Hello,
The Wisconsin hunt was one of my most enjoyable meteorite hunts of all time.
Mainly because the majority of local residents welcomed the meteorite hunters
with an enthusiastic openness. I have never seen more local people hunting for
meteorites in my whole lifetime. The days following the Iowa-Grant Counties
School event, I saw at least 50 people mowing their lawns in and around the
school and entire families walking up and down the road looking for meteorites.
I was only turned down from hunting on one property, and that was because they
had just sprayed chemicals on the fields and did not want people getting sick
and suing them. They also, had turkey hunters in the woods and while I was
disappointed, it was their land and it made perfect sense to me. Sad though,
because it was right under the line!
I saw some really beautiful country, filled with lovely rivers, farms, woods
and unique limestone bluffs in some areas. I saw morel mushrooms, eagles and
many, many medicine plants. On "Mark's" farm, in his woods, I saw thousands of
little violets all with their purple flowers glowing and filling the forest
with sweet fragrance.
I really enjoyed being with Jim Baxter when he found his very first meteorite
in this lifetime, then another, and then another! fantastic! Jim is probably
the winner, for the most stones, most weight, in the shortest period of time
-2 days of hunting I believe.
My thanks go out to the many people who allowed us to hunt their properties, to
fellow meteorite hunters who shared data and obtained permission for others to
hunt. People like Mike F., Terry B., Robert W., and others. To The Trelay seed
people for allowing us to hunt the property around the school and in that great
cluster of finds. To George Bailey, I found my 1st and 2nd meteorite on his
farm. To Gola Finklemyer, where I found my 4th stone. One of the sweetest
ladies you could ever hope to meet.
To Eric and Greg in the second week! Great and easy going hunting partners. I
like to hunt alone most of the time, but hunting with Greg Hupe and Eric
Whichman was about as fun as it gets... productive and easy going. 100%
perfection in a team. I would never hunt alone again, if I can hunt with men
of such caliber. Thanks to Rob Matson, for creating a new technique which was
a joy to experiment with. Man, is he on to something! Finding that 4th stone
under his radar projection felt like a scientific breakthrough! So Cool!
Overall, there was an extreme amount of cooperation between people and as a
result many, many stones were saved. That school event was the most
significant people event of this fall. The outcome of inspirational seeds that
were planted by Mike and Terry will be felt by those children for years to
come. The whole community was rocked by that school event! Bravo! Should be a
lesson for the next fall .... immediately after a fall- schools should be
approached and a lecture be given.... I believe that was what H. H. Nininger
did a lot of the time.
I found 4 cool space stones....but I made 40 new friends! I don't have to think
too long to know which was the greater of the two treasures!
I am very disappointed in several meteorite hunters, both new and old to the
game, who basically stole their meteorites from the land owners. I do not use
those words lightly. To be given permission to hunt on ones property but to
claim you found it on "the public right of way" and refuse to compensate the
land owner in anyway ..... well folks that is plain wrong. Even if that stone
was found on a public right of way, you would of not been there in the first
place if the land owner hand not given you permission. Did you ever stop to
think what impact this behavior might have for everyone else in the field. NO
YOU DID NOT. Well, stolen meteorite number one made the land owners very angry
and they shut down a prime part of the strewn field. No meteorites recovered
there! Lost and gone for good. In fact they talked to neighbors and got other
property closed for the rest of us. So while you got your big prize, the rest
of us had to deal with your dishonest deed. You know who you are. The second
stolen meteorite, well you know who you are as well.... funny that you stated
you found your piece in the public right of way ...I guess that stone belongs
to the State of Wisconsin. You may wish that it did indeed belong to the land
owners after all....
I will not tolerate meteorite hunters who are working side by side with the
rest of us and who steal meteorites from the land owners and thus leave an
image of theft and piracy on all members of this community. This meteorite
community is growing and getting more attention than ever before and if your
greed and thieving ways continue in the field on the next fall.... I will drag
you out into the open and expose you to the world. I will also assist any
landowner who might want to prosecute you for breach of contract and theft. One
of you had given your word to the land owner and then changed your mind!
So, the people of Wisconsin are beautiful people, they are open people,
welcoming people. Many of them joined this list to learn more about meteorites.
I hope those who were impacted by the two members of our community, the two
members of our list who acted out of greed and self interest can be forgiven.
These two people are not like the rest of us and the majority of people on this
list would never accept such actions and do not condone theft.
I personally hope to hunt for many more meteorites in the years to come, but if
people in our meteorite community continue to act like common pirates,
especially as the spot light grows and grows on the entire community, well it
might be all over...
Best Wishes
Michael Cottingham
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