Is there anywhere in NorCal to detect?

[funkapotamus]

Is everything off limits in NorCal? Just got my first metal detector and now I can't find any place to go. Any ideas would help. Everything around me is state park land, and it looks like that is off limits.

 

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[Sandman]

If a place is off limits, try to change it. In the mean time any ground will do. Ask neighbors, friends, etc if you can detect. School yards, city lots, street easements. Don't make a mess of the grass and carry out any trash you dig up. Picking up other peoples trash goes a long way to getting to hunt those closed areas.

 

[Michigan Badger]

Maybe the best thing about northern Cal is you almost never hear anything about it (as far as detecting is concerned). This could mean some great untapped opportunities.

Do your history study and ask to hunt private property. Land owners have the right to grant access no matter what the general law might be for a given area.

Years ago I wanted to hunt an 19th century lumber camp but most of it was on state owned lands. In Michigan they'll arrest you for hunting on state land. So I hunted on private lands sandwiched in between the state property. I had DNR COs drive by and really give me "the eye" but there was nothing they could do. I hit it pretty big at one site.

If I lived in California I'd look to the ocean but I realize most people can't get into that. California probably has more unknown shipwrecks than any other ocean state. The Gold Rush drew many maverick sea captains sailing outdated masted ships to Cal to rip off the miners by selling them drugs and other imports. These ships operated on a stealth basis and many have no records.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

funkapotamus, how do you figure everything around placerville is all "state land"? There's got to be lots of county land, city lands, and private lands. And since there are no restrictions on those, what's to stop you from merely hunting on spots you research out there, instead?

And if you wonder if there are rules at the other levels (county and city), the way to find out is to look it up for yourself. Nearly every municipal type entitity has a website nowadays. And as such, will have municipal codes, park rules, and so forth on there. If they say nothing about metal detecting (ie.: silent on the issue), then presto, it must not be disallowed. No need to ask any further questions.

And actually, as far as "state land", it's not truly 100% off-limits here. For example: state of CA beaches can be hunted till you're blue in the face, and no one cares. And the state beach system is administered by the same "parks system" that administers the in-land parks, right? And quite frankly, there are some inland state parks here too that have been detected, and it's not been a problem (so long as you're not a nuisance begging for attention, snooping around obvious historically sensitive monuments or something). Ie.: it depends on what ranger you ask (or if you even asked to begin with), and what his mood is, or what he even knows about the subject (as some just simply don't know, or don't register it when/if they see you, etc...).

 

[funkapotamus]

Thanks for the info guys. I wanna get down to the ocean and do some surf hunting. Any beaches you guy suggest?

 

[Sandman]

Thanks for the info guys. I wanna get down to the ocean and do some surf hunting. Any beaches you guy suggest?

Geez, how about where people swim....Any sand will do...

 

[Michigan Badger]

If I were young and located in your area I'd hit the books and try to come up with a possible shipwreck story. Some little threads of info to point me in the right general direction. Then I'd walk some beaches looking for pieces of "sea glass" and especially pottery shards. These pieces have given away more than one shipwreck site.

If old worn pottery shards continue to show up on a certain beach you can almost bet there's a shipwreck somewhere in the area. Hit that beach after storms and wade the shallows, etc.

Oh, by the way, keep that "sea glass" and those shards...they're worth money too.

If in your life you ever do find something big...keep still about it.

 

[Beans]

Thanks for the info guys. I wanna get down to the ocean and do some surf hunting. Any beaches you guy suggest?

Best way is to research the laws and then go for it. Pick a spot see how it goes, move on the next if you do not find anything. Be safe and just have fun.

 

[Michigan Badger]

Old newspaper articles can also be valuable. An old trick is to talk to old timers for folklore of an area. Many times they're just stories but you never know.

I'd watch ebay for people selling ocean potsherds found on California beaches. There is a constant stream of "sea glass" and potsherd sellers on the bay. If you can, find out where they're picking them up. But beware, these items can also be faked with a rock tumbler.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Beach-Sea-G...=320855438584&ps=63&clkid=6613793221674516640

 

[aa battery]

funkapotamus, how do you figure everything around placerville is all "state land"? There's got to be lots of county land, city lands, and private lands. And since there are no restrictions on those, what's to stop you from merely hunting on spots you research out there, instead?

And if you wonder if there are rules at the other levels (county and city), the way to find out is to look it up for yourself. Nearly every municipal type entitity has a website nowadays. And as such, will have municipal codes, park rules, and so forth on there. If they say nothing about metal detecting (ie.: silent on the issue), then presto, it must not be disallowed. No need to ask any further questions.

And actually, as far as "state land", it's not truly 100% off-limits here. For example: state of CA beaches can be hunted till you're blue in the face, and no one cares. And the state beach system is administered by the same "parks system" that administers the in-land parks, right? And quite frankly, there are some inland state parks here too that have been detected, and it's not been a problem (so long as you're not a nuisance begging for attention, snooping around obvious historically sensitive monuments or something). Ie.: it depends on what ranger you ask (or if you even asked to begin with), and what his mood is, or what he even knows about the subject (as some just simply don't know, or don't register it when/if they see you, etc...).

best advice

 

[Cool Hand Fluke]

We have a few beaches that are off limits. Stay away from Stinson Beach and Muir Beach in Marin County. The rangers there are nasty, they can fine you and take away your metal detector.
Also, stay away from Ocean Beach , it's on the west side of San Francisco. All the parks that are in or on the border of the Presidio in S.F. are also off limits. Stay away from that park that borders Fort Mason in S.F., I almost went to jail a few months ago while hunting in that park, I thought it was a city park.! Santa Cruz Beach is OK, so are most of the beaches in Sonoma and Mendicno Counties. On the northwest side of the Golden Gate Bridge there is a white sand beach, can't remember it's name, it's off limits too. Most all the parks in S.F. are ok, that's where I spend 90% of my hunting time. Most city parks in the towns in northern CA should be ok as well.. HH...CHF

 

[Tom_in_CA]

the beaches that cool-hand refers to are all federal beaches. So if you're really worried 'bout this, get one of those color coded maps that have the diff. public entities zones different shaded colors. And then simply see what beaches are fed (verses state, county, city, etc...).

But actually, relative to the length of the CA coastline, very few are fed administered. Just happens to be some on both sides of the golden gate. But outside of that, not many. They're all state or city or county, which have no rules (or .... no enforcement d/t nobody in the past went and asked enough questions, with enough key buzzwords, I guess).

And Fluke: just to clarify: there are only *portions* of stinson that are federal. Other portions are not federal and no one bothers you.

 

[Cool Hand Fluke]

the beaches that cool-hand refers to are all federal beaches. So if you're really worried 'bout this, get one of those color coded maps that have the diff. public entities zones different shaded colors. And then simply see what beaches are fed (verses state, county, city, etc...).

But actually, relative to the length of the CA coastline, very few are fed administered. Just happens to be some on both sides of the golden gate. But outside of that, not many. They're all state or city or county, which have no rules (or .... no enforcement d/t nobody in the past went and asked enough questions, with enough key buzzwords, I guess).

And Fluke: just to clarify: there are only *portions* of stinson that are federal. Other portions are not federal and no one bothers you.

Yea, I know. It's just that all the good stuff is on the federal side.

 

[Twisted One]

Funk, I felt the same way at one point, and found out that most Bureau of Land Management areas are okay to detect on, so I went to the local BLM office and bought a map of my town, all of their land if shaded in yellow on my map, and I was surprised by how much of it they had.
BLM is a government agency, but they are mostly "Public lands" in my area it is mostly used for hiking, camping, hunting, fishing, horse riding, etc... but some of it is located in gold areas, and actually shows some of the old mines on the map, most of those mines have been filled in "for safety of the public" but it doesn't mean that the old mining camps and such around them don't have anything in them, at least that is what I keep telling myself.

 

[funkapotamus]

Again thanks for all the help. This site has been very helpful. I think I have found a few good spots to go hit in my area. With any luck I'll find something good. Can't wait to go find out.

 

[goldentruth]

I phoned the breau of land management, they told me YOU CAN METAL DETECT ON BLM LAND!
Watch out for Whiskeytown lake and the area! They have snoopy rangers who will ticket you for any metal detecting on W.T. property because it is a protected state monument/historic area. They will hit you up for a "User-Day pass" if you park anywhere on their property or use their park parking lot. If you plan to be there a while they have a 3 day pass fee. I don't get one because you cant metal detect. They do have a lot of rules, In Whiskeytown you can only pan with a pan no larger than 15 inches and if you have a dig knife it can only be 6 inches total. You cannot disturb and bank sides of any stream due to enviornment damage. Old Shasta BLM land is open to MD's And Off Hyw 299 & Swayzee road, (Go south) their is a public state park which had mining and they allow MD's. and the parking is free. Good luck friend.

 

[cooperpi]

Hi goldentruth iam new to this group page,iam cooperpi and i live in redding could i get the name of the park you are talking about please. Would like to go check it out THANKS COOPERPI