Bad experiences asking for permission, after getting permission, and in public places

Barneymartin3

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Would like to share some bad experiences in just the last few years whether it was asking for permission, or after permission was granted, and detecting in public places.

1. Came across a guy remodeling an old 20's house and the yard was just dirt mainly so I stopped by the curb and got out and asked permission to metal detect (I wished I hadn't). The guy just started cursing as he approached me and told me to get the H off his property. So I did. Not very friendly.

2. Received permission to hunt a home in my birth town in a yard I used to play in in the 60's. I actually was child hood friend with the lady who owns it. After an hour hunting the yard the ladies daughter-in-law pulls into the driveway and begins cursing as she approaches me asking who I was and what I was doing. I told her I was life long friends with the lady who gave me permission but it didn't matter her. She called her husband at work to come have me removed by the police saying her mother-in-law was crazy and didn't own the home and therefore had no right to give me permission. So I left. Evidently her son and daughter-in-law was trying to take her property from her and claimed it as theirs.

3. Decided to curb strip hunt on a cold winter day figuring not people would bother me metal detecting. Within the first 30 minutes of metal detecting I got this feeling I was being watched constantly (I never wondered into any ones yard). Within minutes several City Police cars surrounded me with lights flashing. Had to present id and tell them what I was doing. Once they realized I wasn't harming anything they still asked me to leave the area so the citizens would stay calm.

4. Love hunting around churches as well as attending them. But who would thought going to a church to metal detect would end up with the police being called by nosey neighbors on two occasions, surrounded and searched, and then being told to move on.

5. Got permission to hunt an old house and was having a great day until a neighbor two houses down decides to play patrol officer and comes out on her front porch screaming at me wanting to know if I had permission to be doing what I was doing. I said yes but she called the police anyway. Luckily I didn't have to leave because the owner was home to protect me.

This is just a few bad things I have experienced in getting permission and hunting in public places. I understand why a lot folks on this site have a hard time asking for permission especially if they have had any of these experiences. If you love to metal detect don't let bad apples as these prevent you from enjoying your hobby. Remember to be safe at all times!
 
I know that things like this happen - because there are some angry people out there. But I bet the vast majority of our experiences greatly outweigh the negative ones.

I've had most of my permission experiences be very good and I've met some really nice people. And when I go curb stripping, I just expect there will be someone who doesn't like it and I'm ready to move on in those cases. But I also know some people will be curious and end up offering to let me detect their yard.
 
Thanks for sharing, people can be a pain. I've run across a few Karen's this year and I did have the cops called on me for detecting at a church. I didn't have permission but it was a big property and I was detecting a very public area around an old but still used basketball court. But they just asked me to leave, I didn't have to show ID or get searched or anything.

At another church an old guy came up (scared me, I didn't see him). He was just a neighbor who watches the property and told me he and his son had detected the place thoroughly some years ago. He was very friendly so I didn't tell him I found 3 silvers including a 1838 half dime! Another guy stopped by to talk to me at a different church. Turns out he was big into detecting for years, had to give it up because of a heart attack. We talked for over an hour with him passing on a lot of great info, especially for civil war activities in the south end of my county.

I've also had people stop to ask questions and this summer I even had a guy stop at a public place and invite me to search his property which was in the same neighborhood. I'd rather people would leave me alone but I have had several good experiences with people out detecting.
 
....I've run across a few Karen's this year and ......

... and detecting in public places.....

As far as the public places (where no permission is needed), The laments you shared are EXACTLY why I do a lot of hunting at night these days. So peaceful. So serene. My policy is that : What people don't see after they've gone to bed, won't bother them.

Presto : Problem solved. :roll:
 
As far as the public places (where no permission is needed), The laments you shared are EXACTLY why I do a lot of hunting at night these days. So peaceful. So serene. My policy is that : What people don't see after they've gone to bed, won't bother them.

Presto : Problem solved. :roll:

I take the opposite approach as detecting most of the public places around here would be suspicious at night. When at a public place I always park away from the nearest building but still at very obvious and easy to see spot. I walk around like I'm supposed to be there, just a friendly gray bearded guy metal detecting. I had a guy at a church drive his pickup truck out into the field I was detecting early this year and pull up within a few feet asking me what I was doing. I think he was trying to be menacing so I knew he meant business. I stood up, stepped over to his truck and with a smile proceeded to talk metal detecting until his eyes glazed over. I swear I almost got him to yawn he became bored so fast. Finally he said have a good day and drove back to a group of men near the church. Problem solved!

Sometimes when doing curb strips I wear an orange safety vest. I'm very obvious and it can be a safe thing on busy streets. If people want to think it means I'm doing something "official" I'm happy with that too. They usually leave me alone.

At schools and parks and curb strips I also like to wave to people walking by. But I also pretend I can't hear them with my headphones to avoid most conversations. Friendly but distant.

Just my strategy for dealing with the public...
 
Since I started detecting in the spring of 2017, I have done a TON of curb strips, and private yards w/ permission here in Montana. I try to do residential area curb strips during the week as many people are at work / not home. I do make it my policy to pretty much always knock on the door of the home I am doing the curb strip, just to be courteous and inform the homeowner I will be detecting out front on the Public property. I let them know I am not some sort of kook out to cause trouble, and will be tidy and respectful on the curb strip. I also take advantage of the visit to make a pitch to detect the homeowner's front yard, and probably 90% of the time I get that OK too.

I've had Mr. PoPo called about 6-7 times, they have always been friendly and have never been told to "move along." In fact, some of the time they go up to the complaining busybody and inform them that I am perfectly ok in detecting the boulevard strip.

I did have one total idiot go off on me, I had just knocked on the door to ask permission for the front yard, and to let the owner know I would be detecting the curb (I spoke to the wife) when the husband came home. He went insane, threatening to beat me up, call the cops, assault / battery me etc etc. I wish I had my cell phone with me as it would have been ME that called the cops. As it was, my detecting buddy and I just moved a block away and began detecting again. Funny how that whole deal worked out... I was later detecting in Missoula and the woman that gave me the OK for her yard said.. "I remember you asked at the home on ...... street. What my husband did with his threats to you finally gave me the courage to divorce him!" Karma baby.
 
If I am turned down for a permission I show up the next morning and start detecting and if told to leave I just say, OOOOhhh I thought you said it was Ok..... :heartylaugh:

J/K

:laughbounce:
 
Sometimes when doing curb strips I wear an orange safety vest. I'm very obvious and it can be a safe thing on busy streets. If people want to think it means I'm doing something "official" I'm happy with that too. They usually leave me alone.

I like to take it one step further, I carry a clipboard and wear a hard had....
:laughing:
 
.... detecting most of the public places around here would be suspicious at night.......

This assumes that anyone is out there to see you, in-the-first-place. When I'm out , after everyone's bed-time, the parks are deserted. The parking strips are a ghost-town (no pun intended), etc....
 
Some time ago I started wearing the safety bright yellow T shirt while detecting. Usually, people ignore me. Occasionally someone will stop and talk about what I'm finding. I have a buddy who's also in my wife's family. He is a supervisor in our very large utility company, and deputy fire chief. We have friends and connections with local cops, the Major utility Co. and fire depts in a few towns around here. If I was harassed while out on public property, I could use my friend's clout and or BS the person giving me trouble. Usually, I have no problems with people that just giving them a stare won't solve the issue. ;).

I really don't like using connections like I mentioned but it's there if ever needed. I've had 275 lb people doing their walk wearing expensive super tight, and I mean WAY too tight exercise outfits go by me snarling--" He shouldn't be doing that here " (in a park). :pthat's really bout the worst that's happend in the last couple years.
Some people just get possessive, like this park is their place.
 
I just got a permission at a victorian house that the yard had been scraped :no:. I was surprised how friendly the owner was! All I got was a 1919 wheat and two modern dimes.
Your article cracked me up:lol:
Sounds like you live in an area like mine where most people are suspicious and cranky.:lol:
 
Just this week I had a man try to run me off of my parents property telling me he knew the owner and KNOWS that I don't have permission to be on the property, let alone "looking for treasure".
 
Some time ago I started wearing the safety bright yellow T shirt while detecting. Usually, people ignore me.

Back years ago, when I lived in the Chicago area, a detecting buddy of mine wore one of those reflective safety vests and a generic hard hat. He never got bothered.
 
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Had a nosy neighbor ask what I was doing on a private permission I had got this fall. I said I have permission from the owners,proceed to ignore him. I watched him get on his phone and call someone,throwing his hands up and all sorts of stuff. Get a life man.
 
I have only had one bad experience with a scram.
Read about it here.

https://metaldetectingforum.com/showthread.php?t=277424

In public places I play how not to be seen.
Early mornings on weekdays for parks. Wooded areas for public owned land like city or county owned.
For Ohio state parks its the opposite. I want the powers that be to see me.
Never had a permission revoked. Never been run off a curbstrip. Most people are really nice or they look at me wierd.
 
Ive had a guy pull up to me while I guess I was doing his curb strip off his house. He informed me that I was making him nervous. I moved on but noticed his house is the only house blurred out in neighborhood on google earth


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In the two+ years detecting I've never been bothered by anyone on a private permission or public park. Guess my day will come though.. My take is act like you have the okay to be there and problems will be minimal. So far its worked.
 
.... My take is act like you have the okay to be there and problems will be minimal. So far its worked.

Correct. "Act like you own the place" and odds are : No one gives 2 sh#ts about you, nor notices you.

I think that 99% of md'rs problems (in regards to the topic of this post), is that they are "looking over their shoulder" . With a supposed notion of "what if someone sees me", or "what if someone gripes" persona.

Then what happens is passerbys pick up on that evasive body language. And it makes them think "Gee, what's that guy doing ?"

Do you see how we can be our own worst enemies ? We merely bring on the very thing we're worried about. Thus : Why this starting notion that we're doing something wrong ? ON THE CONTRARY : I happen to consider this: Right, harmless, beneficial, wise, benign, nutritious, educational, legal, etc.....

Go with THAT frame of mind. And you'll find out that, in reality, no one gives 2 sh#ts about you and your hobby. :roll:
 
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