National or Federal Parks

[Trigem]

Every body needs to write their congressman & senators , ask them to lighten up on the rules,
Here in Tennessee, we have gotten gun carry laws changed for the better just by letting them know (in numbers) our wants
But it takes numbers, stop talking and take action...
2012 is just around the corner...

Write Your Representative
https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml

Your Senator
http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

Maybe someone can makeup a letter we can all email in?

 

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[Treasure_Hunter]

You will never ever get them to allow detecting in National Parks, many of the National Parks are over battle grounds and other historical remains. I personally don't want to see a bunch of people digging up the National Parks, many of who do not know how to recover a target properly, but the National Forests and National Recreational areas should be open, they are for a different purpose, recreation...........

 

[smallstuff]

I have done landscaping at a lot of national park offices. I personally wouldn't appreciate people tearing up the turf that I work hard to groom. If this was made legal then massive amounts of treasure hunters could easily damage a lot of fragile and valuable soil in environmentally protected areas. I enjoy treasure hunting as much as the next guy but I first and foremost try to protect these few last spots of undeveloped and natural landscape. Digging a foot down in soil does not seem like it would do much damage to a forest but several holes (especially in certain areas) can an untold amount of damage to the fragile lichens, bacteria, and insects that live in the upper crust of the soil. These small organisms are a key link in the ecosystem of forests and national parks. It may sound ridiculous that a few treasure hunters could disrupt a whole forest, and a few may not, but a few hundred over the course of a year would greatly damage these areas.

I can't stop you from writing these letters. If you do write these letters it might sound more sincere and heartfelt if you don't use a preset letter that people attach their name to. These letters go farther when they are original and genuine. Anyone can get people to sign their petition but to actually compose a petition or letter takes someone who is deeply passionate about the subject. If these are your true wishes I wish you the best of luck in your cause. Our only real enemy is our apathy.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

I have done landscaping at a lot of national park offices. I personally wouldn't appreciate people tearing up the turf that I work hard to groom. If this was made legal then massive amounts of treasure hunters could easily damage a lot of fragile and valuable soil in environmentally protected areas. I enjoy treasure hunting as much as the next guy but I first and foremost try to protect these few last spots of undeveloped and natural landscape. Digging a foot down in soil does not seem like it would do much damage to a forest but several holes (especially in certain areas) can an untold amount of damage to the fragile lichens, bacteria, and insects that live in the upper crust of the soil. These small organisms are a key link in the ecosystem of forests and national parks. It may sound ridiculous that a few treasure hunters could disrupt a whole forest, and a few may not, but a few hundred over the course of a year would greatly damage these areas.

I can't stop you from writing these letters. If you do write these letters it might sound more sincere and heartfelt if you don't use a preset letter that people attach their name to. These letters go farther when they are original and genuine. Anyone can get people to sign their petition but to actually compose a petition or letter takes someone who is deeply passionate about the subject. If these are your true wishes I wish you the best of luck in your cause. Our only real enemy is our apathy.

I have camped in almost every single National Park West of the Mississippi, I would not want to see detecting legal in National Parks, seen too many local parks that were hunted by people who didn't have a clue how to recover a target other then digging a big hole, and many didn't even bother to cover them up properly...

Many National Parks are on historic battlefields and historic sites. I was at Custer National Monument from the battle of Little Big Horn in WY one morning, some people had sneaked in the night before, and using detectors had dug holes all over "Last Stand Hill", not a single hole was covered, and there were hundreds of holes all over there.

 

[RGINN]

I agree with Treasure Hunter. That's disgusting news about the Little Bighorn site. Spiro Mounds. There should not be a blanket permission to detect in these national parks, because there is that one per cent that will mess it up for the rest of us, and people will paint us all with the same brush. Spiro Mounds. I would like to see more cooperation between the Feds and detectorists in surveying historic sites, which they did at Little Bighorn. I would be thrilled to be on one of those hunts, would work with the archy's, and they can have everything I turn up. Spiro Mounds. It's pretty much free labor for the archys. Search the history of Spiro Mounds, and you can see what happens when so-called treasure hunters run wild.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Pasquinel, you seen Clay Basket? Tell her McKeag desires her....

 

[RGINN]

Aaaayyyy mon ami! Comment sa va? Bien? I'm glad you recognized that, treasure hunter. (I can speak it, cause I have a lot of French speaking friends up here, but I can't spell it worth a crap) One of my favorite movies I saw in Oklahoma and now I'm in Colorado, so I'm right there. Clay Basket is fine, and McKeag can stay the he** away as long as long as I'm here. I do wish the archys would utilize detectorists more. I think we're a valuable resource. From what I see on here, the majority do have a great interest in history and could actually help further the knowledge of historic sites. But, two or three pot hunters give us all a bad rep, I guess.

 

[Michaelangelo]

RGINN-how right you are in getting the archys and detectorists together more. The Old North State Detectorists in Greensboro, N.C. were fortunate enough to have the privilege to work with state archaelogists in detecting Alamance Battleground last year. Very professionally done and the archys were so impressed it will most likely lead to more expeditions to national battle sights.

 

[necsteve]

Your first sentence is "Every body needs to write their congressman & senators ."
I interpret that as : Ignore the following message...its rude for anyone to tell me what I need.

 

[TheRandyMan]

There is a solution to every problem. If the problem is that there is a 1% or 2% of detectorists who do not know their azz from a hole in the ground they just dug, then what we need to suggest and implement is a program of education and certification that would be recognized by both academia and government alike. Basically, a testing and certifying organization that would provide an opportunity for individuals who so desired to gain a certification and/or license at various levels. You could move up the ladder from say...

Level 1... Completed 8 hour training course in basic detecting procedures and etiquette. Detectorist demonstrates correct technique in basic plug cutting and hole filling, awareness of local and national laws connected with detecting, etc...Similar to a drivers education course in length and type of curriculum.

Level 2... Completed additional training in documenting special finds, protection of historical artifacts, cooperative working with academia, etc...Documented 100 hours of field training and participation in historical site documentation and preservation.

Level 3... National certification for land detecting license. Completed advanced research technique courses. Can legally detect on/in any National Park or Forrest once filing a "Plan of Detecting" that lists the goal of the hunt, its possible targets including historical value and other parameters.

Level 4... Completed underwater salvage certification course. National Certification for all water recoveries and surveys. Can legally detect and/or prospect any underwater site once filing a "Plan of Detecting" with the local state or federal jurisdiction for that location.

Individuals who chose to complete all levels of courses and get full certification would become "Master Detectorists". Similar to those who get concealed weapon permits, they would be allowed to have great freedom and responsibility and autonomy within currently restricted areas. You can, of course, choose to continue without certification and be subject to all restrictions.

Just a thought...whats yours?

Of course, it would be best if this training/certification organization was organized and operated by the detecting community itself instead of academia or government.

 

[Frankn]

I agree with Randy in that we need training requirements to hunt on public land, but I would like a simpler version. In Balto. parks you needed a pass to detect. To get the pass you had to listen to a cassette on rules and attend one class sponsored by a club. You had to demonstrate that you knew how to properly Plug or patch or probe to pop the item out. There were fines for improper detecting. That's all we need, not a bureaucratic mess to use to deny us the right to hunt.
We need heavy fines for leaving holes and destroying turf. This will stop the 10%ers that mess things up for every body else.
We need our PUBLIC lands back!!

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[fibberjibber]

I am working on a related issue here in Wisconsin where the State Archaeologist arbitrarily changed the rules a couple years ago and now no one can MD on state land unless you are looking for a specific lost item like a ring.
I would like to add that with my work on many national park lands I understand the fragility of many of these places and would not like to see any MDing there either. There are plenty of places elsewhere for all of us. To open up a NP site- any site- would be like the gold rush in 1848. Stories would abound of untold treasures in pristine lands. The hoards would be unmanageable and destructive to say the least.
I do like some of the ideas aired out here on a certification program tho. Good thinking and a good step I think!
-e

 

[Frankn]

The big problem is that some Park statis land was formed around lost treasure sites apparently for no other reason than to prevent you looking for it. Look at Horseshoe Canyon that was taken over to shelter one of Butch Cassidies hideouts. There is nothing else there. There is no other reason for this area to carry a NP statis!

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[deepskyal]

Don't know where you're from smallstuff but there isn't much natural anything here in Pennsylvania.
Sure, there are environmentally sensitive designated areas sprouting up but they are fairly recent. At one time, you couldn't go a mile in any direction in this state without hitting some sort of road, be it improved or an old logging access road.

Back in the day, this state was raped of timber and pollution abounded. Even a couple hundred metal detectorists will not come close to putting a ding in the ecosystem here. And now, those areas designated as state protected forest lands are being opened up to gas drillers.

If you got enough money, you can dig anywhere you dang well please. I'd be willing to bet that if there was a big old pocket of gas under Gettysburg, someone would eventually get a permit to drill.

I don't think anyone should be allowed to detect national monuments, which is what I consider battlefields and such, unless permitted and accompanied but someone of authority for research or such. Opening it up to the public just invites the pigs to help themselves and destroy it. Forests...that's a whole different game.

There's just too many other places to detect to worry about a few hundred acres of sacred ground.

Al