are public school legal to hunt?
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Isaac43
Banned
Yes. They are LEGAL to hunt!!! Any day school is not in session!
Rudy
Admin
When I lived in San Jose, most of the schools were open and I would hunt them on weekends, holidays and dusk. Basically, anytime they weren't in session. When I moved to SoCal however, I found most all public schools were fenced in and the gates locked. This does present a problem as fence climbing to get around a locked gate may constitute trespassing.
dirtydog
Forum Supporter
Does anyone know if Brevard county Fl Schools are legal to hunt?
Gary
Gary
Tom_in_CA
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Martin_V3i
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A buddy and I were kicked out of a school here in Texas, at a school we'd both hunted more than on once. The ISD employee had zero sense of humor.
Tom_in_CA
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Rudy, seems that fencing of schools started around the mid 1970s. Depending on what city, state, etc.... I'm sure it's because of things like to curb vandalism, or things like perverts, or to be able to "usher someone on" if they're creating a problem, etc.... But seems like even most of those schools have a permanently propped open gate.
And let's be serious now: if you drive past those schools on a weekend or after hours, don't you see other people there? Eg.: jogging the track, shooting hoops, walking their dog, etc... ?
Bob K
Junior Member
Where schools have been closed to hunting, l'v went & ask have gotten permission ever time.
plus they may know of a lost ring. Thats happen 2 times (found & returned). Plus then got permission to hunt the family yard, when that happens sure get behind in hunting. What a problem.
plus they may know of a lost ring. Thats happen 2 times (found & returned). Plus then got permission to hunt the family yard, when that happens sure get behind in hunting. What a problem.
jruckman38
Elite Member
I was detecting a local school one time not to long ago 2 cops showed up and told me I had to go that I could not do this here. I just said ok I'm sorry I thought this was public property they said not with out permission. So I guess it could go both ways.
Rudy
Admin
Tom, in San Jose, Milpitas and other surrounding areas what you say is true. Down here in SoCal, with rare exceptions, there are no gates left open in most schools. They are like concentration camps. The public schools in Claremont where I lived were an exception, but drive a couple of miles to Montclair, or Chino, and they are locked up tight. Don't know if the lockup policy varies by city or school districts.
Can't speak for all SoCal. Maybe some Angelinos, etc. can speak for their areas.
Martin_V3i
Elite Member
So the EOS here in reality is that public schools should never be considered legal until declared otherwise. My guess it that most of those stating schools are perfectly legal, are those who hit them at 5-6am or near dark-thirty.
If you sincerely think they are absolutely legal to detect, how about hitting them midday? The public part of "public property" don't seem to mean a heck of lot if confronted.
Ours are posted and gated. And you have to drive by the sign to get in. I have to hunt schools in other counties.
jruckman38
Elite Member
I think if it wasn't for all these sick people going around and shooting up kids in schools we wouldn't be having the cops kicking us out of public schools.
I think a lot of people loosely interpret 'Public', to best suit their wants and needs. I can accept that undeveloped, unused land, as being free public access, and pretty much open to whatever you want to do. When a piece of land is developed, given a purpose, a person is paid to manage and maintain that land, you need permission.
Schools are public property on public land, the buildings are public owned, so are the school buses, the computers, TVs, lab equipment, shop tools... You think it's okay to walk in an use the grounds, but is it okay to enter the buildings, use the public property there as well?
Really don't see the problem with asking permission first, if it's allowed, and they really don't mind, it's not going to be a problem. If they really don't want you there, you can find other places to hunt. You squeeze through the fence, and do it anyway, they are going to fix the fence, and the rules to make it crystal clear that they don't want you there.
Schools are public property on public land, the buildings are public owned, so are the school buses, the computers, TVs, lab equipment, shop tools... You think it's okay to walk in an use the grounds, but is it okay to enter the buildings, use the public property there as well?
Really don't see the problem with asking permission first, if it's allowed, and they really don't mind, it's not going to be a problem. If they really don't want you there, you can find other places to hunt. You squeeze through the fence, and do it anyway, they are going to fix the fence, and the rules to make it crystal clear that they don't want you there.
Grumpysrb
Forum Supporter
Schools here in the same district and one nearby vary from school to school. If posted or fenced(and the fence is locked) they are off limits. If not posted or fenced(unlocked) they are open season. Locally the schools ball fields, tracks and playgrounds are open for Public use. The district does have the authority to limit what they are used for though.
Vethraxx
Elite Member
I only hunt schools only 2-3 weeks after summer break starts. That way the teachers or the principal are gone. I had only one bad experience when I tried to go on a friday late afternoon and was run off the propery by the principal's flunky. I just waited untill summer break.
I just hunted a school today that seems to never have been touched. ALOT of quarters, a silver jesus mobieus pray thingie, and a possible silver bracelet. All within about 8 feet of each other.
Don't try and detect when there is football practice or similar. Don't need the accusations that you are there to dig holes and blow out their ankles.
I just hunted a school today that seems to never have been touched. ALOT of quarters, a silver jesus mobieus pray thingie, and a possible silver bracelet. All within about 8 feet of each other.
Don't try and detect when there is football practice or similar. Don't need the accusations that you are there to dig holes and blow out their ankles.
Tom_in_CA
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Rudy, here's the story passed on to me, by a long-time so. CA hunter. He said that back in the 1970s, none of the schools were fenced. Or ... if fenced, easy walk-in access points and schools used after-hours by the public anyhow. But sometime in the late '70s or early '80s, the following incident occurred:
A young married couple had their toddler at the school's playground equipment. The toddler was still in diapers , as far as age goes. The parents were putting the kid down the slide. But the kid fell over the side of the slide, and was permanently injured-for-life (serious spinal injury or whatever). The parents sued the school district AND WON !! Can you believe that? For having un-safe equipment, side-rails on the slide were not high enough, etc... After the school district paid out a judgement award in the millions, guess what they went and did ? Put fences around all the schools! And neighboring city's school district's followed suit, taking the advice/lesson of this other school.
So as you can see from that story above, IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH METAL DETECTING. It's just a step they must take, so that if you slip on a bananna peel, you can't sue them. They can right-fully say "well ... you shouldn't have been there"
Thus yes I've heard that your schools are not only fenced, but ... truly buttoned up. (no gate left open, blah blah ). So they only way you'd get into those, is if you climbed the fence (on a weekend or holiday, etc...). But .... No , ... no one should ever do that.
Tom_in_CA
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Martin, the same question could be asked of parks (which, note: have no "fences" around them). You could ask the same question:
"Why hunt at low-traffic hours? Why avoid lookie-lou gripers? Why not go at high-noon when it's real busy, or gardeners are mowing, etc...? Certainly if there's nothing wrong with md'ing, then why avoid crowds and lookie-lous?"
Here's your answer: Because metal detecting (unlike jogging the track or shooting hoops) has "connotations". Ie.: that you might be about to leave a mess. It's an odd-ball hobby that sticks out & attracts lookie-lous.
You will notice the admonition on lots of forums, by very law-abiding folks, that will, at the same time .... advise md'rs to pick low traffic times (early mornings, oh-dark-thirty, or whatever). NOT necessarily because they believe they are doing "something wrong", but simply to avoid having someone get their panties in a wad. Why swat hornet's nests ?
Esky
Senior Member
Apparently SoCal is different, Central Ca schools are open to public, at least throughout my area. I did get asked to leave at one school this summer by some construction boss. There was a big construction project going on and he said he couldn't take the liability of me being on the property while they were working. He was nice about it. So was I. No problem, I moved on.
SafeMode
Elite Member
Rudy, here's the story passed on to me, by a long-time so. CA hunter. He said that back in the 1970s, none of the schools were fenced. Or ... if fenced, easy walk-in access points and schools used after-hours by the public anyhow. But sometime in the late '70s or early '80s, the following incident occurred:
A young married couple had their toddler at the school's playground equipment. The toddler was still in diapers , as far as age goes. The parents were putting the kid down the slide. But the kid fell over the side of the slide, and was permanently injured-for-life (serious spinal injury or whatever). The parents sued the school district AND WON !! Can you believe that? For having un-safe equipment, side-rails on the slide were not high enough, etc... After the school district paid out a judgement award in the millions, guess what they went and did ? Put fences around all the schools! And neighboring city's school district's followed suit, taking the advice/lesson of this other school.
So as you can see from that story above, IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH METAL DETECTING. It's just a step they must take, so that if you slip on a bananna peel, you can't sue them. They can right-fully say "well ... you shouldn't have been there"
Thus yes I've heard that your schools are not only fenced, but ... truly buttoned up. (no gate left open, blah blah ). So they only way you'd get into those, is if you climbed the fence (on a weekend or holiday, etc...). But .... No , ... no one should ever do that.
If anyone on this website takes Tom's hidden advice in the above quote, you deserve to get arrested.
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