A Metal Detecting license is needed and inevitable.

[JASONSPAZ1]

I am no fan of Government control.
But let me put it this way. If two guys are fishing and one of the guys is keeping undersized Striped Bass. The lawmakers are not going to ban fishing for everyone, the Fish and Game Warden will just penalize the fool with the small bass.
However if one guy goes to a park with a post hole digger on his shoulder and his new machine that he saw the guys on TV using, and then he begins to recreate the surface of the Moon at that park. Well the lawmakers will ban detecting for everyone including the guy who is a responsible detectorist.
I think a Metal Detecting license is needed and inevitable. Either on a state or county level. I happily pay my fishing license each year since I know a portion of the money is being put into the trout hatcheries for the next years catches. I would not mind a detector license which shows that i read and understand the code of ethics and am following legal guidelines for retrieving targets. Plus I would like knowing some of that money for that detector license is going to land conservation or a historical society, etc.
On a side note it makes me want to throw up every time one of the hosts from these metal detecting shows mentions "making allot of money" . This is another positive way that a detecting license will separate ( us ) the responsible and appreciative detectorists, from the weekend Indiana Jones guys, filled with false hopes of $$ at the tot lots.
Just my thoughts.

HH
Jason

 

[ron_c]

I think a Metal Detecting license is needed and inevitable.
Jason

The only problem with this, the first year they will be, say $10. The next year they will be $15 and so on and so on until they are $50 or more and some places (parks for example) will STILL be banned. The only difference will be the government, state or county will making money and offering nothing but having to have a license to detect.

 

[coin hunter]

A license doesn't solve anything.You have a drivers license ,you still speed. Some people that fish and have a license take to many or to small.Some people that hunt with a license take one deer and poach another. The point is somebody always seem to screw it up for someone else. Regulating idiots never works and they never go away. If a person really cares about this hobby and plan on doing it for awhile they would just police themselves. People that are giving this hobby a bad name hopefully will just move on . For the TV program, another reality programing attempt just to make money. Trying bring excitment to the program and just ending up with foolish looking people. I found the best thing is stay away from people,not be obvious. Don't avertises your finds to everbody.Select only responsible people to encourage to get involve in this hobby. The more people that get involved with this hobby,well its just not good.In a way I'm glad metal detectors are not cheap. It is a sad thought to think someday you may need a license just to go out into a open field or woods to metal detect. Hopefully a man without a hunting license doesn't mistaken me for trophy bear.

 

[BMRockford]

I pay for permits already to hunt the city and county parks ,and the state parks will give you one for free here so i'm legal.

 

[Jason in Enid]

Don't get the government involved!

It solves nothing, can never be removed once attached, and will quickly turn into a new nightmare!

 

[Sailorman]

While I agree with your intent in a way I've never seen the gov do a good job with something like this. At some point they just become overbearing, money grabbing, beaurocrats. Then you have to band together and fight to retain a fraction of what you once had. I hope they stay well away.

 

[mudpuppy]

I dont like licenses of any sort! This hobby is about the only time a Man can feel free on the planet, exploring and treasure hunting in any season, just about wherever the hell he wants. Think about that, what else can you do thats essentially free, that has the potential to pay for itself? Hell, you cant even do handyman work for people, or set up a lemonade stand, without some sort of license. They pushed one through in MI called a "Land Use Permit" for folks that want to walk around in the spring and look for mushrooms! All legal activities nationwide should be covered by the taxes we pay now...damn! If you want to fish/hunt/trap in a different State, or several different States, you gotta buy their licenses too! Good gosh, theres licenses for everything!
Mud

 

[Steve O]

I don't see detecting licenses bringing much revenue to the county or state like fishing or hunting. From a busine$$ standpoint they may just ban it if it becomes problematic. But, now they have to make signs to place at every entrance at every park or add it to the rules on the existing signs, plus add it to the books. Or they could charge us for a few years and use that money to make the signs "Metal Detecting Prohibited"
This is the first year here in my county, the permit went from free, to $10. They get ya coming and going,,,, our govt',,,what a racket.

 

[plidn1]

When I was dredging gold 30 years ago here in No. Ca. a dredging permit was $12 and anyone could use the dredge. Then on a yearly basis it started climbing in price. When I stopped dredging after 12 years, it was not only up to $30 a season, but each person in the party and every dredge had to have a license.
Then they started restricting size and areas to work. Now it is banned in ca. and Now they have locked and gated all the national forest roads and only allow horse back riders, hikers, and bicyclist's access in many of these areas. IT never ends.

It is always the same old story. They start with a license and / or permits which allows them to keep another eye on you, keep tabs on you, restrict you, and lastly take away from you. All for your own good.
Look what they have done with our guns.

Hell, look what they did to your dog. Not only does he need a license, he needs to have shots and be on a leash.
WE MAY BE NEXT

 

[slingshot]

Duh! Just look at the prices on fishing and hunting licenses. If the government could help, then all the bathrooms, public accessibles, etc. wouldn't be destroyed by senseless people. Locking up the schools hasn't even helped keep them out.

 

[leroy1937]

If you need a license than they should stock parks with old silver dollars

 

[plidn1]

If you need a license than they should stock parks with old silver dollars

That's what I asked them when the dredging license went to $25.00
Are you throwing nuggets into the river?
Gold was at $320 an once at that time.

 

[Elton]

My buddy used to buy and sell guns at Gun shows, Flea Markets, personal contacts...

One day someone said he should get a Federal License....... Sounded pretty good to him...

Now every so often two agents come to his house.. Demand he show them all records and stock he carries... Plus all his personal guns. He is required by law to open his doors even though it is his home.

Now true, guns are not metal detectors..but I'm betting somewhere along the way...You could, and would be checked out for artifacts finds, and have to prove where and when you found them..

Sounds DRASTIC DOESN'T IT........ Not as improbable as one would think if you get Federal Licensing involved in detecting....and I'm not a doomsday believer, or a nut case who is paranoid... I am however aware of some Gov employee trying to prove his worth , keep his job, and over reacting to something you found, or something he may have even heard you found.. even if you didn't find it..
So.....................Let us keep the Federal Government out of this. We in many cases ask for the issues we have with detecting..

Unless your going into a business...please treat metal detecting for what it is... A hobby for thousands of us... We do not need the hassle...

 

[plidn1]

My buddy used to buy and sell guns at Gun shows, Flea Markets, personal contacts...

One day someone said he should get a Federal License....... Sounded pretty good to him...

Now every so often two agents come to his house.. Demand he show them all records and stock he carries... Plus all his personal guns. He is required by law to open his doors even though it is his home.

Now true, guns are not metal detectors..but I'm betting somewhere along the way...You could, and would be checked out for artifacts finds, and have to prove where and when you found them..

Sounds DRASTIC DOESN'T IT........ Not as improbable as one would think if you get Federal Licensing involved in detecting....and I'm not a doomsday believer, or a nut case who is paranoid... I am however aware of some Gov employee trying to prove his worth , keep his job, and over reacting to something you found, or something he may have even heard you found.. even if you didn't find it..
So.....................Let us keep the Federal Government out of this. We in many cases ask for the issues we have with detecting..

Unless your going into a business...please treat metal detecting for what it is... A hobby for thousands of us... We do not need the hassle...

You are dead on. I work gun shows, swap meets and flea markets and You don't want to give them, (fed, state, county, or city) any more of an advantage to regulate us then you have to.

 

[pa159]

Not only the cost and hassle of fees, rules, and regulations, but when would it come to the point of listing and then declaring finds as income? Can you even comprehend that conversation with your friendly nieghborhood IRS agent while they're starting your audit?

Besides, show me a goverment program that doesn't get bigger or actually works..........

 

[JASONSPAZ1]

I am just worried that since we are a niche hobby it is easy for the lawmakers to put a blanket ban on the hobby. We should propose what we would want to see in a license. The big Detecting organizations, and the manufactures could be involved in drafting a license proposal that would not hurt us. In some states fishing for catfish with your hands is illegal. Believe it or not those people who fished that way where devastated as their hobby/obsession was taken away from them. Then after the ban they had to go about drafting proposals that show that their hobby is serious and that they have guidelines. Those proposals first went unnoticed and hand fishing is Still banned in those states. But Then! Then Hillbilly Handfishing Show on Spike TV is now loosening those laws since the show is portraying the hand fishing for catfish a safe and serious hobby that many enjoy and helps local economy. Now our reality shows are a different story! Lately all we have had in the news is negative press about us. ( Remember Spain getting back all those coins) and the reality shows based on our hobby SUCK! and shine a negative light on us. We can not beat city hall but we can influence them to our side by presenting to them the seriousness of our hobby and the respect of history true detectorist feel and our code of ethics. All it takes is these archaeological groups ( which are a step ahead of us) to get to the lawmakers before we do. We can complain all we want. But if someone said you have two choices. Detecting banned or you can get a permit.
Which is it people?

Take Care
and lets continue to keep this friendly/critical debate.

 

[K-DOE]

Between the big Govenment and big business, who owns big govenment, Question: How many out there remember when we did have a lot of freedom in this country. let the
greed in to our hobby, license or no licence, IT'S ALL OVER.

 

[Steve O]

The list goes on and on...Man, we're getting peed on.

 

[JASONSPAZ1]

-- moved topic --

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Those of you who think we should solicit various govt. levels for "permits" and "licences" are basing it upon a false fear/premise: The implied premise of your notion is: "If we DON'T do this, we will certainly all be doomed, and can't detect on any level of public land, ever again". (ie.: the "sky is falling") And your rationale for such new-born fear is (let's face it) the flap over the st*pid new TV shows.

But I believe you are caught in the psychological tendency called "projection". That's where you/we see something and have a certain reaction to it (fear, anger, like, embarassment, or whatever). So we assume that others also feel this same way. We also project that others..... like ourselves, had to had to be watching this show.

But this is wrong on both counts. For starters, you are obviously into metal detecting (lest you wouldn't be reading this forum, doh!). So OF COURSE you and I tuned into the silly show, right? Why? because it had to do with metal detectors But do you really think the average Joe councilman or county guy stays up late and night and has even an iota of interest in this? For example: Did you watch the Kardashian's last night? Did you watch the home shopping channel last night? Did you watch a televangelist last night? How about the latest Jetson's cartoon? No, of course not. Because they're all niche shows for a very minute audience. But for those who do, they "project" that others too are (by necessity) watching it, and are (by necessity) having the same visceral reaction. These things do not necessarily rationally or logically follow.

So it is ENTIRELY UNWISE to go fishing for sanctions, permits, and licences, where none are currently required. It is a BIG mistake to do this. History has shown again and again that the more any of us go waltzing in to desk-bound bureaucrats asking "can I metal detect?", you risk getting a "no", when no real rule exists. Or worse yet, they invent one to "address your pressing issue". Because let's face it, we're in an odd niche hobby that draws stares, has connotations, etc.... The more you make yourself a big red "x", the more you're going to be sorry. The fact is you can detect most places till you're blue in the face, and no one cares (till you ask, or are a nuisance in some other way).

If you really think there's going to come a day when archies will love you, and there will be signs on park and schools saying "metal detecting welcome here, come dig holes!" I fear you've chosen the wrong hobby.