Bum luck, you say:
"Just taking you at your word. If you can illustrate with verifiable examples, let's have some. I can't recall one. "
And I repeat to you: please confirm that when I list the examples, that you plan to publicly acknowledge the validity of what I'm saying? Because otherwise, I'll waste all my time typing when you had absolutely no intention of changing your views. Please confirm what your response will be. In the meantime, yes, here's another:
In my own city, I got into this hobby in the mid 1970's. At the time, the guys that got me into this, just went to the obvious spots: school yards and parks. So for me, I just went where they took me (why would I question that?). Fast forward to the early 1980s, and now we had a club in town of perhaps 25 attendees each meeting. One particular meeting, a visitor sat in the audience watching the monthly show & tell time of the meeting. One particular fellow held up an old silver coin, and said "found in central park". The visitor's hand went up. He said "I thought it was illegal to detect in the park here?". A few others of us turned around, looked at him, and said "since when?" and "who told you that?" etc... Turns out what he had done, upon just recently moving to our city, was to go down to city hall .... AND ASK! I have no idea the exact terminology he used (to "ask permission" or to ask "is there any rules forbidding" or "can I tear the place up" or what.) All I know is: someone at city hall told him "no metal detecting". So you can imagine the confusion this caused for us long-timers .... .who.... "simply had no idea". Certain guys objected to this news by saying "Nonsense, I've hunted there for 5+ yrs. now, and never had a problem. In full view of the gardeners, passing traffic, etc...., so I have no intention of stopping, since obviously, no one cares". While others in the room (the more skittish type) took the stance "oh no, we might be arrested, detecting is now illegal, oh no, blah blah".
There you go Bum Luck. Example #2 out of 10. Before I proceed, you must let me know what you intend to change, on your part, if I go to 10. Because if you are simply going to dismiss everyone, and have no intention of changing your views, then I don't want to waste either of our's time.
Now I can tell you for a fact, that there is no "specific" verbage in my town forbidding detecting. Perhaps whatever bored desk-clerk this fellow asked just had images of geeks with shovels, WHO KNOWS? The fact is: you can clearly see the danger this causes. Because let's just say for example that THIS SAME desk-clerk is driving by the park after work on their way home, and see another md'r in the park. Guess what's going to happen? They're going to see an md'r (who perhaps they'd have never paid mind to before), recall the earlier inquiry, and think "aha! There's one of them!". This is what thought occured to some people in our club meeting, that .... although it was merely an answer to someone's "pressing question", and although detecting was clearly never a problem prior to this, yet it still left lingering thoughts to everyone "oh no, detecting is now illegal" (afterall, you can't argue with a duly appointed city desk clerk NOW CAN YOU?)
That was nearly 30 years ago. To this day, I still hunt our parks occasionally, and don't have a problem.
You also say: "I've been asking permission all my detecting life (decades)". Great that you've never gotten a "No". But let me assure you: I can just as quickly go down to that SAME exact city clerk, and get your "yes" just as quickly revoked, if I wanted. Here's how: I merely say: "What if an innocent little girl trips in one of Bum Luck's holes and sues the city?" or "Is it really right that Bum Luck digs up our cultural heritage for his own fun and profit? Afterall, these things belong in a city museum!" or "what if he finds an indian bone and the city gets sued?" etc... etc.... In other words, anyone can always find themselves a "no", depending on how they ask, and who they ask. The mood of the person, the mental image that comes to their mind, etc.... So it would seem to me, the best way is to look up rules for oneself, eh?
Next you say:
"'Our' beloved state DNR archie last year just got the agency to outlaw MDing on all state controlled lands and waters (waters being virtually everything wet in the state), and it wasn't because someone asked him for permission. "
Be aware that never is an authority, or archie, etc.... ever going to say the "the reason for my edict is that someone asked". No, of course not. It will always be "because of holes", or "because of cultural heritage", etc.... But this does not address how this issue "came across their desk" to begin with. But yes Bum Luck, perhaps they were driving past the park, saw an md'r, (or watched a show on TV or whatever), and it has NOTHING AT ALL TO DO with grovelling people at city halls. Yup, that may certainly be true in some cases too. Afterall, I bet that in archie college classes, it is made very clear even then, in infant stages, to be against "pot-diggers".
drewan29, you say:
"The reason why we do ASK is that we are RESPONSIBLE,LAW ABIDDING FOLKS.
Ignorence and arrogance is no excuse. "
If you read what I have written, over and over I say the way to know the laws, is to look them up for yourself. That is not "ignorance" of laws, nor does it suggest breaking laws. And if there is nothing saying "no metal detecting" (ie.: silent on the issue), then presto, I guess there's no prohibitions for metal detecting. HOW MUCH MORE LAW ABIDING CAN YOU BE? To look up the laws for oneself is VERY law abiding, and avoids the problem of something like what happened in my example above (in my own city) from happening. And no, I don't "look over my shoulder". Well let me re-phrase that: I'm ALWAYS "conscious" that we should all use due discretion, don't go waltzing over people's beach blankets, don't be in the middle of deep holes when busy-bodies are looking, etc.... Because no matter how you slice it (even in places with express permission) you STILL have to be conscious that your "permission" will be just as quickly revoked, if someone gets their panties in a wad and says your harming earthworms or whatever.
