More Rights Threatened: Ban on detecting in National Parks

UncleVinnys

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This just came out Feb. 19: ???


http://www.citizen-times.com/article/20100218/NEWS01/100218038/1009

Forest Service proposing limits on geocaches, metal detectors in national forests

The second rule would prohibit possession or use of metal detectors outside of designated areas. The agency said that many archaeological sites on the forest have been significantly damaged from treasure hunting, by those who loot sites to sell artifacts, and by others who are unaware that it’s illegal to disturb and remove artifacts from federal land without a research permit.
 

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UncleVinnys

UncleVinnys

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Tell me about it!
You cannot even GET IN to many parks.
It used to be FREE.
My local parks used to charge $3, then a couple years ago went up to $5 just to get in,
and now it's $9.00 just to enter the park. Used to be our taxes paid the ranger's salary,
now all these fees! Who gets the extra money? :icon_scratch:
 

Treasure_Hunter

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It has been against the law to hunt in National forests in Florida for years, as far as I know it has been against the law to detect in the National Parks for many years. I can understand the law in National parks, but not for National Forests, if you can hunt and kill wildlife there you should be able to detect three too.
 

Tom_in_CA

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You guys, you can metal detect in national forests, BLM land, etc.... for coins and artifacts that are not over 50 yrs. old (and how good is your math? ::)). You can also use a detector for other things too: nugget hunting, meteorites (as they are neither archaeological, nor man-made), and lastly, my favorite: "looking for the boyscout ring my dad lost here when he was a kid" (ie.: look for your own personal property).
 

Treasure_Hunter

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Tom_in_CA said:
You guys, you can metal detect in national forests, BLM land, etc.... for coins and artifacts that are not over 50 yrs. old (and how good is your math? ::)). You can also use a detector for other things too: nugget hunting, meteorites (as they are neither archaeological, nor man-made), and lastly, my favorite: "looking for the boyscout ring my dad lost here when he was a kid" (ie.: look for your own personal property).

You can't detect in the National Forests in Florida, they will not let you in with a detector. I have already talked to the rangers about it and was told "no detecting in Ocala National Forest, or any National forest in Florida. I do know you can in some of the other states tho.....

I do understand what you mean by "math" and looking for lost ring.
 

spartacus53

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What Tom was saying by do the math is that since this is 2010, any coin, or object that was made prior to 1960 is a no-no. Keep in mind you have to push back a year, every year! So in 2030, don't grab anything from before 1980 :laughing9:
 

Woodland Detectors

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The area they speak of is not too far from here.
The Guide lines have been like that for a while as far as detecting goes.
I have always abided to these rules and feel saddened to know that there are a handfull of irresponsible detectorist's
that feel the need to tresspass and break these laws.
There are plenty of places around here to detect without having to go onto federal property but just like hunting you have your poachers that can't resist what the grass is like on the other side.
I'm OK with the guidelines. I'm not OK however with the locals and tourist's that leave their trash strewn about the forest floor. Things are still a bit backwards here and a few hands may need to be slapped to make them understand that rules are meant to followed. It's not just the fault of the metal detectorist's, but everyone as fisherman, hunters atv,s etc. I'm not suprised that it has unfortunately come to this. When I sell a detector to someone locally, I stress how important it is not to tresspass and go on resticted property. I make sure they understand the consequences if they do. They are cracking down pretty heavy in that city NC so you need to understand there are consequences to your actions when you get the desire to dig that 2 cent wheat penny over the fence. Just saying

Be careful and don't give the sport a bad name here ok?

Thank you.
 

mrs.oroblanco

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Tom-in-Ca,

I wish you were right, but you are not. It depends on what National Forest you are in, right now, as to what is allowed and what isn't. In the Prescott National Forest, you have to know if there are any historical or archealogical artifacts or anything of significant historical value before you
metal detect there - now, how do you do that? If you accidentally come across something significant, you are automatically illegal.

They have been finding ways to "restrict" our hobby, along with propecting, for years.

Lucky us, we, as taxpayers, get to pay for all of it, then, have to pay to get in it, and then, can't participate in our hobby if some guy found a coin that is over 50 years old - think about that - 50 years old - like our wheaties.

That's like buying a home, and then paying rent.

B
 

Tom_in_CA

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orblanco, so you acknowledge that detecting in a federal forest is ok, for modern coins, nuggets, meteorites, something you yourself lost, etc..., right?, But it ceases to be ok if you ".... accidentally come across something significant [then] you are automatically illegal."

Well let me ask you then: If you are detecting along legally as you say, and suppose you were to find a penny over 50 yrs. old? or a henry shell that's mid 1800s? Do you run to the nearest ranger and fall to his knees and turn it in? I mean, really, do you expect someone to come up and frisk you to see if you have other pockets?

If someone can cite an incident where they were detecting legally, within the legally acceptable parameters under which it is allowed, and was frisked and inspected to see if they had items over 50 yrs. old, I'd really like to hear about it. Because barring someone being obnoxious, or someone who can't take a warning, or someone night sneaking obvious historical monuments, I just don't see this happening.
 

mrs.oroblanco

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Tom_in_Ca

First, I'm MRS. O :laughing9:

Second, I don't run out and tell anybody anything - Don't misunderstand - I hate what is happening - and, I have seen people prosecuted for finding something in an area where there wasn't any former knowledge of any "treasure" - and the whole thing sucks.

I'm not for tearing up any historical place - what I am against is that they are making it so that our public land in NOT accessible to all of the
public. The powers that be seem to want to use our tax dollars for preserving everything - FROM us. We, the people paying the taxes for these places, are the ones that are getting locked out.

The truth of the matter is that, something hidden in the ground will NEVER come to light if someone doesn't find the darned thing.

This doesn't just concern metal detectorists, just so you know - it's also about prospectors, and people who have claims (legal claims) and all the rest that goes with it.

GPAA guy - Tom Massie - was arrested for things he dredged out of the river on a legal mining claim. The authorities went to his home and took a whole bunch of stuff - things he had detected, things he had found, things he had dredged.

If you want cases, I can give them to you - it is my pet peeve - and I have been involved actively and legally, in this issue since 1991.

A friend of mine, is still in court - after years - over the California Park Service arresting him, not once, not twice, but three times, for being on his legal BLM (not park) mining claim.

Some people have this dumb idea that if you just fly under the radar, and they are not doing anything wrong, that everything is ok. Its only the idiots that get arrested, and they deserve it - but, I'm here to tell you - that is NOT the way the ball bounces.

Beth (mrs. oroblanco)
 

ivan salis

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since its 2010 in florida due to the 50 year old "park" rule---- "wheat pennies" last made in 1959 are now illlegal to find and keep "offically"-- in 2014 --all that lovely pre 1964 and 1964 90% silver will turn 50 years old thus be illegal by 2019 even the 40 % halves will be illegal -- so after 2019 its clad and crappy zinc coins and modern jewelry drops -- thats our "grubbermint" at work limiting what you can do and find on "the public's" land -- and by the way -- just who in gods name is "the public" -- uh we the people -- the tax payors who happy happy joy joy get to fund via taxes and " user fees" ( ie even more "direct" taxes)-- the parks and their "staff" and the self serving power mad leeches we call politicians.

to be taxed for its upkeep and then no allowed to use it for "hobby" metal detecting is blantly unfair , I agree if theres a "historic site" no detecting there --ok thats understandible --but no detecting anywhere ? in any national park folks thats just not right..
 

bula

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I fell down the other day & my friend would not pick me up because I am over 50, that is where it is going.
 

Woodland Detectors

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mrs.oroblanco said:
Tom_in_Ca

First, I'm MRS. O :laughing9:

Second, I don't run out and tell anybody anything - Don't misunderstand - I hate what is happening - and, I have seen people prosecuted for finding something in an area where there wasn't any former knowledge of any "treasure" - and the whole thing sucks.

I'm not for tearing up any historical place - what I am against is that they are making it so that our public land in NOT accessible to all of the
public. The powers that be seem to want to use our tax dollars for preserving everything - FROM us. We, the people paying the taxes for these places, are the ones that are getting locked out.

The truth of the matter is that, something hidden in the ground will NEVER come to light if someone doesn't find the darned thing.

This doesn't just concern metal detectorists, just so you know - it's also about prospectors, and people who have claims (legal claims) and all the rest that goes with it.

GPAA guy - Tom Massie - was arrested for things he dredged out of the river on a legal mining claim. The authorities went to his home and took a whole bunch of stuff - things he had detected, things he had found, things he had dredged.

If you want cases, I can give them to you - it is my pet peeve - and I have been involved actively and legally, in this issue since 1991.

A friend of mine, is still in court - after years - over the California Park Service arresting him, not once, not twice, but three times, for being on his legal BLM (not park) mining claim.

Some people have this dumb idea that if you just fly under the radar, and they are not doing anything wrong, that everything is ok. Its only the idiots that get arrested, and they deserve it - but, I'm here to tell you - that is NOT the way the ball bounces.

Beth (mrs. oroblanco)
First, I'm MRS. O




OOOOOOOOOHeeeeeee
You go Mrs. O!
 

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