Cool or Not Cool: Hunting in Prospect Park

Get your fingers off your iPhone’s 311 speed dial! I’m talking metal hunting. Much like extreme ironing, metal detecting is a hobby (some call it a sport) that takes place in our own Prospect Park. I often see a lone 60-something year old man prodding his metal rod (NOT a euphemism) on the dusty grounds, as in this recent picture taken by the Tennis House in Long Meadow. Apparently these folks aren’t just after the loose change that spills out of your pocket because you just ate at cash only Dizzy’s. Some are after far more interesting bounty, like a grape shot left by George Washington’s Continental Army in 1776, or your grill that popped out last week while you were spitting rhymes gangsta style in the LM (that’s Long Meadow, beeyatches)! Whatever your treasure hunt aspirations, there are park rules about this shit so listen up, all you would-be detectorists (proper term, btw). 

Basic Prospect Park Detectorist Rule #1: Metal detectors are not allowed on manicured lawns or in wooded areas. That basically leaves you with what, dusty areas and playgrounds? 

Basic Prospect Park Detectorist Rule #2: You have got to get a permit. You already have a gun permit for pigeon target play, so get one for your metal hunting hobby. Hunting is hunting. Click here for the application. Tip: They only give out a few hundred a year so hop to it.

Basic Prospect Park Detectorist Rule #3: Metal Detecting in Prospect Park is only permitted on Saturdays and Sundays. That’s right, you can only be a weekend hobbyist/metal sportster. Save the weekdays for waiting in line to take your little ones to their Mommy and Me Capoeira classes.

If you are one of the lucky detectorists to obtain a permit, that shit has many rules, such as, you can only keep crap with no value or historical significance: 

All recovered Significant Objects must be reported to the Urban Park Service (212.360.2778) within 48 hours of finding. Applicant shall submit a photo of the Significant Object to Parks upon request. Parks will determine whether to retain title and possession of the recovered Significant Object(s).

*Significant Object(s)” shall mean any object of a historical, paleontological, or archaeological nature, or any coin or object whose value significantly exceeds its face value. A Recent Coin is not a Significant Object.

So basically you can keep the nickel from your Dizzy’s change but not the musket round from the Battle Of Brooklyn. That’s no fun! I’m all about finder’s keepers plus I like free dirty found shit.

So now you are all jacked up for your new hobby/sport but your head is spinning about the details of getting started. Relax, future park archeologist, you can get yourself a metal detector right here in Brooklyn. By, right here, I don’t mean the Slope. Please, privileged people! You have got to go to Canarsie. Never heard of it? Of course not, you live in Park Slope. It’s in the southeastern portion of the borough and will take you at least an hour by train, plane or Zipcar. Right about now you’re probably thinking maybe the Atlantic Terminal Target sells them. Nope. I checked. There are plenty on the Target website but being a PS do-gooder I am sure you want to support a Brooklyn business so head on over to the nearest Metal Detector distributor on Brooklyn’s Flatlands Avenue for all your MD needs. They’ll give you demonstrations and walk you through the basics of metal detecting.

So, do you dig it? Have you done it? Found any good shit that you kept?