I posted this in a response to another thread, but wanted to open a new thread to maybe reach more of you for input. I'm still trying to figure out what is public land for sure. People talk about Curbstrips. I assume that is the area of grass between the sidewalk and the curb. Apparently, this is public? But the owners mow and take care of it... at least where I am from. I can for sure see a homeowner wonder what in the heck I was doing if I was digging in one of those! How about ditches along roadways? (Somebody just had a post on about being questioned while doing one of these.) Is it ok to detect those if you stay in the road right-of-way? Again, I can see the owners being concerned. Then there are the schools... Tot Lots. Is the entire grounds considered public? I can for sure see the school admin not wanting some dude out walking around during school hours (and I am sure most here try for off-hours). I also realize that this all probably varies from state to state and within city boundaries. More research needed on my part for sure! Any input appreciated as always!!
Just what is Public and available to detect...
- Thread starter rcornell
- Start date
Here's your cue Tom_CA! 
Is he going to say... just go for it?Here's your cue Tom_CA!
Maybe, or something like "Don't Ask, Don't Tell".
Cherry Picker
Forum Supporter
Here in my area of Kansas, schools/tot lots are public property. We paid to have them built. BUT, timing is everything. No, you don't hunt the schools/tot lots during school days. I ONLY hunt my tot lots and schools on Saturday's and Sunday's. ONLY. Easements, that area between the road and the front yard, are open to the public, but again, timing is important. You don't want to draw attention, and if asked to leave, leave.
In my 50 years of metal detecting I have only had 2 issues, and they were resolved peacefully and quickly. I didn't argue, I just got in my car and left. Rentals are one of my favorites, but you need to learn to read the occupants. Is the yard well groomed? A front yard full of weeds generally means the renters aren't going to care unless they just want to be jerks.
I never ask permission unless it is my last choice.
If I talk to someone, I avoid the word dig. I use recover instead.
In my 50 years of metal detecting I have only had 2 issues, and they were resolved peacefully and quickly. I didn't argue, I just got in my car and left. Rentals are one of my favorites, but you need to learn to read the occupants. Is the yard well groomed? A front yard full of weeds generally means the renters aren't going to care unless they just want to be jerks.
I never ask permission unless it is my last choice.
If I talk to someone, I avoid the word dig. I use recover instead.
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lol! I did search of the forum on "curb strip" and see Tom has been preaching on this subject for a while now. I learned something already... not being a "town boy", I had no idea that the curb strips were not owned by the homeowner.Here's your cue Tom_CA!
hoser
Forum Supporter
Here, unless it is a charter or private school, it's public. I have only had one person confront me while hunting on school grounds. I had previously talked to the superintendent and he said go for it, it's a public school. Just please don't leave holes or trash or make it look like you used a backhoe. Personally, I can't imagine someone detecting during school hours. I suppose it happens and that is when there will be issues.
Detecting during school hours is unacceptable for obvious reasons, could not imagine anyone trying that. I tend not to detect when there are any kids at all and in fact do most of my detecting of tot lots at night.
hoser
Forum Supporter
Couldn't agree more. I won't hunt a school ground on weekends or summer vacation unless my wife hunts with me. Can't be too careful with what goes on in a kids mind these days. Just for kicks they say you tried to assault them, it's their word against yours, who are the police gonna believe?
maxxkatt
Forum Supporter
I hunt curb strips in older run down areas of town during the week when most homeowners are working is when I go curbsrip hunting. I wear a bright yellow contractors vest and tell the Karens that I am locating old water meters with lead solder pipes for the county.
I hunt schools when school is not in session. If the playgrounds are not fenced and locked go for it. I am finding an increasing number of school playgrounds in metro Atlanta being fenced and locked with "For school use only" signs. I find more jewelry at county and city park totlots , volleyball courts and basketball courts. These are rarely locked because they have to be available for the citizens 24/7.
Tom_in_CA
Elite Member
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Here's your cue Tom_CA!
When it comes to curb-strips, that has been debated endlessly forever on many many threads. I have no opinion on that, & nothing to add.
But when it comes to the 2nd half of your post Rcornell : Ask yourself : Can you be there (ie.: You Would not be trespassing or whatever to merely be there). Eg.: Can you jog the track, shoot hoops there, etc.... ? Ie.: is it public and not-off-limits to standing there ? If so then: If there is no law or rule that said "No md'ing", then presto : Not disallowed. You do not need "express allowance" to do this, any more than you need "express allowance" to fly frisbees (might poke someone's eye out)
Just avoid obvious historic sensitive monuments. And don't be in the middle of deep retrievals in nice manicured turf, when busy bodies are watching.
You didn’t mention that nice peaceful early morning or night time hunting to avoid busybodies!
When it comes to curb-strips, that has been debated endlessly forever on many many threads. I have no opinion on that, & nothing to add.
But when it comes to the 2nd half of your post Rcornell : Ask yourself : Can you be there (ie.: You Would not be trespassing or whatever to merely be there). Eg.: Can you jog the track, shoot hoops there, etc.... ? Ie.: is it public and not-off-limits to standing there ? If so then: If there is no law or rule that said "No md'ing", then presto : Not disallowed. You do not need "express allowance" to do this, any more than you need "express allowance" to fly frisbees (might poke someone's eye out)
Just avoid obvious historic sensitive monuments. And don't be in the middle of deep retrievals in nice manicured turf, when busy bodies are watching.
Around here school grounds used to be wide open but now most are fenced and gated after hours and on weekends.
FliesOnly
Senior Member
Since I picked up the habit...er, hobby...of metal detecting, I've always been perplexed by detecting curb-strips. What sort of curb-strips are people referring to? Are we talking in towns with buildings lining the road and a narrow strip between the sidewalk and the curb? I guess I could "see" detecting those areas and it not being a huge issue. However, I grew up in a subdivision with homes that had relatively large front yards and a curb-strip the was probably 10 feet between the sidewalk and curb. I did understand that those areas were the property of the town/city, but that the residents were required to maintain them. Having said that, I cannot not, for the life of me, imagine metal detecting those areas. I can guarantee you that every house you detected in front of would have resulted in some sort of confrontation. Maybe not a violent confrontation, but I'm as positive as I can be that the home owner would have come outside and approached you in some manner or another....and that they would definitely been pretty pissed off. I also pretty sure that me explaining that those areas are public property would have mattered not one iota. Are these the curb-strips people are referring to? Surely not? So what/where are these curb-strips that people do metal detect, and somehow or another manage not to get shot?
LovestheShiny!
Forum Supporter
@ FliesOnly - there is an easy way to avoid confrontation with a homeowner when detecting "their" portion of the curb strip, and I use it to my advantage... just go up, knock on the door, introduce yourself, mention you have the ok to detect public property (the curb strip) but that you want to be courteous and let the homeowner know you will out there, will be careful and respectful, not leave holes or make a mess. That advance notice to the homeowner is very much appreciated the vast majority of the time, and they say go ahead no problem. I also use that interaction to ask about the history of their home, and show interest in their home and neighborhood. At the same time I also ask if I can detect their front yard, again, being very respectful and neat on their private property. Probably 95% of the time I get a "yes" for that also.
If the homeowner prefers that I do not detect their portion of the curb, I just move along to the next house, skip their section, and repeat the process. I knock at EVERY door that I plan to detect the curb strip, and that has really eliminated any issues I have with being surprised by a homeowner that does not want me on the public portion of land adjacent to their private property.
If the homeowner prefers that I do not detect their portion of the curb, I just move along to the next house, skip their section, and repeat the process. I knock at EVERY door that I plan to detect the curb strip, and that has really eliminated any issues I have with being surprised by a homeowner that does not want me on the public portion of land adjacent to their private property.
Silver Saver
Senior Member
For city or county property, I check ordinances and park rules and if there are none against detecting I'm fine with detecting the public property. For curbs I check the GIS parcel maps to see if property lines extend past the sidewalk or not.
Responsible detecting is also important IMO. Well manicured parks, I'll only go for better signals to limit plugs. Dry ground, I avoid areas where dead plugs will look bad. Among other things..
On curbs, I go during low traffic/ less conspicuous times. Skip the curbs that people have landscaped. If someone has an issue, I'll apologize and move on. There are many curbs where it's bad grass/weeds, or in front of parking lots, businesses, apartments, vacant lots. There are options.
I've had cops drive by many times and stop once just to ask what I was doing. I've had more incidents of people calling the cops while I'm hunting parks/schools during daylight hours compared to incidents while hunting curbs at night hours. To each his own.
Responsible detecting is also important IMO. Well manicured parks, I'll only go for better signals to limit plugs. Dry ground, I avoid areas where dead plugs will look bad. Among other things..
On curbs, I go during low traffic/ less conspicuous times. Skip the curbs that people have landscaped. If someone has an issue, I'll apologize and move on. There are many curbs where it's bad grass/weeds, or in front of parking lots, businesses, apartments, vacant lots. There are options.
I've had cops drive by many times and stop once just to ask what I was doing. I've had more incidents of people calling the cops while I'm hunting parks/schools during daylight hours compared to incidents while hunting curbs at night hours. To each his own.
Tom_in_CA
Elite Member
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I remember as a kid, in the 1970s, that the school yards were the de facto neighborhood playgrounds. We kids would play on the monkey bars, slides, swings, etc.....
But the fences came into vogue in the later 1970s and through the 1980s. NOT because of md'rs, but because of the litigious age that we live in. As soon as someone falls off the swingset, they'll sue the school and win. Also there was vandalism like 4wd party kids spinning donuts on the turf. And sadly : Perverts might come hang out at schools. And custody dispute issues where a distraught parent is trying to pick up their kid after school lets out, blah blah
So for all these ^ ^ reasons, fences sprang up. Along with the obligatory sign at each propped open gate that says something like : Visitors check in at office, blah blah
However I've noticed that none of this stops people from still jogging the track, shooting hoops, walking their dog, etc..... There's typically still a permanently propped open gate somewhere. And IMHO : The fence & obligatory signs are so that no one can sue them if you fall of the slide and injure yourself. And so that they can "usher you on" if you were being some sort of nuisance. But beyond that, I still see people using school yards after hours.
metaladdict
Elite Member
"Recover" Ahhh! Perfect word, I love it and will use it. Thank you!
metaladdict
Elite Member
Fences can be.....Oh nevermind.
Cherry Picker
Forum Supporter
They have done the same here. You may remember a few years ago I was complaining about all the schools are now fenced in. I hadn't bother to check the gates. At first the gates had padlocks, but now they are all open. Have been for the last year now. I'm getting ready right now to start my tot lot shuffle.Fences can be.....Oh nevermind.
