No more metal detecting NC state park beaches!

[pamlicopanther]

Eager to finally get my new X-Terra 705 bloodied, the girlfriend and I decided to head to our coast today and do some beach hunting. As much research as I could turn up here and on other sites was that NC state park beaches near Fort Fisher and Fort Macon were legal for metal detecting during the non-summer months (1 October to 1 June). Fort Macon beach is one of our usual haunts anyway so that's where we went.

We hadn't been on the sand half an hour when Mr. Ranger came by, parked, and walked up to us. Although he was polite about it, he asked if we knew we were in a state park. I told him what I had learned about the winter months. His reply was that, as of this year, that was no longer true, and there was no metal detecting allowed in any NC state park ever...period. He told us we were more than welcome to head south down the beach beyond the park boundary, but that everything north on the island was now permanently off limits. Then he asked if we had found any Civil War era items, which he obviously would've confiscated had we had any and had I replied in the affirmative. Then he walked a little further to harass an older couple who was also MDing.

Our tax dollars at work...I was so proud

Sorry to hear that. I too am here in eastern NC and have been planning to one day make the hour trip to Fort Macon to try the beach. Thanks for letting us now.

 

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[lisfisher]

On the show diggers I can't even believe some of the nonsense I see on there. Anything and everything they pull from the ground has a "potential value". Rusty nail ....$5.00, piece of a horshoe with some far out remote chance it was from GW's horse....$15.00. Lead musketball potentially fired by General Lee himself, $40.00. What are they thinking and WHY That show needs to be taken off the air.

 

[catherine1]

Everyone needs to spend a day with a pro cam observing these government employees taking 2 hour lunches, using government vehicles for private use, leaving work early, and anything else that they do to waste tax payer money. A girl I know said that at the local courthouse they used to take a day off a week because they were bored. You would have to take a couple of weeks once they were paid but it would be easy to catch them. And it would be fraud for being paid for a day they did not work or a 2 hour lunch. This government is getting old due to the economy/taxes!!

 

[marz]

On the show diggers I can't even believe some of the nonsense I see on there. Anything and everything they pull from the ground has a "potential value". Rusty nail ....$5.00, piece of a horshoe with some far out remote chance it was from GW's horse....$15.00. Lead musketball potentially fired by General Lee himself, $40.00. What are they thinking and WHY That show needs to be taken off the air.

hey any time u are i are anyone finds a rusty nail we should save them so we could sell them wholesale to the savage family diggers for 1.75 a pice hahahha

 

[leatherneck]

LinkHylian; Are you sure. I have lived in Washington most of my life and as far as I have read and asked about, there is NO MD'ing in State Parks. Do you research and ask the ranger first? Be careful.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

reply

LinkHylian; Are you sure. I have lived in Washington most of my life and as far as I have read and asked about, there is NO MD'ing in State Parks. Do you research and ask the ranger first? Be careful.

leatherneck: yours and linkylian's discrepancy is just ......... to me .... evidence that if all of us spent enough time asking enough different bureaucrats, you can find a different answer from every one of them. It's almost comical. It happens on city-levels too (where md'rs feel they "have to ask permission" or "have to ask can I?"): one clerk says "go ahead, have fun, just cover your holes", while the next one says "ABSOLUTELY NOT (and cites something silly that says you can't disturb earthworms or whatever).

I mean, c'mon. No, do NOT go "asking a ranger first". Why leave it up to the personal arbitrary whims and moods of someone? heck, perhaps they'd never have cared or even given the matter thought before your "pressing question" requiring their "princely say-so". Look it up for yourselves (if you're skittish). Unless there's something there that SPECIFICALLY says "no metal detecting", then presto, it must not be dis-allowed

 

[leatherneck]

Tom in CA; In Washington if you get caught MD'ing in a state park you will get a fine and be arrested and lose your metal detector for ever. That's why it is good to check first.

 

[cudamark]

If that's the law, it's written down somewhere. Look it up yourself and you'll have your answer without having to ask.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Tom in CA; In Washington if you get caught MD'ing in a state park you will get a fine and be arrested and lose your metal detector for ever. That's why it is good to check first.

Mark is right: If what you're saying is the case, then that is info that can be looked up for oneself. THAT is the way to "check first". Not go ask someone "can I metal detect?".

And leatherneck: Just out of curiosity: Do you know of anyone in WA who: "got a fine", or "was arrested" or "lost their metal detector for ever" for md'ing in a state-of-WA park? If you can cite such an incident, I'd love to hear it.

 

[Metal.detective]

On the show diggers I can't even believe some of the nonsense I see on there. Anything and everything they pull from the ground has a "potential value". Rusty nail ....$5.00, piece of a horshoe with some far out remote chance it was from GW's horse....$15.00. Lead musketball potentially fired by General Lee himself, $40.00. What are they thinking and WHY That show needs to be taken off the air.

Swear to God I wish there was a like button I could click on for some of these comments!

 

[Joe hunter]

Swear to God I wish there was a like button I could click on for some of these comments!

There is or are you kidding?

 

[Metal.detective]

Joe...I'm serious lol! I'm using the app on my cell phone and I can't find the like button anywhere. I'm sorry for sounding dumb.

 

[Joe hunter]

Joe...I'm serious lol! I'm using the app on my cell phone and I can't find the like button anywhere. I'm sorry for sounding dumb.

I have it on my I pad I look for it on my I phone today .

 

[ivan salis]

always ask -- if you don't ask the answer is always no 100% of the time , so by asking you can only better your odds. who knows they could say yes.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

always ask -- if you don't ask the answer is always no 100% of the time , so by asking you can only better your odds. who knows they could say yes.

Ivan, what you are saying makes no sense. What do you mean that if you "don't ask", that the "answer will be no 100% of the time" ? If you "haven't asked", then you "haven't gotten a 'no' " to begin with. So ... I don't get your answer.

Are you trying to say that someone will come up and boot you, "if you haven't asked" ? If so, where do you get that logic? I detect places all the time, without "asking" (because I find no prohibition, thus I just "go" without "asking"). And bootings are not a common occurance. So ... I'm at a loss to figure out what you're trying to say.

And then you say: "... so by asking you can only better your odds. who knows they could say yes."

Huh? Seems to me you would only "worsen" your odds. Because now they could say "no" (simply on an arbitrary whim of feelings, even though no rule exists that says "no detecting"). And then presto, you can't detect. But had you simply just gone, without asking, then perhaps no one would ever have cared or noticed, and you could have gone un-bothered. In other words, what I'm saying is, the people you find to tell you "no", would, a lot of times, never given the matter any thought, nor cared, because perhaps it never crosses their mind (unless you were being a nuisance in some other way). But when you come to an authority with a question like that, all too often, they choose the "easy" answer, even though, truth be told, they might not have ever cared. But since you ask, you merely conjur up images of geeks with shovels, so of course they just tell you "no".

Thus your post isn't making sense.

 

[BVI Hunter]

I have it on my I pad I look for it on my I phone today .

Full size, desktop computers - they're the future....!

 

[Joe hunter]

Desk computer ya right future boy
And what reach across the desk to touch the screen every time you want to type

 

[Joe hunter]

Ivan, what you are saying makes no sense. What do you mean that if you "don't ask", that the "answer will be no 100% of the time" ? If you "haven't asked", then you "haven't gotten a 'no' " to begin with. So ... I don't get your answer.

Are you trying to say that someone will come up and boot you, "if you haven't asked" ? If so, where do you get that logic? I detect places all the time, without "asking" (because I find no prohibition, thus I just "go" without "asking"). And bootings are not a common occurance. So ... I'm at a loss to figure out what you're trying to say.

And then you say: "... so by asking you can only better your odds. who knows they could say yes."

Huh? Seems to me you would only "worsen" your odds. Because now they could say "no" (simply on an arbitrary whim of feelings, even though no rule exists that says "no detecting"). And then presto, you can't detect. But had you simply just gone, without asking, then perhaps no one would ever have cared or noticed, and you could have gone un-bothered. In other words, what I'm saying is, the people you find to tell you "no", would, a lot of times, never given the matter any thought, nor cared, because perhaps it never crosses their mind (unless you were being a nuisance in some other way). But when you come to an authority with a question like that, all too often, they choose the "easy" answer, even though, truth be told, they might not have ever cared. But since you ask, you merely conjur up images of geeks with shovels, so of course they just tell you "no".

Thus your post isn't making sense.

I agree Tom you can't get a no unless you ask,I don't think a park ranger should ever have any say in the matter it's not what they were trained for I use the term trained loosely .If a rule comes across there desk saying no detecting they should post it .if its not posted it should be fine it's tax payers land.

 

[ivan salis]

private land tom --if you do not ask --private land is always "off limits" * but if you do ask they might say yes so on private land be bold and ask.-=- public land * much like you , I think of "public land" as "public land" unless posted otherwise or a "known off limits" spot -- historic battlefield * or such * --then I think that I as a member of the "public' have just as much right to "enjoy" the public land as any other person does in "their hobby" --be it bird watching ,hiking trails, football, baseball ,ect, ect.

 

[Bronze]

Here is the RCW for Washington State.
WAC 352-32-235: Use of metal detectors in state parks.


WAC 352-32-235
Agency filings affecting this section

Use of metal detectors in state parks.

The use and operation of metal detectors, as well as the removal of small contemporary materials, is permitted within selected state parks as designated by the director or designee, in accordance with all commission direction on land management, and subject to the conditions and limitations specified.

(1) The use of metal detectors is permitted only within specified portions of approved state parks as posted for public reference. Metal detecting may be allowed in an approved campsite occupied by the registered metal detector user and in unoccupied campsites within approved campgrounds.

(2) The use of metal detectors within a state park shall be limited to daylight hours that the park has posted as "open." No use shall be allowed during periods of seasonal or emergency park closure, except where otherwise posted.

(3) Any person wishing to use a metal detector shall so indicate to park personnel at the park where the use is to occur, by complying with the registration process provided for such purpose.

(4) Exceptional uses of metal detectors in state parks may be allowed through the issuance of a special recreation event application, available from the agency.

(5) This section does not apply to commission employees while engaged in the performance of their duties.

(6) Persons operating metal detectors in state parks and state park areas shall:

(a) Observe all laws and regulations.

(b) Never destroy or disturb park facilities, natural features, or historical or archeological resources. No item which is, or appears to be of historical or archaeological significance, may be removed from the site at which it was found. Any such find shall be immediately reported to park personnel, and the area in which the find occurred shall be closed.

(c) Limit digging implements to ice picks, screwdrivers and probes not to exceed two inches in width and sand scoops not to exceed six inches in width and eight inches in length, containing perforations no less than one-half inch in width, to be used only on sand surfaces. Any holes dug shall be limited to six inches maximum depth and shall be immediately refilled and the surface restored to its earlier condition.

(d) Properly dispose of all found or recovered trash and litter.

(e) Conduct themselves with thoughtfulness, courtesy and consideration for others, and not interfere with other recreational activities. An operator shall not allow any emitted metal detector sound audible to other park users.

(7) Any violation of this section is an infraction under chapter 7.84 RCW.