No digging in Riverside County!

[idigau247]

I have been told by the Parks and Rec Dept of Riverside County California that is OK to metal detect in the Lake Skinner Rec Area but........ no digging of any kind is allowed! I was told to use my metal detector to find the target and pick it up off the surface. The All knowing Government is hard at work protecting the earth.

 

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[cudamark]

Just about every park and rec guy in the country is going to tell you that. That's why you don't ask them! Look up the rules yourself to see if it's true or not. I've been told the same thing by those knuckleheads....especially at Fairmont. I go at off times when they're not around and make real clean recoveries so they don't even know I've been there. Just about every park has rules about digging but that wasn't put on the books to curb metal detecting. It was put there to keep people from taking the flora home to relandscape their property. They've since morphed the rule to cover just about anything they envision as causing possible damage. You might want to check with the local club members to see if there is any new crackdown on detecting that particular area.

 

[G.A.P.metal]

Just about every park and rec guy in the country is going to tell you that.

You are asking the people making all the can slaw.. to lazy to get off the mower and pick up the cans so they just run them over,causing more damage to the park than anyone.
cudamark, is right look up the rules yourself !!
Gary

 

[Tom_in_CA]

I have been told by the Parks and Rec Dept of Riverside County California that is OK to metal detect in the Lake Skinner Rec Area but........ no digging of any kind is allowed! I was told to use my metal detector to find the target and pick it up off the surface. The All knowing Government is hard at work protecting the earth.

Idigau247, when you say "you were told such & such....", is that to imply that you went and asked, and this is the answer they gave you? Or is this something someone said who approached you out-in-the-field?

What G.A.P. and Mark say is correct: Don't go asking some bureaucrat "can I metal detect?" (lest you get a silly answer like that, simply because they envision geeks with shovels). Instead, look up the rules for yourself. If you see nothing there saying "no metal detectors", then presto, it's not prohibited.

As for verbage saying "no alteration" or "no defacing" or even "no digging", sure, you'll find such things. You'll find such vergage in EVERY park, in the whole USA, on any level. I mean, seriously, what did you expect? Since when does some city or park "allow" vandalism and alterations? But as the others have said, those type phrases were never meant for md'rs (they way-predate the invention of detectors). That's to stop some knucklehead from showing up to take all the roses or tanbark home, or ripping up the park benches, etc... And when you think of it: All such verbage (even the dreaded specific "dig" word), applies to the END result. In other words: If you leave no trace of your presence, then technically, you have not alterED, defacED, vandalizED, or dUg anything. Now have you? Will everyone agree with those semantics, love you, and roll out the red carpet for you? OF COURSE NOT. But for pete's sake were you planning on going at high noon and waltzing over beach blankets begging for attention? Avoid such lookie-lous. Go at low traffic times. There's admitted connotations that our hobby has. So it's a little like nose-picking: sometimes you need to be a little discreet in your timing, so as not to offend anyone.

I can assure you as a fellow Californian, that detecting is common place (yup, even [gas] "digging" to retrieve the target) in Riverside county parks. In fact, earlier this year I was down there with some buddies, in a Riverside county park, and got a nice '21D merc (key date). Sold for big-bucks on ebay

You have merely been the latest victim of "no one cared .... TILL you asked".

 

[DCMatt]

In Virginia the law says that relics may not be disturbed on public property. Relics are defined as anything to indicate human habitation. The intent of the law is to protect Native American and Civil War sites located on public land. So... picking up that beer can or even a cigarette butt is technically against the law.

I've talked to the head of the my local historical preservation department of the county government. I was told in no uncertain terms that I could be charged with a class 1 misdemeanor for digging in a park, school yard, or road easment.

But the reality is that it is left up to local law enforcement.

I've spoken to several county cops who mostly just roll their eyes and tell me they don't know anyone on the force who will stop me unless someone makes a stink about me being there.

DCMatt

 

[Tom_in_CA]

reply

In Virginia the law says that relics may not be disturbed on public property. Relics are defined as anything to indicate human habitation. The intent of the law is to protect Native American and Civil War sites located on public land. So... picking up that beer can or even a cigarette butt is technically against the law.

I've talked to the head of the my local historical preservation department of the county government. I was told in no uncertain terms that I could be charged with a class 1 misdemeanor for digging in a park, school yard, or road easment.

But the reality is that it is left up to local law enforcement.

I've spoken to several county cops who mostly just roll their eyes and tell me they don't know anyone on the force who will stop me unless someone makes a stink about me being there.

DCMatt

DC matt, I think you're confusing state, vs other entity's/levels laws. What your citing, would only apply to state lands. Not other (city and county) lands.

 

[Old Dude]

If you make it a point to be seen picking up trash by the workers that SHOULD be doing that, do you really think they are going to stop you? I agree with GAP on the canslaw comment....I have yet to see one get off their mower to avoid chopping up something that will do more harm to park goers than any blade of dead grass ever could!

 

[DCMatt]

DC matt, I think you're confusing state, vs other entity's/levels laws. What your citing, would only apply to state lands. Not other (city and county) lands.

Tom,

My understanding of the Virginia state law is that it is written to apply and be enforced at the descretion of county and city authorities. I don't recall the exact wording but the state code was very broad in it's scope regarding protection of "relics" and spoke to being applicable in local jurisdictions.

DCMatt

 

[Tom_in_CA]

reply

Tom,

My understanding of the Virginia state law is that it is written to apply and be enforced at the descretion of county and city authorities. I don't recall the exact wording but the state code was very broad in it's scope regarding protection of "relics" and spoke to being applicable in local jurisdictions.

DCMatt

Matt, for any state (not just Virginia), the only time state (or federal) laws "subrograte down" like that, is if it is specifically said-to-be-so at the federal or state level (things like murder, etc...) Or things that by specific inclusion are drafted in to apply, by a lower entity.

Because otherwise, if what you're saying is true, is that all those counties and cities don't really even need to have their own codes, laws, rules, etc.... Because if they are simply all "sub-parts" of the larger entity (the state), such that all their rules and laws are to be the same & controlled by the state .... then why even have counties and cities, to begin with?

So on the contrary ! Rules for city level parks, and county level parks, can differ ALL THE TIME from state and federal park's rules. Example: state or federal might disallow fireworks or dogs off leash, while a city or county park may have no such restriction. A city park might close at sunset and not allow camping, while a state park might have over-night camping (and/or vice-versa).

This is why you will frequently see and read people say "avoid federal parks" or "avoid such & such state's state parks". And by saying that, they are not saying that you therefore can't hunt ANY parks in that state. But merely the STATE owned/managed parks in that state. Because think of it, if what you're saying is true, that all such park and cultural heritage things "filter down" by subrogation to the lower level entities, then by logical definition, we'd all be under the FEDERAL rules. I mean, afterall, states are merely a sub-part of the larger federal government, right? So wouldn't that mean that federal trumps state ?

 

[augoldminer]

I always carry a bag and put everything i find in it trash and goodies.

This if checked by the bureaucrats will in most cases back up the story that i am removing all the trash i find and cover for anything that they might think is not trash.(relics)

I can sort out the good stuff when i get home and safely dispose of the trash.