People avoidance is hindering my detecting!

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It sounds like a personal preference. People don't bother me, I try to pick parks with little to no activity if I do not have a permission lined up. I do keep one ear uncupped by my headphones when I am near people just so I can stay alert. Heck I was hunting one time at a grade school one Sunday mid morning. I was about 10 ft away from the parking lot when I noticed a police pull up from te corner of my eye. I acted like I did not notice him and after a few minutes he beeped his horn. When I walked over to him he asked if I was having any luck and then asked if I seen a big dog on the loose. He was checking up on a call from a concerned neighbor. I did not see a dog during the time I was at the school, he wished me luck and I continued my hunt. The times I leave a site is when the kids from the other side of the park run over and swarm around me to the point they get in the way of my coil sweeps and you can't see what's in the hole since there are 3 or 4 other heads peaking in below mine.

You do what you are comfortable with. You only have to please yourself (unless your married) then it's all about her feelings. :tongue3:
 

Every now and then someone might come past me in a canoe or Kayak when I am in the water but they usually just wave and paddle faster. I don't have any parks or public places here to speak. My whole city is a battlefield so you hunt publicly its in a yard outside designated National park lines. I hunt properties that border Chickamauga Military park but always know where the boundary markers are and never ever cross those or you are history!
 

I'm guessing you are young?
When you get to 60 you could not care less what anyone thinks

as for the babydolls, I find that they come up most often to ask if I found anything ( It may just be my amazing bod)
 

jeff-gordon said:
I'm guessing you are young?
When you get to 60 you could not care less what anyone thinks

as for the babydolls, I find that they come up most often to ask if I found anything ( It may just be my amazing bod)
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I could care less what anyone thinks.
That's not it.
It what i think. :)
I enjoy the peace...
NOW... If it is another detectorist ... i will stop.
But this is very rare.
I see a detectorist i work away.
IF they approach... i work away faster :P lol j/k... well kinda.

I am just a figure in the mist... ONWARD THROUGH THE FOG !
 

I have no problems with people watching me. That said, I never dig good targets in front of them. I learned early on that digging good targets with people around only keeps them lingering and waiting to see what comes up next. If you dig trash in front of them they tend to get bored pretty quick and move on.
 

another good crowd dissipater is to announce " I have to pee" then reach down to unzip
 

Oh... and as far as the "babydolls"... my girl detects with me 99% of time.
And she is a baby doll. :)
I went out of my way to meet a detectorist one time... ever.
And met 2...
From here.
They are the only 2 people whom I have ever met from here.
Even though brief.
Itwas a good day... and i enjoyed meeting them.
 

I felt uneasy when people watched me when I first started, but fought through the feeling........The only time I leave a site now is when it's a tot lot and the kids show up to use the equipment in the area I'm detecting.........then I move to another area of the tot lot...................
 

Another way of looking at it is...
I am giving people THEIR space as well.

I am not one to go in "entitled" to detect around people.
Even if i have that right...
Does not mean i should exercise it.

Out of respect.
 

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Thanks for the feedback, guys. It makes me feel better to know that I'm not the only one that dislikes the general public.

I notice a few guys have brought up incedents of people messing with or bothering them. This has not happened to me. Although I am not a jerk, I have been described as an intimidating person, so maybe that's a blessing lol. It's simply the people being there that bothers me. My wife does all the shopping by herself anymore, because I get pissy with the crowds and want to hurry out. She prefers to browse.

I realize that I probably have some sort of social anxiety disorder, but whatever. I'll just keep detecting when there are very few people out and about. Oh, and about my age: I'm 31. I think my intolerance of people keeps getting worse as I get older, so I don't think aging will be a saving grace!
 

I don't even remember being 31, the only people who approach me are kids ( although on the beach the ladies do)
I like telling kids about it
 

DiamondDan said:
Thanks for the feedback, guys. It makes me feel better to know that I'm not the only one that dislikes the general public.
Click to expand...

Just an afterthought.........it may be that most of us are highly independent people that prefer our own company to that of others that do not share similar interests..........
 

Chizzy said:
Just an afterthought.........it may be that most of us are highly independent people that prefer our own company to that of others that do not share similar interests..........
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This does not mean that we are not caring, personable people......nor does it mean that we are reclusive. It's just that our particular hobby/pass time lends itself to the solitary individual connected to his/her own inner thoughts...........
 

I only tolerate humans when I'm on a hot spot.There are unlimited places to hunt for me,even if some imagination is required.I will always prefer to be left alone.I have an idea....maybe a vest that says stay back 100 ft radiation detection in progress.

or

inmate work detail,keep back

or

no !!!! I never find anything good you a######

jus thinking out loud...I'll shut up now
 

I seek out ONLY places of early territorial AZ that have been long forgotten and unknown. So if I "see" anyone else in these remote areas, I'm not far out enough or in the wrong spot.
I have a serious distaste for "most" members of modern American society....and detecting is my alone time, so I will drive hours to get to researched locations, and hike miles in if necessary to find them. I EXPECT to not see anyone, and in the few instances someone else does come across my path, they usually never know I'm WATCHING THEM as they pass.
IF you are going to detect public, urban areas.... how can anyone expect not to be "watched?" Absolutely no disrespect for those that enjoy that, as we all are different, but if that is where I had to detect, I would never swing again. I'll take a GSB or a dropped (unfired) 45-70 rd. found in some deep canyon that took me 3 hours to hike into over a handful of change from some tot-lot, or heck, even a gold ring if its of modern vintage.
I'm thinking Idaho has plenty of remote places that has bits of history yet unfound... maybe its time to put a few miles on the vehicle and hiking boots to find a few... not as convenient as just driving down the street, but it won't be for the others watching you, either, and you can enjoy the hobby the way it seems you need too.
 

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being watched is Natural Red Has been Working on it But it Still Is Unnerving At Times to Her!!! Kids are Easier to Handle Most times, Than Adults And their Stupid Comments Don't let them Drive You Away From A Wonderful Hobby Chug
 

DiamondDan said:
Thanks for the feedback, guys. It makes me feel better to know that I'm not the only one that dislikes the general public.

I notice a few guys have brought up incedents of people messing with or bothering them. This has not happened to me. Although I am not a jerk, I have been described as an intimidating person, so maybe that's a blessing lol. It's simply the people being there that bothers me. My wife does all the shopping by herself anymore, because I get pissy with the crowds and want to hurry out. She prefers to browse.

I realize that I probably have some sort of social anxiety disorder, but whatever. I'll just keep detecting when there are very few people out and about. Oh, and about my age: I'm 31. I think my intolerance of people keeps getting worse as I get older, so I don't think aging will be a saving grace!
Click to expand...

Dan are you a Veteran? I ask because when I got out of the service I found I didn't like to go to concerts anymore, or hang out at the lake with a few hundred of my closet friends - if you know what I mean. It was anxiety, which brought on a touch of PTSD. To this day I can't eat if someone is watching me and not eating too. Tried a few prescriptions from the VA, but ended up just doing a bone before each hunt, which worked like a charm to relax me and take away that anxiety. Just sayin' :skullflag:
 

Chizzy said:
This does not mean that we are not caring, personable people......nor does it mean that we are reclusive. It's just that our particular hobby/pass time lends itself to the solitary individual connected to his/her own inner thoughts...........
Click to expand...

This is it... Primarily.
But...
There is also other things that factor in...
Like I got tired of THE SAME conversation with people... 30 years ago ! heh

When I was a kid the guys that I would see go by me detecting never stopped and talked.
Only the ones that knew my dad would "share their secrets".
It was like a "secret society" and none of them wanted "new people" on their turf / spots.
They kinda fought for their areas.
And would be pissed if another guy came in.
Welp those guys are mostly gone... and the collections they had were representative of their hard work.

But I can tell you this for sure... They sure as hell did not encourage others... in any way shape or form.

Now I know times have changed... and a few of those old timers still exist...
but prolly don't even own a computer let alone know how to join a site to "chime in here" and verify what I am saying.
Perhaps a few of them are lurking here.

But me...
heh... last time I was at Sebastian... many years ago after the last big storm... was in the RV park at The State Inlet.
Was approached by some fellow detectorists... who were camped in the next spot.
Who apparently saw me as someone they really wanted and needed to try and talk to.
One of them had a 12 year old daughter who was fascinated ... I mean like she had the bug...
But no detector... she wanted one but just had been helping dad and his buddy so far...
These guys were cool and I taught them a few tricks... and lent the kid a small earth and science detector that I kept in the RV for finding nails and screws on the cuff around my tires.
She never stopped...
She found six nails in my RV spot and a slew of stuff... she was "focused" to say the least.

Come morning... she had her first detector. :)
And I took my chances with nails for the rest of the trip.
I often wonder... if she stuck with it...
and if the gift inspired dad to "kick it up a notch" with her.
For that was me at one time.

HECK ! she could be... OR dad could be... a member here.
 

The only time people have ever been AFRAID to be around me is when I looked like this. I have reserved posting this picture until now. It still makes us laugh to this day. It was at a sweet detecting spot so I'll give it that,lol. I had run into a root underground that I couldn't cut with my then shovel and sweetly asked my husband if he would cut it for me. Needless to say,my face got too close to the hole in anticipation and this.... this happened,lol. In actuality I don't mnd if people are curious at first and watch for a little bit but then eventually they get the subtle hint they let me get back to it without an audience. I have let kids help me detect and let a few use my machine for a bit but when it's apparent the parents are using me to babysit them I give a not so subtle( albeit nice) hint. I hope I didn't scare the newbie away.

image.jpeg
 

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