Metal Detecting in town parks?

Davisdog

Jr. Member
Jul 18, 2006
63
12
Spanaway, WA
Detector(s) used
Discovery 3300
Not a recomendation, but here is what I do: I search for ordinances or regulations prohibiting it. If I can't find any, then I do my thing. Especially in my town, where my tax dollars are maintaing the parks.

On private property, ALWAYS get permission first! On public property, activities are either prohibited by statute, or they are ok.

Good luck and happy hunting.
 

DCMatt

Gold Member
Oct 12, 2006
10,356
13,478
Herndon Virginia
Detector(s) used
Minelab Equinox 600, EX II, & Musketeer, White's Classic
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
JT2,

I believe it depends on your local or state laws.

I'm new to this hobby, too. I did research and found it is a class 1 misdemeanor to detect and/or dig on "public property" in the state of Virginia without a special permit. The permits are only issued to professional historians and archaeologist or amateurs who are "recognized experts". In otherwords, NOT ME!

Do some research for your area.

DCMatt
 

gold fish

Bronze Member
Sep 21, 2006
1,116
20
N.W.A.
Detector(s) used
Tesoro - Cortez Minelab SE
It really depends what state you are in. Usually, if the parks are maintained with tax dollars, you're free to have at it, just don't leave a mess or they can hit you with vandalism(not to mention giving MDing a bad name, that might get you hit with God-knows-what, most of these psychos carry shovels!!!!). I have heard of states like virginia, and I personally believe that's TOTAL crap. I honestly feel bad for people that MD in states like that. In general, I agree with davisdog, if they don't say no, then the answer is yes.
 

minelab rick

Full Member
Jul 1, 2006
161
1
Charlottesville, Va
Detector(s) used
Minelab Explorer XS
I live in Charlottesville Va. and I hunt the local park every day during my lunch hour. Usually see at least one policman each day doing a drive through. They have never said anything to me and I'm right there out in the open. Most of the time we aknowledge each other with a wave. I'm going to have to recheck the statutes.
 

Night Stalker

Bronze Member
Dec 17, 2004
1,803
97
Florida
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Omega 8000 & Tesoro Cortes
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I've never had a problem, just fill in your hole good and collect up the trash. Shouldn't have any problems.​


Also, I wouldn't carry a 16" bowie knife or entrenching tool to dig with!​
 

stoney56

Gold Member
Oct 4, 2004
6,888
56
Oklahoma
A quick piece of advise. If your city or town has no ordinance against detecting and you're allowed to detect parks and other city property, go to the county assessors office and get a list of city owned property. They may print it out for free or a small fee. This will also contain residential lots where the city either acquired them for back taxes from nuisance abatement or someone donated them to the city (either in a will or as a tax write off). Those should also be fair game.
 

backitup83

Full Member
Jan 24, 2006
164
1
Chesapeake Virginia
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(XLT-x 2 ) )(BH Sharp Shooter 2) (Coinmaster 4000/D series2)(Coinmaster 2/DB series 2)(Discovery 2)(Discovery 1000)
DCMATT
Where did you find that law at. I haven't heard anyone talk about it and people are hunting parks and schools alot. I too would like to know more about that law.
Thanks
Mike
 

papa

Sr. Member
Sep 21, 2006
462
3
Each town,city,county,and districts have different laws about MD.Go to your local court house,county seat,check with the commissioner of revenue.He can tell you,or tell you who will know.Finding a place to MD in Virginia is hard to do. I do know that any state owned land,most National Forest,or any government land is off limits to MD. (bunch of BS)
Always check first !! The "Man" says, Ignorance of the law is no excuse,sign here.
 

T

TreasureTales

Guest
Before I metal detect in any parks, I contact the local authorities. Some state parks in California allow it, some don't...guess it depends on who I talk to when I contact the authorities, so I always get their name and/or badge number so I have somebody to reference if any other park employee questions me. In city parks I call the local police department and ask them. Again, I get their name and/or badge number for reference. My method is a quick, easy, and painless way to learn about each park.
 

papa

Sr. Member
Sep 21, 2006
462
3
TreasureTales said:
Before I metal detect in any parks, I contact the local authorities. Some state parks in California allow it, some don't...guess it depends on who I talk to when I contact the authorities, so I always get their name and/or badge number so I have somebody to reference if any other park employee questions me. In city parks I call the local police department and ask them. Again, I get their name and/or badge number for reference. My method is a quick, easy, and painless way to learn about each park.
Treasure Tales is right. Have a name,phone number,something you can fall back on.Something in writing is even better,if you can get it.
 

alabama

Tenderfoot
Aug 22, 2006
9
0
look up the park department on the internet and contact them by email. I have done this in Houston and got a quick reply from head of permits for the park department which said I did not need any permit and just to keep clear of underground utilities. He also directed me to the webpage which lists all city parks and date they became parks. Seemed like a nice guy. Now I have written authorization (printed email) with only about 5 minutes worth of work
 

S

stloutom

Guest
I went out to a small local park here in North Las Vegas today; detecting with my DFX for the very first time. I had been taking pains to leave the grass better than I found it, to clean up any and all trash that I found, and to generally be a respectable citizen. After about an hour, I see a police car drive ACROSS THE GRASS IN THE PARK straight towards me.

It bears repeating: Across the soccer fieldy/frisbee/picnic grass field, straight towards me.

I figured I was in for a ticket. He pulls up about two feet to my right, and looks at me.

"Hiya officer!"
"How's it going?" he says - without any sort of emotion what so ever. Could have been bad or good at this point.
"Oh, just fine, I guess."
"Find anything neat?"
"No sir. Thirty three cents and a few pieces of soda can."
"Oh well. It's a nice day. Keep at it, good luck, and be careful."

And then he rolls up his window and drives back across the field and off into the distance.

Moral of the story: In North Las Vegas, the police have a helluva lot of worse things to worry about than somebody monkeying up their park's lawns.
 

digdug_rita

Jr. Member
Sep 28, 2006
78
0
I live in the county, so I called the county courthouse and asked for the Parks Dept. then asked if there were any regulations against md'ing county parks....a very sweet lady told me there were no restrictions and happy hunting...just don't leave a mess, she says. I promised that we MD'ers always clean our mess and I assured her that she would not even know I had been there. Got her name for back-up...just in case. So far, so good, been hunting our parks off and on for about 12 years now. Good luck to all that do not have it as easy as I do....Rita
 

willie d

Silver Member
Jul 13, 2005
4,007
394
Close enough to the beach
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**Tesoro Tiger Shark** Tesoro Silver Umax** Minelab Sov Gt w/WOT coil** Whites 6000Di Pro SL**
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In my area there are signs posted at the parks NO METAL DETECTORS PERMITTED IN THE PARK. I've heard from a friend of the former parks and recreation director that a THer, if I could call them that, left some pretty big holes in one of the parks a few years back. As far as residential properties acquired by the city or state. I e-mailed the local city manager about a house and adjoining property the city just bought and was going to level. I was denied access due to liability, I offered to sign a waiver of liability, but was told that no waiver would protect the city. Liability is the only reason I'm given when denied on private property as well. Hopefully it's better in your area.
 

gold fish

Bronze Member
Sep 21, 2006
1,116
20
N.W.A.
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Tesoro - Cortez Minelab SE
That is a load of crap. I know they all say it, but a liability waiver, even one scrawled yourself on notebook paper is legally binding. It has nothing to do with them being worried about you, they found one excuse to put the nix on it and they'll do anything to prove they're right. These people that insist that you can't MD their property make no sense to me, they are NEVER going to look for anything, so neither is anyone else, it's like they get possessive over stuff they'll never have, I can't STAND the "MINE" syndrome. I don't get it, those coins sure do A LOT of good in the GROUND !!!!!!! Sorry, this is just one of the largest peeves I have encountered in my life !!
 

willie d

Silver Member
Jul 13, 2005
4,007
394
Close enough to the beach
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**Tesoro Tiger Shark** Tesoro Silver Umax** Minelab Sov Gt w/WOT coil** Whites 6000Di Pro SL**
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All Treasure Hunting
gold fish said:
That is a load of crap. I know they all say it, but a liability waiver, even one scrawled yourself on notebook paper is legally binding. It has nothing to do with them being worried about you, they found one excuse to put the nix on it and they'll do anything to prove they're right. These people that insist that you can't MD their property make no sense to me, they are NEVER going to look for anything, so neither is anyone else, it's like they get possessive over stuff they'll never have, I can't STAND the "MINE" syndrome. I don't get it, those coins sure do A LOT of good in the GROUND !!!!!!! Sorry, this is just one of the largest peeves I have encountered in my life !!
You're preaching to the choir, gold fish
 

Ant

Silver Member
Aug 6, 2006
3,389
554
Cali
Detector(s) used
Glold Bug 2 MineLab SE
I live in Cali and we don’t have many laws when it comes to metal detecting and we have lots of public land.

In the public areas you mentioned, if it's not posted and not obviously an historical site, I hunt it. I hunt in the off hours, early mornings, nights and Sunday when people tend to not be there. You know, “out of sight, out of mind”.

HH
 

detectoraddict

Full Member
Aug 3, 2004
174
2
Detector(s) used
E-Trac, DFX, F-75
I have been detecting here in Indiana for 35 years and never asked permission to detect a city park. Usually, and I only came across one, will post no detecting if thats the case. I suppose its best to check if you feel unsure. Private property is just that private. You will need to ask permission. Schools have never been a problem but when I did ask permission I was just told to stay out of the football field and the diamond of the baseball field.
 

Born2Dtect

Bronze Member
Jun 11, 2004
1,683
68
Hurlock, Maryland
Detector(s) used
XP Deus, Excalibur II
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
It is always best to get permission. Try the Mayor or their assistant. If they don,t deal with this they can tell you who to see. Some towns don't have any law about detecting, Some don, t care, some have laws on destruction of public property ( this is the one they get you with). This usually means no digging and you can only recover recent losses. At a minimum I would contact a police officer, If he does not mind you won,t get into much trouble. In parks with rules if you don,t see detecting banned and no digging ban I might try my luck there.

Ed D.
 

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