I never see any other people M.D.ing.

[CrazySlasher]

I also feel very awkward MD, as does my girlfriend. Not once have I seen anyone else with one. And again, I also go out at night to avoid feeling so awkward. I don't know if it has to do with my age (25) or what. If I go somewhere where there's a bunch of people I almost 100% don't go. Last night I had to avoid a whole area because there was a bar over there and most likely people I went to school with.

It's funny that someone mentioned cops. I've had cops ask what we were doing 4 times since I've started. Once was last night. When I told him we were metal detecting he acted surprised and said and asked me why, in a very condescending way. But, one of the previous times the cop was so pumped and wanted to see all of our finds and was interested in buying one.

 

[tabdog]

I never see anyone detecting.

I'm a crazy old fart. I go around with a toy
detector and no one, I MEAN NO ONE bothers
me.

I like everybody I meet. Would you mess with
a crazy old fart like this?

Swinging a Kid Detector like this?

If you did, you'd be the first.

But living in Arkie Land ain't like other places I
hear about,

Besides, I'm too old to care what they think.

Happy hunting,

 

[mach2]

detecting in public

You know I have to agree with Steve in so az who cares what people think it really doesn't bother me for them to be staring at me. I do it up too, camelbak backpack, tool belt pin pointer all the gadgets but I don't care because I'm having fun.

Crazyslasher made a point about being 25 and feeling uncomfortable md'ing and I think back and I probably would have felt that way also. All I can say about that is if you enjoy it....do it and have fun!

Like Tabdog said, people see a crazy old fart with a detector and all the gear hangin off him they just don't bother you!

 

[Roadking]

Around here I have yet to see anyone else out M.D.ing. Even before I got into it, I never recall seeing anyone out. Is it more popular in other parts of the country? I dont mind at all because it just means more ground that hasnt been hunted for me, but also people look at me like Im some sort of wierdo, because I suspect they also never see anyone else out doing it. Im located just west of the twin cities in Minnesota. People stare at me so much, its to the point that I feel a little goofy about being seen, and tend to skip over parks and such if there are people around, or next to a busy street. Anyone else feel this way at first?

thanks for the post i get nervous too i usually skip the places with lots of people and try them at a different time it is getting easier though.

 

[ICE]

I feel a little akward but I use headphones and after I find a couple of finds that goes away. I think it's because I use a pouch with a web belt for all my stuff. People always want to talk and in a tot lot the kids are all around trying to see what you are finding. With the headphones I pretend not to hear them. I did have a lady ask if I was looking for land mines one day. Ice

 

[MCH02]

Today I went to a park that I thought would be fairly isolated in a quite litte forgoten town, and wouldnt you know they were having a carnival!!! I considered facing my fear and just going for it, but I decided maybe I should wait until one night this week and hit it after the carnival leaves, instead I went to a local school along a busy road , and after about the first 5 or 6 finds, I pretty much forgot about the onlookers. I think next time someone really stares at me, IM goin to act like I found something really good, and start jumping up and down, running and circles and run back to my car an take off !!! That will get them wondering. lol

 

[Ed in KC]

Today I went to a park that I thought would be fairly isolated in a quite litte forgoten town, and wouldnt you know they were having a carnival!!! I considered facing my fear and just going for it, but I decided maybe I should wait until one night this week and hit it after the carnival leaves, instead I went to a local school along a busy road , and after about the first 5 or 6 finds, I pretty much forgot about the onlookers. I think next time someone really stares at me, IM goin to act like I found something really good, and start jumping up and down, running and circles and run back to my car an take off !!! That will get them wondering. lol

I like that idea!

 

[Crumble]

I did have a lady ask if I was looking for land mines one day. Ice

I hope you said: "Yes, but if you walk sideways, like a crab, you'll be safe."




I'm 25 years old, and sadly, i'm deathly afraid of anyone my age seeing me detect. There is a huge park about a block from my house, with 3 tot lots, and like 300+ people at the park throwing parties every saturday and sunday. Now that wouldn't be so bad, I could just go early in the morning and get the goods... but there is also a jogging path with tons of people jogging, that runs around a golf course, and through the park, so no matter when I go, I will be spotted... I still haven't hunted the park.

 

[Beefcake]

It was well over a year before I seen the first metal detectorist besides me in my area... I didn't think any were around... I was informed by one of the members that there was going to be a DFXonly hunt in my own town, which I had no idea about... Imagine my surprise if I wasn't informed of this when I went from seeing no one detect to over 70 in one weekend...lol I'm glad I was invited to the party anyway... aside from that, I've only seen one other person detect here and I detect with him occasionally... The way I look at it... the less people who do it my area...the better!

 

[CrazySlasher]

I hope you said: "Yes, but if you walk sideways, like a crab, you'll be safe."




I'm 25 years old, and sadly, i'm deathly afraid of anyone my age seeing me detect. There is a huge park about a block from my house, with 3 tot lots, and like 300+ people at the park throwing parties every saturday and sunday. Now that wouldn't be so bad, I could just go early in the morning and get the goods... but there is also a jogging path with tons of people jogging, that runs around a golf course, and through the park, so no matter when I go, I will be spotted... I still haven't hunted the park.

Haha. We should meet up at like 2 a.m. dressed as ninjas and detect all the places we would feel weird going during the day.

 

[~Alan~]

In a recent yard sale, I sold my old metal detector (junky bounty hunter) and encountered 2 md'ers just in my neighborhood of less than 100 houses! I am going have to start having to protect my sacred spots!

A little like amateur radio. There are dozens of radio hams listed in my area, but you hear very few on the radio.

 

[Gransrism]

It gets easier. I started in May of this yr and am a gal. At first, like the first 3 months i felt like I was stealing or something. I ran into my 1st MDer this week. very nice, said he had been at this for 30 yrs. we were in a park. He had a high dollar Md, mine's not. Anyway he gave us some info,a and showed us some tips, (I hunt with a friend sometimes) then told us he had just hunted a tot lot we were headed for. We found .37 cents anyway. YEA!

Headphones, even though I hate them, do help. People think you can't here them I guess. I also hunt Early and late, no folks around. Just keep at it, it goes away.

I still have fears of police coming when I am at a school or park and hollering at me. I'll probably cry or something dumb.

 

[Ed in KC]

I still have fears of police coming when I am at a school or park and hollering at me. I'll probably cry or something dumb.

I was detecting at a local elementary school last Wed. night, and around 11:00pm a school district truck pulled into the school lot and headed toward me. He pulled up close to me, and asked if I had found anything, then he said he detected himself sometimes, wished me luck, then went about his business. No one has ever hassled me, but I used to worry about that too.

 

[BHNugget]

People stare at me so much, its to the point that I feel a little goofy about being seen, and tend to skip over parks and such if there are people around, or next to a busy street. Anyone else feel this way at first?

Its more out of curiousity than anything else.You have to remember the majority of people have never experienced pulling silver or gold out of the ground.I went to a beach at a local lake at the busiest time of day,most people just ask if I found anything good (of course I always say no).The detector is a kid magnet,so I try to answer thier questions and peak thier interest.Theres no better way to promote the hobbys future.So I located a couple shallow penny targets and let the kids go at it with thier sand castle shovels.

 

[Crumble]

Haha. We should meet up at like 2 a.m. dressed as ninjas and detect all the places we would feel weird going during the day.

If you live in San Diego, it sounds like a plan. I need to try night hunting, bought a mini maglite just for that purpose, now I just need a ninja costume. I drove by that park that I mentioned at about 9pm (park closes at 10pm) and there were way less people jogging and chillin' at the park. The golf course by the park has the foundation of an old train station (built around 1890) that is barely noticable now, just random pieces of brick rubble in the tall grass, i'm gonna ninja that sh*t for sure one of these nights. The golf course is fenced off but there is an opening in the fence right by the old train station... it's on! I just need to figure out where to park. I need to practice my ninja sneaking skillz.

 

[drsmithtft]

I have the same feelings, But it is getting better with each trip out. Ive had a few people come up and talk out of curiosity. It gets easier though.

 

[jdhusch]

Is that hard to do at night in terms of finding your treasure and insect bites. I live in michigan and i don't see people now but years ago i saw a few,but it seems like it is coming back ,but not many people in my area seem to want to get together

 

[Jack_Mightyheart]

I pretty much ONLY hunt at night. I hate it when people see me MDing...probably something to do with my age (18). It seems like a lot of us younger MDers are more self-conscious about it than the older ones. I've seen a few other detectors at the beach, but I usually avoid the beach.

 

[Xray]

I've only seen a couple detectors in my area over the years.

I remember when I was a kid [mid 70s] I saw this old guy detecting.
Obviously in the days when metal detectors were pretty basic.
I remember thinking "poor old geezer, spending his time looking for pocket change" and really didn't think anything else about it.
I think alot of kids/teens would think the same thing.
As fo some adults, they may think somewhat the same, or just think of us as guys hopelessly trying to find a buried pot of gold or something, possibly with no real job or source of income to fall back on.

I rarely ever let the proximity of people deter me, only exception is at playgrounds, I back off out of respect for the kids and their parents if theres lots of kids around ... Otherwise I feel I have just as much a right to be out in the area doing what I am doing, as anyone else doing what they are doing.
I do alot of night detecting also, mostly because that is about the only time I have available lately ... But also is a bit more relaxing at times.

 

[OZ_IL]

One seen one other MD'er in my hood, and that was 1+ years apart. In Michigan I know there are a zillion of them as I can hit 5 tot lots and hope I can find a buck total. Only saw one, and he was a new arrival from Iowa as his wife took a job in a hotel. MD'ed with him for a bit and he said next time I am in town, call him up. Found out the next day his wife quit so no idea where he was off to next

When I met up with local_coins this year another guy mentioned he MD'ed. In MI, they don't even bother looking at you, a sure sign it must be popular. I've had woman dog-walkers run from me when I say hi in my zone