Detecting Dangers

[Steve in PR]

I was thinking about a thread I answered about some potential dangers that detectorists/relic hunters may encounter.

I only hunt in the water so my experience is limited but there are plenty of experienced people here who might help me put together a list of things to watch out for when hunting.

For example, I get broken pieces of glass in my scoop some times so I always look before I stick my paw into it!

CW relic hunters have dug up live rounds, prospectors in the deserts or the mountains must have experiences that gave them a burst of adrenaline, divers must have a tale to tell.

Every type of hunting can have perils.

Can you think of something that might be helpful to a person who is new to the hobby? Something that happened to you or someone you know while they were detecting?

I will take them and organize them according to the type of area/environment and put them into a sticky post down the road.

Thanks in advance for your help!

[Lt1stone]

Old homesteads with abanded water wells. Stepping on rotten boards that are covering them or they may be covered with weeds. Nasty outcome

[bbqcook]

electric wires buried by home owners that do not meet code, to shallow. I have come across some that were only 1"-2" deep.

Walking around old home places that have boards with nails sticking up. I always wear hard bottom boots when around these places, and I have been glad of it at times. It could be bad with tennis shoes on.

Earl

[bigfrank]

...Which fortunately haven't happened to me. First, I was at a local park doing some detecting. When I got home, my wife asked me where I had been hunting and I told her. She said that I should watch out down there because they had recently found some used drug needles in that park. Dang, and i was rooting around in some of them holes...

Second, snakes! We have them here in some places I would be going. And when wearing head phones, even the loudest rattlers may not be able to be heard.

Oh, one other. I hunt the local parks early int he morning on the weekends before most people hit the park. I noticed this Sunday that there were some really shady people there early. When running with head phones, it's sometime hard to remember to keep an eye on these people when you are working the park. Don't want anyone to sneak up on you for any reason.

Frank

[Gizmo]

Bees and wasps, We have yellow jackets around here that have nests in the ground (Small wasp type) and bumble bees live in the ground also. Around old houses wasps can get your attention real fast. The smallest and most troublesome for me is chiggers (insect repelent usally prevents them from bitting) Y'all take care and HH

[EBCIII]

Dirt fishing yo also find some sharp pieces of metal, and glass. I wear gloves for this and other reasons.

Spiders, ticks and other animals. Some people take dogs off leashes in leash areas? I had this one just the other day.

Good post and idea, Beale.

[ochog]

Thanks for the tips I know that I get in such hurry to get my gear get out and just start hunting without thinking at all about safety. I think I will at least start with wearing some light weight gloves never thought about the discarded needles but I guess a park would be a likely place to find them.

[smartfox]

shallow or deep gotta watch out for those jellies.

[PAPPY]

MR. NO SHOULDERS ! Snakes are very plentiful around here. Especially Copperheads, Rattlers.
PLEASE be careful this up coming Spring, Summer and Fall around old houses, tall grass, old trees, rock piles and the such.

[Riff]

I think this is a great idea. At first one would think its just common sense, but experience is part of common sense. I have none of the former, some say little of the latter.
Steve, I think it such a great idea you should submit it for publication when you get it all polished up.

Riff