Is it illegal to metal detect in state parks?

[999digger]

This is what I heard and I am wondering if it is true.
Thank you

 

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[Tom_in_CA]

oxbowbarefoot, you say:

"In Massachusetts, it is illegal unless you have written permission from the DCR director.......... "

What you have to ask yourself though, is .... how did that start? When and how did THAT decision (the need to get written permission) get handed down? I bet you, that if you were to be able to sleuth backwards to find the origination of such a thing, you would find that it was handed out, upon persons going in and asking for clarification, permission, policy, etc....

And ironically, when such a reply is given out (as you cite above), those very answers get passed around amongst our ranks (much as your doing here), AS THE VERY REASON we need to go asking questions. Yet it fails to realize that these very policies and clarifications are the RESULT OF those "pressing inquiries". It's a giant "catch 22" and self-fulfilling prophecy. Get it?

 

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[oxbowbarefoot]

oxbowbarefoot, you say:

"In Massachusetts, it is illegal unless you have written permission from the DCR director.......... "

What you have to ask yourself though, is .... how did that start? When and how did THAT decision (the need to get written permission) get handed down? I bet you, that if you were to be able to sleuth backwards to find the origination of such a thing, you would find that it was handed out, upon persons going in and asking for clarification, permission, policy, etc....

And ironically, when such a reply is given out (as you cite above), those very answers get passed around amongst our ranks (much as your doing here), AS THE VERY REASON we need to go asking questions. Yet it fails to realize that these very policies and clarifications are the RESULT OF those "pressing inquiries". It's a giant "catch 22" and self-fulfilling prophecy. Get it?

You are probably right. In Massachusetts we have a lot of colleges with overzealous archeologists who would rather let nature slowly eat our history rather than let us recover it. I know that's a problem everywhere, but here they also have incredible political influence. Luckily, many state lands are still available to detecting. I have never requested permission or attempted to hunt on DCR lands here, but DEC lands have many great places.