Park Hunting issue

[HaroldILL.]

I was hunting a small local park over the week end. I have only hunted this park a few times as not much to find a wheatie hear and there and one Merc. all I got here,But it is close by. Figured I would give it one last shot before ground freeze's. After about a couple hours all I had to show was a couple Wheaties. It was getting cold so I head back to my car to find a note stuck to my window. It reads next time you come back to ''are park'' and dig holes were calling the cops.I looked all around and no one in sight? I wish I would have caught them as I don't like anyone touching my car. I loaded my gear and waited a good half hour for someone to show up but no one did. What a cowardly thing to do. I wonder if it was a man or a busy body women? Either way they should have at least come up to Me instead of sticking a note on my car, what a coward! It was a priority mail label they used. The adhesive was a pain to get off with the cold weather. I wasn't going to come back anyway's as didn't find much. It seems are hobby is underfire more and more. By the way I always use a hand trowel,cut plugs,and back fill with a towel.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Bummer. It would be no different than the risk of someone flipping you off in traffic, because they thought your lane change was sloppy. You don't think for a moment of "not driving on that street anymore". You get a tough skin, and ignore them/it.

 

[Flintstone]

Harold, some people just need to be A--Holes it don,t mater what you do. I would go back and park in the same place and watch to see who did it and cover there car with cow Shi--t. or what ever you can find to make smell good. I know in summer Limbuger cheese in the hub caps work real well.

 

[HaroldILL.]

If there were good finds to be made I would go back. I would love to catch them,But it is small and not much there as I wasn't goin' to go back anyways. I just don't like someone thinkin' they ran Me off.There are no signs that say No Metal Detecing so they call the cops all they want,But for a Wheatie or two not worth it. I wish they would at least tried talkin' to Me instead and keep their hands off my car.

 

[ironsight]

Something like that would p1zz me off too. Whats with some people in this day and age? Too bad you didn't have a burglar alarm, mighta scared the !@#$ out of them.

Some people's tolerance primarily libs as i see it, is at an all time low..... just watch the current news.
Yeah one A-hole but i think its something far worse and troubling when a bunch of vocal A-holes with the help of the lib media band togather.

 

[mrwilburino]

It's possible that note was written by someone who detects there.

 

[dirt doctor]

It's possible that note was written by someone who detects there.

My thoughts exactly . Why would they warn you and not call the Police the first time ? Could it be they were afraid the park would get closed to detecting ?

 

[ChicagoJohn]

If park is public and no sign post said no metal detecting then you can go metal detecting and make sure do not leave any holes! Happened to me before that cop stopped by to check on me and said no problem. Next day I came back and woman came and scream at me! I bet that woman called cop! I ingored her and she went back to her house so I know where she live! She is stupid! Other time I came back and she looked at my car to look at town sticker to know where I live. I scream her and she went back to her house. I park my car farther from her! That park I found 1864 two cents and few Indianhead cents! If I am afraid of her and I might not get that two cent coin!

 

[CopyTech99]

Hit it hard for..... SPITE.

 

[RichW]

Not the same country I grew up in. We've become a country full of control freaks.

 

[silverseeker 2]

Harold,
Go back there with one of your detecting buds and double up on their pain!
That'll really get them SMOKIN Let your bud drive though
silverseeker 2

 

[WV62]

Sounds like from the note it is their park, wonder if they pay taxes on it??? You would also think if it is their park it would be posted by the owner. Go back and let them call the law the most they would do is ask you to leave.

Ron in WV

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Harold, you're still getting good replies. A post-script I would add to my previous reply is: This type thing is exactly why I do most of my turf hunting at night nowadays. So peaceful. So serene Because let's be perfectly honest: Turf hunting *does* have ... uh ... "connotations" [that you might be about to leave a hole]. Hence rather than debate people on semantics, I just go when such lookie-lous aren't likely to be present. Presto, problem solved

 

[ironsight]

Harold, you're still getting good replies. A post-script I would add to my previous reply is: This type thing is exactly why I do most of my turf hunting at night nowadays. So peaceful. So serene Because let's be perfectly honest: Turf hunting *does* have ... uh ... "connotations" [that you might be about to leave a hole]. Hence rather than debate people on semantics, I just go when such lookie-lous aren't likely to be present. Presto, problem solved

Never night hunted but
I'd think for night hunting a flash light, affixed detector light or cap light would be needed at some point in the process. I sometimes have issues finding the coin in the hole or more commonly in the pile and thats in bright sun light.
Seems to me some busy body catching a glance of someone walking around in the dark in their 'precious' neighborhood park flashing a light would consider that suspicious activity and you guessed it, call the police!

Military style night vision goggles along with dark clothes and a charcoal'd face might be the way to go. But then again by chance if some busy body happened to stumble around me, that would be even more suspicious activity. I'd have my trusty 8" probing screw driver which could be considered a burglar tool by a barny fife.
When the police arrive they'll just consider the metal detector as a clever decoy and then it'll be hands behind the back SIR!

In case you're wondering, yeah i'm a self-proclaimed pessimist and a dedicated murphy's law follower!

After think'n on it, i'll leave night hunting to the professionals.

 

[MarkCZ]

Harold, you're still getting good replies. A post-script I would add to my previous reply is: This type thing is exactly why I do most of my turf hunting at night nowadays. So peaceful. So serene Because let's be perfectly honest: Turf hunting *does* have ... uh ... "connotations" [that you might be about to leave a hole]. Hence rather than debate people on semantics, I just go when such lookie-lous aren't likely to be present. Presto, problem solved

Never night hunted but
I'd think for night hunting a flash light, affixed detector light or cap light would be needed at some point in the process. I sometimes have issues finding the coin in the hole or more commonly in the pile and thats in bright sun light.
Seems to me some busy body catching a glance of someone walking around in the dark in their 'precious' neighborhood park flashing a light would consider that suspicious activity and you guessed it, call the police!

Military style night vision goggles along with dark clothes and a charcoal'd face might be the way to go. But then again by chance if some busy body happened to stumble around me, that would be even more suspicious activity. I'd have my trusty 8" probing screw driver which could be considered a burglar tool by a barny fife.
When the police arrive they'll just consider the metal detector as a clever decoy and then it'll be hands behind the back SIR!

In case you're wondering, yeah i'm a self-proclaimed pessimist and a dedicated murphy's law follower!

After think'n on it, i'll leave night hunting to the professionals.

Well, I'll offer up some suggestions!

Look for one of the small LED Headband lights, I like the ones that have two modes, two white LED's and the second mode is the red Led.

When your searching most times you don't need an operating light, but with a little silver reflective DOT tape to outline the coil and the red LED you can see your coil really well and the red doesn't attract bugs, then when you start your dig you can switch to the white LED mode.

Now, they are other times when you may need a detector mounted headlight, I should patent this idea, the good thing about this idea is you can look around without the light going in every direction. This light needs to be small, white LED, AA single cell, and around one WATT (Ebay)

The next light you may want to have would be one for self defense, keep it easy to get to. the idea of this light is to temporarily blind an attacker. One somewhere around 400 lumens would do.

Here are some pictures of my detector headlight.

The clips I used dash panel clips for forklifts, I use two of them screwed together to form a single mount. A single wrap of tape around the detector shaft helps to reduce scratching.
I have two of these lights and mounts extra that I'll give away to anybody that will pay the shipping! The flashlights will be brand new. (First two PM request gets them)

Mark

 

[MarkCZ]

Here is my 1980's homemade version of a headband light. (Its still a VERY good idea)
I took the reflector, bulb, and lens out of a 2 D cell flashlight,
I glued the lens to the reflector,
I drilled a tiny hole in the metal part of the bulb socket for connecting a ground wire.
I interrupted one of the lead wires with a mercury switch from an old furnace thermostat and mounted to the side of the headband with a rivet and a cable clamp in a way that it would rotate, that made it adjustable. (I put a piece of a slingshot rubber band tubing over the tube of the mercury switch to size it up and protect it)
I wired up a two D cell battery holder with enough wire to fit the pack in a pocket.
And BINGO! you get a headlight that when you look down it comes on, as you raise your head to look up, it goes off!

Mark

 

[ironsight]

Mark, looks like you're into night hunting big time. I like the head band you fabricated with the look down/up on/off feature.

Still, night hunting is not for me. Might be ok in farmfields or private permissions but smaller neighborhood parks? Not so much.

Here's how i'd envision my first night hunt:

Police: This is 911, what is your emergency?
Busy body: There's a suspicious guy walking around in 'my' park with a flashlight.

Police: Whats he doing?
Busy body: I don't know but he does have a big knife and a shovel too.
Busy body: Its dark out, i only get a glimpse when his flashlight goes on, he's also holding a big screw driver too.
Busy body: He also kneels down once in a while too!

Police: Whats he doing with the shovel?
Busy body: Don't know its just hanging on his belt, he's also swinging around a stick looking thing.
Busy body: Hard to make all this out in the dark.

Police: Very very suspicious strange behavior indeed!
Police: Stay in your house and lock the doors!
Police: The SWAT team is on their way!!

 

[5900_XL-1]

Mark, looks like you're into night hunting big time. I like the head band you fabricated with the look down/up on/off feature.

Still, night hunting is not for me. Might be ok in farmfields or private permissions but smaller neighborhood parks? Not so much.

Here's how i'd envision my first night hunt:

Police: This is 911, what is your emergency?
Busy body: There's a suspicious guy walking around in 'my' park with a flashlight.

Police: Whats he doing?
Busy body: I don't know but he does have a big knife and a shovel too.
Busy body: Its dark out, i only get a glimpse when his flashlight goes on, he's also holding a big screw driver too.
Busy body: He also kneels down once in a while too!

Police: Whats he doing with the shovel?
Busy body: Don't know its just hanging on his belt, he's also swinging around a stick looking thing.
Busy body: Hard to make all this out in the dark.

Police: Very very suspicious strange behavior indeed!
Police: Stay in your house and lock the doors!
Police: The SWAT team is on their way!!

Hey, it's not the same but I had two cruisers, one cop in each, show up when I was detecting a local school yard. They were polite. Told me someone had called because there was some older man walking around in circles.

It's messed up that it takes 2 police units for that, while at the same time, it takes over 30 minutes to get a unit to my house after the burgular alarm goes off while I'm at work.

I beat the cops here and I had to drive 30 minutes from work. Maybe they've gotten better since then. I quit the monitoring system soon after that one time. Being swarmed in a way by 2 cops while metal detecting is stupid.

 

[Elton]

I know what your saying............................BUT

A person not supposed to be at a school yard/ school playground, takes priority in todays world. Due to the bad events that have occurred in recent times. Priority one call.

A burglary alarm is usually a priority two call.......... plus the alarm company may, or may not react immediately in notifying the police. Also they may advise no entry gained depending on your alarm company abilities.
Officers may have been tied up on calls already.

Lets all be accepting that schools may be off limits in certain hours for one reason or another. If you go in the dark you should expect to be checked out..

I am not looking for an argument. I am just saying..Todays events, and some people actions, have created a need for checking things out as far as the police are concerned...

 

[Tom_in_CA]

.... I'd think for night hunting a flash light, affixed detector light or cap light would be needed at some point in the process. .....

Nope. You just pick a full-ish moon night. And the LAST thing you want, when night hunting, is ANY type of light. Ie.: no headlamps, no back-lit screens, etc... Just let your eyes adjust to the moon-light. Otherwise, if you use any sort of light, the pupils of your eyes will become adjust to *just* that beam of light, and you'll become blind to everything else around you. And also: using a light will simply attract passerbys anyhow.