state parks-UPDATE 11 nov. 09

[olegoat]

i talked to my local state rep last week, told him we needed some help on getting the state parks open for m/d.. any ideas out there, prolly need to start with the current law, such as the number or act or whatever its called. he said he would try to introduce a law this year and if not possible he would do it next year, i need some help as what the bill should say, i told him i would get back to him with some ideas.... it will help us lf he can do this, help me out here.....thanks

talked to my rep today, he is going to introduce a bill in jan to get the parks open for m/d. you guys can help by getting in touch with your local state reps. and have them get in touch with my rep william (bill) harmon..if we can get enough reps to vote for this it may open the parks to m/d...try to help please
it can only make it better for us.....thanks harold

[Tnmountains]

What state rep here in east tenn? We hunt wild game in state parks why not relics.What or how does Webster or a dictionary explain the word hobby? Is this not a hobby and is not state land our land? With proper laws and penaltys for not filling holes I would think they should implement a season with a fee or lisc to hunt. This is how I would approach it. Good for you you are doing something about it.I wish you much success. I would try to show the benefits of selling permitts to to help fund our state parks with all monies allocated in the bill to state park budgets. Good luck.
TnMountains

[olegoat]

thanks tn
you can see that only 19 views on this topic, how do make the topic so more people will read it. this will i hope open up all the state parks if we can get a law passed. it will take everyone in the state to call their rep. and tell them to vote for this bill if my rep can get it up for vote.
my rep covers 4 counties, grundy,marion, sequatchie, van buren. this is the 37th district.
i need something to tell him as per the way the bill worded, permit, or just open, of course not any historical sites inside the parks, that should leave a lot of areas that could be searched.
help me out here......

[Tnmountains]

I am NOT a lawyer and that is what it is going to take. But if I was to help him define what you do I would refer to websters online dictionary with one word "Hobby". Webster defines it as a pursuit outside one's regular occupation engaged in especially for relaxation.
Are we all not allowed to pursue our pursuits for relaxation ?
That being said you should be allowed to pursue your hobby on state controlled ground. If your hobby is camping you do it on state ground. If you ride horses/4 wheelers/dirt bikes(as they do at Prentice cooper and franklin forest) that is your hobby. You Deer hunt there as well.
Why not metal detect? The argument against you will be a simple one. Metal detecting is the hobby of finding something and taking it home with you. In state parks you are NOT allowed to dig plants and take them home. You are not allowed to cut trees and take them home. Metal detecting could be seen as a for proffit if you find something on state land and sell it........... as well.
Also Federal law will over rule state law every time. Ok this means that if the state passes a law but it is against Federal law then Federal law wins.
I do not know of any verbage written against metal detecting but you can see their arguments with out even going down the historical or Archelogical side of things.....

What you may be able to do though is get something passed that allows you to hunt(md) in the camping or designated public areas. That way you are only finding something that was LOST by the public and reclaimed by the public and not something that existed on state land prior to it becoming state owned. Make sense
I would try for a Bill called "Finders Keepers" something that was lost by the public after the inception of state control. It would limit us to coins and jewelry which I am sure there is plenty lost at campsites and swimmig holes. Of course the basic rules of filling holes would apply. A permitt should be required as well with the money going to the state coffers earmaked back to the state parks (state parks are suffering and in dire need of funding btw). This might open up hunts where things are planted and marked by gps as well? Military parks are out of course and there should be a clause that someone smarter than I should write. But basically saying that where any war or conflict occured is strictly prohibited. I think that law is out there already but would need to be recognised in this BILL.
This is all that I can think of on short notice but it might give you some ideas.
Efforts like yours should be recognised by others and I appreciate your efforts. Keep us posted.
Best of luck
TnMountains

[Tnmountains]

Oh yeah I would also re title your topic from just,,State Parks.. to something like "New law proposal for metal detecting in State Parks"
Good luck and sorry for being long winded hopefully some of the smart guys will chime in.
Tennessee Mountains yeeeeee haaaa

[BOBBYC]

i hope this will happen because im only about 30 min from the tn mountians so much land to search
soooooooo many relics

bobby

[CWnut]

if we could get a permit for a reasonable yearly fee would be one way to approach the situation. Given the current economic situation states are looking at every possible way to create funds

[Tnmountains]

I just hope the poster of this thread is still working on it

[olegoat]

i'm still here, watching and waiting for some more ideas on how this bill will need to be worded, my rep lives in this town, i have his phone #. i told him it would be couple weeks or so before i got back to him with some ideas, thanks for the help.

[mikewaz]

A license fee will more than likely work. Nothing get's the attention of the politicians quicker than creating some more revenue.
Mike

[sniffer]

find out how to get a law written and introduced. your state rep or his office should be able to steer you in the right direction

[Old Fart in TN]

Call KeithWills or go to http://www.wwats.org I am sure if you get hold of Keith he will bend over backwards to help you with the proper wording needed.

[Sky Pilot]

Skypilot02 here. I live in Monroe County, TN., just on the border of the Great Smokey Mountains National Park, and I would be willing to pay a reasonable fee to detect inside the park, however, I do believe that A.R.P.A., the law about disturbing historical sites, would kill it. I mean, you can't even pick a flower without a hefty fine, and that stinks! As for detectors, in the middle '90's, Quinton Bass, the head archaeologist for the state at the time, informed me that I wasn't even allowed to search property my family "owns", as it is in the park! As a matter of fact, (scare tactics?), he also said that it was a FELONY to be caught in the park with a detector, in your trunk, without batteries, even if the detector was BROKEN!! Talk about stupidity! I would LOVE to see what laws are concrete on the subject, but truly believe that the ranger is to abide by his or her interpretation of said law, and that is where the quagmire exists! Great idea!! Good luck, and let me know how we can help! Regards, Richard

[Woodland Detectors]

You have my vote! follow up on this, ok, get it started! I'm sure we could get many signatures from t-net alone. Power in numbers! lol And , thank you for making a stand

[sniffer]

the way things are, if you do get caught, you get a ticket. most people will pay the ticket rather than fight it.
the people in charge know that'll you'll pay the ticket rather than fight it, so they use scare tactics to get you to leave. I detect in a state park here in Ks. the park ranger just tells me not to leave any holes, if somebody has a problem with what I'm doing, either go to another place in the park or go home.
what it comes down to is out of sight, out of mind.

[Tnmountains]

how about an up date olegoat at where you are on this?

[whispers]

I think if you google the FMDAC you can find the laws and the way they are written in states such as mine VT which do allow md'ng.I haven't read any other states but mine was kind of disheartening to say the least.I for one am coming down to Tenn. Crossville ,to be exact ,within the week and plan on spending time and money in what I am told is a beautiful state for the the first time .I have noticed your states non-resident fishing lisc. cost about 50.00 for all fish 10 day permit.Know I have no Issues with that a bit and further would be willing to pay a Metal dectors permit or fee during my stay.While I plan on staying at a few stateparks and hope to MD among other things,your state rules against our hobby will not deter me from comming down and enjoying other activities that are legal.There must be some other places to go that it is permitted.I think your crusade to actually do something about this is great,But unfortunately I think with too many restrictions in a suuccessful bill your laws me end up like Vermonts whereas you would be better of hunting somewheres else.Perhaps you can refer to the other states laws that do allow" with restrictions " as a guide as to what you don't want your hopefully successfull bill sound like.Good luck

[Tnmountains]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crossville,_Tennessee

Welcome to Tennessee.It is very beautiful country and you will find the native people polite and kind. Crossville has a lot of people moving in from all over the country due to its beauty. I might throw the metal detector in the trunk and you may find somewhere to hunt.As the link says it was a crossroads during the civil war. There are also indian artifacts along the bluff and in plowed fields.If you look at a topo map their is a big bowl depression off the side of the mtn and always thought it warranted searching. Enjoy your stay the bass are biting as well as the crappie.

TnMountains

[olegoat]

news of sort, i talked to my rep. yesterday. he wants me to go to a state park, ask about detecting,if refused document time, persons name and any other pertant info.
i told him i would go next week. the closest park to me is FALL CREEK FALLS.
now if anyone wants to do the same at a park close to them, do so and send me the info. i am not going to have my m/d with me at the time, if they want to search my vehicle it will be clean...
i'm looking out for #1..
i gave him some of the stuff posted here, my printer was on the fritzzz.
its running now for the time being, so if anyone has any info, send it here and i can leave it for him in town, he is here every friday.

[Tnmountains]

Let us know and we applaud your efforts sir.

TnMtns