Hey all, I am in NW Arkansas. One law to know if that if you find something that is over 100 years old, you aren't supposed to keep it or take it out. Meaning, if you find a 1907 Indian head penny on the ground or in change, you can keep it, but if you detect and dig it, it's an artifact. I think that's a stupid law, but it is what it is. I forget things easily, so I probably slip up on that one occasionally... here are some links:
MDHTALK - Arkansas Metal Detecting Law & Regulations
https://www.metal-detecting-ghost-towns-of-the-east.com/metal-detecting-in-Arkansas.html
https://ozarksdetector.com/tag/arkansas-metal-detecting-laws/
The "100" yr. claim is not accurate. You're quoting from ARPA. So that would only apply to federal land. Not other forms of land (state, county, city, private, etc....). If what you were saying is true, then there's no reason why it wouldn't apply to the other 49 states as well. It does not filter down to the other public levels.
As proof of this, all you need to do is look at the "Today's find" section of T'net. And you'll see NO SHORTAGE of show & tell coins, over 100 yrs. old, found in varieties of public land. Eg.: beaches, parks, schools, etc... So your 100 yr. thing for all public land in Arkansas is not accurate. I'm sure if you asked enough archies , that you might find a few who disagree. Ok, fine, don't ask bored purist archies silly questions, and you won't get silly answers. And let's be honest: Do you *really* think someone is following you around with a calculator doing the math on the ages of coins you find ? :/
As for the compendium links you give: Consider how they were compiled. The way a lot of those attempts were compiled is simple: They asked. Eg.: Sent out an email , or called someone (state parks headquarters, or county or city offices) and asked "Can we metal detect?" or "what are the laws concerning... ", etc... Who better to ask than the powers-that-be, eh ?
But here's where it gets odd : A lot of times, those questions got met with strange answers like "no d/t language about alter & deface". Or "No d/t language about harvest/remove" . So these answers made their way into these wonderful compendiums. When ... truth be told ..... metal detecting had never been an issue before. See how that works ?
So unless those dire sounding things in the compendiums can be backed up by actual hard & fast specific language that truly said "no md'ing", I would wonder whether it was just results of people, years/decades ago, that went swatting hornet's nests.
Just avoid obvious historic monuments.
....actual battlefields that are National park and state owned are off limits....encampments on private property are up to landowners permission.....around the battlefield on private land is good...either where they came toward or left afterwards.....parks, old homes, vacant lots, old churches are good as long as permission is granted from owner.....
