Permission Aborted Thanks fo Nosey Neighbor

Iron Buzz

Bronze Member
Oct 12, 2016
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2,380
South St Paul, MN
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XP Deus, Minelab Equinox 800
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Got permission today from Jim, owner of an 1880's place. First, I found a 1941 quarter in the curb strip as the owner watched. Then he announced that he had to go to the store for a bit. My buddy then dug a walking Libery quarter (1920's?), also from the curb strip. I finished with my portion of the curb area and headed up to the sidewalk leading into the front porch. Bingo! A 1951 Benjamin half dollar!

Just then, I hear this female voice, "What are you guys doing?"

I say, "Looking for coins and artifacts... where are you?"

"Up here, in the second floor window of the house next door. Do you have Jim's permission to be digging holes in his yard?"

"Yes, Jim gave us permission to be here."

My buddy then caught on to what was going on and asked, "When we're done here, can we detect your place?"

"Not on your life! Have you got a permit to do that?", she asked"


Long story short, Jim drives up, back from the store, and tells us that he's very sorry, but that we have to leave. The neighbor lady called his wife at work and told her that there are guys over there digging up her yard. He was very apologetic, but obviously wanted to maintain domestic peace.

We talked to him a bit, but thanked him, and started to leave, but then decided to continue to detect the public access sidewalk strip. A bit of rebellion, I guess. Well, it turned out that the neighbor called the police on us (which was 100% fine, since we knew that we were OK with permission). The young cop was awesome, and after running our IDs, had a nice little chat with Mrs Big Nose about our rights.

Of course, our fun was still ruined, and we had barely begun to detect that awesome silver site, dammit.
 

Well I hope you detected the curb strip in front of her house, just for the fun of it. Hey it's just the outlaw in me LOL
 

Ok, you found a couple coins. Have you thought about putting one of them in a flip and going back and giving it to Jims wife for her trouble? Might get him out of hot water & your permission back. Small price to pay considering it sounds like a good site to hunt. A lot of times you just need to beat the crud outta them with kindness! Heck you might even end up with a couple of new hunting buddies to PO the busy body!
 

Some people really should mind their own business.
 

There is always a big :censored: to ruing every thing
 

Well I hope you detected the curb strip in front of her house, just for the fun of it. Hey it's just the outlaw in me LOL
We did. Well, not immediately in front of her house but the strip outside her other neighbor's house. She was on her porch, glaring at us and on her phone calling the police.

By the way, we did get permission at another house a little while later. Even though we didn't find anything worthwhile there, it was important to "get back on the horse that threw us".
 

I'd buy a Silver Quarter or Half & give it to the 'Boss Lady' of the house.

I agree with showing yr nice plugs as well.

That ?
"Can I help you"? Always !! Ills Me.

I want to say "Sure" hold this shovel.

GL Gettin Back.
 

Meddling nosey busybodies just need to mind their own beeswax! I'd like to set some lawn chair's out on the curb strip in front of Mrs. Big Mouth's house and just sit there staring back at her as she tries desperately to exert her "authority" to have me drawn & quartered for trespass and criminal damage to property!:laughing7: Of course I am being sarcastic. I'd meet the wife of "Jim" and show her your recoveries and where you found them. No damage done to turf and no harm done while seeking treasure during our hunts.

Sorry to hear yet another report of some miserable soul who feels compelled to drag the rest of society into their own miserable little world.:BangHead:
 

You should have left her with the garret carrot after demonstrating the vibration feature... could have bought yourself some time to hunt in peace and quiet.

Chub
 

We seem to live in a society where permission from your neighbor is paramount to anything you do. I currently work in a gated community and people are constantly calling the property manager. The lady next door is planting a flower that is not on the approved list or the guy is walking the dog with no shirt on again. There is something in the water?
 

We seem to live in a society where permission from your neighbor is paramount to anything you do. I currently work in a gated community and people are constantly calling the property manager. The lady next door is planting a flower that is not on the approved list or the guy is walking the dog with no shirt on again. There is something in the water?

That's why I would never live in a Neighborhood Association.
 

We seem to live in a society where permission from your neighbor is paramount to anything you do. I currently work in a gated community and people are constantly calling the property manager. The lady next door is planting a flower that is not on the approved list or the guy is walking the dog with no shirt on again. There is something in the water?

did the neighbor report the water?

chub
 

I agree with the idea of going back and talking to Jim and his wife again. Tell them you are sorry that there was any type of confusion or hassle over you searching their yard, point out where you had dug when you were there and that there is no damage to the lawn, give them the 1941 quarter as a thank you, and go from there. The worst that happens is that you give up the quarter and have made yourself into a good ambassador for the whole hobby. Maybe that will get them to talk to some of their friends and you might get more invites and permissions out of it.
I know, I know - it's easy for me to say because I'm not the one giving up a silver quarter! But, in all honesty, I would. i would just qualify it to myself as yet another "tax" I have to pay for something I enjoy.
Best of luck to you.

If you had any idea how many hours I hunted and how many miles I've driven and how many doors I've knocked on this summer to find that quarter, you would know that I can't do that. Me and my buddy have been all over the place this summer, have hunted what should have been some amazing 1800's homes, only to be skunked time after time when it came to silver (some nice relics and tokens, though). We FINALLY found THE place... three silvers in about 45 minutes... and SLAM goes the door.

No... she's not getting my quarter.
 

We seem to live in a society where permission from your neighbor is paramount to anything you do. I currently work in a gated community and people are constantly calling the property manager. The lady next door is planting a flower that is not on the approved list or the guy is walking the dog with no shirt on again. There is something in the water?

Gated community, damn man, that's rough.:BangHead: I love my little non incorporated hamlet. We have chickens running wild and folks with pet goats in their front yard!:toothy4: I reckon that kinda' thing wouldn't fly in your gated community?:sad7:
 

Gated community, damn man, that's rough.:BangHead: I love my little non incorporated hamlet. We have chickens running wild and folks with pet goats in their front yard!:toothy4: I reckon that kinda' thing wouldn't fly in your gated community?:sad7:
I can tell you that where I was certainly was no gated community. Just an old fashioned neighborhood with some slightly run down Victorian homes.
 

You should have been detecting by yourself. No bulky headphones or finds pouch and only a digger without handle in your back pocket. Did you learn a lesson ?
Sorry, but I am completely missing your point here.

Edit: Oh... you must be talking about keeping a low profile. That would not have helped here. If you were there, you'd understand the setup.
 

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Gated community, damn man, that's rough.:BangHead: I love my little non incorporated hamlet. We have chickens running wild and folks with pet goats in their front yard!:toothy4: I reckon that kinda' thing wouldn't fly in your gated community?:sad7:

I used to have pet chickens and goats on .25 acres, in a hugely populated town, then my town made a law saying that you had to have an acre for one chicken. I should have tried to get permission to metal detect in my neighbor's yards, every house on the street was from the late 1800's including mine (stupid fill dirt top soil). All of them were those late 1800's triangular shaped houses that are very specific to New England, photo below. My new property has a little more room for animals, not huge, just a little more roomy and with less neighbors. Unfortunately there aren't too many old houses on my street, everything was all farmland from my home's farm until 1970's. A developer bought the property and built houses, all colonial looking, on all the old farmland. Hopefully there are some colonial neighborhoods around here that won't mind me metal detecting :laughing7:.

The type of house I mentioned above, photo from Google.
DSC_0900.jpg
 

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