I found this sign in a NJ park

[Buried Crap NJ]

This is in Robling NJ along the Delaware river. I hunted here about 12 years ago and I never went down by the river. But this sign includes all of NJ that's not private. This is not unlike NJ as most of the bad rules start here and go west!

[Tom_in_CA]

thanx for posting that interesting sign. For starters, I would say that this does not apply, as you say, to all public land in New Jersey, as you say. It is only for state land, since that is a state-sign. The "public" that the sign refers to, would be legally interpretted to apply to the land under its jurisdiction, which is state. So county or city level could be silent on the issue (and thus ok to hunt).

And secondly, notice the only prohitions that could be construed to apply to metal detecting, would be if you found something old and/or historic. Seems to me then, that if you're looking for modern change (that's all you're doing afterall, right? ) or the boy-scout ring you lost there when you were a kid, then you are not in violation. Naturally I wouldn't look for a confrontation to play semantics (I would and do always avoid busy-bodies, to avoid such confrontations, to begin with). But if confronted, I believe you would be in the right, if you had nothing historic, and/or were only looking for something you lost there last month.

[Buried Crap NJ]

Tom, Dig you see the Post where metal detecting was allowed, but digging wasn't, they fined the two guys 50 bucks! Did you see the sign said no digging! Of coarse it says NJ public lands. Its it a public park? And I saw a post here on this site, that said any coin over 50 years old in FL is historic and can't be kept? Most states say historic is 100 years old! In NJ children are held and parent arrested and jailed if you take a arrow head from state lands. These people are out of control! steve

[Treasure_Hunter]

Tom, Dig you see the Post where metal detecting was allowed, but digging wasn't, they fined the two guys 50 bucks! Did you see the sign said no digging! Of coarse it says NJ public lands. Its it a public park? And I saw a post here on this site, that said any coin over 50 years old in FL is historic and can't be kept? Most states say historic is 100 years old! In NJ children are held and parent arrested and jailed if you take a arrow head from state lands. These people are out of control! steve

In Florida it is against the law to remove any arrowhead or artifact of any type from state own land. In 3.5 years of hunting city, county parks, and beaches on both coasts I have never been approached by any authority and questioned about my hunting. I have hunted a lot of parks but I am primarily a beach hunter, we recover lots of coins and jewelry on the beaches, have pulled up lots of silver at Daytona Beach over 50 years old, with the police even stopping and asking me how it is going, then telling me to have a nice day as they drive off....

[Tom_in_CA]

Steve, no I didn't notice or pay attention to the part of the sign that said "no digging". I was only paying attention to the "artifact or historic materials" part of the sign wording. I guess the reason I subconsciously don't see the "digging" part of rules/signs, for ANY park, is that if you start down that rabbit trail, you might as well give up now. Because think of it: If you go in to ANY park, even where md'ing has never been a problem, and say "Can I dig in the park?" What do you think their answer will be? Of course they will say "no". Because their knee-jerk image will be un-filled holes and morons with shovels, right? So to me, I don't consider myself doing "defacing" and damage and stuff, if I intend to fill in my hole, to the point where you can't even tell I was there. To think otherwise, you can give it up now, and stick to private property only. Because there is no public institution that will ever say "go ahead and dig in our park, school yard, etc..." (barring maybe a sandbox or beach?)

Next you say: "Of coarse it says NJ public lands. Its it a public park?" I don't understand your question. You have to remember that the term "public" has different levels: All public land is not the same, simply because it's "public". The different levels (fed, state, county, and city) can have different rules for land under their jurisdiction. Therefore the sign in the Buried-crap's post, applies to the jurisdiction of the entity that posted it (ie.: state owned park land, not county, not city, etc...)

I've even heard of persons getting into a legal semantics battle, trying to say they're not "digging", but only "probing" (because the use a screwdriver to gingerly pry out coins, with a minimum of soil movement, etc...) and loosing the battle. But ironically, in those same places, I bet if they'd just gone and done it, no one would have even paid attention to them. Ie.: "no one cares, UNTIL you ask" type of psychology. For example: in Treasure_Hunter's post, he cites city and county parks that he detects with no problems. Like, even Florida police coming over to say "hi" and "good luck" etc... But I bet you that if Treasure_Hunter had gone into the various city or county's offices, and asked enough desk clerks "can I dig?" I bet you he'd have gotten a "no". But notice he goes and hunts to his heart's content, and no one gives a r*tt's *ss!

[Treasure_Hunter]

Steve, no I didn't notice or pay attention to the part of the sign that said "no digging". I was only paying attention to the "artifact or historic materials" part of the sign wording. I guess the reason I subconsciously don't see the "digging" part of rules/signs, for ANY park, is that if you start down that rabbit trail, you might as well give up now. Because think of it: If you go in to ANY park, even where md'ing has never been a problem, and say "Can I dig in the park?" What do you think their answer will be? Of course they will say "no". Because their knee-jerk image will be un-filled holes and morons with shovels, right? So to me, I don't consider myself doing "defacing" and damage and stuff, if I intend to fill in my hole, to the point where you can't even tell I was there. To think otherwise, you can give it up now, and stick to private property only. Because there is no public institution that will ever say "go ahead and dig in our park, school yard, etc..." (barring maybe a sandbox or beach?)

Next you say: "Of coarse it says NJ public lands. Its it a public park?" I don't understand your question. You have to remember that the term "public" has different levels: All public land is not the same, simply because it's "public". The different levels (fed, state, county, and city) can have different rules for land under their jurisdiction. Therefore the sign in the Buried-crap's post, applies to the jurisdiction of the entity that posted it (ie.: state owned park land, not county, not city, etc...)

I've even heard of persons getting into a legal semantics battle, trying to say they're not "digging", but only "probing" (because the use a screwdriver to gingerly pry out coins, with a minimum of soil movement, etc...) and loosing the battle. But ironically, in those same places, I bet if they'd just gone and done it, no one would have even paid attention to them. Ie.: "no one cares, UNTIL you ask" type of psychology. For example: in Treasure_Hunter's post, he cites city and county parks that he detects with no problems. Like, even Florida police coming over to say "hi" and "good luck" etc... But I bet you that if Treasure_Hunter had gone into the various city or county's offices, and asked enough desk clerks "can I dig?" I bet you he'd have gotten a "no". But notice he goes and hunts to his heart's content, and no one gives a r*tt's *ss!

If there is no signs saying "No metal Detecting" and or it is not on State Property, I will hunt it. State parks are open to the public, yet we are not allowed to dig or hunt on them, cant even go in the water and recover lost jewelry unless it is on a beach that borders the oceans. Of course it is legal to go out and shoot small deer with a license, but can't go in the state springs and recover anything....

I do not ask permission to hunt any city or county parks, I just go detect. I use the Detectorpro uniprobe, in combination with the E-Z-Dig-R II recovery system, it has a 7/8 and 1 1/4 inch shovel. I am able to recover most targets in city and county parks and never leave a sign I was there. Unfortunately the E-Z-Dig-R system is no longer sold, the gentleman who made them died and no one in the family is making them......

I locate target with my detector, used the Uniprobe to isolate where target is exactly, then recover it with the tiny shovel, I then pinch the sod back together, I do not dig plugs very often......

[vayank54]

In VA "no hunting" includes metal detecting. I don't know how it is anywhere else though. So even if a sign doesn't say no detecting that doesn't necessarily mean detecting is allowed and you could still be arrested.

[Treasure_Hunter]

In VA "no hunting" includes metal detecting. I don't know how it is anywhere else though. So even if a sign doesn't say no detecting that doesn't necessarily mean detecting is allowed and you could still be arrested.

Not in Florida.....What is nice are the beaches here are owned by the "public", there are very few private beaches. I can hunt in front of some of the most expensive hotels in Miami and Key Biscayne with no problems.......When your hunting in front of $500 a night hotels, the potential for high dollar finds is a lot higher......

[sniffer]

if it's public property, I don't even look at the signs. I've never had a problem with anyone.
I once had a cop pull right up next to me, as I'm recovering my target, didn't say a word. watched me for a while and then drove off without saying a word.
I guess it all depends on if they think you're damaging something or not.

[Treasure_Hunter]

if it's public property, I don't even look at the signs. I've never had a problem with anyone.
I once had a cop pull right up next to me, as I'm recovering my target, didn't say a word. watched me for a while and then drove off without saying a word.
I guess it all depends on if they think you're damaging something or not.

That is where the EZ-Dig-R comes in handy for me, there is no visible sign I was there when I finish, no mounds of dirt, no cut plugs.....I slit the sod to dig, and use the 1 1/4 inch shovel from the EZ, when finished I pinch sod back together..........

[ivan salis]

there are differant levels of "public" property -- who actually has the "legal" title or ownership and thus "control of it" of it might very well control if you can or can not "legally" metal detect in the area , there are city "public" owned , county "public" owned and of course "state owned" each with their own sets of rules. --- in the case of NJ state parks like the one with this sign --its clear they do not want you to detect there and will most likely arrest you if they see you there doing it --(if they feel like it at the time , that is or they might just follow you home to see where you live and return for your whole "collection" at a later point in time -- things like that can and do happen -- once you mix "illegally" taken items with legal items --they will scoop up the whole lot --- so keep records that track both where and when you got your items to show that you got them legally --should they show up asking questions--- no proof or records -- they will say --opps all ilegally got --bye bye collection )

in the case of city , or county "public" parks --if theres no sign saying otherwize and park personal are not saying "no" -- -- until posted othersize --I say its fair game * --of course if you ask then it gets folks thinking --that they have both the right and the power to ban you --- do not ask to do what by rights you should be allowed to do ---enjoy your "public" park -- just as same other folks do --some ride bikes , some play ball. others hike --we metal detect -- of course be smart and cover your holes

[Tom_in_CA]

vayank54, you say;

"So even if a sign doesn't say no detecting that doesn't necessarily mean detecting is allowed and you could still be arrested."

Are you talking city or county level parks/schools? Because if so, (leaving state and/or obvious historic monuments out of the discussion for a moment) then this sounds sort of like "you can get a ticket for making a U-turn, even though there was no sign forbidding it at such & such intersection". But in any case, even if someone could be hassled or told "scram" for a rule that wasn't posted at the park entrance, I believe you would be warned first, in cases of un-posted rules. If not, can you please cite for us, any instance, of someone "being arrested" for md'ing at an innocuous city or county level park, beach, sandbox, etc... ? I don't think you can cite such an incident, unless it's someone night sneaking some sensitive historic monument, or someone who couldn't take a warning.

Ivan, I've heard of persons who lost collections d/t being followed in a "sting" operation, or whatever. But you're usually talking someone who was night sneaking around known sensitive posted sites, or whatever. You won't find any example of this "confiscations" stuff for someone doing innocuous sandboxes, beaches, schools, parks, etc.... A "scram" at the worst, IMHO. Like your second paragraph says, once you get down to city and county level stuff, odds are, no one really gives the matter thought, as long as you're not being some sort of a nuisance "sticking out", leaving a mess, etc.....

[vayank54]

In Va if a property is posted and the sign says no hunting according to the state metal detecting is the same as hunting and you can be arrested. Each jurisdiction have their own laws . The city I used to live in had an ordinance against relic hunting altogether and you could not even detect your own property. I know a guy who was arrested and fine for detecting his property and i was hald for detecting even though I had permission from the landowner. I was lucky enough to know the plice capt and got off with a warning. In that city most of the individual police officers didn't care but the city managers and other officials did. Like I said each jurisdiction can have different laws so it's best to know the laws and just not assume it's ok to detect.

[Treasure_Hunter]

In Va if a property is posted and the sign says no hunting according to the state metal detecting is the same as hunting and you can be arrested. Each jurisdiction have their own laws . The city I used to live in had an ordinance against relic hunting altogether and you could not even detect your own property. I know a guy who was arrested and fine for detecting his property and i was hald for detecting even though I had permission from the landowner. I was lucky enough to know the plice capt and got off with a warning. In that city most of the individual police officers didn't care but the city managers and other officials did. Like I said each jurisdiction can have different laws so it's best to know the laws and just not assume it's ok to detect.

So your saying in Virginia you can not detect property that you own A citizen does not have the right to detect his own property that he pays property taxes on..............Talk abouts BS..................... That is enough to make Thomas Jefferson roll over in his grave.....

Sounds like that alone is reason enough for me to never live in the less then great state of Virginia.....

[Tom_in_CA]

Treasure hunter: I believe vayank54 was speaking about only a single city's ordinance, not an entire state. I have a hard time believing they could tell property owners you can't detect on your own property! If I lived there, I guess I'd always be detecting for the "boyscout ring I lost there when I was a kid" (funny how I lost all those boyscout rings all those different places years ago, eh? )

[ivan salis]

prove I was "relic hunting" on my own land --to be there on "my" land your tresspassing --- if within veiw of the public on my land --- I wasn't relic hunting , I was looking for property boundry stakes.

yes I have issues with anyone who will not let property owners hunt the land they pay the taxes on , frankly I can not legally see how others can tell you what you can do on your land so long as it doesn't poison nearby public waterways and such. ( like burying toxic waste ) --but relic digging and artifact gathering on your land -- its like having gold on your land and the state saying you can't collect it up. utter nonsense.

[Treasure_Hunter]

Treasure hunter: I believe vayank54 was speaking about only a single city's ordinance, not an entire state. I have a hard time believing they could tell property owners you can't detect on your own property! If I lived there, I guess I'd always be detecting for the "boyscout ring I lost there when I was a kid" (funny how I lost all those boyscout rings all those different places years ago, eh? )

Your correct Tom, after rereading it is the single town he was talking about. I understand not digging in burial mounds, but if I own property and want to detect there had better not be city officials telling me I can't detect my own property.....I will take my butt and my property tax money and pay it somewhere else.......

[vayank54]

Yeah it is just the one town. you could not dig any where even with permission or on your own land. That place has some screwed up laws.They had one guy who was an "Ordinance officer" His only job was to ride around a look for violations. The state inspection on my van was dead I got summonsed to court for openly storing an inoperable vehicle. The inspection had only been dead about 2 weeks and the van needed brakes and I just had not had time to fix it. By the way the van was in my driveway beside the house, with the front facing to the backyard. My neighbor was redoing a room in his house and had a couple pieces of drywall leaned up against his fence in his driveway. Not out by the road but by his house. He got a ticket for openly storing construction materials. I could go on but I think you can see why I no longer live there.

[DIGDIG]

The problem I can see with this in NJ isn't from local police, most wouldn't care. If you ever dealt with the Department of Fish and Game you would realize the problem would be bumping into them. In state woods and parks, they rule and seem to not cut breaks for anyone. Even if there is no sign, it don't matter- they will tell you that you should have looked into who owns the property prior to MD'ing.
New Jersey can be a ball breaker when it comes to anything fun, gun laws- the worst, fireworks- don't even think about it. With all the problems in the world today you think MD'ing would be seen as a great hobby, all kids should still believe that there were such things as pirate's and pirate treasure is still out there, afterall I still believe.

[wildman4910]

Looks like NJ is going the way of the not so great Peoples Socialist Republic of Crackheadafornia~~ ooops did I actually type that?

It does make me laugh whenever I see those idiotic "public lands, preserving your future~~closed no public access" signs
it just reaffirms that it is not public land but Gov land bought for Gov purposes with our tax dollars.
Not bought with you in mind or at least not with the intention of you actually ever using them.

I feel for you DigDig, I've run into a few Gastopo wanna be G&F guys before here~~ got a God complex on them to.
Thankfully most here are NOT like that but there are always a few bad apples in the barrel.

Yup the FL 50yr rule Unless its a coin with a date on it how an I supposed to tell how old it is?

Treasure Hunter, those EZ-Dig-R's look like the ticket.
I will have to get some el'cheepo screwdrivers and make myself a set.

So far the only place I have been told no MD'ing/digging is at the county soccer fields and that is only cause
1)They put out a lot to keep them looking like a golf green.
2)They caught some fool digging for China (in lots of holes) and not a single hole filled in.

It will get to the point in NJ were the real people will have had enough and just move out for better area's, then
the rest of the stinkin fools can busy body each other to death!

The only solution is to VOTE these "nanny state" fools out, unfortunately most all politician's can be found to be lying whenever their lips are moving.

Hope ya'll have had better hunting than I have had lately, if only pull tabs were made out of silver!


~~Happy Hunting~~