Bottle digging ethics?

Welcome to our Antique Bottle community

Be a part of something great, join today!

bottlebabe07

Member
Joined
Jan 22, 2007
Messages
10
Reaction score
0
Points
0
I was wondering what kind of ethics everyone has. I have taken friends to bottle digging spots of mine and they sneak back without me. I have not been able to find a digging budy that I can trust. I dont think there are any.I was just wondering if this was normal . I may be blowing this out of proportion. Has any one else had this problem. What is everyones opinion on this subject.I prefer to dig alone because of this.I have just about givin up on the whole thing.
Lets hear your stories.[:mad:]
 

Jim

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 5, 2005
Messages
3,745
Reaction score
10
Points
0
Location
Lewistown, PA
Sorry to hear of your misfortune. Although 99% of us bottle lovers are good, honest people, there are always a few bad seeds. The best advice I can give you is to find someone that you know and trust, and take them digging if they show an interest.

I have a very small, select crew of guys that I will dig and share sites with. Mainly just my main digging buddy, but we occasionally will bring someone else. I don't like to exclude people and keep secrets, but I know what can happen if just one person gets greedy, or if too many people find out where you are finding good bottles. Even non-collectors can be a problem if they see an opportunity to score some $$. So, I don't announce to too many people where I dig. ~Jim
 

GuntherHess

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 13, 2004
Messages
11,810
Reaction score
14
Points
0
Location
Frederick Maryland
Either people are honest or they arent. Doesnt matter if its digging or working on your house or whatever. Sounds like you are just hanging with the wrong people. Keep try, but dont take they to the good spots till they prove trustworthy.


...edit... sorry I just read that back and it sounds like a fortune cookie...its been a long day...[;)]
 

tiqhuntr

Active Member
Joined
Jan 22, 2007
Messages
38
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
Loogootee, Indiana
bottlebabe07; Sorry to hear about your misfortune. Sadly, it is a fact of life, you have to establish trust BEFORE you take anyone to a choice site. One of the ways that I have noticed who can and can't be trusted is to trade sites. you take them to one and the next time it is there turn to provide the site. The quality of the site will let you know something about them. I have lost a few sites over the years. However, I have gained some good friends and digging partners which outweigh the bad ones many times over. Hang in there, you will find that buddy and your digging fun will be so much better. I just got back from my first dig in many years, I'm 59, did not make a killing but hanging around this site and seeing what others are finding rekindled the old desire to get out there and start looking again. Now all I need is the digging buddy to hang around with also. Good luck in your future hunts.
 

bottlebabe07

Member
Joined
Jan 22, 2007
Messages
10
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Thanks for all of the nice replies. I think this is a great Hobby. I think that the back stabbers dont truely enjoy it the way honest people do. They are just ruining it for themselves. If that is what it takes for them to be happy I guess you will have that.I enjoy finding places to dig as much as the digging. I like the challenge and the scouting. I guess there are low lifes in every hobby and form of life.
 

zanes_antiques

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 3, 2006
Messages
2,192
Reaction score
2
Points
0
Location
Steubenville, Ohio
It's tough to dig privies and wells alone.... I find it's better to play well with others and share. There are plenty of places to dig. The only unethical digging is that which is without the owner's permission.
I have taken plenty of diggers to my holes and they have added to their collections nicely. Very few of these people I have taken to my holes take me to theirs. If you are not greedy and try to dig in multiple places then there's enough to go around. I know nine times out of ten the digger showing the spot doesn't have proper permission or it is a dump many diggers have dug over the years then it's fair game for all who know it's whereabouts. One or two guys can't dig out a spot in one day.
I know if I find a guy digging in a large dump when I get there it just means good company for the day. That's just my opinion.
 

tombstone

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 21, 2005
Messages
117
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
wv
Take a kid digging. They love to get out and "treasure hunt". It introduces them to a great hobby, gets them out in the sunshine and fresh air, provides exercise, and you can teach them the ethics.
 

IRISH

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 23, 2002
Messages
1,059
Reaction score
3
Points
0
Location
cockatoo Australia
It can be hard to find decent people to get out and dig with, if you dig with as many people as you can and weed out the untrustworthy and those you just plain don't like in time you will form a small group you can trust.

The group of diggers I often go with is a good example, we are all serious collectors chasing big money items yet there is no jelousy, backstabbing etc. and we can all trust each other with even the best sites out there. Also even when there is bugger-all coming out we still have good company.
I've dug with plenty of dodgy people who have done the wrong thing by me and others, I just never dig with them again (there loss not mine). It just takes time to get a good group of friends together to dig with [;)] .
 

bottlenutboy

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 10, 2006
Messages
2,233
Reaction score
3
Points
0
Location
Bordensprings, Ala. or Esom Hill, Ga.
well consider yourselves lucky...no one in my area like digging bottles....if im lucky my little brother will occasionally go scratch around with me......im all alone here.....i think it also makes it harder to find somewhere to dig i dont like walking through the woods alone its boring....so i dont get to get out and dig much.....i think it would be just great if i had someone to dig with here.....
 

RICKJJ59W

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 8, 2007
Messages
16,187
Reaction score
11
Points
0
Location
Lehigh Valley USA
I dig with one guy, Paul a guy I work with, we have an understanding and it works out great! that's why I cant see 4 5 6 guys digging a pit to many! We dug a 22 footer in 2005 just him and I it took a month but we had a blast, got over 600 bottles to, you said a (friend) snuck back to the pit and dug? that's no friend, that's a bum, 2 is the magic number for digging privies, for me any way Rick.
 

Members online

No members online now.

Latest threads

Forum statistics

Threads
83,220
Messages
742,916
Members
24,237
Latest member
Fancy2cu
Top