How unscrupulous detectorists ruin it for the rest of us.

Jodo_Kast501

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Kentucky
In my town, there is a house built in 1875, a beautiful old house on the corner. The owners are frequently out of town because they split their time between here and another state. This is a fairly well-known fact and so some people have taken advantage of the fact and detected the house while they were gone on multiple occasions. One even showed up when the homeowners were in town once and they tried to engage him in conversation, but he refused to talk to them or tell them anything about what he had found and just left.

I have tried to gently rehabilitate their image of metal detectorists by telling them how I do things and trying to make every accommodation to make them comfortable. I've told them that I hate what happened to them and that those people don't represent the hobby, but obviously that is what they've seen of it. They've just been burned too many times by metal detectorists and now won't grant permission to anyone. And that is the story of why I can't get permission on an 1875 house down the street thanks to trespassers and thieves.
 
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In my town, there is a house built in 1875, a beautiful old house on the corner. The owners are frequently out of town because they split their time between here and another state. This is a fairly well-known fact and so some people have taken advantage of the fact and detected the house while they were gone on multiple occasions. One even showed up when the homeowners were in town once and they tried to engage him in conversation, but he refused to talk to them or tell them anything about what he had found and just left.

I have tried to gently rehabilitate their image of metal detectorists by telling them how I do things and trying to make every accommodation to make them comfortable. I've told them that I hate what happened to them and that those people don't represent the hobby, but obviously that is what they've seen of it. They've just been burned too many times by metal detectorists and now won't grant permission to anyone. And that is the story of why I can't get permission on an 1875 house down the street thanks to trespassers and thieves.


"but he refused to talk to them or tell them anything about what he had found and just left.!"

Yup.

They were "Sage Groused" for sure.

Sad that people have to be so deceitful.
 
Or maybe it is just that a STORY because they don't want anyone metal detecting it.
I have had to defend my hobby to so many noisy people at the beaches that it isn't even funny.
 
Or maybe it is just that a STORY because they don't want anyone metal detecting it.
I have had to defend my hobby to so many noisy people at the beaches that it isn't even funny.

Possible, but I think I know one of the guys who did it and I have little doubt he would do it. They are also generally nice people, I've known them peripherally for quite a while. I think they would have granted permission if not for the bad experiences.
 
Interesting and very sad.....

You'd run the real risk of being arrested for trespass, going equipped to steal and theft by finding if detectorists did this in the U.K. (And they do)

It shows a total lack of respect for the landowner and our wonderful hobby. Why people have such disregard, I will never understand. It ruins it for all of us.
 
Not sure if this would change their mind, but if you had a spare detector they could use you could ask if they wanted to hunt their land at the same time along with you, so you would be supervised and they might enjoy finding stuff on their own land.
 
Interesting and very sad.....

You'd run the real risk of being arrested for trespass, going equipped to steal and theft by finding if detectorists did this in the U.K. (And they do)

It shows a total lack of respect for the landowner and our wonderful hobby. Why people have such disregard, I will never understand. It ruins it for all of us.

Greed pure and simple..
I’d have surveillance cameras installed. You can check what’s going on from another state.
 
Why people have such disregard, I will never understand. It ruins it for all of us.

People have a remarkable ability to rationalize their own behavior when they wouldn't accept it from anyone else. Lacking a specific rationalization, they will fall back on "Who are you to judge me? Have you not ever done something wrong in your life?"
 
People have a remarkable ability to rationalize their own behavior when they wouldn't accept it from anyone else. Lacking a specific rationalization, they will fall back on "Who are you to judge me? Have you not ever done something wrong in your life?"

This is why I have such a strong belief in kharma and doing unto others as you would have done unto you,

I do struggle with the judge not lest ye be judged one, Why are humans so bad :?:
 
I don’t understand WHAT people think they’re going to find that is more important than their own integrity. My motto...”If it seems wrong, it probably is.”
 
We have nighthawkers here that have caused problems too. Unfortunately the prevailing " win and at any cost...aka cheat!) mentality in this country is causing problems in lots of sports..including ours. Good for you to represent us in a good and respectful way.
 
In my town, there is a house built in 1875, a beautiful old house on the corner. The owners are frequently out of town because they split their time between here and another state. This is a fairly well-known fact and so some people have taken advantage of the fact and detected the house while they were gone on multiple occasions. One even showed up when the homeowners were in town once and they tried to engage him in conversation, but he refused to talk to them or tell them anything about what he had found and just left.

I have tried to gently rehabilitate their image of metal detectorists by telling them how I do things and trying to make every accommodation to make them comfortable. I've told them that I hate what happened to them and that those people don't represent the hobby, but obviously that is what they've seen of it. They've just been burned too many times by metal detectorists and now won't grant permission to anyone. And that is the story of why I can't get permission on an 1875 house down the street thanks to trespassers and thieves.

what i am about to say does NOT apply to private property, but what you describe
is what happens in this hobby! you can do tons of research,and do.. everything right, and GET BEAT TO THE SPOT!..you MUST accept this and move on! .it IS the way it is! remember! everybody wants to get there first, because they WANT TO FIND SOMETHING!..way it is! suck it up and keep on truckin' it's ALL you can do!

(h.h.!)
j.t.
 
Interesting and very sad.....

You'd run the real risk of being arrested for trespass, going equipped to steal and theft by finding if detectorists did this in the U.K. (And they do)

It shows a total lack of respect for the landowner and our wonderful hobby. Why people have such disregard, I will never understand. It ruins it for all of us.

point is.they "DON'T CARE TWO SH*TS" about the rest of us! in this hobby, its about thee, and BILL SHAKESPEARE'S FAMOUS LINE..."TO THINE OWNSELF BE TRUE!"...circa: 1510.

(h.h.!)
j.t.
 
I had problems when I used to grant permission to deer, Turkey and coyote hunt on my property.

simple rules, agreed to by the individuals who asked for and were granted permission.

They willingly and knowingly violated the rules and are banned from my property.

As a result, right or wrong, I have refused all permission requests since.

Many people have absolutely no integrity.

I was "Sage Groused", and I won't let it happen again.

I had one request to detect my yard, I said ok, I detect too, so we'll hunt together.

The requesting person turned down the offer.

Shrug.
 
point is.they "DON'T CARE TWO SH*TS" about the rest of us! in this hobby, its about thee, and BILL SHAKESPEARE'S FAMOUS LINE..."TO THINE OWNSELF BE TRUE!"...circa: 1510.

(h.h.!)
j.t.

I think that quote means to be yourself true to what you are inside, not think of yourself first before others.
At least that's the way I choose to perceive it.
 
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