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Metal Detector Ban
- Thread starter gmanlight
- Start date
Gulf Hunter
Active member
n/t
Since most of us remove the trash we find on the beach, the beach community officals should be thankful of our efforts. The added feature of our beach cleaning operation is that is done at no cost to the community. Wake up beach officals and install signs, "Beach Detectors Welcome"
JOHNMARKHAM
New member
Can you post the article your reading ??
Thanks
John
Thanks
John
and we need good publicity. I was on the beach the other day and there were numerous holes, some pretty large, left uncovered. I covered as many as I could and I noticed that some people on the beach watched me do it, knowing that I didn't dig them but was covering them. True, I was doing the right thing but somebody else had already done the wrong thing and probably had been noticed as well. We really need to remind our fellow detectorists to use good practices when we see them doing things like this. I know some will tell us to mind our own business but we should politely remind them that it is our business to help protect our hobby. I know not all will listen but if we get even one to then we have helped. Back when I was in the service Charleston was open for detecting in all of the parks. I left for a couple of years in the early 80's and when I came back detecting was prohibited on all City of Charleston property. To this day I don't know why but can only guess that people were leaving holes and uncovered trash laying around that created an eyesore for all of the tourists who come here. I believe most of us contribute to the protection of our hobby by using good practices but it only takes a few to ruin it for the rest of us. One thing that I think can make a huge difference is good publicity. Lots of items we recover are able to be returned to the owners who lost them. Next time this happens ask the person you return the item to if they would give you written permission to try and have the story printed in the local paper. Mention the beach where you recovered the ring or other item, how long it had been lost, what school if it's a classring. This is especially good because the area officials may have attended the same school. I don't know of any of the public beaches around here that have banned metal detecting but my guess is that it could happen very easily if even a few people continue to use poor digging practices. The tides will eventually fill in the holes but that takes time and eventually somebody is going to step in one or ride a bike into one and that will be a really bad day. Anyway, just my 2 cents. Have a happy and safe holiday weekend everyone and hope you all make some great finds.
Jerry
Jerry
S.S.Tupperware
New member
The kids sure dig some holes... I agree we need to set a good example, but when I call FWC or someone it takes hours to respond... I doubt even if MD was banned on the beaches, no one would enforce it, their hands are full already. Just have to go commando style.
I really hope nobody thinks I'm trying to encourage them to play Beach Police. But the metal detecting hobby has been losing ground for years and the beaches, for the most part, are the last places we seem to have without restrictions or bans being imposed. I used to be a relic hunter but saw that go down so much over the years that it's almost impossible to do it anymore without trespassing. And there have been a few people caught doing just that. It has really hurt because fewer and fewer people will now give permission to hunt private lands. I don't mean to offend all relic hunters as I think most of them are as interested in preserving history as the archaeologists are. In fact I think many of the archaeological dig sites are first found by relic hunters. But a few bad apples really can spoil things for the rest. If we're not careful, the beaches will be taken from us too. And then, as someone just put it, we will have to go "commando style", meaning night hunts trying to detect while remaining undetected. I refuse to participate in a hobby that requires me to break the law so I guess my detecting days will be over if that happens. I guess I was spoiled, having done this for over 30 years, remembering when so many productive areas were available. Anyone who has been hunting for a long time knows what has been gradually taking place. The newer hunters need to become aware that their right to hunt can be taken away from them at any time. I don't mean to rant over this but feel very strongly about it. Have a safe and productive weekend everyone.
Jerry
Jerry
I have not been able to find Clay Ccounties position on this matter. So I cannot say what and why they are proposing a ban. Having said that I will give you odds that it has to do with Federal or State funding made available to Florida Counties for local park development and or preservation. Thats the carrot. The stick is more than likely a mandate from the state or Feds that Artifact Preservation and protection policies must be established before the money will be made available. The counties stated reasons (for public consumption) will be to bring the counties preservation and historical protection into line with State mandates. They will say it is out of their hands. And in many ways it is. I see Florida State Historical preservationist and state paid Archies involved in this up to their eyeballs.
For Florida MDers a couple of question---Why is metal detecting banned in most Florida State Parks?
Why is any coin over fifty years old classified as a state artifact?
I fill my holes. I don't see any mommy and daddies filling holes. If I filled all the gaint holes I find on my beach on a Monday morning I would have little time for detecting. I've seen holes dug by kids you could bury an SUV in. Add the time I could spend picking up peoples Alum cans and my detecting time would be nil.
I see this " can't we all get along" theme presented on these forums over and over. Gee if we only would get the bad guys to fill their holes and be nice to non-detectorist people asking really stupid questions invading our privacy and if we all returned our ring finds to the original owners and got some good publicity , the general public will love us and our State and local government will protect our rights and our hobby. Dream on.
Sometimes its necessary to get our collective heads out of our detecting holes and see things as they really are. HH Don
For Florida MDers a couple of question---Why is metal detecting banned in most Florida State Parks?
Why is any coin over fifty years old classified as a state artifact?
I fill my holes. I don't see any mommy and daddies filling holes. If I filled all the gaint holes I find on my beach on a Monday morning I would have little time for detecting. I've seen holes dug by kids you could bury an SUV in. Add the time I could spend picking up peoples Alum cans and my detecting time would be nil.
I see this " can't we all get along" theme presented on these forums over and over. Gee if we only would get the bad guys to fill their holes and be nice to non-detectorist people asking really stupid questions invading our privacy and if we all returned our ring finds to the original owners and got some good publicity , the general public will love us and our State and local government will protect our rights and our hobby. Dream on.
Sometimes its necessary to get our collective heads out of our detecting holes and see things as they really are. HH Don
Don,
you make some valid points but I also think you've stretched things a little if your post is in response to the one I made. I've seen first hand what the powers that be can do with or without our help. I don't have time to sit here and list all of the places I used to could hunt but are now off limits. And you're also right that most of the time it will happen regardless of what we do. But I still think that trying to get along with the public simply cannont hurt. Nobody is asking you or anyone else to start filling in holes left by others. I simply said that I did it on that day. But I always fill in my own just as you said you do. As far as returning rings that can be identified, I think most already try to do that so what's wrong with a little good publicity. The taxpaying communities who live on the beaches also make up the local governments there and the ones who don't hold posts still gather for town meetings and make recommendations. The officials want to keep their jobs when re-election time comes so they're certainly going to listen to the people. A good instance of this is on Folly Beach. Last Fourth of July huge crowds left so much litter and garbage on the beach that they almost had to shut it down to get the clean up crews in there. They have and are continuing to hold special meetings to consider certain bans to impose to prevent this from happening again. I have not heard of metal detecting being one of them but let a few locals see somebody with one leaving holes and the trash that came out of them on the beach and we could quickly be added to their list. I guess my point is that if people aren't going to be part of the solution to keeping our doors open then they can at least not be part of the problem. Trust me, I am not the goody two shoes you have portrayed me to be in your post but I've learned over the years that a little patience and kindness never hurts anyone. Try it sometime, you just might like it.
Jerry
you make some valid points but I also think you've stretched things a little if your post is in response to the one I made. I've seen first hand what the powers that be can do with or without our help. I don't have time to sit here and list all of the places I used to could hunt but are now off limits. And you're also right that most of the time it will happen regardless of what we do. But I still think that trying to get along with the public simply cannont hurt. Nobody is asking you or anyone else to start filling in holes left by others. I simply said that I did it on that day. But I always fill in my own just as you said you do. As far as returning rings that can be identified, I think most already try to do that so what's wrong with a little good publicity. The taxpaying communities who live on the beaches also make up the local governments there and the ones who don't hold posts still gather for town meetings and make recommendations. The officials want to keep their jobs when re-election time comes so they're certainly going to listen to the people. A good instance of this is on Folly Beach. Last Fourth of July huge crowds left so much litter and garbage on the beach that they almost had to shut it down to get the clean up crews in there. They have and are continuing to hold special meetings to consider certain bans to impose to prevent this from happening again. I have not heard of metal detecting being one of them but let a few locals see somebody with one leaving holes and the trash that came out of them on the beach and we could quickly be added to their list. I guess my point is that if people aren't going to be part of the solution to keeping our doors open then they can at least not be part of the problem. Trust me, I am not the goody two shoes you have portrayed me to be in your post but I've learned over the years that a little patience and kindness never hurts anyone. Try it sometime, you just might like it.
Jerry
Don, I'm sure you fill your holes but some don't and that's why this topic is revisited. Allot of us return, when possible, high school rings and have posted pictures of it on this site, it feels good to help out and get our hobby out to the public in a positive way, a good thing. Yes no one knows what local state government will do in the future but why stir the pot in a negative light. I too get aggravated with the way local government can do what they want and I strongly agree with Jerry in that the voters make up the local governments and have allot to say about MDers. I cant help what the tourists do to our beaches here but I can do my part by not adding to the mess some of these slobs leave behind. Allot of people read these posts and with your response and others, will make other people think, that is the ONLY point. I am not a do gooder either, I just LOVE to hunt and want to keep doing it. Thanks for your comments anyway
Billy
Billy
Jerry to quote you "I don't mean to rant but I feel very strongly about this" and that is my feeling also.
I mentioned "Revisiting" the problem because this has been discussed at length in the past. I believe the moderator removed that string because he didn't want the discussion to continue. So my comments may be short lived. I believe that earlier string was related to a Texas County proposing a simiar restrictive ordinance. I now have read the Clay County Florida ordinance and to use their words it --- Prohibits metal detecting and any other recovery of Relics including aboriginal Anttiquities This would include coins, jwelry etc., from county parks or property. If anyone finds such items on the ground that person must immediately notify county officials and turn the item over. ( The county notice goes on to list the name of the county attorney).
Here is my scenaro as to how the meeting will proceed.
The County Attorney will give advice that the ordinance is in line with Florida State policies and guidlines regarding the recovery of artifacts and relics on public lands. and therefor legal. You will hear no talk or discussion of metal detecting rights or bad mannered MDers leaving unfilled holes or disturbing other citizens while recovering metal objects, be they relics or not (define relics??)
This is a protectionist ordinance plain and simple. There will be no mention of its oriigin . I doubt there will be much dicussion at the hearing except that it will bring the county into line with state guidlines. ( Possible future or planned State funding for county park improvements or grants in aid will not be discussed). A DONE DEAL. I hope I am wrong but I doubt it. It has all happened before.
We need to stop blaming our offending brothers and sisters (and their bad habits) for triggering these restrictive ordinances. Yes bad mannered Mders make me mad and they do our hobby no good but they play a small part in why Florida County and State restrictions are made. The simple fact is that MDers find or may find stuff that the protectionists want protected. Restrictions originate with State protectionists . These protectionists have great influence over Florida State policies and regulations regarding the recovery of relics and artifacts from public lands and waters. Note I did not say laws. Most restrictions are not codified into State Law. To do that you have to go thru legislators and they answer to the citizenry.
I believe that the State Protectionist have found a new way to further their policies and that is to work the County level. They already restrict State controlled lands and water. Its only the County and City Parks that are left .
Jerry I wish it was only about detector manners - we might be able to correct that--Its way more complicated and difficult. Good MDing publicity will not change the direction that the Protectionist want to go. Actually they are more concerned with the artifact hunters but we are also in their sights. I think we will see more Florida Counties getting into line with The Fl State protectionist . Like you I'm not into illegal hunting. I pretty much hunt in the water now. Limiting water hunting in local county and city parks will end it for me. HH Don
I mentioned "Revisiting" the problem because this has been discussed at length in the past. I believe the moderator removed that string because he didn't want the discussion to continue. So my comments may be short lived. I believe that earlier string was related to a Texas County proposing a simiar restrictive ordinance. I now have read the Clay County Florida ordinance and to use their words it --- Prohibits metal detecting and any other recovery of Relics including aboriginal Anttiquities This would include coins, jwelry etc., from county parks or property. If anyone finds such items on the ground that person must immediately notify county officials and turn the item over. ( The county notice goes on to list the name of the county attorney).
Here is my scenaro as to how the meeting will proceed.
The County Attorney will give advice that the ordinance is in line with Florida State policies and guidlines regarding the recovery of artifacts and relics on public lands. and therefor legal. You will hear no talk or discussion of metal detecting rights or bad mannered MDers leaving unfilled holes or disturbing other citizens while recovering metal objects, be they relics or not (define relics??)
This is a protectionist ordinance plain and simple. There will be no mention of its oriigin . I doubt there will be much dicussion at the hearing except that it will bring the county into line with state guidlines. ( Possible future or planned State funding for county park improvements or grants in aid will not be discussed). A DONE DEAL. I hope I am wrong but I doubt it. It has all happened before.
We need to stop blaming our offending brothers and sisters (and their bad habits) for triggering these restrictive ordinances. Yes bad mannered Mders make me mad and they do our hobby no good but they play a small part in why Florida County and State restrictions are made. The simple fact is that MDers find or may find stuff that the protectionists want protected. Restrictions originate with State protectionists . These protectionists have great influence over Florida State policies and regulations regarding the recovery of relics and artifacts from public lands and waters. Note I did not say laws. Most restrictions are not codified into State Law. To do that you have to go thru legislators and they answer to the citizenry.
I believe that the State Protectionist have found a new way to further their policies and that is to work the County level. They already restrict State controlled lands and water. Its only the County and City Parks that are left .
Jerry I wish it was only about detector manners - we might be able to correct that--Its way more complicated and difficult. Good MDing publicity will not change the direction that the Protectionist want to go. Actually they are more concerned with the artifact hunters but we are also in their sights. I think we will see more Florida Counties getting into line with The Fl State protectionist . Like you I'm not into illegal hunting. I pretty much hunt in the water now. Limiting water hunting in local county and city parks will end it for me. HH Don