Fossicking stigma

[xxplosiv]

Hi guys, please be aware it was difficult for me to find the correct section to post this, so mods please move this thread if not appropriate for general chat.

I haven't even started prospecting yet, nor have I ever used a detector. Just in the throws of research and detector selection at the moment.

One thing I'm finding though, with my wife and even with myself to a degree there seems to be a certain stigma attached to digging up treasures, especially in public areas where people can see what you're doing.

Even if you're prospecting in a perfectly legal area, do you ever have people coming up to you calling or insinuating that you're a vulture, a leach, or some kind of weirdo because you're hunting around for "things that aren't yours"?

Or course, this argument is entirely stupid when one thinks about it for more than 2 seconds and I'm sure I don't have to preach to the choir.

I notice that when my wife and I are walking past public areas I think would be great for finding coins and the like, she tends to try and hush me and get me to keep my voice down, and has an instinctual quick look around. Is this just her or is there a wider public perception that we're some kind of odd sub-culture that should only lurk around when the masses aren't watching?

Further to this, if you're coin hunting in say, a tots playground, park, beach or some other place where you're legally able to be, do you do so only if no one, or hardly anyone is there? If people are around, do they seem uncomfortable by your presence?

Feel free to tell me this is all in my head, I try to not care what people think too much, but as you can imagine, I'd like to have some kind of gauge of public perception before swinging away wherever. Cheers.

 

[Ramjet]

Hi xpointer.

Read a couple of your topics and you pose some thoughtful and we'll considered questions. You will do well as a prospector as research has is a huge part of being successful. I have been detecting almost 2 years. I do day and night detecting in parks, sports fields and public places mostly. I have had many people come up and say hi, including police and security guards at night. The only negative experience was a guy riding past on a push bike who yelled, "fill ya effing holes in".

Here are a couple of threads on park detecting.

https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=3545

https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=11057

https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=1286

 

[grubstake]

I think it's mostly in your head, mate. In my experience, people on Perth beaches either take no notice of me or are friendly.

In return, I always try to be courteous in my use of the space and stay out of the way of joggers, exercise classes, people entering/leaving the water, launching kayaks, etc. I also try to keep a bit clear of peoples' towels/valuables left on the sand while they're in the water, so there's no suspicion that I'm a possible risk to their property. If the area I'm working starts to get crowded, I'll wander off to more deserted areas where I can concentrate better on my detecting.

As part of my routine, I refill all holes I've dug in the sand and pick up any rubbish that I dig or walk over and I usually mention in any conversations that I'm cleaning up the beach of dangerous stuff like fish hooks, tent pegs, rusty metal and the like, so people get the message that metal detecting is a positive activity that's contributing to making the place tidier and safer, especially for kids.

 

[xxplosiv]

Thanks for the feedback guys. I checked over those links Ramjet, good stuff to know. I haven't looked into the legalities of prospecting in our local parks yet but I personally cannot see myself digging up any public grass area, no matter how careful I am. I'm not sure I'd feel comfortable doing this.

So far I have in my head - If there's a fence around it or if theres a lawn/grassy area of any kind, leave it alone. I was probably only really going to have a dig around the base of the trees in the park where it's just loose bark, might find some coins and stuff. And also the bark in the tots playgrounds.

I take the best times to do it would be early morning and late evening, at least so there's not many people to disturb.

 

[Guest]

Just pick the right time to detect and you
will be fine.

This is what I do.

I like gold prospecting better though because
your alone out in the bush with very little chance
bumping into walkers, joggers etc

 

[rocketaroo]

I think this is your perception, somewhat false, and spoiling it for you Try some detecting at 7am to 9am. Or late afternoon, when there are less people about. Dont look at passers-by, and they will less likely engage you, with good, or bad commentary.

I have found that, 99% of people are positive, and would like to know more. Its just like a fisherman, having people ask, have you caught anything mate? If your in the zone, you hardly notice the world, that's outside your own

 

[normeves]

hi mate i get called all those things but never when i am detecting sounds like you got it right any way with the grass and fence thing

 

[Heatho]

I had 1 dopey looking footballer at his training one night say "get any pocket change mate" with a condescending voice, I said yes mate enough for a beer, didn't mention to him the fat Gold and Diamond ring I had just found about 30 seconds earlier. Only time I'd ever been hassled.

Actually usually surfers at the beach will come over to see how I'm going, when I show them the junk I remove, hooks, glass etc they say "good on ya mate" and give you a nod as if to say thanks.

Water off a ducks back to me.

 

[Goldtarget]

Often the annoyance comes from those that want to chat on your detecting time, drunk people are far worse. If there are parents and kids in the tot lot I will wait until they have left.
Given your area I'd say the QEO, Rosalind park and lake weeroona are places you are going to get some negative attention if your out in the crowds and in the eye of the public. I did see one detectorist at Weeroona explaining himself to council. Ran into a council worker at Rosalind who told me it was a definite no go. ( i wasnt detecting at the time.) I am 100% confident that I could do them without anyone being able to tell but I wasn't going to upset the apple cart for others.

But there are many places to go. I didn't get through them all while I was there. In one park in golden square I picked up 2 rings and 4 silvers in less than 20 mins.

Also have a gander at victoria relic laws, and theft by finding. Just a couple of things to keep in mind.

Overall mate it's fantastic as a hobby, the bad experience that may happen once in a while is far outweighed by the positive.

Lastly it's just practice. Look up the slit method. Definitely get a pin pointer if your serious. Practice and short of cricket pitches you can get good enough to get into some sensitive areas. With the wet coming up your windows of opportunity will increase to do virtually zero damage either long or short term.

 

[loamer]

Check the Bendigo City Council Environmental Management Plan Scheduled Reserves and Park Land . Lake Weeroona is a no go - there are others.

 

[Twapster]

Hi xxplosiv, I would 100% agree there is a certain stigma around relic/coin detecting for items in parks and beaches. Nothing wrong with it, and most people are curious and accepting even excited for you (even help you dig), others that have deep seeded personal issues and feel they need to vent by belittling others and target you on that day- these are the people that cause the "i had a run in with a d.head" scenario.

Similar issues with gold prospecting....the ha ha how much are those specs in the pan worth.... you just feel like punching them!

As detectorists, I think relic hunters are thicker skinned, or often choose the right times to hunt so as to minimise their disturbance from onlookers. At the end of the day, you are enjoying your hobby, you are not there for other peoples amusement. I certainly enjoy the bush because those run ins are far and few between.

A lot of the stigma is definitely "internalised", in that if you don't feel comfortable yourself then you will think everyone is watching you and "looking down" on you, even if all are just watching in admiration and interest.

The other day I was at the beach with my GoPro and "selfie stick", a little shy taking a great (priceless in 20 years time) video of me and the wife enjoying a day in the surf and testing my camera. A bit self conscious that others were watching me, but after seeing at least half a dozen people with the same set up doing the same thing with their group or family, I got a bit more comfortable about it.

So at the end of the day, if you are not doing anything wrong, don't feel shame in enjoying a great and sometimes profitable hobby, and if someone is a d.head to you, it is their problem, not yours. You can see by the amount of people on this forum, that you are not alone!

 

[xxplosiv]

Great responses everyone.

I think the game plan for me is to firstly learn what areas are legal to detect in, I'd never want to go into an area and not be 100% and then someone comes and questions me about it and I don't know the answer. This would be the best way to deal with the knobs, to be confident you're in the right. This country is a huge place, I'm not going to waste my time being naughty and detecting where I shouldn't.

The second is I agree about going to places when they're not completely packed, I will have to get a feel for peak times and work around them.

 

[Ramjet]

Work around the edges and stay away from the nice lawns until you are more confidant in your ability to retrieve coins without doing any damage.

 

[PabloP]

Great topic xxplosiv, I just came back from a weekend with an 8 year old grandson, out doing some detecting.

First place was an old alluvial mining area along a creek, that is now a reasonably popular camping area. We worked across the other side of the creek away from the other campers rather than attract unwanted attention. In that spot we only found wire, a brass bit the looks like its off an old belt. lots of cans and a chunk of metal.

Next day we went to another local spot about 5 km away and it was wall to wall people, so we gave it a miss.

I reckoned that I knew where there would be lots of stuff at a location where they hold a Sunday market every month, so off to that spot. There were so many signals at the location that you couldn't move a metre without a solid indication again. and again. Problem was that it was nice grass on very hard ground and the lad was making a mess of trying to cut a plug, so I said lets just use the detector for finding stuff in the grass and not dig at all. He was happy with that and although we didn't find any coins, he did find a broach and has salted that away in his collection.

But the main surprise was that back at the first site he had just been digging a small hole in the dirt beside the van, while I was getting dinner and he found a nail. So his story to everyone was that he didn't need a detector to find stuff, just dig a hole and you will find it.

So my message to him was if he can't recover without doing obvious damage, then go somewhere else. Next time he wants, to detect the bark at the playground, or go to the beach and I said go for it, just make sure you restore it as you found it.

For me the next time I am going out he isn't available, so I am going bush to look for gold and I found it tedious watching over his shoulder as we just dug up old bits of metal. Not that I won't find lots of that in the bush, but at least I will be able to dig and restore a decent hole using a pick, rather than using a screwdriver.

Rob

 

[AngerManagement]

JUST REMEMBER, UNLESS IT IS YOUR OWN YARD, not a rental.

The issue is that Permission may very well be required.

Do not assume, that is what gets so many people clashing; and then there is the issue that not all states are the same. Google and forums do not have all the correct answers. In fact many are wrong and dangerous...

Do your research first.