I once met a fellow while detecting. He pulled over the side of a country road, when he saw me md'ing in field (where an 1830's adobe had once stood). He had just bought a detector, and ... since he saw me out along-side the country road, he whipped over and started asking questions.
We exchanged ph. #'s and email addresses. And over the course of the next 6 months or so, I lent him tips about his machine, and exchanged chit-chat about sites in his area he was researching. At a certain point he announced that we "had permission" to detect a certain ... uh .... "highly sensitive" historic monument in our area. Turns out that his wife was on the "flower committee" volunteer ladies, who tended the decorative gardens at this monument historic site. She had gone to her superior volunteer committee person and said "my husband would like to metal detect here".
That upper person had said "sure". And thus, my friend came to me boldly announcing our "permission". I challenged him and said that I didn't think that... whomever his wife was talking to, had that authority. But he insisted that it was fine, they were high-ranking, etc... So ... I didn't argue.
We showed up. I found a rare phoenix button, and was beginning to find other cool things (mankiller ball, etc...). Before long, someone in the adjoining museums spotted us, and came out to read us the riot act. My friend tried to explain our "permission". The confused curator museum person retreated back into the buildings, and we continued to detect. A few minutes later they emerged again (apparently after having made some calls) and ... you guessed it ... our "permission" was promptly over-turned.
As we courteously accepted this information and were preparing to leave, I fully expected them to say "give us all that you found". But that never entered the conversation. The button stayed in my pouch. No questions were ever asked. I would have gladly given it over. But that was never a part of the conversation . So sad
