Laws for detecting in PA

[Opticman]

Hello,

I posted a question on Bethlehem awhile back and got no responses. Can someone give me the scoop on laws in PA regarding detecting? I will be in Bethlehem area (Lehigh County) and want to get out for a few hours detecting.

State Parks?
County Parks?
City Parks?

Any help or perhaps direct me to a web site with information would be appreciated.

Optic

 

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[deepskyal]

Hi Opticman,

I didn't respond to your previous query because I've never been to Bethlehem...welcome to our forum.

Pennsylvania State Gamelands is off limits. They are quite specific about that. It's not our tax dollars that support them, just monies collected through fish and game licenses.

I think, and I'm only guessing, that it varies from county to county on detecting rules in county parks. Allegheny, Westmoreland, Beaver, Butler and Armstrong have nothing on their books about detecting in county parks and if they do, no one bothers to enforce them. I've never been bothered by police or sheriffs in any of those counties. Same goes for local communities...never, ever bothered by anyone in authority for detecting parks...and I've been detecting since the early 80's. They drive by, I acknowledge them with a wave or nod of my head, and go back to detecting. I'm not doing anything illegal. Someone may not like it...but local communities don't encounter enough of us to even begin to think of a reason to make a law. Why ask?

There are places I've seen with specific signs saying no metal detecting...like Pit Hole, Pa. I'd love to detect there but they have a big old sign saying no metal detecting.

State Parks, like Prospector40 said, you'll probably need permission from someone, if anyone's around. Some only allow beach areas certain times of the years, others will let you do the camp sites. A lot have areas off limits because they are historically significant. I doubt they'd let you detect an area in a state park where the CCC built a project and has any kind of memorial to it. But...I could be wrong.

Other than State Parks or historically significant areas....I dont waste my time asking local authorities about rules. I dont want to give them any ideas.
The statis quo seems to be, detect it until someone comes along with a law and says no.

I'm not familiar with Bethlehem. I've been to New Bethlehem and I seriously doubt that you'd be able to detect a lot of that area. I don't remember which sect originally settled there but they have reconstructed and preserved a good part of the area's historically sensitive areas and give tours to show you how they pumped water up hill before there were steel pipes. Pretty awesome tour I think.

But anyhow....that's Pa. laws in a nut shell. Your main no-no's are Gamelands and State Parks with permission...if anyone is around.(You like how I said if anyone is around? )

But I will interject this...someone's been detecting Point State Park in Pittsburgh without anyone ever saying anything to him or his buddies except to thank them for filling in their holes. They never asked anyone for permission and silly me...I knew that you were "suppose" to ask for permission so I never bothered. And apparently it had been detected numerous times because they didnt make that many finds and the park employees thanked them for filling in holes...so that means others were there detecting trying to ruin it for the rest of us by leaving holes unfilled.

Detecting laws are scarce and inbetween.....why stir up a hornets nest by asking anywhere else where they probably don't give a horses' patooty if you do or not with the exception of that nosy old fart down the street. Just blend in, act natural, enjoy the day and the people that stop by to ask if you're finding anything. As long as you're not destroying anything, you'll be suprised how much positive response you get from bystanders.

You'll get some people on here that will tell you to ask permission everywhere you go if it's a new town...but the vast majority of us that have been detecting for years will give you pretty much the same advice...just detect it. Use common sense, be polite if asked to leave, dont detect obvious historic places like civil war battle fields, unless it's private property and you have permission.

That's the only time I ask....and frankly, I've detected gamelands and will continue to do so. If anyone ever says anything to me...I'm just some guy out for an afternoon of relaxation and wasn't aware of any laws and "no officer, I wasn't aware there'd be a law for a place like this."
I can play dumb...they dont know I own a computer and discuss this stuff on the internet.

Hope this helps you out some

Al

 

[PA John]

I live down in York County.

I had to get a permit for York County Parks at the Parks office at John Rudy Park.
You are not allowed to hunt the ball fields at John Rudy, around the Parks office, and anywhere along the "Rail Trail".
I checked with York City and they confirmed that they do not have any laws against it.
Other than that I would check with the local township you are hunting in.
The phone numbers are usually posted on the Park Rules & Regulations signs.