Lake Mead National Rec. Area

[holeintoe]

I moved into the Henderson NV. area after living all my life in S.E. Penna. I finally took a ride to the Lake Mead National Recreation Area outside of Boulder City NV. I located several nice swimming areas. (no sand only gravel and rocks) I notices several mom's and tots playing in the lakes swimming area. I thought maybe I, may have found an un-searched area. My next stop was the Park Ranger station. I inquired as to weather non digging metal detecting or shallow water detecting was permitted. I was advised that Metal Detecting was not permitted. I asked why? I could not get an answer to that one. Has anyone else come across this in National Rec. areas.

 

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[Blind.In.Texas]

Many state parks have banned this for their own collective reasons. Maybe holes are left uncovered, grass is torn up in too many places, or they have their ridiculous, absurd, and completely unwarranted need to preserve artifacts....

That's why. GL finding another spot. I'll bet if you made a real stink aboutchildren digging holes and then leaving them in the swimming area, you might make some progress. It may just be park rules or state rules. You gotta ask. Make a case for yourself. Maybe a lot of MDers haven't gone that route with park. Probably, but maybe they went about it wrong and you can change that. Then you'll have dibs on the whole place before anyone knows of the rule change. Worth a shot, right?

 

[roswellborn]

It's been my understanding that there is NO MDing in ANY National Park. Period.

I've even heard of horror stories about someone simply driving across a park while having a metal detector in the trunk of their car, unused. I do mean horror stories!

I know there are far more knowledgable folks on this forum, some of 'em have even supplied links to various sites online that have more information. I'll see if I can find any of those links (they were saved on the old computer that died)

HH
Nan

 

[holeintoe]

I sent an email to the web sight requesting information on MD at Lake Mead. Here is the response.

Thank you for your request for information. Unfortunately, "possessing or
using metal detectors" in the recreation area is prohibited.

I took note to the "possessing" part of the response. Seems like even simply possessing a MD on park grounds can get you in more trouble than its worth

 

[Dixie Digger]

in my area you need to send to the TVA for a permit.and they do a very extensive background check and if you are clean you get a pic id like a drivers license.and you better have it when they check or thay take you MD!

 

[SallyT]

Excuse me being the newbie here....

But what is "TVA"?

TIA

Sally

 

[Jeffro]

Lake Mead has over 600 miles of shoreline, of which I've only detected 599.......

Just south of there, near Nelson, is Eldorado canyon. Good nugget shooting down there. Stay off the claims, though. And watch out for snakes, they'll watch out for you, if you go slow enough anyways.

Take it easy out there-

 

[worldavi]

Excuse me being the newbie here....

But what is "TVA"?

TIA

Sally

Tennessee Vally Authority

 

[Tom_in_CA]

..... I was advised that Metal Detecting was not permitted. I asked why? I could not get an answer to that one. ...

Because you asked. Perhaps not you NOW, but .... at least ..... folks in the past. At some point they must "address this pressing issue" and create a "no detecting " rule. Then we can all breath a collective sigh of relief that there is now a rule for us

But seriously now: National Rec. (not just lake mead) is a no-no. Not necessarily other/all forms of fed. land, just THAT particular form. However, I'm sure that others have md'd there to their heart's content, and probably no one said so much as "boo" to them.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

..... I've even heard of horror stories about someone simply driving across a park while having a metal detector in the trunk of their car, unused. I do mean horror stories!...

Ok Nan, I'll bite: Can you cite for us any "horror story" of someone getting a ticket, jail, confiscation, etc... for merely having one in the trunk of their car, while driving through a park ? Keep in mind that some thoroughfare roads actually go THROUGH national parks (to get from one part of the state to another).

So for any account you can give, of someone actually really getting a ticket or something for "merely having one in his trunk", I will send you a crisp $20 bill. Let us know the links.

 

[T.C.]

Ok Nan, I'll bite: Can you cite for us any "horror story" of someone getting a ticket, jail, confiscation, etc... for merely having one in the trunk of their car, while driving through a park ? Keep in mind that some thoroughfare roads actually go THROUGH national parks (to get from one part of the state to another).

So for any account you can give, of someone actually really getting a ticket or something for "merely having one in his trunk", I will send you a crisp $20 bill. Let us know the links.

....crickets.....

 

[JOe L]

I think I remember hearing about this one guy up on Cape Cod, at the National Seashore, got busted cause he had a Metal detector in his trunk ,,,,,,, or maybe it was the 3 bags of Cocaine he had sitting next to it, not really sure right now.
Shoot me a pm and I give you my address for the $20.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

....crickets.....

ha, yes the "sound of crickets chirping" eh ?

I think I remember hearing about this one guy up on Cape Cod, at the National Seashore, got busted cause he had a Metal detector in his trunk ,,,,,,, or maybe it was the 3 bags of Cocaine he had sitting next to it, not really sure right now.
Shoot me a pm and I give you my address for the $20.

If you have an example of a guy getting & paying a ticket, etc.... for merely having one in the trunk, let me know. Post the link for us of this Cape Cod thing. So this would have to be for no other reason than carrying the MD in a trunk. Not "in addition to the drug bust he was pulled over for" (where they seek everything else they can to make the guy's life miserable by adding on a host of things).

 

[JOe L]

ha, yes the "sound of crickets chirping" eh ?



If you have an example of a guy getting & paying a ticket, etc.... for merely having one in the trunk, let me know. Post the link for us of this Cape Cod thing. So this would have to be for no other reason than carrying the MD in a trunk. Not "in addition to the drug bust he was pulled over for" (where they seek everything else they can to make the guy's life miserable by adding on a host of things).

OH, so there would have to have been no Cocaine in the trunk to qualify for the payout. hmmm. Sounds like i'm getting ripped off.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

OH, so there would have to have been no Cocaine in the trunk to qualify for the payout. hmmm. Sounds like i'm getting ripped off.

Yup, those are the terms I would accept if someone were pulled over for something else innocuous, like a tail-light out (at which point the officer saw the detector and went into a raging fit). But cocaine for pete's sake ? When something like that goes down, you know full well that .... they will just start chalking up all sorts of things to make the guy's life miserable.

But seriously now, you're just joking about this cocaine + md'ing thing anyhow, right ?

 

[boogeyman]

Ok Nan, I'll bite: Can you cite for us any "horror story" of someone getting a ticket, jail, confiscation, etc... for merely having one in the trunk of their car, while driving through a park ? Keep in mind that some thoroughfare roads actually go THROUGH national parks (to get from one part of the state to another).

So for any account you can give, of someone actually really getting a ticket or something for "merely having one in his trunk", I will send you a crisp $20 bill. Let us know the links.

Yes I can! Several years ago I was in Joshua Tree chasing an old treasure story. Stopped at the Ranger station, was given the wrong directions putting us in a closed area. Needless to say a ranger pops up and stops us. We're handcuffed driven back to our vehicle. He searched the trunk (no warrant etc) pulls out our detectors and places them in his truck. The ranger that gave us the bum directions shows up and explains to the other ranger it was his fault. The first ranger didn't want to let go. I started to ask for the local cops to file a report for unlawful search etc etc. Finally uncuffed. Sheriff shows up. I told him I wanted to file charges against the ranger for grand theft. Grudgingly he started a report. The ranger finally caught on I was dead cold serious! He grabbed our detectors and threw them in the back seat. Sheriff leaves and as a last dig he gave us a warning ticket stating if we violated a law within 3years (I think) there we'd be jailed. We were on our way staying under the speed limit etc. Never went back till long after the warning cite expired, figuring it'd give him a chance to trump up a jailable charge.

Was later told by an attorney later that my biggest mistake was leaving the keys in the ignition, and not firmly telling him he couldn't search my vehicle. Oh! I need to add, the other ranger apologized three or four times for the other rangers actions. He actually was embarrassed! And don't take this as me saying ALL rangers are alpha henrys. All the rangers I've met in later years have been really nice and willing to share info. Keep your $20 I'd rather you take this and learn from my experience!

 

[TheHunterGT]

My pal from Cinncinati got back to me Tom......4 tickets at city park in this year that he is aware of. Watches them from his apartment window. No signs posted....ok to detect elsewhere in the city...just that park is off-limits. Asking permission is pretty much the only way to find out without searching the books (another viable yet time consuming option if not online or PDF format)

Obviously most arrests and tickets/fines do not make the internet or the local news as they are not hot stories and nobody gives a care about it if not at a historical site.

Rare...absolutely. Just about as a rare as these "what if" scenarios that a new law would be placed because somebody asked permission. It just does not happen that way. Some asshat with a shovel and 2 box causes laws to be changed...not people who place phone calls.

I support the OP 100% for covering his ass. Ignorance of the law is no excuse and "The guys at TN said so" sure as hell is not something I will ever blanket myself with. I'm passing out $20's for all the credible links to where new laws were placed because somebody asked a question about laws in place for metal detecting. I am guessing my $$ is safer than yours Tom. (for the record that was to prove a point and I'm not paying anybody jack crap lol)

EDIT:.....Tickets at the park.....not arrests. Was thinking one thing while typing another.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Yes I can! ... Keep your $20 I'd rather you take this and learn from my experience!

But you never paid anything. All you got was a warning. Albeit a "warning ticket" (unless I'm mis-understanding your post ??). I'm looking for someone who gets a ticket that is a true TICKET . Ie.: had to actually pay something as a penalty. If it turns out to be a scram or warning, then .... that seems to me to be a warning, not a ticket.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

HunterGT, You are talking about a city park. The challenge was to have a case of $$ ticket or arrest for "having a detector in a trunk while passing through a national park" (ala post #3 of this thread). Your city park thing is for another thread . But in this case, that was not my challenge.

.... Ignorance of the law is no excuse ....

Fine. Good. Well. Ok, persons can look up laws, so-as-to-not be ignorant. If they can't find them (too difficult as you say), then they ask the clerk: "where can I avail myself of all the laws, charter, rules, codes, ordinances, etc.... of the city?" Presto: they've talked to a live person as makes-them-feel-good Then they are directed to where it exist in print form. A link, or in binder at city hall, etc.....

 

[TheHunterGT]

I realize you were being specific. My point with the city park info is that fines and arrests do happen that nobody will ever hear of without word of mouth or he said she said. "Obviously most arrests and tickets/fines do not make the internet or the local news as they are not hot stories and nobody gives a care about it if not at a historical site"

Thus making your challenge a safe one. In the grand scheme of things...I will assume trunk of car national parks fines/arrests must be an ultra-low percentage. Doubtful anybody who had such a day would be providing links anyways.