starting to search.

tin_can · Dec 14, 2006

i have hunted only a small amount since i have purchased my detector, and in no major public areas. my problem is that i am so excited to hunt and know a lot of great areas but i am afraid of getting in trouble with authorities. are hunting school playgrounds ok? baseball fields where the bleachers are? parks? i would detect all day but i feel so exposed out there like people are ready to jump down my throat. paranoid? ok, maybe a little :P but im sure you all have felt this way at one time. how do i kick it? :?:

mxtswinger · Dec 15, 2006

By doing that which you fear. :yes:

I can't speak for your local or state gov't, but my rule of thumb is- if it's publicly owned property and there are no signs prohibiting detectors, then I will hunt until someone tells me to leave. No one has yet. As far as schools, all it usually takes is to check with principal and let him/her know what his going on.

Florida Tabdigger · Dec 15, 2006

A lot of it depends on what you dig with. I usually take a regular screwdriver to parks and schools and no-one seems to mind. If your seen with a shovel or large spade you might be asked to leave. Make sure you don't leave noticeable marks. I haven't been asked to leave from anywhere yet.

z118 · Dec 15, 2006

I was really bashful when I first hit public areas as well. I felt as though people would want to know what the heck I was doing and would ask me to leave. A few month later, I am much more comfortable. I have hunted a dozen or so parks and schools and have never run into any issues. I dig with a screwdriver, a knife, and very rarely a Lesche digger. I keep the junk I've picked up on hand so if there I any questions I can demonstrate that I'm helping keep the area clean. And of course, I try to leave the turf as close to the way I found it as possible.

I've found that schools are pretty deserted on early Sat & Sun mornings, so maybe that would be a good time for you to hit one until you feel more comfortable.

Homerun04 · Dec 15, 2006

Avoid conflict. Always seek permission first.

KESTREL0222 · Dec 15, 2006

z118,

That is some good advise about the tools that you carry with you, I’ll have to try that. I have seen one person MDing in my local area with a spade shovel!! I think if you carry something that large around with you, that will definitely draw attention to yourself. :shock:

tin_can · Dec 15, 2006

thanks for the encouragment guys, i guess i should just go out and see what happens! i dont swing around a giant shovel, just a hand shovel, so besides my MD i shouldnt be an eyesore. so when you guys hunt tot lots and parks, where is the first place you go to for the best results?

Harley-Dog · Dec 15, 2006

tin_can said:
so when you guys hunt tot lots and parks, where is the first place you go to for the best results?

Envision the areas with the most foot traffic. If there's playground equipment, check around all of it--the bottom of the slide; the outer circumference of a merry-go-round; out as far away as a kid can jump from a swing; underneath anything kids can hang upside down from. Always check around the base of large trees, and along the edges of sidewalks. Volleyball pits and baseball field diamonds, especially around home plate, the bases and the pitcher's mound. Underneath and around bleachers. If there is, or was, a concession stand, in and around that. Gravel (and even grassy) parking areas where someone will drop coins while retreiving car keys from their pockets.

As you drive past parks take note of where most people congregate, because where people have been, lost coins and other dropped items will be there.

Harley-Dog

p.s. It has been my experience that parks (at least in my area) also have a high concentration of trash

(i.e. pulltabs, chopped up soda cans, foil, etc.), so be prepared to dig lots of trash, especially if you hunt around picnic tables.

dooby · Dec 16, 2006

I think we all go through that when just starting out tin-can. I still have a tendency to shy away from areas that might "expose" me when I am by myself, but on the other side of the coin I don't hunt isolated areas by myself, part of the reason my pic has a Blue Heeler with me. Gus is a friendly dog but just big enough to make someone think twice.................... :lol:

l.cutler · Dec 17, 2006

I am not sure what you mean by a hand shovel. Dont use anything larger than a small hand trowel,maybe 2 inches wide. Make sure you can recover a target neatly before venturing into parks or schools and you should have no trouble. Visable digging left behind is the quickest way to be asked to leave.

tin_can · Dec 17, 2006

dooby said:
I think we all go through that when just starting out tin-can. I still have a tendency to shy away from areas that might "expose" me when I am by myself, but on the other side of the coin I don't hunt isolated areas by myself, part of the reason my pic has a Blue Heeler with me. Gus is a friendly dog but just big enough to make someone think twice....................

gotta get me a dog :lol:

and by hand shovel i meant trowel. potatoe po-TA-toe

BostonMike · Dec 17, 2006

If anyone questions you, you can just use the excuse that a friend of yours lost a special ring here and you are trying to find it for her.

Of course it might get other people to want to look for it as well, but that's ok because it doesn't exist anyway!

brooklynct2003 · Dec 17, 2006

yep, "my friend lost a silver ring with an amethyst stone, and I'm trying to help her find it" is my excuse. Most people will leave you alone after that, even if it's a posted spot.

tin_can · Dec 18, 2006

ya know i have been playing around with that excuse. after that the persons morales come into play and their conscience wont allow them to make you leave

good idea guys. thanks for all the help...soon i will be posting (hopefully) on the 'mind-blowing finds' portion

starting to search.

tin_can

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mxtswinger

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Florida Tabdigger

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z118

Homerun04

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KESTREL0222

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tin_can

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Harley-Dog

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dooby

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l.cutler

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tin_can

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BostonMike

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brooklynct2003

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