Beautiful hunt ruined

[Beeps in my sleep]

So I live in south central Pennsylvania which is rich in history. I was able to find a site of an old Fort that Indians attacked and killed settlers and took hostages. I had to do some research to find out where this fort stood. There is a marker there that tells you where it stood but in an old measurement called Rods. I get there, eye up the ,land and know exactly where it was. So on to ask permission. The home owner was very nice however.....When I told him what I was there for and what I do he told me that it was funny I asked him. One week ago 4 high school students with shiny new detectors tore up the spot all around the monument and found nothing. He respectfully told me no they were already there found nothing and left a mess ( no wonder they found nothing, if you cant read a sign that says that it isn't at the monument). As much as I know there is something, it is his land and I understand his frustration because its a beautiful location. I used to like watching some of the digging shows but now that I lost a weeks worth of planning to newbies with no respect....I am pissed and knowing that there is some goodies out there and I can't dig them drives me so insane I want to put on a straight jacket!!! I can't wait until these shows die down and people lose interest before all of our sites are ruined by nector screamin roundness screamin civ screamin yahoos Sorry guys, I had to vent to people who would understand. Everyone else would be like so what.

 

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[TNGUNS]

I feel your frustration. Been a long time since I had the have been bitten my another metal detecting but often run into it hunting deer, rabbit and squirrels. Gates left open, cans and other trash and even property damage from idiots shooting stuff. I work at a shooting range part time and do the handgun carry classes and actually had a student ask "you mean in all the years you have been involved with shooting you have never shot up a road sign or similar". My answer was (excuse the language) "hell no". And I never have. Just a tiny bit of common sense would make a huge difference. I literally try to find some way to improve or maintain any property I am allowed to hunt. Just take a little time and pick up the trash (left by others), and report damaged fence etc. anything to be a good steward of their property.

 

[Beeps in my sleep]

I hear you TNGUNS . I take a bucket with me and collect ALL trash I find and present it to the owner which usually I get a big wow Thank you! Since a lot of the owners I go to are older aged they appreciate me cleaning their property while having fun finding things. Those guys were at the monument.. The fort was 100 feet south east. And because they don't do homework...grrrr I will stop before my trucker mouth comes out . TNGUNS I also agree with shooting up signs. I never shoot , destroy, anything. I even cover my plugs in the woods so no one or no animal becomes injured

 

[kuger]

I said this was coming the first I heard of the shows,and used to "mix it up",on here about it.It was bad enough before the shows,but now we have 2x the ye-hoo'sout like money hungry Honey Badgers and things like you just had happen...happen.Its only going to get worse

 

[Beeps in my sleep]

I know Kuger and the worst part is....current currency is not what I am there for. I am there for evidence of a historical fight. Chances are if they found anything other than money they would have pitched it anyway. I have seen people throw away musket balls, buttons, anything they dont believe is valuable. The most valuable things are not the quarter you get as change at Mcdonalds.. its something someone generations ago used or held in their own hands. Thats why i stay away from beaches and public parks.

 

[CoilyGirl]

I'm sorry your experience was ruined by a bunch of thugs like that who weren't respectful of the property.That happened to us once when we found and asked for permission on a pretty sweet spot on a main thoroughfare.I guess others saw us looking and felt that it must be okay for them and they left huge holes.We think they snuck in at night. A few days after "NO TRESSPASSING"signs were posted.

 

[TNGUNS]

Even with no experience or any attempt to figure how it SHOULD be done, you would think common sense would tell the idiots to cut plugs and cover their holes.

 

[Beeps in my sleep]

Site looked like a family of ground hogs lived there...They didn't use lesche knives or anything to carefully dig. They used shovels and just let dirt lay. I know I am new to the forum but 4 years ago when I started detecting....the first thing I was taught was how to appear like a ninja.. you were never there. I wasn't allowed to use the detector until I could demonstrate to the guy who taught me how to dig a plug and put it back and fluff the grass so that no evidence is there.

 

[lookindown]

So I live in south central Pennsylvania which is rich in history. I was able to find a site of an old Fort that Indians attacked and killed settlers and took hostages. I had to do some research to find out where this fort stood. There is a marker there that tells you where it stood but in an old measurement called Rods. I get there, eye up the ,land and know exactly where it was. So on to ask permission. The home owner was very nice however.....When I told him what I was there for and what I do he told me that it was funny I asked him. One week ago 4 high school students with shiny new detectors tore up the spot all around the monument and found nothing. He respectfully told me no they were already there found nothing and left a mess ( no wonder they found nothing, if you cant read a sign that says that it isn't at the monument). As much as I know there is something, it is his land and I understand his frustration because its a beautiful location. I used to like watching some of the digging shows but now that I lost a weeks worth of planning to newbies with no respect....I am pissed and knowing that there is some goodies out there and I can't dig them drives me so insane I want to put on a straight jacket!!! I can't wait until these shows die down and people lose interest before all of our sites are ruined by nector screamin roundness screamin civ screamin yahoos Sorry guys, I had to vent to people who would understand. Everyone else would be like so what.

Why are you blaming the TV shows for what those idiots did at your potential site?

 

[Ronzie]

Why are you blaming the TV shows for what those idiots did at your potential site?

Because the shows Diggers & American Diggers don't teach anything about proper ethics.

 

[old digger]

Maybe if you went back and asked the owner if you could clean up their mess and plant a couple handfuls of grass seed, in lieu of searching the original spot. Just a thought!

Show up with a rake and the grass seed.

 

[Beeps in my sleep]

Old Digger great Idea except we are into fall weather now here in PA. It is dry as hell. I would do butler duty for a week to detect that place. I will try again in the spring. I am persistent haha

 

[BC1969]

Hey I hear you all the way over here in Michigan, yelling about that, it's sad that some people just do not care about others property, I cant tell you how many times I have asked to hunt some private property to hear exactly what you did, " well it was all nice and pretty last night, but this morning there were holes everywhere and bits and pieces of rusty metal all over the place, and empty beer cans".
Once people get that image in their heads about detectorists, well you know how it goes, once one has been found guilty, any that come after in any scenario, they will do the same.
Sucks how a few bad apples, can ruin it for the rest of us.

You can always try what I came up with when faced with this issue, get a vid cam, make a video of yourself, and your carefull recovery methods, I can detect a manicured lawn, and when I am done, you cannot tell I was ever there, load it up on your phone or a tablet like I do, say hey, in the most polite, sincere way you can, I am not like that, I am a professional at what I do, just look at this little video of what I do, and how I do it.
that works for me about 40% of the time, but hey! 40% is better than saying ok thank you anyway and walking away.

Mike

 

[Muddyhandz]

This is happening more and more these days.
Still, I wouldn't accept defeat so easily.
Those punks were digging in the wrong spot so therefore the "There's nothing there" doesn't apply to where you want to hunt.
I would go and show the landowner your research and tell him your interests in documenting history through a respectful method of extraction (don't mention digging) and how you would leave the place better than it was, chase out trespassers, haul out trash, etc.
If he doesn't change his mind, I would give one last speech before leaving.....
"It's not fair that someone who has good morals and the respect to come to you face to face asking for permission, should suffer from the bad actions of a bunch kids who have no conscious or experience whatsoever. Those kids do NOT represent me or this great hobby.
Neither do any of these reality shows on television. Give me a chance to prove to you that I'm for real and that I take great care in what I do."
Or something like that.
Maybe he'll change his mind.
Cheers,
Dave.

 

[Rogerv]

All it takes is a couple of ass-buckets to screw it up for everybody. That is why most of the shows on TV about detecting are bad for the hobby the only decent one Ive seen is diggers and they jump around too much for me.

 

[RGINN]

You can tell the landowner all the great things you gonna do to further the preservation of history, conserve the site, respect the land, blah, blah, blah, which is all good lip service to the cause. How bout invite the landowner to come along side you while you hunt?

 

[bzbadger]

Beep Id have to agree with the fix the area up and plant some seed, right now the grass is seeding and at least it would show the owner what a good detectorist does and that goes a long way with people especially in today's times. I agree about the shows but only partially, the Diggers show actually has an onsite archaeologist named Culpepper and she makes sure everything is done by the book but I think Tim and George should dedicate a couple shows on how to dig and fill the holes and explain why it is so important-that would help us out a lot since so many are getting the idea to detect from shows why not let the show educate. We all know those guys are doing like we do, we know because we do but the public who isn't informed think hey dig a hole and find shiny stuff and walk away yelling and whooping, they don't see the guys filling and masking the dig. maybe if we wrote in to the producers of the show or to Nat Geo it would get them to do such a thing.

 

[lookindown]

Beep Id have to agree with the fix the area up and plant some seed, right now the grass is seeding and at least it would show the owner what a good detectorist does and that goes a long way with people especially in today's times. I agree about the shows but only partially, the Diggers show actually has an onsite archaeologist named Culpepper and she makes sure everything is done by the book but I think Tim and George should dedicate a couple shows on how to dig and fill the holes and explain why it is so important-that would help us out a lot since so many are getting the idea to detect from shows why not let the show educate. We all know those guys are doing like we do, we know because we do but the public who isn't informed think hey dig a hole and find shiny stuff and walk away yelling and whooping, they don't see the guys filling and masking the dig. maybe if we wrote in to the producers of the show or to Nat Geo it would get them to do such a thing.

It wouldn't hurt to show them filling holes but most people would know that without being shown. The type of person that leaves holes would leave holes whether they know its wrong or not...just like everyone knows its wrong to throw trash on the ground but some still do.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

So I live in south central Pennsylvania which is rich in history. I was able to find a site of an old Fort that Indians attacked and killed settlers and took hostages. I had to do some research to find out where this fort stood. There is a marker there that tells you where it stood but in an old measurement called Rods. I get there, eye up the ,land and know exactly where it was. So on to ask permission. The home owner was very nice however.....When I told him what I was there for and what I do he told me that it was funny I asked him. One week ago 4 high school students with shiny new detectors tore up the spot all around the monument and found nothing. He respectfully told me no they were already there found nothing and left a mess ( no wonder they found nothing, if you cant read a sign that says that it isn't at the monument). As much as I know there is something, it is his land and I understand his frustration because its a beautiful location. I used to like watching some of the digging shows but now that I lost a weeks worth of planning to newbies with no respect....I am pissed and knowing that there is some goodies out there and I can't dig them drives me so insane I want to put on a straight jacket!!! I can't wait until these shows die down and people lose interest before all of our sites are ruined by nector screamin roundness screamin civ screamin yahoos Sorry guys, I had to vent to people who would understand. Everyone else would be like so what.

Go back and talk to him again, offer him some money as good faith that you will respect his property. If I knew for sure there was potential for good targets I would have no problem offering him a little cash as a sign of good faith.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

 

[releventchair]

You can tell the landowner all the great things you gonna do to further the preservation of history, conserve the site, respect the land, blah, blah, blah, which is all good lip service to the cause. How bout invite the landowner to come along side you while you hunt?

This.