Don't Tell Joe

[willybee]

Just took a call from one of the Squad- the best spot in town
has been compromised for everyone. (a new guy to the team
had to learn the hard way)-seems like you can't teach this lesson-
but, I gotta try......

Tale of the CLOVIS SPOT

It all starts innocently enough.
You show Joe at work your Clovis point, and he thinks
that its really cool. Next thing you know you have agreed to
take Joe hunting at your spot. You and Joe go there, and Joe
finds a G9 Afton (never fails)while you get skunked-and you
make Joe promise to not tell anyone else or bring anyone
else there, because its really not even your spot-your other
buddy showed it to you, and made YOU promise.............

TWO WEEKS LATER
After a 2 inch rain, you and the ORIGINAL SITE FINDER go to
the Clovis spot only to find another co-worker (who Joe told)
and 4 other people who came with him.
Turns out they have permission, but only for this one time.
The landowner told them too many people were coming
around asking, and after that day NO ONE would be allowed
back in.
OOPS-
just wanted to let any new hunters who haven't had something
similar happen --
serious consequences if you tell JOE.
DON'T TELL JOE.
Tell Joe = No Arrowhead.
WHEW! i feel better now just thinkin' even 1 person could avoid this.
EACH AND EVERY team member has it drilled into em-
so far all have had to learn the hard way, even ME!

willy

[Patrico]

Love it! We've all learned that the hard way!!

[rockhunter]

been there, done that. Luckily I learned early. thanks for bringin it up, I'ma go check my traps!

[Middle Mountain]

Willybee, Really You never know who you can trust but you already know that. Hope The "negative" side of folks and collecting out there calms down and it cn be like it was before.

[etley]

i was gonna tell joe but now i'm not. (((want my arrowheads!!!))) actually kno what u mean. has happend to me too. lost good sites in exact manner you explain. thanks for reminder to not trust joe schmoe

[Old Stones]

Yep, if you want to follow in another mans footsteps, show him your clovis site.

[Greatbasinman]

I can sure relate to this one!!! Lots of Joe's out there!!! The bad news is when you know its his footprints your seeing, good news is when you find an awesome point right next to his foorprints!!!

[chert]

I always make up fake locations if someone asks me where I hunt for artifacts. In most cases though not many people around here even give artifact hunting a second thought. If they seem somewhat interested they don't even know the first thing about how to start searching for points.

[joshuaream]

There is a balance between sharing information and hording information. I've learned of many sites through the generosity of other collectors and I enjoy helping other people find their first points. At the same time, I've been stung by careless friends who told others, who told others, etc.

I've told the story before, but I had to buy the point in my profile picture back from a a fellow pottery collector that I took to one of my favorite sites in South America. We were driving near the site, which I don't get to hunt very often, and I couldn't resist the urge to walk the site. While I was parking the car he walked strait down the path and picked this piece up laying out flat. I expected him to give the point to me, but he's a dealer and wanted money. I eventually gave in and bought the point for a lot more than I should have.

The @#%#$ didn't even collect points, but he started hitting the site before I would go down on vacation and picking up everything (and wanting to sell it to me.) I eventually had a couple of locals slash a tire on his car when he'd stop by, I stopped dealing with him on pottery, would bid him up on local pottery just to make him pay more, etc. Eventually he got the message.

[comanche]

Once the cats Out-a the bag,,,,Hard to get the darn thing back in.
I have people ask me all the time,,,"So where do you find these things?"
I will be very Vague with them and say,,,"You know over there on the North side of such and such",,,,If they persist ,,I usually look over my glasses at them,,"With a dead eye and say,,"Your kidding Right"////c