Pick on the detectorists

[Chef Geoff]

I'm afraid the old

in reality very little is often found

is a rumour started by and promoted by nighthawks themselves. I guarantee that if it wasn't worth it this scum wouldn't be doing it

[stever]

i just think its up to them i don`t see how they can find more stuff as there is no guarantee when your out detecting i,ve been out loads and found nothing some days. yes they shouldn't be trespassing but its there problem its the risk they take i don`t know them to call them scum i just don’t judge someone’s choices without first knowing them or their reason.

[Chef Geoff]

Steve the majority of Nighthawkes aren't just popping on to any old field to detect, they have done their research and target either sites that have proven productive for fellow detectorists or sites that the odds are better such as scheduled hillforts,villas etc.
They know the laws and they choose to brake them, in fact they have researched and planned to brake them and every item they steel has gone forever, no one can ever replace the possible information that the items hold.
While your "judge not" philosophy is a laudable one, by extension a child molester may have good reasons and they do, they're ill. We're not judging innocence or guilt, we're talking about people who DO go out and nighthawk, what possible defence can they have?

[galoshers]

its hard enough in the daytime,petrol has gottten to dear for hakws to drive long distances so they stay more local nowadays is what i am hearing.
crumby coins is mostly found nothing nice at all.

joblessness wears them down so they partake of hawking at night for something to do with their time.

[carling2]

so they,ll be alright on this new tory ,work for nothing scheme for the jobless,,then they might be to tired to go out at night  ,,,,something to do with there time ? doh,  I know im bored I,ll go and trespass,steal knowingly in the midde of the night wtf? 

[hotmill]

All I know is that I have been to farms to ask for permission and have been told NO as they have had problems with people detecting on their land without permission and making a hell of a mess. Whatever their reasons for doing it, and whatever your view on it might be it DOES have an effect on us personally and on our hobby. Doesn't take much for that farmer to tell his farming chums and before you know it whole areas are off limits, It might not effect you now in your area but it might in the future, only takes one hawker to spoil it for loads of responsible people.

[galoshers]

poachers have been poaching for generations but no police patrols and helicopters with searchlights hunting them down at considerable cost and manpower for those scrotes

[Goldpanner]

poachers have been poaching for generations but no police patrols and helicopters with searchlights hunting them down at considerable cost and manpower for those scrotes

But a poacher doesnt take away historical items. Fish regenerate, Antiquities dont

[Spooyt Vane]

I have met nighthawkers at rallies and have told them in no uncertain terms what i think about them and i know its hard to prove a case against them...Stever these criminals dig  holes on top of buildings on scheduled sites and in the past have used lorries to cart away soil from Roman/Celt temple sites probably littered with gold and silver artefacts to detect at there own leisure..In the Durham area the criminals are running scared ,because there car n.o.s and addresses are noted...These criminals are small in number and why should the whole hobby be tarred with the same brush by the antidetecting brigade whose whole aim is to destroy this wonderful hobby?

[stever]

I don't understand why thery don't they excavate the scheduled sites to clear them of artifacts so that they are protected forever then that way the hawkers will have to get permission for land to detect on just like the rest of us that would stop the incentive for them.

[Chef Geoff]

The amount of information that can be accumulated by excavation has increased 10 fold in the last 30 years and this advancement in research technology is expected to continue so why should we have loose possibly valuable information due to a band of thieves?

[dickvandyke]

This is not nice...........

http://www.dw.de/uk-treasure-hunters-make-archeologists-see-red/a-17066960

yeah ive heard of him looked him up on twitter,the guy is a complete idiot,university degree or not,and if he wants to poke his soddin nose in he should sod off back to greece and do it.
ban detecting completely?how would that work?
lets look at beaches.....constantly washed by the sea,battered by the wind and elements in general.
what happens one day when some bod walking along the beach sees an old pot picks it up and takes it to a museum,what happens does he get prosecuted for damaging an archeological site...i doubt it.
or you buy a nice big country retreat after winning the lottery lots of history, 30 acres,but no schedule or anything.
how will they police you not hunting on your own property?
also what if you dont even detect you just get your jcb out and dig yourself a garden pond and find 100,000 gold coins.....have you broken the law?
i cant see how it could be done.
an

[dickvandyke]

This is not nice...........

http://www.dw.de/uk-treasure-hunters-make-archeologists-see-red/a-17066960

Why not report on the hundred and hundreds of skeletons archaeologists lift from the ground... and thus from there designated burial place,  only to be thrown into a cardboard box and stored for a privileged few to occasionally examine from time to time he knows very little about metal detecting, and yet our museums are full of ancient objects recovered by us, for the public to enjoy and learn from .And now I am out to find some more

lol i love it..the guy is an idiot mate you summed it up.....he's obsessed with the elgin marbles( if thats how its spelt)and he's on a rest of his life witchhunt and look who's in the frame?ive only just given up shooting as i dont like the bad press.
i thought to myself nice peacefull hobby out in the countryside again and maybe find a few quid and here we go again.

[galoshers]

poachers have been poaching for generations but no police patrols and helicopters with searchlights hunting them down at considerable cost and manpower for those scrotes

But a poacher doesnt take away historical items. Fish regenerate, Antiquities dont

have a look on all the forums over a year and the finds are mostly a load of old tat ,that even a dodgy coin dealer wouldnt buy .
knackered tokens and coins whilst interesting are not historical items of any great note ,except to support an industry of self important twerps on a nice salary .
majority of finds have no value at all.
just interesting .

[dickvandyke]

i agree this is true,but there are the exception like the staffs hoard etc but that having been said its not like it gets kept in a cupboard and weighed in at the local cash a cheque/gold dealer shop is it?
to make any money it all has to be declared and purchased by whichever museum.
this guy is obviously an arse who really hasnt got much of a life if he's chasing people like us over a few old coins and the odd bit of broken sword or whatever.