Questions on a metal detecting spot

[MrSchulz]

I am going to an old school to metal detect at, after I get out of school today. I went to this school when I was in elementary, im now in high school. I contacted the school board and found out who to contact for permission, well I got permission. I did some more research and found that the school was built in 1912. I am going to metal detect out there in the playground and soccer field today. If it has already been metal detected a while ago, would there still be a chance I could find stuff that has came up a little bit from rain and such? I am using a Bounty Hunter Tracker IV, what should I keep the settings on? I am mainly looking for coins. Thanks!

 

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[Tom_in_CA]

If it's built in 1912, and there's other hobbyists in your area, it may already have been porked over in the past. Not that anyone ever "gets it all", but just saying, it's probably not "virgin". For example: In my area, there are some of the local elementary schools built in the teens and 20's that you'd have to be one hard-core good hunter to pull any silver or wheaties out of there now. But I remember back in the late 1970s and into the mid 1980s where a dozen wheats, and 2 or 3 silvers per hunt, were just expected. Even a newbie could fiddle around and find an old coin on his first hunt. Now you're only to get clad (unless you're very very good). Just depends on your locale, because perhaps yesteryear hunters in your area weren't as thorough, or perhaps the harder-core guys were more into older sites (1800s, and bristled at sites as "new" as 1912). Just depends.

As far as access, why did you think you needed to ask permission? It's a public school isn't it? Is the playground and soccer fields open on weekends, or after school hours for others to access? (ie.: people to jog the track, use the monkey bars, etc...)? If so, then why can't you just go? Naturally use due discretion, and if there's afterhour's soccer games, or lawn maintenance day, then pick another time. It's not necessary to ask permission to hunt public schools, unless the place is "buttoned up" (fence all the way around, and NO one can go in for non-school purposes).

 

[MrSchulz]

If it's built in 1912, and there's other hobbyists in your area, it may already have been porked over in the past. Not that anyone ever "gets it all", but just saying, it's probably not "virgin". For example: In my area, there are some of the local elementary schools built in the teens and 20's that you'd have to be one hard-core good hunter to pull any silver or wheaties out of there now. But I remember back in the late 1970s and into the mid 1980s where a dozen wheats, and 2 or 3 silvers per hunt, were just expected. Even a newbie could fiddle around and find an old coin on his first hunt. Now you're only to get clad (unless you're very very good). Just depends on your locale, because perhaps yesteryear hunters in your area weren't as thorough, or perhaps the harder-core guys were more into older sites (1800s, and bristled at sites as "new" as 1912). Just depends.

As far as access, why did you think you needed to ask permission? It's a public school isn't it? Is the playground and soccer fields open on weekends, or after school hours for others to access? (ie.: people to jog the track, use the monkey bars, etc...)? If so, then why can't you just go? Naturally use due discretion, and if there's afterhour's soccer games, or lawn maintenance day, then pick another time. It's not necessary to ask permission to hunt public schools, unless the place is "buttoned up" (fence all the way around, and NO one can go in for non-school purposes).

I had wanted to play it safe. This school was torn down in 2006 but the play equipment and soccer field is still there. I found out a little bit ago, it was actually sold to the town for $1 by the school district, so that is why I asked for permission at the city halls public works. Its a real small town, probably like 200 people.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

reply

"I had wanted to play it safe. "

What's "unsafe" about going to a location for which there's no prohibitions? Ie.: if it's not closed to pedestrians or someone wishing to fly frisbees, etc... then why would you be any different?

And actually, to the contrary, if you want to detect there, then asking might not actually be a way to "play it safe". Ie.: you may end up precluding yourself from getting to hunt there, if you got a "no". When in fact, perhaps no one would ever have cared or noticed (till you came in with your "pressing question"). ie.: the old "no one cared till you asked" psychology. Where you go pass it by desk-bound bureaucrats, who in turn must pass your question through city lawyers, etc... who in turn just pick the easy answer (and you know what that is). When .... there really isn't anything to have stopped you from simply going, and no one would ever have cared or noticed or given you a passing thought. Because the mere fact you thought you need to ask, puts your activity in a light as if there were something inherently wrong with it (lest why would you be asking, if there were not something damaging, evil, or requiring sanction, etc... This implication is not subconsciously lost on the person you're asking, and you just set yourself up to the whims of his mood, etc...)

 

[Billinoregon]

Tom: Lots of basic human psychology and wisdom in your reply!