Rivers and Indian Reservations

[Syd BC]

On a trip to Parker, Arizona I have been detecting the sand bars of the Colorado River. Above and below Parker, the Colorado River passes through the Colorado River Indian Tribes Reservation. Today I called the band office to ask about parking my truck while I launched my boat in the river. When asked why I wanted to launch my boat, I told the officer that I wanted to metal detect in the river (not the river bank). I was advised that metal detecting is not allowed anywhere on the reserve and that includes anywhere in the river where the river passes through the reserve. Now I understand that indian reserves are private property but I was surprised to learn that a major river like the Colorado would be considered part of the reserve. I'm a Canadian and I don't think this would be the case in Canada but perhaps this is the law in the U.S.A.

Does anyone have experience with this?

Thanks, Syd

 

[mudpuppy]

Yeah...a little...Indian Tribal lands are a sovereign Nation within our borders...as such, they operate under their own laws and whatnot...but they are not really 100% treated like a totally independent Country..like any other sovereign nation is.. ..they have to follow certain laws and mandates of the US sovereignity, yet are not under the rest...regarding trapping or fishing or detecting or anything like that...

My personal experience has been you really got to know somebody of good standing within the tribe, and be recognized as a good guy, and basically be invited in for what ever purpose you are there for..(I am a very good pole boy, I can stand up and push/pole a canoe through a wild rice swamp in a gentle and steady rhythm for long hours without tipping it over) .I know of no formal permit process on the ones I am familiar with...though I'm sure different ones probably sell fishing permits or hunting permits or whatnot to outsiders....It is an interesting relationship come to think of it...
Mud

 

[Goldstrike]

Syd, I would be interested if you have ever found anything of interest on the sand bars? Knowing the Colorado river, those sand bars have changed dramatically when the river rises and shaves those bars down or even completely away sometimes over the years! What detector would you be using?

 

[Syd BC]

Mud, I'm sure you're right about this, and I do recall one of our club members saying that he was able to nugget detect on the same reserve when he was with his friend, a band member. I was just surprised at the size of the river that they were able to claim. In Canada we have several very large rivers that pass by, or through First Nations Land. I think I'll look into it more at home.

Goldstrike, I've had the same experience with the sand bars. Sometimes the sand is deep and the detectable targets are mainly pull tabs but wait a year and you can be detecting on hard clay and rock. The hard bottom is more productive and I have found several nice pieces or jewelry and lots of clad. I have just one gold ring from the river this month. I have been using a SS scoop but in some places it's almost impossible to drive the scoop into the bottom. I'm thinking or trying a new recovery method. Where the water is shallow, I think a pinpointer and a knife would recover the target faster as targets are never more than an inch deep. I've been using a Excal 2 and my detecting partner uses an AT Pro.

 

[mudpuppy]

This is an interesting and thought provoking subject Syd..

.I used to live in MN right smack dab between Red Lake, White Earth, and Leech Lake reservations. Back in the early 80's...consequently, I got to develop some purely accidental and fortuitous relationships with tribal members...I did not metal detect back then, just mainly trapped and wild riced and whatnot...still, the elders were very good to me...I was very poor, no threat to anybody, but had some appreciable skills...I would trade with the tribe all sorts of stuff, help out when needed etc ...Then, we moved out to the Black Hills and I got to know some of the Pine Ridge tribe..same thing...it so happened that we had a young tribal member stay at our place for several months as his folks were going through a bad deal...nothing official, his folks asked if we would do it, and we of course said yes..a very strange honor when a guy thinks about it....

I bet theres all sorts of interesting stuff to be found detecting at the old river crossings, campsites or battlegrounds! Can you imagine?

I'm gonna think some more and remember those days if I can...I do know a fellow has got to be very careful, and most outsiders are not looked upon favorably for obvious reasons...I can say if theres any alcohol around, you better get out and fast...this one night,...
Mud

 

[Water wizard]

Syd a mask and snorkel might help you....

 

[John LA]

Indian Nations are somewhat independent. Indians living on Reservations don't quite realize, that the people that landed on the East coast in the 1600s and 1700s and began to move Westward
are now between !0% and 75% Indian. Our citizens that are Mexican are mostly Indian. Hope I haven't offended anyone.

 

[hershey1]

Most of the time all of our laws apply plus the reservations. Like Mud said a friendly Indian is a friend indeed. Don't call look them in the eye. Looking for historical artifacts may be your ticket. Good luck and HH