Legality of MDing parks and curb strips

[Tom_in_CA]

... how innocuous MDing appears to the city,............

...the outcome (if any) would probably be influenced much more by the personal views of the people that see it .....

Jamiefind, you are absolutely correct. So what is our duty and objective as md'rs then ? To "head it off at the pass" and go get it "clarified" from the start? You could (go asking city halls, etc...), but the problem THEN becomes, that you risk "no's" from people who, quite frankly, would never have cared or noticed (till your "pressing question" came in).

And I'm the first to admit that a man with a detector carries "connotations". That he might be about to leave marks, or "take" something, etc... So when in places where such connotations could come up (turf, curb strips, etc...), then choose lower-traffic times when such lookie-lous aren't present. Like nose-picking: not necessarily illegal, nor do we seek other's permission to do it. We just pick discreet times so as not to offend the squeemish.

 

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[George (MN)]

So, not a single spot in MS where detecting is legal?

Either no other states have this law apply to coins & jewelry found in city parks, or it is rarely if ever enforced. I've never seen such anti-hobbyist posts like yours come from someone who wasn't a state archaeologist.

Someone in Watertown, SD, called the mayor to get permission to detect city parks & the mayor said you are free to detect all city parks. If anyone questions you, tell them you have permission from the mayor. If anyone doubts that, tell them to contact me. So was the mayor committing a crime? Are there really no cities in MS like that? I'll never visit MS in this lifetime if what you say is true.

I think all of us should write MS Dept of Tourism & say we take detecting vacations & will bypass their state due to crooked/greedy state archaeologist.

Many police officers detect & have to work on violent crime unless everyone agrees they're OK with murderers at large. But you want them to go after detectorists instead?

 

[George (MN)]

Tom, this thread tempts me to contact every police station in MS cities & ask if I could be fined for detecting city parks? The dispatcher would be the one to know, not desk-bound bureaucrats. This has worked for me in getting responses such as we can't be bothered with these trivialities, just use your own judgement. So a de-facto permission was granted where desk-bound bureaucrats said no.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

.... Someone in Watertown, SD, called the mayor to get permission to detect city parks & the mayor said you are free to detect all city parks. If anyone questions you, tell them you have permission from the mayor. If anyone doubts that, tell them to contact me. So was the mayor committing a crime?....

Good question. If you asked a purist archie on SD state payroll, he would say "yes". Well, perhaps not a "crime", but that the mayor's authority didn't allow him to authorize that. Also even that city's mail was hood-winked to begin with. Because the md'r simply didn't ask the question with the right phrasing. To give the full mental image of what was at stake.

Instead of asking "can I metal detect?", he would have gotten a "no" if he'd phrased it with his true intentions laid out:

"Can I dig, make holes, take home city property for my own fun and profit, and take cultural heritage items at the possible violation of the state's cultural heritage laws ?"

Only THEN would the mayor have gotten the right "picture", and have thence been on the same page as the archie who says 'no'. So essentially, the md'r got permission under "false pretenses".

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Tom, this thread tempts me to contact every police station in MS cities & ask if I could be fined for detecting city parks? The dispatcher would be the one to know, not desk-bound bureaucrats. This has worked for me in getting responses such as we can't be bothered with these trivialities, just use your own judgement. So a de-facto permission was granted where desk-bound bureaucrats said no.

Oh if only it were that easy. Do you mention "holes", "dig" and "take" in that request ? If not, why not ? Because I can just imagine them saying "yes", only to have you STILL be accosted. And sure, you can "whip out your permission". Guess what happens when they get on the phone and call to that police person and say you're tearing the place up ?

Also what do you do (if as has often happened) that police person, ....... INSTEAD OF ANSWERING YOUR QUESTION, merely tells you: That is a question for the park's dept. ? Or if that police person says "no you can't" [but you suspect the answer is highly arbitrary and whimsical] ?

On the one hand, you're right in a way: That the police have BIGGER fish to fry. But on the other hand, I still wouldn't put it in any pencil pusher's hands to answer. I'll look it up for myself thanx

 

[Fletch88]

Don't forget to mention "Indian Bone" in that list.

 

[jamiefind]

Either no other states have this law apply to coins & jewelry found in city parks, or it is rarely if ever enforced. I've never seen such anti-hobbyist posts like yours come from someone who wasn't a state archaeologist.

...Are there really no cities in MS like that? I'll never visit MS in this lifetime if what you say is true.

I think all of us should write MS Dept of Tourism & say we take detecting vacations & will bypass their state due to crooked/greedy state archaeologist.

George, by "you" I assume you mean me, especially since you riddle your post with references to MS and followed this post with a WRITTEN THREAT to destroy the hobby in my state.

Moderator? A little unbiased assistance here, please?

 

[Tnmountains]

Locked

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Jamie, mods are unbiased.

There s no threat in George's post, same comment has been posted many times by many members fighting against governmental resistance to our hobby..

George, by "you" I assume you mean me, especially since you riddle your post with references to MS and followed this post with a WRITTEN THREAT to destroy the hobby in my state.

Moderator? A little unbiased assistance here, please?