Well, my dog ran away, my wife left me, and my truck broke down. Ok, ok, things aren't that bad for me! I am a little down in the dumps though about getting permission to hunt prospective spots near my home however.

I live in an area that is relatively new (1950's and younger). I can and do find clad until the cows come home, but I really want to find more old coins. Old towns exist, but they require pretty long drives and have varying regulations in regards to metal detecting. I've done research that has led me to ask for permission, but I keep getting denied. Again and again...and again. :white:

I think it's just a coincidence and I'm in a rut. I've asked on the phone, in email, and in letters, all with the same response- No. I have yet to ask in person, but I don't think I can handle the rejection. You'll have to take my word that my requests for permission are articulate, amiable, and reassuring. Here's a run down.

-I sent a letter to a ministry group asking to hunt on an old camp property. They were all set to let me detect, but they had recently sold the land to the city. I contacted the city (who bans metal detecting/digging), they deliberated for a few days, and ultimately said no because if they said ok to me, they thought the flood gates would open and they'd have to say yes to everyone. The lady's husband even detects and I still got rejected!

-I called a park superintendent for an older, nearby city to confirm that it was ok to detect in their public parks, as long as no footprint was left, and even though they make no mention of banning detecting in their long list of rules and regs, he informed that it is indeed not allowed. Although most of the targets would be between 4-5 inches, the park superintendent said that I could encounter electrical wires, irrigation wires, and irrigation valves at these depths. I thanked him, but am very disappointed. It seems like one of those situations where asking about a public, tax funded place will only lead to a no, although I'm sure people hunt there all the time.

-I mentioned to a friend, who lives in a condo unit that used to be a church until the 30's, that I was thinking about stopping by to detect the curb strips near his building. He informed me that although the strips are the city's property, I would be putting my life in my own hands if I disturbed any blade of grass, compliments of a couple of old, crotchety women who live in the same building.

-I emailed a realtor who is trying to sell 50 acres near my home, to see if I could detect an old, abandoned lot that resides on the large piece of acreage. No response. I guess I could call.

This is getting long and you likely get my point, so I'll stop. I think I'm 0-7 on recently asking for permission and it's got me questioning my place in this hobby. I am absolutely passionate about metal detecting and have been detecting since I was a child, but between the city regulations and my recent string of bad luck, I can't help but think that nobody really wants me digging around their property, anywhere, ever.

Just wondering if any of you have ever felt the same way, and how you broke out of the funk. Thanks for looking! HH- Viking