Almost got arrested and had my artifacts confiscated!

[jpitt1970]

Today, I went down to the Tennessee River look for artifacts. When I was walking back to the car, two TVA officers were waiting on me. They asked if I had any arrowheads or any other artifacts. Then I was searched and had the few things I found confiscated. Lucky for me, all I had was a nice big knife blade, a net weight and a section of a long bone that had been cut like a ring and drilled, like a necklace charm or some type of pendant.....I was ticked off to say the least. I was only given a written warning for theft of Government property and told that if I was caught looking for artifacts along the river, I would be arrested!

I have been to the TVA website and even printed a copy of the the laws regarding artifact collecting, which clearly states that the laws do not pertain to a person collecting arrowheads off the surface of the ground. When I told the officers that, they just said the law has recently changed and they are cracking down on artifact hunters.

What a bunch of bull!!!

[Felinepeachy]

WOW. I would call tomorrow and confirm that latest info. That really sucks.

[Jonzer]

Unbelievable!!!
I would be sooo pissed. I would have been arrested.
Why in the world would they do such a thing?

[jpitt1970]

As was stated by a member on another forum, I think it was a collector with a badge!!

[SOHIO]

I would have said "arrowheads , artifacts

[DigginThePast]

I haven't found any statutes concerning what the "subsequent regulations" concerning arrowheads are but here is an article from September 2010 that mentions them.

Artifact hunting is legal on private land, if you have the owner's permission, but since 1979 it has been against federal law to remove anything more than 100 years old from federal land.

That includes 11,000 miles of public shoreline controlled by the Tennessee Valley Authority, and it includes 20 miles of Tennessee River shoreline in the Wheeler refuge.

This isn't a story about dad and the kids spotting a "worked" piece of flint on the ground while hiking in the refuge. They're not supposed to take it, but it's a matter of debate what happens if they do and get caught. The 1979 federal law specifically exempted arrowheads found on the surface from fines, but federal land managers including Wheeler's say subsequent regulations have essentially banned all artifact collecting on federal land - arrowheads included.

By Lee Roop, The Huntsville Times
http://blog.al.com/space-news/2010/0...dy_for_wo.html


edit to add: Found nothing from the TVA site and text of ARPA concerning "subsequent changes" concerning arrowheads. It might have been done, but where is the statute?

[jpitt1970]

http://www.cr.nps.gov/local-law/FHPL_ArchRsrcsProt.pdf

Here is the link..check page 145 section 6g...and page 146

[The Grim Reaper]

I don't see anything that says you can't remove arrowheads that are on the surface. Sounds like they were just being a couple of A-Holes and took your artifacts, probably for their own collections. Contact the TVA and ask them if there are new provisions preventing people from picking up surface finds.

[DigginThePast]

http://www.cr.nps.gov/local-law/FHPL_ArchRsrcsProt.pdf

Here is the link..check page 145 section 6g...and page 146

Right. That is the portion that excludes surface arrowheads.

I was looking for the statutes that now preclude collecting surface arrowheads, the recently changed law that the TVA officers cited to you.

Am I misunderstanding or misreading something? Prior, one could gather surface arrowheads, these arrowheads were subject to forfeiture if found in your possession but you would not be subject to arrest, fines and jail time. Now, possession of the same arrowhead can lead to that arrest, fines and jail time. They need to show you the statute.

[jpitt1970]

http://www.cr.nps.gov/local-law/FHPL_ArchRsrcsProt.pdf

Here is the link..check page 145 section 6g...and page 146

Right. That is the portion that excludes surface arrowheads.

I was looking for the statutes that now preclude collecting surface arrowheads, the recently changed law that the TVA officers cited to you.

Am I misunderstanding or misreading something? Prior, one could gather surface arrowheads, these arrowheads were subject to forfeiture if found in your possession but you would not be subject to arrest, fines and jail time. Now, possession of the same arrowhead can lead to that arrest, fines and jail time. They need to show you the statute.

TVA is federal land, and the link I posted is from the TVA website...I looked at it after being harrassed!!
I think those guys were just ...they were waiting on two other guys to come back after they messed w/ me.. I ran into the other guys when I got to the river and went to another site to be polite after talking for a minute. The officer was there then, but didn't mess w/ me cus he thought I was just walking my dogs. He and another were waiting when I came back from the other site a few hundred yards downstream.

[jpitt1970]

What really pissed me off was when he told me that I should take up metal detecting, because you can do that on TVA land with a permit

[ohioaxeman]

break it in your pocket and then hand it to them in pieces... say "oops...my bad"

[jeff a]

same thing happened here at a local northern ohio reservoir, only they took all the guys info and had the sheriff visit him a few weeks later, after everything was said and done the collector lost almost 10,000 artifacts to the gubberment

[GroundS.KeepeR]

I'm sorry but if i'm walking and i see a piece of history laying on the surface.. it's going in my pocket! I always have my camera w/t me they ask me what im doing ..Taking pictures! 8)..

[mootsman]

That issue has been beaten to death. Yes the reference states that surface hunting is allowed; however, if you read deep in the Federal Regulations or even some statements on National Forests sites you will find that the feds have long since said that although the 1979 law had that written in it subsequent regs have superseded that part of it. The bottom line is that ANY relic hunting on federal land can get you arrested. Interestingly, some of the National Forest sites actually state that they don't consider surface point hunting as being in the same league as digging and imply that their resources are directed toward apprehending only diggers....but you can always run into Barney Fife.

[trevmma]

that is the dumbest thing i have ever heard, the laws for hunting artifacts should be all revoked. i think pulling a fish out of the water or killing a deer is a much worswe thing to do, thank saving a artifact from never being seen (ever). why is that law here, native americans or prick archeologist. next time i see a point on the river i will be sure to fall on it and get cut so i can sue the **** out of the people that own the point, hell if i cant sue anybody its no bodies.

[NorCal Gal]

Bummer, Dude...

[poorfarm]

dig deeper rivers ans streams navagaitable were set aside by congress for public use the water way goes to the highest flood point check it out

[all_atv]

I'd follow up with your artifacts at least. Do everything you can to try and keep them from being in that officers collection! Or in a box in some storage room! No matter how insignifigant they are make them know you are there to preserve history, and your not a thief!

dig deeper rivers ans streams navagaitable were set aside by congress for public use the water way goes to the highest flood point check it out

Every state Is different, but I doubt it's the highest flood point, when the mississippi flooded in 08' I bet it was flooded 20 miles inland in some places lol.

[Airborne80]

Ok.... listen up, cause i'm only gonna say this once. Why? Because not everyone on this site is a good guy. Roger that? So pay attention.

I ALWAYS bring arrowheads that i have recovered from private property, with me when I am out. Why? So I can compare them against any I may find and want to photograph. I also do pick up rocks and stuff for my fish tanks etc. Once..... a ranger who had been watching me fro afar through his binos.... told me that he had observed me picking up artifacts. I emptied my pockets and he soon realized that i had a couple of points from my provate property and what he had seen me place into my pocket was in fact a rock.

Over and out