asks for trouble where there wouldn't otherwise be any. Politicians hate to stick their neck out, so if you ask, chances are they'll say no just to avoid any lawsuits or such.
Even if a town has banned detecting, most cops will give a stranger a warning IMO, so long as no public sign is posted that says otherwise and you have no reason to be ignorant about it then. I find a few "Yes Sir, No Sir" type words thrown in when talking to an officer goes a long way as to how I get treated. I'm not talking about detecting here. Never been kicked out by a cop. I'm talking about a speeding ticket or such. Show respect and they will show it back.
Fourth, if somebody, Joe public or city worker or otherwise, approaches you at a park and tells you to get lost, don't argue with them. Just say you are sorry you upset them and walk away. Live to fight another day, and chances are you'll never see that person with a chip on their shoulder again at that place when you come back, especially if you now time your hunts to avoid when you saw them the first time.
Believe me, I love to argue, but I know that chances are that will only lead to a phone call to the authorities and I'll end up being told to leave. Even if there are no laws against detecting, they only want to shut up the person complaining about something, and they for sure don't want their supervisor finding out they were called to the same place twice in one day. For that reason guess who gets to leave when they sort out the situation?
Fifth, I even go so far as to keep my back to any Joe public or the road when digging, just so they can't see the "act" of it. I also always carry my digger in a holder, as holding it in your hand all the time looks intimidating to people, and I also would never dare carry a shovel at a public site, big or small. I've heard people argue that they can dig a more clean hole with a shovel. That may be true for some, but we are talking about perception here to the public's eye, and that's the whole ball of wax we are dealing with.
I've been criticized for expressing my views to "fly under the radar", and had people tell me I shouldn't be "ashamed" and stand up for my rights. Believe me, I'm the biggest voice when it comes to our rights as a "free" people these days, but I realize that the best way to when a battle is often to never have it in the first place. We simply don't have the numbers to stand up for our rights in any given town most of the time. Only take your voice to city hall when all other options are gone. That's when it's worth taking the risk. I'd say you are there now...
If I were you, I'd get a group from your area of like-minded hunters together, write up a proposal for a "free" permit to the city with a set of rules, and then ask if they'll permit it. Have it so that all who wish to get a permit have to wear a tag on their shirt that shows their name and ID #, just like a deer hunter, so they are exposed to Joe public if they are mucking things up and not filling their holes.
Also have the permit where you agree to sign it to waive the city of all responsibility should your actions result in the injury to another. If done right I think the city would agree to allowing it again under those conditions, provided they get enough of you guys showing up at town hall meetings to express how angry you are as a voter. Votes always talk in politics. The squeeky wheel gets the grease.
And another good idea would be that anybody who wants a permit to detect must show the city in person that they can dig a proper plug and repair it, and also that they have an apron to pick up any junk they dig, along with having a proper hand held digging tool and not something they are digging graves with. If you tell them you'd be willing to volunteer heading up to city hall to teach any new permit holders the required proper recovery techniques I bet that would impress the heck out of them.
Good luck...
PS- If all else fails, please don't give up this great hobby of ours. Find some farm fields you can get permission to hunt. Those will take you a life time and then some to work. Also, start knocking on doors. A simple yes/no answer is all it takes to hunt a yard. Rejection is hard to take but I promise you once you've been told "no" a few times you'll realize it's not the end of the world in terms of ego. It'll start to be as easy as hearing "hello" from people. Trust me, as a deer hunter, I had to get over my shyness in that respect real quick if I wanted to find some private land to hunt game on. It IS worth the effort to force yourself, and you'll laugh at how scared you were after you've done it a few times. Like water off a duck's back after that. How do you think car salesman make a living? You can't tell me they weren't shaking in their boots the first few times they got rejected...
Critter, ha, I saw my name 
Guess I'm getting a "reputation"? Doh! Oh well, thanx for your support of my stance. I saw first-hand, in my city (which is why I became aware of this pyschology), of where someone "took it upon themselves" to go ask at city hall. A newbie who just moved to town, asked if he could detect in the city parks here. Someone told him "no". Then he shows up at our monthly club meeting, and "took exception" to someone who said their show & tell item was "found in central park". Then said "I thought detecting wasn't allowed here?". The rest of us turned around, looked at him, and said "since when?". It was then that he told us of his visit to city hall. I mean, heck, the parks were routinely detected, and no one had ever had a problem. TO THIS DAY they are still detected, and no one cares. But ........at the time, a few of the skittish folk who heard that thought: "oh no, we can't detect the parks!", while others said (or at least thought): "nonsense, no one cares, so I'm not stopping". See how the psychology works? It's summed up in this: "Sometimes no one cares ... UNTIL you ask"
And as far as your noting that the "worst that can happen" is a warning, I will add to that, that I've even been in some cities, where rumor had it there's a rule or something. In one such location, we had the cops drive up on us one night. I thought "oh no, here it comes". But it turns out, that he was just checking because he saw someone in the park at night. Period. Once he saw that it was just a couple of guys metal detecting, he wished us well, and left. So you see, sometimes the rank and file don't even know, or could care less (unless you were being a nuisance in some other way).
Guess I'm getting a "reputation"? Doh! Oh well, thanx for your support of my stance. I saw first-hand, in my city (which is why I became aware of this pyschology), of where someone "took it upon themselves" to go ask at city hall. A newbie who just moved to town, asked if he could detect in the city parks here. Someone told him "no". Then he shows up at our monthly club meeting, and "took exception" to someone who said their show & tell item was "found in central park". Then said "I thought detecting wasn't allowed here?". The rest of us turned around, looked at him, and said "since when?". It was then that he told us of his visit to city hall. I mean, heck, the parks were routinely detected, and no one had ever had a problem. TO THIS DAY they are still detected, and no one cares. But ........at the time, a few of the skittish folk who heard that thought: "oh no, we can't detect the parks!", while others said (or at least thought): "nonsense, no one cares, so I'm not stopping". See how the psychology works? It's summed up in this: "Sometimes no one cares ... UNTIL you ask"And as far as your noting that the "worst that can happen" is a warning, I will add to that, that I've even been in some cities, where rumor had it there's a rule or something. In one such location, we had the cops drive up on us one night. I thought "oh no, here it comes". But it turns out, that he was just checking because he saw someone in the park at night. Period. Once he saw that it was just a couple of guys metal detecting, he wished us well, and left. So you see, sometimes the rank and file don't even know, or could care less (unless you were being a nuisance in some other way).