Law

[tomclark]

ALBANY, GA (WALB) - Georgia Department of Natural Resources Law Enforcement Rangers say artifact thieves are active in South Georgia.

Some of the thieves actually video themselves committing crimes and post the videos online.

The thieves video themselves digging up and stealing the artifacts, to prove they are genuine. But law enforcement uses those same videos to convict them.
From the video "Rivers right over there. We get out boat in the water. Come through the woods. We're one of our dig sites."
This is actual video from You Tube posted by a man who pled guilty to artifact theft last week.

From the video "Look at that. That is fine. Look at that. Wow. Heat treated red. Worked down."

Georgia DNR Law Enforcement Corporal Greg Wade said "Artifacts bring a lot of money. There is a lot of collectors. If you make a video, of you remove the point from the dirt, that makes it more authentic. It'll bring more money that way."

From the video "There's the arrowhead."

Wade said "Particularly Dougherty County has a lot of areas rich in artifacts. Rich in Indian Heritage. So there is a lot of different areas like this, and a lot of different people doing the same thing."

From the video "Oh yea, that's a bead. My very first indian bead I've ever found in my life, right here."

Eddie Ballard pled guilty last week to 45 counts of artifact theft, and was sentenced to 3 years behind bars. Prosecutors said some of the artifacts he stole are priceless because of their rarity.

From the video "It just don't get any better. I was blessed today to find a cache like this. Got 22 of them."

Wade said "Wildlife just like artifacts belong to everybody. And you don't want people making profit off of either of them." State DNR Law Enforcement rangers say the stolen artifacts in South Georgia bring in hundreds of thousands of dollars each year. It's illegal, and the state is prosecuting.

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

How to Research for Treasure Hunting and Metal Detecting From Lead Generation to Vetting - Grab it through Amazon!

[Tony in SC]

The term "stole" is used. Did they take the artifacts from state land , or private property or what? I hate to see a site just destoryed to get a few fast finds, but where do you draw the line between stealing and collecting? A town near me banned metal detecting because some jerk dug up the football field one night. Things like this cast a shadow on all of us. Just my thoughts, Tony

 

[GaRebel1861]

I live in the Albany Georgia area and from what I've been hearing locally, the digging was occurring on Georgia Power property.

 

[sandchip]

I've heard some bad stuff about the Ballard dude. Apparently, he has no conscience and knows no limits. Gives everybody and our hobby a black eye. These idiots are no better than the crackhead I caught stealing scrap metal where a power line passes over my property. "I thought it was okay since it's under the power line." The ******* is lucky I held my trigger.

In response to Tony, I can see the day coming where the state claims that everything is theirs, even that which lies on private property, although y'all are still in pretty good shape in SC. The State of GA already claims everything in state waterways saying that it's all in its original context. Hell, there's not a thing in Georgia rivers that's in the same place it was yesterday, much less thousands of years ago. It's frustrating when do-gooder legislators don't think about what they support and believe everything that anti-collector, activist archaeologists feed them.

 

[rock]

No digging here so I am not concerned on it. All of my finds are from private property just like it says at the bottom of my page. DNR already knows who I am and have my info. I have talked to the Ranger in my area and introduced myself. I figure that way he knows what I look like.

 

[old digger]

I guess that if you knowingly video yourself digging where it is illegal, and post it on a open forum, you are bound to suffer the consequences. ''Stupid Is As Stupid Does'' In this day and age, one must also take in account that they are also setting up those trail camera's to catch you lest you are aware of them. So don't be surprised if they come knocking.

 

[tomclark]

Digging for artifacts lands man in jail | Albany Herald

 

[fyrffytr1]

Digging for artifacts lands man in jail | Albany Herald

I cannot believe some of the replies posted in this article! Some people really are clueless.

 

[sandchip]

No digging here so I am not concerned on it...

For what it's worth, digging for artifacts in Georgia is perfectly legal provided you have written permission from the landowner and have notified the state 5 days prior to the commencement of digging. In this context, there is not one thing wrong with digging for arrowheads any more than digging for bottles or coins. My concern is because of idiots like Ballard, legislators are pushed to do more, and we might eventually end up with laws that outlaw collecting altogether, even on your own land. When I look at the erosion of personal liberties in the last 6 years compared to the last 50 or 200, I am not so naive to believe that such a thing is so farfetched. Collectors of any antiquity should be very concerned.

 

[unclemac]

it would be pretty awful if our state laws became like so many European ones....especially the UK where "treasure" belongs to the crown.

Treasure trove - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[NC field hunter]

I guess that if you knowingly video yourself digging where it is illegal, and post it on a open forum, you are bound to suffer the consequences. ''Stupid Is As Stupid Does'' In this day and age, one must also take in account that they are also setting up those trail camera's to catch you lest you are aware of them. So don't be surprised if they come knocking.

I agree with Old Digger. These guys knew they were breaking laws and facing serious consequences. To video themselves committing felonies is ludicrous. I didnt know surface hunting army corp of engineers shore lines was illegal. I went to a state park and told the ranger, as I paid my $3.00 park entry fee "I hope I find enough artifacts to justify paying $3.00!" He let me know I wasn't supposed to be hunting artifacts, and if I found anything he didn't want to see it. Common sense mixed with a tiny bit of moral, and one knows grave robbing is bad. These guys belong in jail. Honestly, I have mixed emotions about archeologist going into mounds. It's not likely that the cure for cancer is going to be discovered in a burial mound. However, if it is, I hope someone gets it on video!!

 

[sandchip]

Funny (well, not at all) you should mention the Corps. They enjoy filming collectors picking up arrowheads from over 1.5 miles away, so they can make a case against them. ALL with OUR ******* TAX DOLLARS. Ain't life sweet. I went ahead and typed in the asterisks. I know I shouldn't be talking that way, but ****, it just ****** me off!

 

[NC field hunter]

Funny (well, not at all) you should mention the Corps. They enjoy filming collectors picking up arrowheads from over 1.5 miles away, so they can make a case against them. ALL with OUR ******* TAX DOLLARS. Ain't life sweet. I went ahead and typed in the asterisks. I know I shouldn't be talking that way, but ****, it just ****** me off!

Totally agree with you. I understand why they have made these laws. It's a monkey see, monkey do type deal. One brave monkey will eventually start digging graves. I suppose killing the problem at the root is easy. But... As you mentioned, taxes support them. The money I pay in taxes wasn't easily earned. If I can't take the easy way out, neither should they. Their job should require keeping people graves safe and keeping surface hunters happy. The law in place now encourages people to dig. If charges are going to be filed and jail is a possibility, I guess some figure it's dumb to go down for simple surface hunting. Personally, I still will not dig a grave.

 

[old digger]

I asked the regional archeologist with the local forest service if I was hiking on forest land and noticed an arrowhead laying on the ground, would it be legal to pick it up and keep it. The archeologist said it was illegal, but I could bring it in and give it to them. , ! I can understand not digging on certain lands, but I don't see any harm picking up a surface find. I am sure that there have been surface finds that have lead to some major finds that were later examined by archeologists. It is also a shame that some of the major museums around here don't present (show) any real points like the Cody Complex and other High Plains points. I believe they are all supposedly down in the basement.

 

[NC field hunter]

I asked the regional archeologist with the local forest service if I was hiking on forest land and noticed an arrowhead laying on the ground, would it be legal to pick it up and keep it. The archeologist said it was illegal, but I could bring it in and give it to them. , ! I can understand not digging on certain lands, but I don't see any harm picking up a surface find. I am sure that there have been surface finds that have lead to some major finds that were later examined by archeologists. It is also a shame that some of the major museums around here don't present (show) any real points like the Cody Complex and other High Plains points. I believe they are all supposedly down in the basement.

Digger, it's also legal for you to mail me any finds that may be eating at you conscious!! Lol! I've visited museums that did not allow cameras or pictures to be taken. The reason for their no picture rule was a recent break in. The lady working there said it was more than likely an inside job, but she couldn't prove it. You know how easily tracked cell phone pictures are. I've also been to museums that displayed reproduced stuff. I would rather look at my geofacts than pay $10.00 to see reproductions. Nothing against reproductions made with good intention. However, the term "museum quality" doesn't apply to reproductions, in my book.

 

[unclemac]

i have found that smaller town historical museums can be the best at displaying artifacts from the local area.

 

[T.C.]

Have you ever been to Favell's unclemac?? Best Indian artifact museum in the U.S. JMHO

 

[unclemac]

Have you ever been to Favell's unclemac?? Best Indian artifact museum in the U.S. JMHO

i have not but my uncle used to drive up from Reno and he would tell me it was quite the thing. There was this one place I used to go to in Yakima, a hamburger joint called Miners's...they had the most outstanding display of Columbia River points in frames on their walls....you just never know what you are going to stumble upon.

 

[Twitch]

Blows my mind that you're not supposed to pick up surface finds eroding out of a river bank. Only a complete moron would think this makes sense.

 

[monsterrack]

All I can say is thank God I have property's to hunt on and live in a state that does not care about you hunting artifacts as long as you don't do it on public or federal lands. But one day it could all change with just a stroke of a pen.