Wow. I never expected my letter to go over so well. Quite a few folks from various groups expressed an interest in recycling my letter to request permissions of their own. I can do you one better. I have drafted a template that you are welcome to cut and edit as you see fit. I am a strong advocate for asking permission rather than forgiveness in this hobby, so please feel free to reuse and recycle this letter as often or as sparingly as you would like. If you have a property in mind and do not know the owner, I would suggest calling your county with the address and getting the name of the person...

I had a horrible day at my real job. So, I checked out and braved the snow... I wish it was worth it. An hour later, I was sitting at the local pub with a plate full of nachos and pint of Miller Lite... two pints of Miller Lite. Someone had suggested on my previous post that the snow sometimes insulates the ground and keeps it from freezing. That was not the case at Pine Grove Furnace today. I headed straight for the beach, thinking that the sand would be loose... I was stabbing at it with my screwdriver for a good five minutes before I gave up. The good news is that I relieved most of my frustration. Then,...

Winter is my enemy. I see others in the hobby posting pictures of themselves in the snow and I'm over here sipping my coffee by the fire thinking... "I need to be more dedicated." Then I remember the four inches of snow on the ground and I get another cup of coffee and retreat to my spot by the fire. My last hunt of the year was in December. I acquired permission from the owner of the local pool (est. 1920s) which was a popular picnicking spot even before the pool. The property includes a section of creek and some old trees. It also borders the Appalachian Trail, which I had no idea when...

Today was my first time ever using a metal detector! Before embarking on my adventure, I asked my husband for a hat so hunters wouldn't mistake me for a frolicking deer. He found me a hat--an ugly hat--which I refused to wear because I didn't want to look ridiculous. He politely reminded me that I was about to go metal detecting and there really is no way to look not-ridiculous while metal detecting. I do think I pulled it off with my  fur cap and  satchel. Anyway... my fingers are numb. My arm hurts. I have thorns protruding from my flesh. And I am chafing. But I found a few things and I learned...