Bad Clubs

[Dark Chameleon]

I'm glad that I have read this thread. I thought about starting a local club, but after reading about these experiences, I think that I would be better off just sticking to the forum. Last spring, after reading a post from a guy who had just joined this forum and wanted to find someone to hunt with, I invited this new detectorist from a neighboring town to join me at a local city park. I kept looking at my shoes as he did not seem too friendly. After a while I left. I did tell him that if he would call I would be happy to help him with the hobby and would join him on a future hunt. He just kept trying out his new detector, and I went on my way. I just remembered that day, after reading this thread. No, I think I will stay in my own exclusive club.

We can be like that....depends on what we consider friendly to be...we are or tend to be solitary and that can be seen as unfriendly, but i think if your both at the same level of experience then it can be good, i know i dont want to spend my day teaching someone to use their machine unless thats what we agree on, then im great for it (hell i have quals in teaching, even letters after my name, dont ask)

But if its someone to talk to during breaks, to hit those sweet areas all the quicker, to talk about finds and places without thinking the other one is just tapping us for info then its fine...hell ill drive an hour to meet and have fun doing the obvioous parks, beaches, sports field surrounds, etc..and im more then willing to have others come to my town to do the same thing (after all i did cherry pick them already and if someone else finds that gold ingot then good luck to them..lol)

I've spent my life working with headphones on and by myself but its always nice to have someone else who likes what you like to talk to...or we'd not even be discussing this, we'd ignore the thread and just kep the asking and answering detecting questions....i can only say 'buy the at por and use the large and small coils' so many times before my head explodes

 

[Terry Soloman]

When I started our club here in White Plains, New York, four months ago I wanted it to be different than the clubs I have belonged to in the past. No gavel banging or reading of the minutes, no dues, no president or treasurer, and for sure no old guys telling the rest of us how we are doing it all wrong.

My thought was a simple collective. Hobbyists that came together as a group once a month and shared their experiences, finds, enthusiasm and excitement. Our first three monthly meetings were held in a local restaurant downtown. It was OK, and we began to grow and get to know each other, but it just wasn’t conducive to good conversation, and it was expensive with parking and so on.

Our meeting last month was actually held in my garage. About 16 of us gathered to see the new Blisstool demonstrated, and then we had a chance to see how our machines stacked up in side-by-side depth and sensitivity tests. Unfortunately, my garage is just too small for future meetings, so this month we decided to meet at a public park.

Our group is working out so far. We have a $5.00 “Perpetual 50/50” raffle each month to help raise money for future group farm field hunts (in lieu of dues), and New England Detectors donated a top-of-the-line Lesche Digger for a club raffle, that put a nice chunk-a-change in the kitty as well – Thank You Andrew!

Most of our members seem to be everyday Joe’s and Jane’s. Sure, there are a couple of characters (I’m one of them!), but that’s life. What I do want to see as we grow, is more networking between members and better communication through email, texting and social media. For instance, when I am headed to Long Island for a hunt, I post it on our Facebook page and invite members to come with me and share gas and tolls. I want us to be detecting friends first, and club members second.

Look us up on Facebook: Hudson Valley History Detectives

 

[DIGGER27]

Ryanchappell joined the one in Birmingham and he said those guys were pretty secretive.
Wouldn't even tell you what detector they were swinging.
Eventually, a few of them warmed up to him and I think a few of them asked him to go out on some hunts and even told him about a few good sites.

Here in Kansas I joined my first club and I think I lucked out.
Maybe it's the Midwest sensibility, but most of the members have been very friendly and great, and that was whether they were older or younger.
They have answered all my questions, and I made a few friends and acquired some new hunting buddies along the way.

As far as that liars club thing, that really does not seem to be happening here.
All the finds entered in the monthly contests seem legit, and like me, I just assume these guys, (and gals), would not feel right showing finds that weren't.

Just a great group of people that welcomed me in and are very supportive.

 

[Dark Chameleon]

I think any hobby that has a prodominantly older membership can get crotchity...some people are like that in my church, one of the reasons i left.

One of the reasons im not utterly convinced about gated communities and my town house is part of an HOA and they can be dictatorial to say the least and our friends here who own places near us have the same problems with their HOA's.

I dont know why but it seems to some power seems to go to their heads and they fall into this 'meeting' more like its an HOA and not a club meant to gather together hobbyists and not run anything like its a board meeting.

 

[beerdoodle]

Everyone should join BDOA (Beer drinkers of America). Only requirement is you need to drink beer on a regular basis and there are no stinking badges to wear.....................

 

[itsaring!]

Be sure to wear your glasses or you might walk into the wrong side of the restaurant's conference room

 

[Valley Hunter]

website

We are or trying to start a group here in Central Ca.

Bought a domain and uploaded a disussion board to interact with local people that are interested in metal detecting.

It is like WOW how do we get the website out to people to see..

 

[randwool]

We are or trying to start a group here in Central Ca.

Bought a domain and uploaded a disussion board to interact with local people that are interested in metal detecting.

It is like WOW how do we get the website out to people to see..

Try an ad on your local town's craigslist Community Section stating what you want to do.
Put an article in the local paper announcement or community section. There should be one in the Sat or Sun edition where you list info in for free.
Any MD'ing dealers in your area? Ask to put some simple business cards on the counter.
Start a Facebook Page.

There are folks out there that want to join a MD'ing club but don't know where to start.

The new folks that join our club usually say they found our website through an internet search. It takes a little while, but once it gets picked up by the bots, you can be found a lot easier.

 

[Oldsjunkie]

Everyone should join BDOA (Beer drinkers of America). Only requirement is you need to drink beer on a regular basis and there are no stinking badges to wear.....................

I'm all over this!!

 

[hillbillydigger]

Somewhat similar experience here. I've gone to a couple of the club meetings. Lukewarm reception, mostly it is a supper club where all the elderly members sit and talk the whole time. Anyone under 60 is a spring chicken in this group. They are rather rude to even the president as he can't get them to all stop chatting amongst themselves to let him speak. Its rather informal, they have show and tell if anyone has something they want to talk about, there are contests and we always have multiple business owners trying to hit us up to buy their wares. Like do you really think we need a new digger every month?

The guys are starting to warm up to me, but I think its partly many of the members are loner types, kinda like I am, and also since its limited as to the number of public hunting spaces I don't think they want to warm up immediately to every noob with a Bounty Hunter that shows up. Its like you have to prove your seriousness first. They won't even allow just anyone to join, you are a visitor until such time that a membership is offered to you if you want to pay to join. It's really funny its like someone else said these guys some of them won't even say what kind of machine they are swinging which I think borders on paranoia. All that said I don't think this is necessarily a detecting problem as more a societal problem as I have joined numerous groups, exercise classes and visited several churches & syngogues and gotten the same anti-social response from all.

 

[Txdirtfisher]

Being a new member here as well I will put my input on this I bought a MD and was trying it out one day when a fellow came up to me and asked how long I had been detecting I looked back stuck out my hand and he took it and i said about 20 mins LOL He asked me if I would like to come to a club meeting sometimes I said sure Wegave each other Information and went on our way I went to the club meeting later and was welcomed as I walked in the room by three different people . as I sat through the meeting I noticed there were a few people that seem to be what some one call a cliche I guess and yes they were kinda distant to me , I just blew it off but after returning many times and getting to know everyone a little more It got lightened up and then one day at a Meeting it was time to elect the new officers for the following year and guess who became President of the club !! anyway long story short There are clubs out there and sometimes persistence is the key and yes there are clubs out there that no matter what the "people are cold in nature" and dont like newcomers but one thing is for sure you can bet that club want last long eventually it will die Nature has a way!!! JMHO

 

[TangleFoot]

Although you are entitled to your opinion I would say you are very wrong about me. I am anything but thin skinned. Nor do I watch DR. Phil. I am not a shy person by any means. I am the person that almost always goes to the door to ask permission. I would talk to a tree if it's the only thing around. So your assumption that I just sat there is wrong. I introduced myself to several people there. But when you stick you hand out for a simple hand shake and say hi I'm " " and they just look elsewere or ignore you you tell me. I have been detecting almost 20 years and have been to other clubs that were nothing like that. I understand the "earning a place amongst the ranks". But I'm not going out of my way to impress anyone. Especially the people that are worried someone new might move faster than them. I am 43 and was probably one of the youngest members there. So yes I could go back and sit there till #### freezes over but why should I. Life is too short to put up with bs so I will find others in my area that share this hobby. I have no problem with newbs either because we were all there once and they are the future. Because I feel it is my responcibility to welcome them and help them.If you don't that's fine too. Like I said you are entitled to your opinion. HH

I had the same experience. I am extremely out going and quite the chatty Kathy. Like yourself, I was the youngest in the room by 15-20 years and I am 40. They weren't overtly rude, but I introduced myself to almost everyone in the room and only one person said "WELCOME". It wasn't really like what I expected! No real talk of metal detecting, tips, tricks, nothing of the sort. They simply tried to sell stuff and get $$$ for SEEDED hunts. The :chairman" of this club seemed like he hated everyone and everything involved with metal detecting, hahaha!! The nicest guy in the room was the 90 year old guy that was still very excited about this hobby.... that it made me smile. I have a super thick skin,( I was a lobsterman for many years and THOSE guys are tough to get to know), I just don't like rude people. I didn't have to be welcomed with open arms and invited to date people's daughters...but some simply courtesy would have been nice. I basically paid $15 for nothing. A club, is a club, is a club...to be come a "true member" you have to WANT go and get to know the people.

 

[The Jersey Digger]

I run the Tri State Hunters Inc social group on here and on Facebook. We have 130 members on facebook and everyone gets along well. I also belong to the First State Treasure Hunting Club in Newark DE. My first time there was very welcoming. A year later now the President says he wants me to be the next president. Not sure if I will do it, but it does make me feel good. I guess it goes both ways out there, but my experience has been a positive one...

 

[RyanChappell]

There is no excuse for not welcoming an new member, but I would like to address the secretiveness and cliques. Some sites you can share, like a huge construction site that will be paved over soon, and you could never detect it all anyway, others like a vacant lot where a school used to be, might not have enough to go around. You could tell one person, and that guy could bring some friends, cherry pick it, and not fill in their holes. That is what happens in a tear down area we detect, when new spots are opened up. There are a lot of things that can happen.

From their perspective, they get a lot of new members that join for 3-18 months and are never seen again. They have been in the club since inception or almost that long, and have seen a lot come and go. While sharing the newest and best sites will go a long way to helping the new members, there is a lot of trust involved.

I keep thinking of the cave clubs or grottos. I have never joined one, but did some looking at them on the web. The locations of caves are a secret that club keeps, and they look after those caves. They raise money to put gates on them to protect them from vandals, and help biologists combat plagues to the bats. If you show up for a meeting or two don't expect to be taken to all the caves, or given all their GPS coordinates. They will take you on all the cave trips your are up for, but they are sick of all those newbies that show up once or twice and never come back, so I read where they unofficially require you to be a member for a while first.

Even so there are groups or hunting partners that will discuss some sites, but not let even long time members in on them. There are reasons. Someone could have told too many people years ago, their plugs may not be up to par, grudges. Are you returning the favor, if someone researches one good site after another, or does the leg work to find or door knock, do you find your share or make up for it some other way? Or does the person not mind, because they just want someone they trust along?

 

[Milhaus]

In my case the club is very active, but I have so many responsibilities it's tough to make meetings etc, slow going. People are friendly enough, but most of them already have the hunting buddies they want.
We'll see.

 

[YoungPatriot]

I'm not sure I'd want to be in a club with standards low enough to admit me...

 

[Midknight]

Never been to a MD club meeting, but I have been to many hiking meetings, and the group I hiked with yrs ago were some of the nicest people I ever met. We would take turns carpooling around the state and the hikes were social events even on the trail. Talk about life, wildlife, scenery, didnt matter. Christmas party was great. And although the club was mainly older members, they treated me like an adult, even tho at the time I wasnt. Miss that hiking club a lot.

Just my experience with a club. HH

 

[ronfin]

I joined a "club" and it wasn't a great experience. Some of the people were nice, and I still speak to a few to this day, but over-all it wasn't something I'd ever do again. Too much drama, and grown men that talked behind each others backs like high school girls. Some were just complete a-holes who planted finds because they thought it was a competition, and of course when this kind of behavior was called-out, and I left this particular group, the drama continued with more bad mouthing, and even a swing at my own integrity. Some things you just have to laugh at and never look back. I have heard others say they've had good experiences in the group setting, so I guess it's a hit or miss.

 

[Jason in Enid]

Never been to a MD club meeting, but I have been to many hiking meetings, and the group I hiked with yrs ago were some of the nicest people I ever met. We would take turns carpooling around the state and the hikes were social events even on the trail. Talk about life, wildlife, scenery, didnt matter. Christmas party was great. And although the club was mainly older members, they treated me like an adult, even tho at the time I wasnt. Miss that hiking club a lot.

Just my experience with a club. HH

Yeah, but you are comparing apples to oragutanes. Nobody "loses" by having more people hike "their" trails. Many detectorists are extremely jealous and guarding of the spots they hunt because once all the old silver is gone, it's gone forever.

 

[Midknight]

Yeah, but you are comparing apples to oragutanes. Nobody "loses" by having more people hike "their" trails. Many detectorists are extremely jealous and guarding of the spots they hunt because once all the old silver is gone, it's gone forever.

They do when they have people mistreat the trail, which occurs more than one would think. There is an amount, although not as great as mding, of jealousy depending on the hiking trial and the risk of it being mistreated by others who do not do the right thing.

Same can be said with just about any other hobby.