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."
