Georgia/Atlanta question.

[jbow]

Hi,

I am new to the hobby of metal detecting but have been both a rockhound, a lapidary, and an arrowhead collector but enough of that...

I live in N.GA and am unsure of the laws here and in the city of Atlanta public parks. I figure if I call someone at the city of Atlanta I will come away more confused than before II called and probably angry as well. There are public parks in the area of Peachtree Battle but I don't want trouble with the man.

Private property? Is verbal permission good enough? What about roadsides? What about WMAs after hunting season, I know of an old homestead on one near me?

I am reading "The detectorist", studying maps, and trying to get out and practice everyday.

Thank you for the help.

Julien Bowles

 

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[gldhntr]

not sure of the laws in your area but i would love to check out stone mountain....rev war and civil war research both point to that area as having caches well worth recovery.............gldhntr

 

[ameruss]

I called the georgia natrual resoruse office andt hey dont allow any hunting on ga parks. you can go to there web site and it will tell you the same. I was very dissapointed in this my self.. ameruss

 

[jbow]

I traded a couple of emails with Jay Lowery, the director of parks for the city of Atlanta and it is illegal to use a metal detector and/or dig in ANY public park in the city of Atlanta.

Bummer...

This should be known by everyone because it is a common belief among detectorists that it is ok to search public parks but not here...

J

 

[adb2]

Great new to this area also. Wonder what the penalty would be. hope a warning Don't they have better things to enforce.

 

[Weazel]

georgia laws pertaining to metal detecting and digging are here

http://hpd.dnr.state.ga.us/content/displaycontent.asp?txtDocument=193

 

[adb2]

Good info thanks.
Its a shame about fed and state land. Its not like were going in there with a backhoe.

 

[Weazel]

Yeah, it's odd how the DNR here in georgia wants you to contact them even when hunting private property 5 days before hunting... but because of the CW and indian tribes much of the state could have archeological significance. As for city and county ordanances you would have to check with the court houses in that particular city or county.

our laws seem worse than florida ones.

 

[lou423]

It seems that the whole government is against our hobby...

 

[magjm]

I'm also interested in the info about GA as I live in Western NC. I heard once there was no hunting in Atlanta parks and then more recently I was told by a hunter in GA that he hunts Atlanta parks? Wonder how he does it.

Anyway, I live surrounded by State, Federal and Cherokee land. No hunting on the reservation unless it is private property. Even the Cycle Rally grounds are considered sacred. Some local parks and schools ban metal detectors in WNC also and not all have signs. Just pull out the detector though and you'll get told fast, and usually by a majorly rude barely human...You get the idea. In writing, or an Ordinance? I doubt it.

I tend to hunt alone as no single metal detecting friends in the area, so if told I leave quickly. I'd be braver as to where I wandered if with someone else.

Maggie

 

[George (MN)]

There are laws that are always enforced, laws that are sometimes enforced, & laws that are never enforced.

The state DNRs are pretty much run by the archaeologist that wants to be the only digger in the state & so detecting is usualy banned in state parks, & sometimes state forests & wildlife refuges (besides all federal property due to their archaeologists). I don't know if archaeologists could create (enforceable) laws for city & county property without the consent of county & city govt? As for digging on private property without archaeologists permission, do you suppose the police will show up if someone sticks a garden trowel, shovel or hoe into their own soil to plant a garden?

If you want to try county parks, ask the county sheriffs dept if you could be fined for detecting county parks. If you want to try city parks, call the city police & ask if you could be fined for detecting the city parks.

There have always been laws against damaging public or private property, & since the city & co park workers don't know if the person will be neat & so they say no. Another reason they might say no is because of laws against running a business in a park-they think we are so successful that we make a living at this LOL. But law enforcement will let you know if there would be a penalty. Actually, many police officers detect (so they're not all against us).

There are very few big cities that ban detecting in *all* parks. Some parks are protected historical sites. Somebody detects at one of those, gets kicked out & the rumor gets going that detecting is banned in all parks. Another thing that can cause confusion is if a park within a city is not a city park, but a county, state or private park. Or if 1 messy detectorist gets kicked out, other detectorists might still be allowed.

As for schools, many large schools in large cities have a "liaison" officer on duty during school hours that can tell you if it's OK. I once saw a school that had signs "non-school use of property prohibited" but when I asked the liaison officer he told me OK. HH, George (MN)