Do they actually give out permission to hunt the battlefields? If so it'd be great to know whether it's worth asking for hunt permission for Brandywine or Valley Forge, which are in my area.
The maximum penalty for a violation is a $100,000 fine and 10 years in prison.
Federal rules also provide for a $75 fine and other penalties just for possessing a metal detector in a national park, regardless of whether it has been used. The park works to deter relic hunters and launched in the 1990s the Park Watch Patrol, a troop of more than 100 volunteers who patrol the grounds. The battlefield is also monitored by rangers, some in plain clothes and others who are camouflaged and use specialized equipment to detect violators.
HOW TO HELP
Rangers at Gettysburg National Military Park are seeking information about an incident of relic hunting and digging in the area of Spangler's Spring. Those with information are asked to contact the park office at 717-334-0909.