Have you ever encountered shady people while hunting alone?

[Dutch]

I was wondering how many of you have encountered a freaky or shady character while out detecting by yourself.
I have not yet, since I just recently started, but it's always on my mind when I go away from civilization.
For this reason I will carry a gun with me outside of town, and a mace gun if I am in town. Paranoid, maybe, but you know the saying,
Better have it and not need it...
Anyway, just wanted to see if anyone has a good story here about this topic.

Sam

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

A History of Mining on the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska - Grab it through Amazon!

[mamabear]

i am a firm believer in "911". i don't fear anyone.....I'll let the cops do what they love to do - giving bad people really a bad day. if push comes to shove they can tell the cops why my digger is stuck in their eye socket. luckily, the worst i had to deal with so far is a bunch of smart ass teenagers.....

where I live, it takes about 45 min. for the sheriff to get to you. If you are lucky, 20. by then it could be to late. I mostly take mine cuz of animals, but - -

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

How to Research for Treasure Hunting and Metal Detecting From Lead Generation to Vetting - Grab it through Amazon!

[GrayCloud]

I am not scared of any man. That being said, a hundred pound dopehead punk can kill you with a 22 pistol. Yes I pack when the saturation demands it.
I always pack when in the woods. It is too easy to disturd a mama bear and she can get a little feisty. This past Winter I had a whitetail buck charge me. Two of my hunting buddies (who are members here) saw him and hollered at me to watch out. I was down digging and raised up at the last second. Probably saved my bacon, as the deer half way jump over me. Things like that kinda make your knees feel wobbly.

 

[Jazdo]

I am in the Military,but have never felt the need to carry a gun while
detecting,Indian Artifact huntin,or just Canoeing.

I guess I have never felt threatened while I was out,but I have seen a
black somethin runnin across a creek,and up a 15 foot embankment
like it was nothin from 100 yards.

I have had people watch me detect from children to old,but have
never felt like they would clobber me from behind..

Maybe someone else has had different outcomes,but all in all I have
not really encountered shady people hunting alone.

 

[Coins4Cheese]

Nope, not at all. The crime rate is so low here, I leave my MD and my MDing gear outside McDonald's when I want a quick bite.

 

[Sandman]

A lot depends on the area you are hunting too. But bad things can happen to good people anywhere. I don't like to carry, but have. In the water now I naturally don't but have my Sunspot scoop to swing if needed. While in the water wading I'll turn my baseball hat sideways and sometimes talk to myself. This gets the moms to call their lil kids away from the crazy person so I can hunt in peace.

 

[Jeep]

All people are shady to me, so yes.

Why?

 

[fmerg]

this is a long story but i will try and make it short
back in 2006 me and my son were fishing a 1/2 mile from the nearest rd
i was attacked by 5 kids ages 12 to 15
one kid had hide behind a tree and when i walked past he used a rock on me knocking me down
ounce down the other lid then hit me a second time
they then took my car keys and left
on the way out of the woods they seen someone else walking in who asked if they seen any fish jumping
one replied "only dead ones"
when i went to court with one of the kids he had at lest 5 other people who had charges against him one was were the kid stole a hand gun and shot at someone
under the law this kid could only be sentenced to 1 yr due to his age and it was the second time he was sent away for a year he was only out for 30 days
now i will not hesitate to take down any one who seems the lest bit aggressive

 

[ihpennyfan]

Not any problems yet. There have been a few cars just sit and watch after they have seen what your doing.

 

[apush]

I have a bit of mixed emotions concerning this post. I am a newby and the advice in one of the many posts I have read is sound: keep aware of your surroundings. The other day I found myself so engrossed in detecting that I never noticed a family approach the park I was working. Geez! I am not generally a nervous type person (I am an assistant principal at a high school and well, one obtains a tough skin in that job), but it did kind of freak me out that I was so unaware of what was going on around me. I like to think that people are basically "good;" and that they will do the right thing. But, I know that humanity does not always play by the golden rule.

 

[archer48]

Carrying a gun is not a bad thing.......People think you are out digging up buried treasure......I don't want to be the headline in the paper....."Man metal detecting killed by crack head gang in local park" I'd rather read "One man attacked by three crack head thugs in local park....the One man walked away the crack heads met THE JUDGE"

 

[oneeye]

I would rather be judged by 12 than carried by 6.
Dan

 

[jeff of pa]

I'd rather Look at the Rosie side of Life

Then Live my life with Mistrust in My Heart

But to each his Own.

 

[Shortstack]

I'd rather Look at the Rosie side of Life
Then Live my life with Mistrust in My Heart

But to each his Own.

Jeff, that's all well and good, but the problem is everyone ELSE doesn't think that way. It's sad, but there are folks "out there" who consider their "rosie side of life" includes whatever is in YOUR pocket.

I don't have much, but shame on the S.O.B. who tries to take it. Some people will say that no money or detector is worth killing someone over and that is true. The real problem is you do not know if they would STOP with just taking your "things". So, back to square one; may the best shot win.

One problem that I have while detecting is that my RATphones seal out extraneous noises so well, that I have to remember to look around every few seconds to stay aware of what's going on around me. I'm thinking of doing the "crazy" routine. Every couple of minutes or so, I'll rear back my head and growl at the sky as loud as possible. That should do it.

 

[GrayCloud]

Jeff, you must hunt with a large pack to be so secure.

 

[jeff of pa]

Jeff, you must hunt with a large pack to be so secure.

No I just Don't have any fear.

Has to do with how I Was brought up
and where I Live.

Yes I am aware Not all areas are the same,
But what is burned into my Brain
from Expierence is "it can't happen to me"

 

[bilt46]

YES Lots, but no major problems...
I am more bothered by the unleashed dogs...

 

[DirtyMike]

Well I have walked up on a black bear on two occasions. They both ran away from me. And about a month and a half ago I was digging one of my favorite spots. When I walked up on these four older teenage kids in the woods. 3 Boys and a girl. They appeared to be up to no good. So I turned and started walking away. As I turned I noticed they got up and left just as fast as I was turning. So I decided to keep on digging. Well about a half an hour goes by and (I cant hear anything with my head phones on) I turn around with this mean looking kid right behind me and his 2 buddies behind him. So I turn off my machine, slide back my headphones, and prepare to defend myself with my shovel. Just as the kid is stepping toward me and I go to swing the shovel, he says "HEY DUDE, I ALWAYS WANTED TO TRY OUT METAL DETECTING. WANT TO GET HIGH?" and tried to pass me his burning doobie.... I laughed and told him I was good. He apologized and walked off. Weird! That's about as shady as its gotten for me.

 

[jeff of pa]

Well I have walked up on a black bear on two occasions. They both ran away from me. And about a month and a half ago I was digging one of my favorite spots. When I walked up on these four older teenage kids in the woods. 3 Boys and a girl. They appeared to be up to no good. So I turned and started walking away. As I turned I noticed they got up and left just as fast as I was turning. So I decided to keep on digging. Well about a half an hour goes by and (I cant hear anything with my head phones on) I turn around with this mean looking kid right behind me and his 2 buddies behind him. So I turn off my machine, slide back my headphones, and prepare to defend myself with my shovel. Just as the kid is stepping toward me and I go to swing the shovel, he says "HEY DUDE, I ALWAYS WANTED TO TRY OUT METAL DETECTING. WANT TO GET HIGH?" and tried to pass me his burning doobie.... I laughed and told him I was good. He apologized and walked off. Weird! That's about as shady as its gotten for me.

I Have walked up on a black bear on one occasion.
He reared up in front of me on 2 Legs Before I Noticed him.
We both Froze, He got back down on all fours & I
could tell by his movements he was debating whether to
turn & Run or not.
I Took 2 steps Back he walked in a circle & sat down.
So I turned around and walked back to my place
and Brought My Nephew back.
The bear was still there, So I Got to
show him a Bear in the wild.

"WANT TO GET HIGH?" dosn't surprise me either.

 

[Sand-duner]

I carry when I'm out, especially in areas I'm not familiar with, whether it's baseball fields or the beach. I have my concealed permit, so I'm well within my rights to carry. If someone suspicious comes into view, I just pretend I'm stopping for a sec to take a drink of water/soda/coffee or maybe tying my shoe (ankle holstered .25 cal), or suddenly reach for and flip open the cell with my hand on my waist (waist mounted .45 ACP) and pretend to have a conversation. I also make it a habit to look up and do a "360" every few minutes just to see if anyone new has come in the area. I haven't had anything more than a friendly "find anything?" yet while out, so I consider myself lucky for that, but as many of you would agree... Better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it!

On an unrelated note, I (as well as several others) also carry into work. I work in one of the most dangerous areas of Jacksonville. 9 shootings last month alone within a 5 mile radius... My boss also carries... Everyone feels safe where I work at

 

[archer48]

Hey Sand-duner.....sounds like you work in the part of town they used to call Zone 3....Fairfax...Myrtle Ave and 21st St....down in the 09 zip code.....I've been working down there for years. Seen alot of stuff "in the hood"....you ride down in them parts and even on a sunny day it gets dark.......evil is on every corner. If you work a day down there and don't hear a gun shot or two you feel like the day is not complete. I do pest control for the State of Florida for elderly people...went to a house one day and this big brother came to the door and said, "What you want?".....told him I was here to spray his grammas house and he says, "Come on in". Got to the back porch and the whole neighborhood was leaned back in chairs smokin crack and drinking...the bid dude steps in the doorway and tells them to get out that I was here to spray his grammas house....they did not move....he told them one more time with no response...he reached around the corner and picked up a baseball bat and went to swinging......they like to tore the screen door down baling off the back porch...it was hilarious.....................Came back a month later the guy opens the door with a big smile on his face and tells me to come on in and then proceeds to tell me how proud his gramma is not having to fight them roaches anymore. I sprayed inside and opened the back porch door and stood in the doorway.......they looked at me about 1.75 seconds and jumped up and ran out the like they were on fire. It was like I was JSO coming to get them.