Very first hunt today!!!

[dehaan24]

I am a newbie and will be going on my very first hunt today!!! I have a Bounty Hunter Quick Draw II. I am going to a site of a post office that stood back in the 1880's. Nothing there now except trees. It is also a National Forest.

 

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[jhnbaker]

Be careful to check the laws searching an area like you are talking about. Many park rangers get pretty snarly when they see anyone swinging a metal detector

 

[dehaan24]

Be careful to check the laws searching an area like you are talking about. Many park rangers get pretty snarly when they see anyone swinging a metal detector

Thank you, I have checked the National Forest Service website. The forest in my area are open to almost anything!! The only thing they have restrictions on is prospecting that under cuts river beds.
HH

 

[teverly]

Please be very careful hunting there.As already stated rangers can get pretty snarly.
And it may not specifically say no detecting.
The rules may say things like you can hunt but you can not disturb the dirt or remove anything from the ground.....or they may limit what you can dig with ..ect ect.....just hate for your 1st hunt to turn into something ugly!!!!
GOOD LUCK AND HAPPY HUNTING!!

 

[aa battery]

Good luck

 

[Kilika]

dehaan24- How exciting! Be sure to tell us about what you find
I'm also new, and have been struggling with where we can/can't hunt. It's my undertsanding that 'National Forest' is under different rules than 'National Park' and as far as I know 'National Forest' is OK to hunt so you shouldn't have any trouble from Rangers. But of course, I have limited experience with this. Maybe someone more experienced could comment on this distinction?

Looking forward to hearing about your hunt!
Kilika

 

[BioProfessor]

It looks to me that if all you are after is coins, you are OK. Any type of period artifacts could be trouble.

Here are the legal citations:

Code of Federal Regulations, 36 CFR 261.9: "The following are
prohibited: (g) digging in, excavating, disturbing, injuring, destroying,
or in any way damaging any prehistoric, historic, or archaeological
resources, structure, site, artifact, or property. (h) Removing any
prehistoric, historic, or archaeological resources, structure, site,
artifact, property."

USDA Forest Service Manual Direction (draft): "Metal Detector Use. Metal
detectors may be used on public lands in areas that do not contain or
would not reasonably be expected to contain archaeological or historical
resources. They must be used, however, for lawful purposes. Any act with
a metal detector that violates the proscriptions of the Archaeological
Resources Protection Act (ARPA) or any other law is prosecutable.
Normally, developed campgrounds, swimming beaches, and other developed
recreation sites are open to metal detecting unless there are heritage
resources present. In such cases, Forest Supervisors are authorized to
close these sites by posting notices in such sites."

ARPA, 16 U.S.C. 470cc: "No person may excavate, remove, damage, or
otherwise alter or deface or attempt to excavate, remove, damage or
otherwise alter or deface any archaeological resources located on public lands or Indian
lands unless such activity is pursuant to a permit. . ."


Daryl

 

[Kilika]

Thanks, Daryl!

dehaan24 - Soooo.... how did it go? Inquiring minds want to know.

 

[erikk]

Good luck & be patient!

 

[MUD(S.W.A.T)]

Please tell us what you found? Also tell me if you ever find silver coins with your detector.

Keep @ it and HH!!

 

[dehaan24]

Well thank you for all of the replies. I went for about a half hour. There was a lot of traffic looking for the opening day of trout season, and for those morels here in Northern Michigan. Here are the pics of the two items I took. Found out that I didn't know how to discriminate how I should have, but do like these items. Notice the teeth that makes the one look like a saw blade.