unfriendly to metal detectors

[finderfarthing]

Got this from the city after asking permission for my kids and I to metal in the park down by the river near our home:

965.03 PRESERVATION OF PROPERTY AND NATURAL FEATURES.
No person shall injure, deface, disturb or befoul any part of the park or playground or any building, sign, equipment or other property therein; nor shall any person remove, injure or destroy any tree, flower, shrub, rock or mineral.

Suggestions/thoughts?

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Treasure of Victoria Peak - Grab it through Amazon!

[Frankn]

Yea, send them back a reply and ask them if you can metal detect in the park without damaging it, Frank

 

[dustytrails123]

send them nothing and go detect

 

[Tom_in_CA]

dusty-trails is right. I mean, did you plan on leaving craters and holes? If so, return to the "detecting recovery 101 class" to learn to leave no trace. Videos available on youtube, for example, of target recovering. And for pete's sake, on the river banks, that wouldn't even involve turf! You just cover the hole back up, and presto, you're done.

You just got someone in city hall to find something to "morph" to your "pressing question". The sad part is now, that whenever someone, in various locales, goes and does what you did, is ..... guess what will happen when that same official (whomever fielded your question) sees another md'r down on the river? He/She will remember the earlier inquiry, and think "aha! there's one of THEM" and start booting others. I've seen that happen before, in places where no one ever had a problem before.

Thus in the future, look up rules for yourself, if you are skittish.

And even though you may see nothing specifically saying "no detectors", you still use a little discretion in timing, image, etc... Ie.: it doesn't mean that .... therefore ... you can or should go in the middle of an archaeologist convention waltzing over people's beach blankets, etc... I mean, we all use a little common sense, avoid busy-bodies, don't dig in front of lookie-lous that are studying us, go at low traffic times, etc....

 

[Terry Soloman]

Just don't do any of those things when you go detecting with the kids! Big Gold!

 

[flyadive]

Well I don't know where you live but here in Beautiful NJ, No one bothers us on the Delaware River. It's tidal and I believe the army core of engineers is responsible from low tide up to high tide. Anyhow not a problem in the Police state.....yet
I have been to Redbank park battle field NJ on the river without problem.( of course everyone else also has been there too).

http://www.co.gloucester.nj.us/depts/p/parks/parkgolf/redbank/default.asp

 

[CWnut]

the same rules apply to walking across the grass, in theory you are breaking the grass each step you take..if you ask enough questions someone will tell you NO....

 

[scurvy_seadog]

Best thing 1 look up the rules yourself that way you never have to ask mother may I. 2 leave no trace 3 pack out all trash you come across.

 

[bigben1973]

where is this finder? what area and state is this from?States are getting meaner about people detecting these days,its all depends on where it is,how many people detected there,why are they saying that..lol,etc..Went to one park back in 2012 in new castle delaware and talked to the security officer(department that polices the grounds)-got permission to metal detect.Was told that i didnt need to ask but was good that i did(better safe than sorry).I was very careful on my holes,hardly created any and found some change-equalled about 10 dollars.Was happy.I recently went back two months ago and found the same grounds keeper(sec.officer that is)but got a different remark.He said that other metal detector persons destroyed the grounds and made holes that made walking in the area too dangerous to set foot in.Due to that,actions were taken and the county enforced the law against metal detecting in the park and now officers patrol the area to keep or write tickets to anyone that gets caught metal detecting there now.
So as you can see if your area got abused by careless people that metal detected and left in looking like a moon crater,then that might be the reason why you got that response.Remember a good metal detector individual mines what he digs up and how he leaves the area where he struck gold from.Just food for thought

 

[Tnmountains]

Carry a copy of the letter you received with you. That way you can prove you are abiding by the rules. Be smart and make sure you dig and replace correctly. No trace become a dirt surgeon.

 

[austin]

Looking at the city's reply, I think they were just sending you the rules/laws as an answer. They didn't say no, they just said don't mess it up...

 

[cooper1841]

This must be a warm weather year round problem. Lived in the same town for 50 years, lots of parks and beachs,seen maybe 10 people with detectors in my life. Have never heard of a problem at all with any parks etc. and MD'ers. Our powers that be are after skate boarders, "destroying" our parks. "Keep em busy dudes"

 

[dholland02]

Stop with the trying to get permission from public land. Just go hunt it till someone says other wise.