Where can you legally metal detect?

Sandman

Gold Member
Aug 6, 2005
13,398
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In Michigan now.
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Primary Interest:
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You would do well to learn how to pop shallow coins out with a screw driver too. Lots less damage and you can pass up the deeper targets that cause plugs that lawn mowers can suck out. Also animals dig up plugs thinking something is buried and us detectorist get blamed for the damage.

Listen to Tom of CA.:icon_thumright:
 

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Dwight Frye

Dwight Frye

Full Member
Apr 3, 2013
177
33
CHARLOTTE NC
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TESORO CIBOLA
Course I disagree about laws not being specfuc . First of all we have innumerable laws. Google it , they cannot even estimate how many . Being a libertarian I believe we only need a few laws , murder , rape etc . And zero to no govt . My degree was in Economics and I have studied many issues and come to believe society would be way better off policing itself . There would be bad things happen but not to the magntude now . Plus way way cheaper , free market . Course anything better than the communists nation we are . This is just another example . Cops should not use judgement , they are not smart enough for that . Went arrest it costs money that the average person cannot afford . The law should be black and white . This came to me from laws prof and cops also . They are power hungry . Individual rights period . Just my opinion , which will never happen . People do not learn govt makes prooblems to enslave . Make you a list of freedom left that don't require asking . It will be zero or very short at best .
 

AC1955

Bronze Member
Apr 22, 2012
1,149
350
New Hampshire & Maine
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I guess I am in the minority here. Before I detect in a new town or city, I call the police department (they're the ones who enforce the laws) and ask this:
"Are there any laws pertaining to metal detecting on town/city property such as parks or schools". Yes or no answer. I get the name of the person (usually an officer/dispatcher) and note it in a small notebook I carry with me. I have never been stopped or asked to leave a place. I won't ask at town/city hall - I go to the PD, that way if I AM asked to leave a public property by a police officer, I can say, "I spoke with officer XYZ and he told me there is no problem detecting here". I never, ever mention digging, holes or anything else that can be construed as damaging to the property.

This is my 2 cents...hope it helps.

HH,
Anita
 

Tom_in_CA

Gold Member
Mar 23, 2007
13,837
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Salinas, CA
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Anita

I guess I am in the minority here. Before I detect in a new town or city, I call the police department (they're the ones who enforce the laws) and ask this:
"Are there any laws pertaining to metal detecting on town/city property such as parks or schools". Yes or no answer. I get the name of the person (usually an officer/dispatcher) and note it in a small notebook I carry with me. I have never been stopped or asked to leave a place. I won't ask at town/city hall - I go to the PD, that way if I AM asked to leave a public property by a police officer, I can say, "I spoke with officer XYZ and he told me there is no problem detecting here". I never, ever mention digging, holes or anything else that can be construed as damaging to the property.

This is my 2 cents...hope it helps.

HH,
Anita

Anita, your tactic has been discussed here before. Basically, it's the tactic of not going in and asking "can I metal detect in the park?". But RATHER, phrasing it carefully so-as-to put the burden of proof on them, to CITE such a law or rule (if one existed). Eg.: "Is there anything that prohibits metal detecting?" or "are there any rules that address metal detectors?" and so forth. And yes, you can take it a step further and ask the police dept. (which usually admittedly has BETTER things to worry about in today's crime-ridden society!), as opposed to city-hall or park's dept, which might answer differently.

And you're right, this is certainly better than asking "can I do such & such?" (as if you're asking their personal whim or opinion). And appears to put the burden of proof on them to city any rule, if one existed. That is certainly an improvement.

But with the following notations:

a) Some people have done just that, and STILL gotten odd responses, like 1) yes but you can't dig (EVEN THOUGH YOU NEVER MENTIONED "DIGGING" or "HOLES", etc..) 2) We would prefer you didn't (as if you had just asked their "opinion" or 3) "no" you can't (as if you'd just asked them permission). And in each case, if you press them and say "but where is that written?", guess who's going to win that debate? :( They merely morph something else they say applies.

b) I notice that you are careful in your wording to keep any mention of "digging" or "holes", OUT of the question. Good. Because of course you and I know we will leave no trace of our presence, so ..... that fulfills the spirit of any such rules or morphing on that end, RIGHT? But even when you've gotten a "yes" to your type of phrasing, it still doesn't stop you from being there in the the field (permission or not) and having someone come up and gripe. I mean, afterall you are "digging" and you "never mentioned that in your request". Doh! Thus yes, people have proudly produced their "permission", only to have it just-as-quickly revoked in-shame, when the city-worker gets on his cell-phone, calls down to city hall, and claims ".... but he's digging the place up!"... (which of course isn't true, but do you really think you're going to win that debate?)

c) I notice you say that in all the time you've used this tactic (of careful phrasing of your question to the police), that: " I have never been stopped or asked to leave a place". When you say you've "never been stopped", do you mean that .... you've never even been "carded"? Ie.: forced to cite your authority, their subsequent "yes" and so forth? If so, then is that assume that if you'd NEVER asked, that ....... the results would have been the same? In other words, if no one ever came up to attempt to stop you, then, the outcome is exactly the same it seems, since the "yes" or whatever never came into play?
 

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Dwight Frye

Dwight Frye

Full Member
Apr 3, 2013
177
33
CHARLOTTE NC
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TESORO CIBOLA
I just searched sites in the town and could not even rules or anthing on metal detecting . ?
 

Mr Redneck

Tenderfoot
Apr 10, 2013
8
2
Irving Tx
Detector(s) used
Whites Prizm 11
Bounty Hunter Discovery 1000
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
I live in Irving Tx, I called the non emergency Police number an ask if it was ok, she put me on hold for about three minutes and cane back and said that it is ok. I guess it varies town to town, Good luck finding a place to hunt !!
 

Tom_in_CA

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Mar 23, 2007
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Salinas, CA
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I live in Irving Tx, I called the non emergency Police number an ask if it was ok, she put me on hold for about three minutes and cane back and said that it is ok. I guess it varies town to town, Good luck finding a place to hunt !!

Well obviously you did not mention that you were about to "dig" in public parks, right? Or if you had phrased it: "can I take items from the park for my own personal profit and enjoyment", they might have answered differently.

There was a fellow who, like you, got a "yes" from San Francisco parks dept, as to their parks. When a few others-of-us heard this, we asked this newbie md'r fellow: "Who told you this?". Our thinking was, that .... as long as it was "past-tense" asking, that this information ("yes") was a good thing to have, in case any of needed to deflect busy-bodies. Unfortunately, the newbie had failed to get the desk-clerk's name, at the time he'd asked. So the guy went BACK in to the SF park's dept, a few weeks later, to get the the guy's name who'd told him "yes". However, this time someone else was sitting at the front desk counter. The md'r asked for the name of the person who'd been manning this post about 3 weeks earlier. As the two persons talked, it became apparent that they were not able to figure out who-it-was the md'r had talked to earlier, since the dept. is so big, and various shifts and people watch the desk, etc... But ...... NO PROBLEM, the md'r simply asks the person who is standing there this time ... the same question: "Can I metal detect in SF parks?". However THIS person gives the following answer: "yes but you can't dig" (even though the inquirer never mentioned "digging").

So you see from that, that it all depends on who you ask, their mental perceptions, their mood, etc....

Not sure how big your of Irving is, but I bet that if you called back tomorrow, or asked a different person in that dept, you might get a different answer. Depends on their mental perceptions, their mood, what they morph to fit your question, etc... Why subject yourself to that? Just look it up for yourself. And if there's nothing there that said "no metal detecting", then that's your answer.
 

scotty544

Hero Member
Mar 11, 2013
622
203
Arkansas
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Minelab CTX 3030 XP Deus Whites V3i
Tesoro Silver Saber
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
searched.gif
I searched google and found...N.C. Division of Parks & Recreation - Is metal detecting allowed in a state park? ...Metal detectors are not allowed in any park area except to locate lost personal property when authorized by a Special Activity Permit...

Wow I can mark nc off of the list of places I WOULD LIKE TO VISIT OR LIVE IN.
 

Rawhide

Silver Member
Nov 17, 2010
3,590
2,185
SouthWestern USA
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Nox 800, Etrac, F75, AT Pro. Last two for sale.
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Well I like public parks and here is what I did. I went to the office of parks and recreation and asked for a permit. I got one for free. I went to the BLM office too, I like to hunt BLM, got the info I needed there. I have never been asked to leave, but would if someone did. I consider detecting leaving a small foot print and removing metals that eventually end up in the water system. Oh, learn how to dig a hole........as mentioned before, I will just probe shallow targets if the park is real busy.
 

cudamark

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Mar 16, 2011
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What happens if everyone you talk to says NO? Give up the hobby? Better to do what you're doing without asking as long as there is no prohibitions on the books stating otherwise. Keep a low profile, be friendly when approached, and continue doing everything in a responsible manner.
 

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