orange safety vests when prospecting

[HeadsUp]

Hi peepil

I was talking to a mate yesterday and discovered he goes shooting at locations where i go prospecting

First thing i did was go and shave coz i had a three week growth and i looked like a goat . . .

LOL

Next thing i did was chuck my orange safety vest in the ute.

just mentioning in case anyone planned on going in to dense bush any time soon with a pigskin jacket or kangaroo coloured backpack

 

[lost a bit]

not a bad idea

 

[Ag Man]

Good post!
My mate only spoke at my local PMAV meeting on this same topic.

I always have something bright on. Hi-viz beanie/shirt.

If you're doing the right thing, there's nothing to worry about being seen. It's a good thing.
Hunters see you, bushwalkers or greenies see you & notice you aren't trying to hide anything so also presume you are doing the right thing.

If you get lost or hurt in the bush, it's also easier to be found.

 

[Guest]

Its a must I had dogs chasing 2 roos 30m from my panning spot a few week back, damn hunters came flying down the road trying to get the dogs off them, Then 8 shots about 5 minutes later. Luckily I was up at the car checking the footy scores. Dangerous pricks sometimes.

 

[echidnadigger]

Whilst the high vis thing might be a great idea for safety, there is a but. On many occasions I have had another detector operator drive past me while I am on a spot finding gold. I often don't want my location known at that point. I Have been in spots that haven't seen action for years and been seen only to go back a month later and it has been hammered. There is no point in taking the vest off after finding gold as you never know were you are going to find it and the guys that spot you don't know if you found gold there or not they just jump in because you found the spot interesting and probably left a few indications of dig holes. Strange as it sounds though, I do trust majority of shooters. They are sensible and love their hobby like we do. I cant remember the last time a bush walker or other got accidentally shot. you have a much greater chance of a tree branch dropping on you while your out bush and yet no one wears a hard hat while detecting or using the bush for enjoyment.

 

[HeadsUp]

Whilst the high vis thing might be a great idea for safety, there is a but. On many occasions I have had another detector operator drive past me while I am on a spot finding gold. I often don't want my location known at that point. I Have been in spots that haven't seen action for years and been seen only to go back a month later and it has been hammered. There is no point in taking the vest off after finding gold as you never know were you are going to find it and the guys that spot you don't know if you found gold there or not they just jump in because you found the spot interesting and probably left a few indications of dig holes. Strange as it sounds though, I do trust majority of shooters. They are sensible and love their hobby like we do. I cant remember the last time a bush walker or other got accidentally shot. you have a much greater chance of a tree branch dropping on you while your out bush and yet no one wears a hard hat while detecting or using the bush for enjoyment.

i have heard of 2 cases in the last 10 years or so , and another in NZ

usually hunter on hunter though

 

[TenOunce Tone]

Wise words

 

[Jon]

Hah. I used to wonder about blokes detecting in orange or yellow high vis tops and think "gee mate, broadcast where your detecting why don't ya"
But when you think of it, yeah its more like "hey hunter, there's a person over here!" Still, I like to go in stealth mode.

 

[Highlanderchris]

Whilst the high vis thing might be a great idea for safety, there is a but. On many occasions I have had another detector operator drive past me while I am on a spot finding gold. I often don't want my location known at that point. I Have been in spots that haven't seen action for years and been seen only to go back a month later and it has been hammered. There is no point in taking the vest off after finding gold as you never know were you are going to find it and the guys that spot you don't know if you found gold there or not they just jump in because you found the spot interesting and probably left a few indications of dig holes. Strange as it sounds though, I do trust majority of shooters. They are sensible and love their hobby like we do. I cant remember the last time a bush walker or other got accidentally shot. you have a much greater chance of a tree branch dropping on you while your out bush and yet no one wears a hard hat while detecting or using the bush for enjoyment.

Couldn't agree more, you've probably got more of a chance of being bitten by a venomous snake or something of a sort. I am a hunter of various methods and the majority of legal hunters are responsible people who love their sport and will adhere to all levels of safety.

However there are the minority of hunter who are illegally hunting ie without permission of the land owner or in crown land that shoot anything that moves and pose a real threat to any persons in the same area. You should report such persons and activity to your rural crime police officer or ranger.

You will never stop this behaviour because there is always that one person who doesn't give a s&$@ about anyone bar themselves.

Ask yourself this question, is wearing a Fluor orange vest and giving away your secret location or any amount of gold worth your life or significant injury, I think not!!!

I see it from both sides, but you will never resolve this problem even if you banned all firearms and hunting methods across the nation.

Chris

 

[Imadogman]

I cut some flouro strips from an old vest and wove it through the back of my backpack. Front on I should be OK - don't know any goats that wear glasses! In thick bush I sometime hoist a strip of flouro on the end of a stick to mark my pack location if I've dropped it for a while.

 

[echidnadigger]

A little tip here when it comes to bright colors. I have put my pick and detector on the ground while I walked back to the car to get a fresh battery, only to spend the next 20 minutes on my return trying to find the detector and pick again. Painting the handle of the pick a bright color and then standing it up before I left it, would have saved the time and trouble.
Just another side note here: My detector is covered by insurance and therefor covered, new for old if I did loose it. But who wants that scenario?