Town parks

[JT2]

Hi all!

Newbie MD'er here and excited to go see what I can find!

Do you all hunt in the local town parks, playgrounds, and or playing fields? Any restrictions on these types of areas that you know? I know that State Forrest / Parks are off limits but I havn't been able to find anything on local parks.

Take care,

John

 

[Cubfan64]

Welcome - I live in NH, but I can try to give you a little insight on town park hunting. This is how I approach it:

1. If I'm hunting wood chips or sand based play areas, I generally don't even bother with asking for permission - I figure it's extremely simple to look for things in those areas and I can leave them looking exactly as they were when I got there.

2. If I plan to do any digging in the park, I'll go in person to that city's park and rec. department and find out if they have any rules. Even if they do allow metal detecting or have no rules against it, I definitely go way out of my way to make sure I can dig, extract and object and refill any hole so nobody could tell I was there - if it's a hot summer, I don't dig in parks because inevitably the grass dies - I need to learn the best ways to prevent that.

I believe there are no "state" rules about playgrounds and stuff - those are all decided on by that particular town/city which may or may not have ordinances about that.

Some people abide by the "it's easier to ask for forgiveness than permission" rule and just detect unless they are asked to leave. I do that on occasion, but generally I like to feel comfortable when I'm out detecting and I don't like wondering if I'm doing something wrong.

Hope that helps a bit

 

[JT2]

Hiya Cubfan,

Thanks for the advice.

You ever do any gold prospecting in northern NH? I've been up panning and sluicing on the Wild Ammonusuc with a few flakes to show for my efforts. I've been wondering if it is at all possible to MD for pickers up there, or in the mountains. An old map of that area showed quite a few mines. Have you ever explored these?

Take care,

JT

 

[Cubfan64]

Hiya Cubfan,

Thanks for the advice.

You ever do any gold prospecting in northern NH? I've been up panning and sluicing on the Wild Ammonusuc with a few flakes to show for my efforts. I've been wondering if it is at all possible to MD for pickers up there, or in the mountains. An old map of that area showed quite a few mines. Have you ever explored these?

Take care,

JT

Never have - done a little reading on some of the rivers/streams up north that are supposed to be gold bearing. I have absolutely no experience either panning, sluicing, dredging or detecting for gold so not really even sure where I would start. I know there are a number of good detectors out there made specifically for finding gold nuggets, but the good ones are darn expensive and I have enough wrapped up in this hobby as it is to go out and branch off to another type of treasure hunting I think if I lived out west where the larger nuggets of gold are a bit more common I might get into it.

 

[BlackX]

if it's a hot summer, I don't dig in parks because inevitably the grass dies - I need to learn the best ways to prevent that.

I read a neat idea today: carry a bottle of water mixed with fertilizer--I thought of possibly subsituting that with root growth mix--with you and using it afterward when the soil is dry (though I thought it would probably be good to soak it beforehand as well).

_R_

 

[umdb]

Town parks can be iffy no matter what you do. In my town I asked the police dept, and got permission, the parks dept. and town hall. Yet still there will be someone who's going to be upset. Even after explaining the situation, and the fact that there are no rules against this, they were still upset. If so, I never inflame a town offical, as there may very well be some rules as a result. At that point, instead of ripping there head off, I fall on my sword, and move on. Protect our hobby, and prevent nasty confrontaions. Talk to the parents and children who come along, explain what your doing. I know its a pain, but the more people know, that your not out to do any harm, the better things will be. Most of all, LEAVE NO HOLES OR TRASH. I've been detecting for 30 years in my town, and there are still no rules against it. Best of Luck umdb.

 

[Sandmaniac]

What part of the state did you plan on hunting in John. If you are up around the lexington/concord area I'd get permission before you dug anywhere around there. Pretty strict in the national historic areas.
Mike

 

[JT2]

Hiya Sandmaniac,

This was a rather old post but I'll update with what I found out.

Town property is ok to detect but I had to go down to the Natural Resources office to get a Land Use permit to detect on the Concord conservation lands. Conversly, in Acton you are free to detect on any town owned land, including conservation land.

State parks and forests are off limits unless you get the permission of the Area Coordinator. MDC lands are off limits (too bad too, can you image what fun it would be to detect the abandoned towns around the Quabin!).

 

[menotomymaps]

Speaking of Quabbin, I've got some great old maps showing the original towns:


http://menotomymaps.com/quab_1.html