"No Trespassing"

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surfaceone

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Good evening everyone,


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Over the years, I've done some some pretty blatant trespassing, but it's been for a good cause; bottles and old weird stuff in the ground.

When I see fenced construction sites, I'm always looking for a way in, so that I may have a look around. I've found some great stuff. I've had some construction workers leave me bottles, when I've made them aware of what I'm doing. I've been asked nicely to fill in my holes by a few, and was happy to do so, even though there's giant earth moving equipment on site.

This year I've had a coupla very unsatisfactory encounters with "security" guards. Early this spring, I noticed that a public project had removed their security fences. I thought, "OK, then...," and went to have a look at the dirtpile. I grabbed my potatoe rake (a Dan Quayle autograph model) and my favorite scratcher and scouted the open back perimeter. Plenty of nothing... I went to have a look at a big dirtpile from the other side, saw a car parked near the construction trailer, and decided to come back another day. I turned to go, and was 50 feet from the sidewalk, when I heard yelling behind me. I kept on going.

"Don't move, mother-bleeper!" got me to stop. Twenty feet away was an older gentleman in full official "security guard" uniform, including the fake fur trooper hat with badge. He was pointing his old Smith & Wesson right at me. "Get yer A$$ over here, NOW!" I raised my arms, still holding my potato rake and scratcher. He had me walk back.

"What the Bleep are you doing here!" he yelled. I started to tell him. He just yelled, "Shut the hell up!" When I got within 10 ft. of him, he yelled, "What the Bleep do you have in your hands?"

"My tools..." sez I, "I'm an ..." He says, "Drop em, right now!" from his version of the combat shooting stance. I drop the potato rake, but the scratcher is looped around my wrist with the leather thong. Now he grabs me and starts shakin me around, while waving his gun.

I'm not a big guy. He's over 6 foot, and 200+ pounds. I'm also the wrong color for this fellow. I drop my favorite scratcher. He shakes me around some more, and says, "Now, get the Bleep outta here!"

I say, "Can I have my tools..." He goes back to the combat stance.

I guess not. This is making a No Bottles day, all that much worse.

I think of a lot of ways to return the favors to this gentleman, but just let it go. Chalking it up to experience. Bad experience, but...

***********************************

This early evening, I was scouting a construction site, of another soon-to-be surface parking lot. I've talked to the surveyor on site. I asked him if it was okay to look around. He said, "Not really, they don't want anyone on this side of the plastic orange snow fence. Kinda sketchy that snow fence. Lotta gaps and really no deterrent. It did have those "No trespassing" signs.

I found the top of a privy, or trash pit, that had been freshly scalped by the earth moving equipment, within a few minutes of sliding through a gap in the plastic fence. I started digging. Lots of ash and shards.

I had just started, was trying to find the edges and was down about a foot & a half in the middle, when I heard a loud whistle.

I turned around, and saw an unmarked black Crown Vic with 2 men in blue motioning to me. I grabbed my stuff and started to walk in there direction.

All guns remained holstered. They wanted to know what the heck I was doing. I told them. They asked if I had permission. I said that I had talked to various people and had received mixed responses. They suggested that I come back Monday during business hours. I said, "OK, will do. Sorry to bother you."

One of the guards wanted to know if I found anything. I showed him the one clay marble, real nice little child's pot lid and a glass cabochon, from a piece of jewelry I had found. He didn't seem too impressed.

I left.

++++++++

The second part of a pit I found was at the bottom of a retention pond to-be. It's down 10 feet below grade and invisible from the road. It's the older of the 2 I found, I believe.

Would y'all come back tomorrow and try to dig that? What would you do? They saw my vehicle. Didn't even ask my name. What's a digger to do...

+++++++

This site sits between a Roosevelt era series of projects, and a school. The other day, when I was there, actual Police officers stopped by and wanted to know what I was doing. They warned me that there was some real bad characters in the projects, and that I should be real careful. They didn't say a word about trespassing. Guess they had better things to do.

+++++++

I'd like to hear your stories of the fine points of trespassing for digging sites. How to deal with "security guards," or whatever your thoughts are on the matter. Thanks...

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JOETHECROW

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Surfaceone,...Back about 20 some years, a digger friend from Lockport NY and I were in the old Buffalo NY dump near Grider and Ferry St. NOT a great neighborhood. It was the site of an ancient lead smelting plant and has since had a major environmental clean up. Back then it was just a huge victorian dump. We had been there (for our first time) about an hour, when from our dig holes we hear car doors slamming, voices, two way radios and footfalls on gravel and broken glass. We freeze up. There's two Buffalo police looking down at us. They say...."Come up outta there" we say "okay". They say,....Watch yourselves in this neighborhood, we say "okay", After a few more questions, they say "Come over here and check out this great Radam's microbe killer we dug here last week",....we say " (looking at one another) "okay". What are the odds they were diggers? We checked out their bottles (they had them in the trunk for some reason) and discussed the site for a few more minutes, They said, "don't dig near that chain link fence towards the water tower" we said, "okay".....They left, we dug,....some of our best stuff till this day. True story. J.B.
 

whiskeyman

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SURF...I guess that's up to you...being as you are trespassing I don't see how you can legally deal with security guards. Back in the 70s I was rather blatant about trespassing. Was jailed twice in 2 different counties, shot at twice ,and stared down the barrels of a shotgun another time. Had to abandon my digging tools on yet another occasion. Was it worth it ? Considering I ended up empty handed on all occasions and have a police record now, (which in the state of VA remains forever), I guess it wasn't.

I'd opt for permission before risking arrest.
 

mr.fred

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With all that bad luck coming your way[:eek:]-----its just a matter of time before you get into some real trouble[&o]--------is it worth it?----i guess only can decide that. I have been chased by the best[sm=tongue.gif]----but never caught---1 time on my 4 wheeler by a Seneca Marshal with a 30-30 strapped on the front of his----i stopped that crap[:(]---because around here if you break the law (s) on the reservation they can and will take and keep all of your things. Your truck----car--- etc. Whatever your caught in at the time[:eek:]. So now i walk in ---- or get dropped off[&:]. That's my choice[8|]. Give whatever your going to do some serious thought. Fred.
 

swizzle

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All of my run ins with the law have been from emptying bottles, not digging them. [:)]. New digging spots can be tough to find. The spot I'm digging now wouldn't be all tore up if there was no trespassing signs up. I believe its town property but don't know for sure. In the back woods where I'm from if a tree was missing a posted sign then through I went. Only once did I hear voices and a dog came down. I never saw the dog but could hear him sniffing around as I was heading out. Its a shame too. I dug a $300 coke bottle outta that dump. Later I heard that they wouldn't allow anyone to dig on there property and were always like that. Fine with me. My young and dumb days are coming to a close. I see trespassing signs more and more like roadblocks. That's why I've been having a tough time finding a new dump to play in. Good luck finding a legal place to dig. You might also try advertising on Craigslist to get places with permission. Swiz
 

GuntherHess

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As a kid I used to dig in all the wrong places, some REALLY wrong. Got run off many times but kids can usually get away with anything. As an adult, and with the work I do, no bottle is worth getting arrested so I only dig places that are safe. Maybe when I'm an old geezer I can wonder onto places again, old people can get away with a lot[;)]
 

woodswalker

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I have been to a piece of property several times with no trespassing signs....the one with the silo...and where I found the buggy parts....I just parked my car across the street in a driveway of a house that was for sale and figure whats the worst that could happen....i was paranoid every time i heard a noise....
Its about 2miles from my parents house so i think I'll just have them drop me off and let me dig....and when I'm done call them to come get me. there is a tree stand out there but no hunting in July so I better hurry...I think I found the privy spot last time I was there....I dont think the owner even lives in this state but leases the land to farmers......but I can't quit thinking about that place...i have this feeling in my gut that just calling me to come back.....But what to do??? I think I'm gonna take a risk and go for it.....

I cant believe the guy pulled a gun on you....this place is way out in the sticks so I dont have to worry about gaurds just hillbillys and the meth cooks that like hiding out in them woods....
I always carry a knife with me and I wont hesitate to hit someone with a shovel either if they sneak up on me....Im going to get my bf to start going with I think[:D]

Manda~
 

glass man

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BACK IN THE 70S A OLDER GUY OWNED THE LAND THAT HAD THE 1900S TOWN DUMP ON IT.HE WOULD GIVE PERMISSION TO DIG TO NO ONE...ALSO THEY SAID HE WOULD COME DRIVING HIS RIDING GRASS MOWER,HAD A HARD TIME GETTING AROUND,ALSO WAS TOLD HE HAD A GUN!

WELL I HAD HEARD OF SOME OF THE GREAT STUFF THAT HAD BEEN DUG THERE BEFORE HE BOUGHT THE PLACE...WELL TEMPTATION GOT THE BETTER OF ME AND THERE I WAS DIGGING AWAY WHEN I HEARD THE MOWER GETTING CLOSER AND CLOSER..I THOUGHT ,WHAT THE HECK,MAYBE I COULD REASON WITH HIM.

WHEN HE GOT TO ME I WAS DIGGING UP SOME OLE CRAP BOTTLE..FIRST I HAD DUG..HE ASKED WHAT THE HELL DID I THINK I WAS DOING ON HIS PROPERTY...I SAID DIGGING OLD BOTTLES.HE SAID WELL AT LEAST YOUR HONEST,BUT NO DIGGING ON MY LAND..HE SAW I ALMOST HAD A BOTTLE DUG UP AND HE SAID WELL GO AHEAD AND DIG THAT ONE UP,I AM GONNA GO OVER HERE AND SHOOT MY GUN TO SEE IF IT STILL SHOOTS.I GOT THE BOTTLE,BUT WAS A LITTLE UNERVED WHEN THE GUN WENT OFF NOT FAR FROM ME..I SAID THANK YOU AND LEFT..HE HAS BEEN DEAD FOR YEARS AND THE PLACE HAS REALLY BEEN DUG AND REDUG. JAMIE
 

surfaceone

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Good morning everyone,

I'm a little revved up today. There's pacing goin on, here. Internal dialogues...
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Thanks Joe, great story. Charlie, I hear you. Mr. Fred, Here's hoping you don't have a gift for prophecy.[:mad:] Swizz, I just got closed outta my late great dump, and have been searching, searching... Matt, I'm probably a junior geezer, by official Geezer Standards, maybe that's why they didn't beat me more senseless than I already am... Manda, be careful out there.

This is an old part of town. There is potential for pontiled goodies. I'm really torn. That pit, or what remains of it, at the bottom of the retention pond is calling to me. I already scratched it a bit. There's at least a foot of ash and some tantalizing yellow ware pieces/parts just laying there, waiting...

Unfortunately, the only other way into this spot, involves parking at the projects, and walking a fur piece in a neighborhood where I stick out
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pronouncedly. What's a digger to do...

Thanks for the tips and advise. I'm still debating & pacing... Keep those cards & letters coming.

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RedGinger

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I know the temptation, but if you're not allowed there, you're not allowed. I figure bottles have waited this long, so if there's a spot I can't dig, maybe in the future, I'll be able to dig it. Why not go back and talk to the owner of the property? You'll feel a lot better.

Fred, I understand we have taken the Seneca's land, but there has to be a way for their and our law enforcment to come up with a better solution. I guess they probably don't want to. It's sad that our white ancestors created this situation and that their, what's the word, antecedents? continued this with their construction of 86. We should all get together to try and live in harmony. I would do what I could to help out our Seneca neighbors and be their friend. On a side note, I'm really excited for the Pow Wow next weekend. Want to go?

Good luck Surfaceone. Maybe you should make up some of those business cards and the disclosure that idigjars (Paul) made.
 

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