legal places to hunt in east tx

[woodwizard]

been detecting aout 10yrs in florida mainly but due to my fathers death in 07 have been in hemphill.was looking for places to hunt,the ground around me is loaded with iron ore.wanted to go hunt teledo bend was told it was not legal.any one live or hunt this area send email or pm thanks in advance.

 

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[tmanfromtexas]

Hey woodwizard. I am in Shelbyville, about 40 minutes north of you. The problem with Toledo Bend is that alot of it butts up against the Sabine National Forest and that place is a NO NO, unless you feel lucky and can out run the forest rangers. LOL. The best thing to do is to get to know your neighbors and listen to their stories about stuff in and around the area. I have heard several stories up in my neck of the woods. Also, ask your neighbors if you can hunt their farm land. You never know what you might find. Once I get back home from the Chicago area I am gonna try and find out some more. I will keep in touch with you. When I get back maybe we can meet up and do some hunting. TMAN...

 

[Hoss KGC]

Hi Tman, Can you elaborate on the national forest being off limits? I went through their website and the only thing I found was that it said that you could not metal detect designated camp grounds, known archaeological sites, or suspected sites. That's it. I've had many people say you can't hunt national forests but I can't find anything that states that. The only restrictions I've been able to find is what I've already stated. Is there something I've missed?
Thanks,
Boattow

 

[pyledriver]

I'd like to see a bit more on this as well-after some wrangling I found that it is legal to detect on the grasslands. The exceptions listed above being strictly off limits!

 

[tmanfromtexas]

I copied this from another site but it is from the CFR so take it for what its worth. I guess you can detect but if you dig anything that is 50 years old or older then you have a dilemna on your hands especially if you get caught by a ranger like I did in California in 2005. I went to the Angeles National Forest with my trusty detector. I asked at the gate and a woman said I could detect so off I went. I detected but didnt find anything. I was on my way back to my truck when a ranger came up and asked me what I was doing. I told him the lady at the gate said I could detect and he told me I couldnt. Luckily I didnt have anything so I was allowed to leave without issue. TMAN...



[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 36, Volume 2]
[Revised as of July 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 36CFR261.9]

[Page 355]

TITLE 36--PARKS, FORESTS, AND PUBLIC PROPERTY

CHAPTER II--FOREST SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

PART 261--PROHIBITIONS--Table of Contents

Subpart A--General Prohibitions

Sec. 261.9 Property.

The following are prohibited:
(a) Damaging any natural feature or other property of the United
States.
( Removing any natural feature or other property of the United
States.
© Damaging any plant that is classified as a threatened,
endangered, sentitive, rare, or unique species.
(d) Removing any plant that is classified as a threatened,
endangered, sentitive, rare, or unique species.
(e) Entering any building, structure, or enclosed area owned or
controlled by the United States when such building, structure, or
enclosed area is not open to the public.
(f) Using any pesticide except for personal use as an insect
repellent or as provided by special-use authorization for other minor
uses.
(g) Digging in, excavating, disturbing, injuring, destroying, or in
any way damaging any prehistoric, historic, or archaeological resource,
structure, site, artifact, or property.
(h) Removing any prehistoric, historic, or archaeological resource,
structure, site, artifact, property.
(i) Excavating, damaging, or removing any vertebrate fossil or
removing any paleontological resource for commercial purposes without a
special use authorization.
(j) Excavating, damaging, or removing any cave resource from a cave
without a special use authorization, or removing any cave resource for
commercial purposes.

[46 FR 33520, June 30, 1981, as amended at 49 FR 25450, June 21, 1984;
51 FR 30356, Aug. 26, 1986; 59 FR 31152, June 17, 1994]

[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 36, Volume 2]
[Revised as of July 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 36CFR261.2]

[Page 351-353]


TITLE 36--PARKS, FORESTS, AND PUBLIC PROPERTY

CHAPTER II--FOREST SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

PART 261--PROHIBITIONS--Table of Contents

Subpart A--General Prohibitions

Sec. 261.2 Definitions.

The following definitions apply to this part:

"Archaeological resource means any material remains of prehistoric or
historic human life or activities which are of archaeological interest
and are at least 50 years of age, and the physical site, location, or
context in which they are found."

"Historical resource means any structural, architectural,
archaeological, artifactual or other material remains of past human life
or activities which are of historical interest and are at least 50 years
of age, and the physical site, location, or context in which they are
found."

"Prehistoric resource means any structural, architectural,
archaeological, artifactual or other material remains of past human life
or activity generally prior to the advent of written records and of
anthropological interest, and the physical site, location, or context in
which they are found."

 

[Timberwolf]

Hi Tman, Can you elaborate on the national forest being off limits? I went through their website and the only thing I found was that it said that you could not metal detect designated camp grounds, known archaeological sites, or suspected sites. That's it. I've had many people say you can't hunt national forests but I can't find anything that states that. The only restrictions I've been able to find is what I've already stated. Is there something I've missed?
Thanks,
Boattow

I have not read all of the posts in this thread, but I did have some info to share.
I was talking with a good friend of mine last night and he brought up the fact that the National Forestry Service is fencing off and closing access to large areas of public land in Colorado. If anyone would like more details, I would be happy to give him a call and get some specifics.

Timberwolf

 

[lastleg]

Timberwolf:

When you are able to get specific areas of closure would you please post them
on the Colorado Forum. A lot of hunters would appreciate knowing where not
to go to. Also it would be helpful to "activists" to get in front of this issue.

Thanks,
lastleg

 

[ivan salis]

federal lands --ie "national" anything is normally off limits as a general rule of thumb -- as are state lands in many places --it really pays to know the rules --because the judge isn't going to listen to "but I didn't know "--- ignorance of the law is not a valid defense* very old legal maxim

because if one could claim "he did not know it was illegal" and get off -- everyone would "not" know the law and thus all laws would be unenforcible

 

[Timberwolf]

lastleg,

I will be talking to him in the next few days. I will see what I can find out.
I do remember that he said the fences are made of pipe, painted green.
Also in the Buena Vista area the NFS claimed that his friend's cabin and property belonged to them.
It took his friend 8 years in court (plus lawyer fees), to prove/settle that it was his property, and not that of the NFS!

More later,

Timberwolf