First time I have been run off

[thebirdflu]

I think you fellow MD'ers will get a kick out of this:

I went out for a quick hunt this morning at the public park next to my workplace. I was going to try sifting a little dirt under the football field bleachers. There were some high school girls practicing softball on the baseball field on the other side of the football field. I didn't have any luck under the bleachers and it was time for me to go so I started making my way back to my vehicle. The little league baseball field is between the football field and my vehicle so I left my MD on as I walked back. I found one target on the ungroomed infield and started digging. As I was digging the softball coach walked all the way over to me from the other field and said that I shouldn't be digging on "their" field. I said, "I thought you were practicing on the other field." She said, "We are but we're going to start using this field next week. I don't think you're going to find anything here anyways. So I don't want you to dig a bunch of holes here." It was time for me to go anyways so I recovered my stinky zincoln target and filled in the hole. As she walked off she said, "I don't know what you have on you anyways..." WTH? I didn't give her any attitude. I just walked back to my Jeep and packed up.

OK, let's recap:
1. It's a public park.
2. I know there are no laws again MD in this town. In fact I got explicit permission to detect public property from the city administrator himself!
3. I was walking on an unused, ungroomed field.
4. I wasn't within 50 yds of anyone.

And she decided that I shouldn't be detecting

I know she thinks she accomplished something by running me off. She can say she won the battle but she didn't win the war. The ONLY reason I left is because it was time for me to go anyways. I'm going to go back again whenever I feel like it, except when the field is actually groomed for a game. I've played softball for years and I haven't seen a field that didn't have broken glass, sharp metal, and rocks... I wish I had found some before she stopped me. I would have told her that I'll just put all of it back on the field when I leave.

Have a good day and good luck hunting!

 

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[Red James Cash]

You should of thrown her the penny and told her to stick it.

 

[MrMikeJackie]

I usually respond to every question or statement with a "yes" and smile. After a while they get so aggravated they just leave me alone. Sometimes I make believe they aren't there. They will actually stand there for a good 15 minutes ranting and raving and I totally make believe I don't know they are there. Priceless.

 

[justdon]

I agree because you start feeling and looking stupid when you are arguing by yourself.I just keep on the headphones and continue to hunt.

 

[lookindown]

Should have told her that you cant tell where you have detected because you leave no holes and tear nothing up. Ask her what she is going to do about her players cleats tearing the field up. Tell her you do no damage, yet the players tear the field all to hell and make no attempt to repair the damage. Leaving without saying anything made you look guilty of something. She thinks she ran you off and now she will be even tougher next time.

 

[BigWaveDave]

Learn "I don't understand" in sign language, works everytime.

 

[BC1969]

Yo no hablo ingles.

Mike

 

[allen_idaho]

Geez. I guess softball coaches have a lot more authority these days than they used to...

 

[sponge]

Learn "I don't understand" in sign language, works everytime.

Im learning that one.

sponge using smoke signals.

 

[thebirdflu]

Geez. I guess softball coaches have a lot more authority these days than they used to...

You would be surprised... One of the "public" fields at my hometown public park is continuously locked up so that only the local high school and college teams can use it. I'm glad my taxes pay for that.

As far as this particular field goes I'm going to go back. She didn't succeed in anything. If she wants to get the police involved too then I'm all for it. I know the towns police chief and a couple of the officers... They and THE LAW won't support her opinion.

 

[Frankn]

I don't think you were wrong, but I never hunt a field that is used by a school during school hours. Avoids a lot of contention. Just my way. Frank...-

 

[Msbeepbeep]

We have two fields here that are locked most of the time, I go early Sunday mornings great if they are open, if not I go else where and I'm gone before they ever show up for practice.
Today I was on another field that has a sign saying you can't play on the field without permission, fortunately I walk while detecting the same as anyone else walking across it. I leave no trace I've been there. They would have a very hard time telling me just where I had been on "their" field, they can't. The team started showing up as I was leaving. I had a short pleasant conversation with one of the women, they had no problem with me being there.

I think part of the problem we have is we are blamed for what "everybody" else does because we stand out, we are doing something different, that most people don't understand, and it is easy to blame us.

Don't give up it's your field too.

 

[Keppy]

Well i hate to say this but detecting on the infield is out of the question for me … And after doing this for some 40 plus years and i saw you on the infield detecting …. I would have asked you man please don't detect the infield …

 

[Keppy]

You would be surprised... One of the "public" fields at my hometown public park is continuously locked up so that only the local high school and college teams can use it. I'm glad my taxes pay for that.

As far as this particular field goes I'm going to go back. She didn't succeed in anything. If she wants to get the police involved too then I'm all for it. I know the towns police chief and a couple of the officers... They and THE LAW won't support her opinion.

.. My self i think they will support her when you were digging on the infield ……. Now you want to get the law involved … You might get a surprise you don't want….. There are times that for the ones that detect we make our own problems...

 

[thebirdflu]

Well i hate to say this but detecting on the infield is out of the question for me … And after doing this for some 40 plus years and i saw you on the infield detecting …. I would have asked you man please don't detect the infield …

I wouldn't detect a field that was in use or about to be used. This field hadn't been used in weeks. They are going to use it in the coming week but the infield needs to be dragged first. Dragging the infield would remove any traces that I was there.

IMO, personally as a player I would be more concerned about plugs in the outfield grass. If the plugs were loose or if it hasn't rained in a while then that would be a hazard to players who could trip on them. The infield gets worked over before the game so it would fill in any plugs and smooth over the surface.

I'm not sweating over it. There are other places for me to go. That field is not my only option. It's more about the presumption of authority that she had that irked me.

 

[thebirdflu]

Keppy I respect your opinion and your experience, but I read here all of the time about how infields along the base lines are good spots to detect. Are you saying they should be left alone?

 

[Diggin-N-Dumps]

dont sweat it...you cant take the biitch out of a biitch