You see them sweeping beaches and parks, hunting for buried treasure.
They are relic hunters with metal detectors in hand and ear phones on their heads listening for the sweet clicking sound of discovery. Perhaps an old coin. Maybe a ring. More often, it is an old pop top from a beer can.
Then there are some true legendary finds, like the retired electrician in England who discovered a gold cup in what was later declared an early Bronze Age funerary site.
But many of these metal detector hobbyists feel they get no respect.
If they’re not at odds with archaeologists over the recovery of historical or pre-historic items, they are skirmishing with local officials who want to restrict their access to beaches and parks. Even reality shows like “Savage Family Diggers” and “Dig Wars” don’t show the hobbyists in a favorable light.
“Most of the time, it’s just change we find,” said Kathy Cartonia of Williamsville, who started detecting in 1988.
“What do they think we’re going to do with metal detectors? Wreck the place? It makes no sense.”
So it should come as no surprise that Erie County Parks, Recreation and Forestry Commissioner Troy Schinzel is working to implement a policy that would place a handful of county parks and both county-run golf courses off-limits to the use of metal detectors. The policy would also establish rules on the removal of items from public grounds.
“I am concerned about that activity occurring in our historic or older parks,” Schinzel said. “We have five heritage parks where I would not want this type of activity permitted: Chestnut Ridge, Akron, Como, Ellicott Creek and Emery.
Schinzel is not alone.
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