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What To Do With Wallet, Keys, Etc. While Out Detecting In The Water?


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While we are on this beach hunting  topic, what do you guys do for keeping your keys, wallet, cell phone safe while you are beach hunting? Do you leave this stuff in your car under the seat, or wear a waterproof plastic bag around your neck with your valuables in it? Where can I get a  waterproof neck pouch? Zip Lock bags are NOT watertight. I found this out the hard way with my cell phone.

I will be out in a  waist deep river with a black bottom next week using my sucker stick to get the placer gold in between the river bottom cemented cobbles. What to do with my keys, wallet, etc? If I accidentally drop them in the river, I will never see them again for sure.

-Tom

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Wallet stays in the vehicle always. If a cop is dumb enough to bother me while detecting and asks me my ID they are going to have to walk to the truck with me lol. Hide keys under a rock or log or what ever... near where you are hunting. I have a utility box on my truck that I leave one door unlocked and hide my keys in there. There are many answers that can be given to this common problem when water hunting.  

strick

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I'm with Strick. No experienced outdoorsman ever carries his vehicle keys while hiking around. I have carried my wallet, at times, but my wallet won't get me home...LOL. Best to leave both at the rig, or hidden nearby.

Jim

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Otter Box Drybox.  $_58.JPG

Used one for a canoe trip to protect remote starter/keys, wallet, and phone. Worked like a champ. Still waterproof and used 2 years later.

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I was unable to find the Otterbox at Dicks Sporting Goods or Walmart. They did have other brand boxes but even the small one was like a 4 x 6 x 4 cube ,too bulky. I settled on a clear heavy vinyl pouch that will hold my keys, wallet, asthma inhaler and came with a neck strap. It says Waterproof BUT after I removed the Velcro flap at the top, underneath it says NOT for SUBMERSION. Duh what ???   Isn't waterproof the same thing as saying no leaks underwater proof? Hmmm, I will just keep my valuables in the pouch , around my neck ,and under a T shirt, and make sure the neck strap is NOT too flimsy, and leave spare change/cell phone in the car to keep the weight down. I think I will keep an emergency whistle in the pouch too or maybe even this tiny air horn I got for an emergency alarm.

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On 7/6/2017 at 8:47 AM, Deft Tones said:

Otter Box Drybox.  $_58.JPG

Used one for a canoe trip to protect remote starter/keys, wallet, and phone. Worked like a champ. Still waterproof and used 2 years later.

The Otter Box is fine, but what do you do if it ends up floating down the river? The idea of hiding the keys at the vehicle is that is where they're needed. Having them in the Otter Box while floating the river is no different than having them in your pocket while hiking around....if they end up lost, your vehicle is worthless for getting you home. Just sayin'.

Jim

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6 hours ago, Jim in Idaho said:

The Otter Box is fine, but what do you do if it ends up floating down the river? The idea of hiding the keys at the vehicle is that is where they're needed. Having them in the Otter Box while floating the river is no different than having them in your pocket while hiking around....if they end up lost, your vehicle is worthless for getting you home. Just sayin'.

Jim

I tethered mine to my lifejacket. When hiking/detecting it's clipped to the bag and sits in a side pouch. Never had it fall out of the pouch yet, but having it clipped to the bag has saved me from making a trip back to a resting spot.

Same with fishing poles - tethered to the canoe unless in use...everything tethered I don't want to lose. Learned an expensive lesson the hard way once.

I know what you're saying. Just stash the box (or pvc, glass jar, pringles can, etc) on or near the truck. All problems solved except accidential discovery by a stranger. :smile:

And I have done just that at certain places...

But what if someone was watching you stash the container? :unsure:

I feel best/safest keeping valuables on my person.

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LOL...I don't blame you. Especially in places that get a lot of human activity. My biggest fear, though, is wearing a hole in my pocket, or something, and losing my keys. I'm usually WAY out in the sticks, and alone....real cause for concern. I'm now WAY too old to walk 30 miles to civilization....Ha!

jim

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Sometimes I'll lock my keys inside the truck, but there is a keypad for entry so it's mostly safe to do that.

Perhaps a keyless ignition with exterior security pad would be the ticket. I might look into that myself.

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Well, I figure people aren't out to steal my truck, so I put the keys in the bumper of the flatbed. If they really want to get in and steal my gear, I'd rather they just used the key anyway. My big concern is simply being stranded. Thus the keys stay at the rig. I don't even have electronic keys on the old Dodge.

Jim

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