New to MDing and have some questions...

lidigger

Full Member
Sep 4, 2010
155
3
Savannah, GA
Detector(s) used
Minelab Excalibur, White's BeachHunter 300, White's Prizm IV, White's Bullseye II Pointer (x2)
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
New to MD'ing and have some questions...

Hi All,

I am new to metal detecting, having just got a Garrett GTI 2500 a little over a week ago, (although I have not yet had a chance to turn it on). I've wanted one since I was 8, and now I am 42, so I am anxious to start. Hopefully this weekend will be nice.

Anyway, I just wanted some advice. Nearly every night I read the 'Today's Finds' section of the site, which helps get me excited about this new hobby. I often read about members who go to the local 'tot-lot', baseball field or a school. Is it correct to assume that since the tot-lot and baseball field are publicly owned that it is okay to dig? I'm pretty sure after having asked around that there are no local laws against this. I also know that the code-of-ethics is for you to fill in any hole that is dug. Obviously I'd wait until later in the day or in the morning when no one is there. Where would you look on a baseball field? My guess is underneath any bleachers or by the sidelines where people would stand. Any other places? The tot-lot is pretty easy to figure out.

How about schools? School is in session right now and I know that there is weekends and late during the day, but where could you dig without being a nuisance to them? I'm sure if anyone was there, I'd get run off.

And the big question, is where to go to search out historic areas. If I had to take a guess, I'd say check to find the history on a local area on the internet and/or in a library and then Google Earth it. Am I missing anything? Again, I am new and hate to sound naive but do not want to miss any opportunities.

I will have to get over some shyness in regards to approaching home owners about going on their property. We have some older homes here on Long Island and out east is where the farms are.

A final question. Lately there are a lot of roads being expanded around here as well as large areas of woods being torn down for new buildings. Once these areas are down, after being wiped clean, they must put down dirt as it looks very clean and very cleared. Would this be a good area to go hunting in? There's nothing in your way and what was once there was basically virgin area at least for the last 70+ (or more) years. Or is their top fill going to cause anything to be too deep in the ground. These guys usually do not work on the weekends which would give me time to hit there.

That's it for now. Just a lot of questions from a newbie. If you have any other advice, I would appreciate you passing it along. And if you read this far, then you are probably a cool person and are pretty into metal detecting. I travel throughout the New England, New York and New Jersey - as well as Long Island. I'd love to meet up with other diggers, explore new places and learn about the history of the areas I travel into.

Thank you again,

Chris Jett / LI Digger
 

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Re: New to MD'ing and have some questions...

Welcome to the club!

Sounds like you're doing well already. :thumbsup:

Baseball fields - - try where the onlookers congregate - 1st and 3rd base lines.
Try REAL ESTATE sites, such a Zillow.com, and look for the DATES the houses
were built in your area.

More tips at:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/35315246/Internet-Maps-Sites-and-Metal-Detecting
 

Re: New to MD'ing and have some questions...

The questions about what places are good to hunt, where and how to find historic places to go, etc... will "fill a book". But to answer your question on hunting public parks, if you characterize your hobby as "digging", then no, it is not ok, nor will you ever likely ever get an ok to "dig" in any public park, school, or tot-lot. I mean, think of it, if you show up at any park's dept, and ask: "can I dig holes in the park?" what do you THINK they are going to say? ::) Thus the problem, is with your characterization and wording of the question itself. Because if you/we think of ourselves as automatically destructive (let's face it, that's the immediate connotaion of "dig", isn't it?) then it's a lost cause.

To me, I do not consider destruction and vandalism clauses .... and even "digging" clauses (if there are such exact wordings) ... to apply to us. Because to think so, you will loose before you even start. To me, if I know that I will leave no trace of my presence, then to me, that's good enough.

If anyone answers your question by citing examples of how they got "permission" to hunt their local tot-lot or school or whatever, it merely means they didn't ask the bureaucrat with the right mental indicators and buzzwords. Ie.: be sure to mention "treasure" and "city valuables for your own mantle-place", "holes" and "ARPA", and see how quickly their "yes" will turn to a "no" :-[

Odds are, very few people care less, as long as you're not being some sort of a nuisance. Sure you'll get busy-bodies now and then. Just gotta have a tough skin, and go at discreet times (which you already mentioned you're aware of going at low traffic times, to avoid busy-bodies.)
 

Re: New to MD'ing and have some questions...

Tom is right on.

I do see a newbie now and then breaking one of MY commandments. But I get very conciliatory and persuade them to learn new habits.

We don't hunt schoolyards on weekdays here, except for a couple lazy-a$$ gold-diggers who will not listen to reason and still find nothing. So I think they will find this a short-lived hobby for themselves.

We do ask each other what we know about local laws, and trust in each others knowledge of the same.

We do not cold call any bureaucrat anywhere. That is nonsense. We've lost sites that were once very huntable because a couple local clubs just had to go through the "proper permission routine" and let everyone in the red-tape chain know that this hobby had an actual active following.

We have fun, and I personally engage any interested passersby in pleasantries and discourse on local history and the public service aspects of the hobby and especially take advantage of those "magic" opportunites. Those are when someone marginally interested has a kid who becomes struck with the prospect of treasure hunting. Always a winner unless you're possessed of an unpleasant nature yourself.

That said, I try to avoid most places with crowds, the beaches being the only exception.

And remember, few people will stoop to pick up a penny on the sidewalk. You've joined the group who actually seek out those lost and discarded pennies. The moral argument here is that if that penny on the sidewalk lay unclaimed and no one, including "the people" demonstrates an interest in it, what is anyones argument against you picking it up or actually seeking out the lost pennies?
 

Re: New to MD'ing and have some questions...

I totally agree with the above guys... and take treasure AND TRASH with you and leave ONLY FOOTPRINTS behind! TTC
 

Re: New to MD'ing and have some questions...

Like everyone else said. I have lots of success in the parking lots of ballparks if they are dirt or gravel. Ballplayers can drop items items taking their equipment in and out of their cars.
HH
enamel7
 

Re: New to MD'ing and have some questions...

What everyone else said! I believe tot lots and modern parks a good place to hone your skills and test new detectors. Other than that, you seem to be on the right track!
HH, Doc
 

Re: New to MD'ing and have some questions...

Practice digging plugs, and use a pinpointer it will save a lot of digging U shaped plugs are preferred leaving a area withe roots still attached!!!! If the soil is real dry and crumbling it may be better to dig that area when it rains some more Just be respectful of the parks and they will Pay you back and you wont have ppl complaining that you are tearing up the park!!!!

I have grounds ppl telling me where the People are hanging out after watching me dig a plug !!! Yes it takes practice !!!! HH Chug

Also they may give you leads to other parks that are not hunted much!!! I got one the other day!!!! and hit it today found a few dollars in clad and a couple of other things I'm looking at the soil is really dry and I'm going to be hitting this area hard after a few more rains!!!
 

Re: New to MD'ing and have some questions...

Chug and Red said:
Practice digging plugs, and use a pinpointer it will save a lot of digging U shaped plugs are preferred leaving a area withe roots still attached!!!! If the soil is real dry and crumbling it may be better to dig that area when it rains some more Just be respectful of the parks and they will Pay you back and you wont have ppl complaining that you are tearing up the park!!!!

I have grounds ppl telling me where the People are hanging out after watching me dig a plug !!! Yes it takes practice !!!! HH Chug

Also they may give you leads to other parks that are not hunted much!!! I got one the other day!!!! and hit it today found a few dollars in clad and a couple of other things I'm looking at the soil is really dry and I'm going to be hitting this area hard after a few more rains!!!
But most importantly;


"Practice digging plugs, Chug and Red


Tread lightly
 

Re: New to MD'ing and have some questions...

welcome to the hobby. ballfields are a great place to detect and a great place to get used to your machine, there's always some type of clad layin around so you'll learn what to look for and listen to.infact the first silver ring i found was in a ballfield. the gti 2500 is a great machine and easy ta use, i have the gti 1500 which basically has the same features. just remember that the best way ta learn your machine is time with your machine. good luck and happy hunting
 

Re: New to MD'ing and have some questions...

I haven't read all the responses here, but when I first started detecting I found most of the quarters behind the backstop at home plate. On all of the local ball parks there is a grass strip between there and the sidewalk. All the dads congregate there and the little kids are always running up and asking for money for soda or candy, etc. and a lot of change is dropped when dad absentmindedly digs out change. Ditto the grassy area between the bleachers and the fence. On tot lots look any place where a parent might stand to assist a kid on the slide or jungle jims for instance. Also, try some distance back from the swings where the parents stand to push the little kids. And right up against the sidewalks has paid off for me. At schools check any grassy area adjacent to a ticket booth at althletic arenas or fields and along the fences near the end zones where people often stand. Monty
 

Re: New to MD'ing and have some questions...

Thank you all for so much information. This forum has really been an inspiration to me. Glad to be a member!
 

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