Texas Beach Hunting & Questions

[Coinhawk]

After my permission to hunt private ranchland in Texas was postponed due to rain, I'm now considering using the planned time off to hit some Texas beaches. After looking at the rules and official websites I could find, it still seems unclear if I can metal detect on Texas beaches.

Can anyone provide a more definitive answer the that quandary?

Padre Island is definitely out (National park) but I'm hopeing Surfside Beach (near Freeport) and Galveston (probably West Beach) are locations I would like to hunt.

Surfside's city ordinance says people cannot "dig or remove items", but it seems to be more about excavation than simple coinshooting.

Not sure about Galveston.

Also, I have a Garrett Ace 350. Will the salt water sand interfere with my signals? Has anyone run a 150/250/350 and had luck at a beach?

My apologies if this post is in the wrong place.

Thanks,
Coinhawk

 

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[Sir Gala Clad]

Since salt is conductive, you will detect numerous false targets if you detect in the wet sand, and if you sweep your coil over something which retains salt such as seaweed with the ACE 350.
You may be able to detect some shallow targets in the wet sand , if you turn your sensitivity way down which will significantly reduce the depth that you can detect coin/ ring size targets at.

Fortunately, almost any detector works well, in the dry sand zone.
The Ace 350 is ideal for this zone as it is light and it has a fast response time, which allows you to search
more area on any trip.

You should do well looking for fresh drops wherever people travel to the beach, where they sunbathe especially the towel line above the wet sand area.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

.... Surfside's city ordinance says people cannot "dig or remove items", but it seems to be more about excavation than simple coinshooting....

Coinhawk, maybe someone from Texas will come along and answer you more specifically. But I would say : If you can't find anything that says "no metal detecting", then .... well ... gee, it's not prohibited.

But in-so-far as text like you found (about "dig" and "remove") type verbage, let me save you some time: If that type text automatically means no detecting, then we can probably forget all public land, everywhere. Yup, even places that are routinely detected no problem. Because EVERY SPECK OF PUBLIC land will ALWAYS have verbage disallowing digging (aka alter, deface, vandalize, etc...) and removing (collecting, harvesting, taking, etc...). Let's be realistic here: things disallowing removing, taking , etc.... are so that no numbskull thinks he can take home the park benches, cut down tree limbs for fire wood sales, harvest the sod and roses in the gardens, etc...

 

[Coinhawk]

Thank you both. I'll post my finds when I make it down there.

 

[mandad76]

Galveston beaches are wide open for huntin'....only exception is the State Park beach - also Surfside/Freeport good to go....good luck - hope ya find the big one!!

 

[roninrus1]

Galveston beaches are wide open for huntin'....only exception is the State Park beach - also Surfside/Freeport good to go....good luck - hope ya find the big one!!

What he said!
Galveston and Surfside charge beach access fees for cars.
Galveston also charges for seawall parking.
Quintana, Bryan and Sargent beach has no charge - yet.