Lunchtime Detecting at Des Pres

Today at lunch I headed over to Des Pres Park with my metal detector (it's a long way from work, but I had to drive to the area on a work errand.) I opted to hunt around a ballfield, and found three pennies and a dime, as well as a couple of pull tabs. The coins I found outnumbered the garbage, so I feel like I made out rather well.

 

I was almost back to my car, refilling a hole near the parking lot, when a guy walked up to me to see what I was doing. He saw me refilling the hole and replacing the sod, and gave me his approval. I don't know who he was, but he was obviously employed by the Metro Parks. We talked for a few minutes. He told me that he knew of a couple of guys who came occasionally to detect there; one of them found a diamond ring. When he had first seen me, he was concerned, and wanted to make sure I wasn't up to no good. Someone had been digging holes on and around the baseball diamond, and not filling them back in. I expressed my concern and assured him that I was quite careful in digging and refilling, and he said that I seemed all right and was welcome to detect there.

 

In the metal detecting forums I've read online, people are strongly encouraged and continually reminded to be careful and conscientious about both private and public property. It is very dismaying to hear about these idiots who dig carelessly. It's bad for the property owner, the public, and the hobby.