Brand new detector from San Francisco!!

[Detector991]

Hey I just got a new metal detector and I was wondering where I can start looking for treasure in San Francisco ? Also would like clarification on federal, state, & local laws regarding metal detecting in the city. Thank you!

 

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[Tom_in_CA]

Hey I just got a new metal detector and I was wondering where I can start looking for treasure in San Francisco ? Also would like clarification on federal, state, & local laws regarding metal detecting in the city. Thank you!

Welcome from ~2 hrs. south of you. Most of the hunters in your area are park turf hunters (Go figure.... that's the only ground with asphalt not covering it in SF, ) With some beach erosion hunting now and then (if/when we ever get any swells to rake our coast). And old-town demolition hunting can be good at times.

The city parks have no specific prohibition (ie.: silent on the subject). But you still want to pick low traffic times, so no busy-bodies mis-construe your activity as somehow damaging.

SF county also has no specific prohibitions. State parks (and state beaches) are ok. But avoid obvious historic themed parks of theirs. For federal: There's multiple layers and types of federal land, so you'd need to be specific about which type you're asking about.

The federal beaches in your area ("GGNRA" administered) are apparently off-limits. And I heard of a person or two who did get "scrams" on those beaches. Yet others I've heard of, who simply didn't know any better, went and were never bothered.

 

[Detector991]

Thank you for responding, sorry about my late response! Appreciate, the advice, but one question, is golden gate park off limits? I was really looking forward to checking it out as soon as possible.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

.... is golden gate park off limits? .....

There is sometimes a confusion in the title of "Golden Gate National Recreation Area" (GGNRA) with "Golden Gate Park". Since, of course, they share the words "Golden Gate" in their title. But Golden Gate park is part of the CITY park's dept. While the GGNRA is federal (administering a few beaches in your area). Hence no, they are not the same, despite some similarity in their name's wording.

As since golden gate park is a city park, then you can refer to my prior answer: Where I let you know that SF city park's dept. has no prohibitions on md'ing (silent on the subject). It's been detected to death. Big Rec. used to be a big-producer back in the day, but got hit hard. But a lot of cherry picking for deep high conductors. Thus no one ever gets it all.

There's always going to be deeper whispers, masked targets, or persons who passed lows & mid conductors, etc.... The panhandle is especially junky, thus avoided by a lot of hunters who got sick of the clad, tabs, wino caps, etc...... If you cared to go into there and pick a 10 ft. x 10 ft. area to stripmine, I bet you'd get some old coins

And as said before: Just because no rule or prohibition exists, still does not mean you "go out and swat hornet's nests". Pick low traffic times. This is a rule of thumb for any "turf" afterall, as it could carry connotations to a busy-body.

 

[Detector991]

Thank you so much for the clarification, I really appreciate you spending the time to respond quickly and accurately. Looking forward to head out and start detecting!

 

[Honest Samuel]

A big welcome from Connecticut.

 

[Detector991]

Thank you! Glad to join such a friendly community!

 

[digging440yrs]

Welcome aboard

 

[Professor of Engineering]

Welcome from Massachusetts, GL & HH, on the other coast!