Some Laws/Regulations Regarding Metal Detecting and Our Hobby (A Must Read)!

[Altamaha]

Some Laws/Regulations Regarding Metal Detecting and Our Hobby (A Must Read)!

http://www.saa.org/ForthePublic/Resources/MetalDetectingInArchaeology/LawsRegardingMetalDetectingonprivateproperty/tabid/1032/Default.aspx

 

[Altamaha]

Remember fellow hobbyists these are just some of the laws/regulations (and there are many) that are already in place affecting our hobby. New ones are constantly being enacted, which is why we should be doing everything that we can to show our hobby in a positive light in an effort to protect/preserve this wonderful pastime that we all love!

Thanks

HH

 

[Altamaha]

Sorry about that guys, It seems as if many of the links on the referenced site have gone bad (since I last reviewed them) , but a lot of this important information can be found if you search under related topics state by state!

Thanks,

HH

 

[mudpuppy]

Laws? Rules? Regulations? Pish Posh!

I am convinced that we will always be seen by the General Public (and even our Wives) as a bunch of grave robbing scoundrels and scavengers, trespassers, tosspots and timewasters of the highest magnitude!.....no matter how many good deeds we do, trash we pick up, and rules we follow...I can understand my Wifes perception of me, its well deserved, but total strangers?

Heck that one popular TV commercial aired this past Fall/Winter shows a detectorist snatching a gold chain right off the neck of a guy on the beach!

The Bud lite youtube vid, "Mr Beach detector hunting guy" throws out some well deserved props, explains our Sport as a satire, but aside from that, we are well advised to use the Rule of Common Sense, and be as invisible as possible....

I dont know what else a person can do...theres all sorts of articles about the vast amount of good deeds we do on returns, but that doesnt seem to help!..I think theres a deep seated resentment in TPTB regarding anybody out finding stuff, enjoying themselves, and not working or something that cannot be changed to the positive no matter what we do...

I dont get it, but we are perceived as a life form lower than Panhandlers, Politicians, and Pedophiles, Peepers, Perverts, Police, and Proctologists ...and always will be...perhaps if we all start wearing three piece suits as we hunt that will help our 'Image'? Maybe then People might at least mistake us for a Lawyer, and move us up a level on the Social Status chart? Everybody loves a Lawyer right?
Mud

ps: I'm gonna try that three piece suit idea and go hunt the Courthouse lawn!...I got a closet full of them....If questioned, "Just looking for evidence a dirty Politician I'm prosecuting dropped here someplace"

 

[mudpuppy]

What we really need to do is to organize into a 'Religion' protected under the 1st amendment! This way, nobody in Govt would be able to "restrict an individuals religious practices"!

I'm on to something big here boys! I bet a guy could download the forms off the internet and be registered by this afternoon! We can all go hunt Gettysburg or Yellowstone or the White House front lawn this weekend!

I bet we qualify! We are kneeling more than most Catholics, knock on more doors than most Jehovahs Witness's, jumping around more than most Pentecostals praising a miraculous find, proselytize more annoyingly than most Baptists, spend more time in deep reflection than most Buddhists, pay more attention to the tide and moon phase than most Druids..Hell, collectively we dig more dirt on any given day than a Branch Davidian burying a bus!!

The east coast beach guys, (Max) already plowed the road on this brilliant concept, referring to this Sport as 'Surf Church'? So we are grandfathered in there...we got it on tape!

Just gotta come up with a catchy name is all, and delegate somebody as 'Pastor Penny'..I'll just run this idea up the flagpole and see who salutes: How about, "The Salvation Army Silver Soldiers" or "The Free Planet Rangers" delegate somebody as 'Pastor Penny'...have a small membership fee, find a cheapo lawyer to represent us, ... and Bingo! Probably can get a tax credit for all our gear too!...Its either this or apply for "Endangered Species" status, (no doubt we all qualify for THAT!)...or we could go completely gay as a golfer...at least then we would have some 'rights'...one thing worries me though...What does our concept of heaven look like? What disc does a guy run hunting curbstrips in the afterlife when all the Streets are paved with gold? Small detail I know, but a guy has to think these things through...that sort of sounds like Hell..so maybe the Satanists have a leg up on us?
Mud

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Atamaha, your link has circulated for some time, and is total hogwash. Let's cut to the chase here:

a) ARPA does NOT subrogate/filter down to "all public land" (e.g: state, county, and city). Despite what that link may want you to believe. ARPA only applies to federal land, not other land. UNLESS SPECIFICALLY INCORPORATED by inclusion wording, by the lesser entity.

b) C'mon man, who is that link web-site written by ? ARCHIES. So as such WHAT DID YOU EXPECT their attitude to be, towards md'ing dude?? It would be a little like this example:

Example: If you were to ask a PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) rep the following question: "Is it ok to leave my pet bunny in the car, while I run into 7-11 to get a soda pop? " What would that PETA rep's answer be? They'd screach:

"NNOooohhh! The bunny will suffer. You can be arrested for animal cruely! Your can be fined and your car confiscated!" And ... heck, they *might* even have some laws they can cite, that appear to say just that. Eh ? BUT SERIOUSLY NOW: what did you EXPECT to come from an animal rights activist ? And seriously now, did anyone else besides that PETA wacko really care one bit if you left your pet bunny in the car ? OF COURSE NOT! So in the same way, do I put little stock into what some archies say is the laws regarding detecting in public sites.

There are people finding (gasp) old coins in public parks, beaches, school yards, forests, etc... ALL THE TIME. So that is total hogwash. And the only thing your posting this link does, is cause all the skittish to run and hide, "Seeking sanctions and clarifications". Thus only perpetuating the very thing your solidarity post hoped to end.

 

[JimmyCT]

Tom CA - thanks for laying it down where the rubber meets the road.


Mud - you are onto something.

 

[mudpuppy]

Dammi9t Tom! You are confusing the issue! The "Free Planet Rangers" dont believe in the Easter Bunny or Santa Claus! Its not in our Doctrine!

Sure, both espouse a merit based reward system, heavy on results of dilligent effort that we are all familiar with and can appreciate, the Easter Bunny rewards those quick a foot eyefinders, and Santa favors steadfast yearly effort!..Both are important skills, yet arbitrary and capricious in the rewards, not worth the commitment of a Free Planet Ranger!.

Yukon Cornelius is our patron saint of choice! Didnt you watch the vid? It was heavily televised..flip a pick up into the air, taste the dirt, and dig away! Mel Fisher is right up there too, and Parker Schnabel of course...

Anyway, the only difference between us and Archies are Govt grants and production...they have the grants, we have the production...Oh, and their dinner parties and Indiana Jones hats are generally way better than ours...they definitely get more chicks as well, which although can be a pleasant diversion, is a hindrance regarding production as all us married guys know....

Focus up Man! I had you tagged to be a Bishop, or at the very least a Deacon, but you are really letting me down here... Contemplate this, and go hunt an inner city Totlot for your penance and report back...We have hopes for you yet, like Saul on the road to Damascus, you just need to see the light! You have exhibited the right traits up until this point...Even Charles Haddon Spurgeon had a few faults or lapses in judgement...But Man, get with the program or you will be digging pulltabs in a diarretic Doberman dog park in Purgatory with a Fpoint pinpointer barehanded, with a chronically itchy nose to boot,...
Mud

 

[Altamaha]

Atamaha, your link has circulated for some time, and is total hogwash. Let's cut to the chase here:

a) ARPA does NOT subrogate/filter down to "all public land" (e.g: state, county, and city). Despite what that link may want you to believe. ARPA only applies to federal land, not other land. UNLESS SPECIFICALLY INCORPORATED by inclusion wording, by the lesser entity.

b) C'mon man, who is that link web-site written by ? ARCHIES. So as such WHAT DID YOU EXPECT their attitude to be, towards md'ing dude?? It would be a little like this example:

Example: If you were to ask a PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) rep the following question: "Is it ok to leave my pet bunny in the car, while I run into 7-11 to get a soda pop? " What would that PETA rep's answer be? They'd screach:

"NNOooohhh! The bunny will suffer. You can be arrested for animal cruely! Your can be fined and your car confiscated!" And ... heck, they *might* even have some laws they can cite, that appear to say just that. Eh ? BUT SERIOUSLY NOW: what did you EXPECT to come from an animal rights activist ? And seriously now, did anyone else besides that PETA wacko really care one bit if you left your pet bunny in the car ? OF COURSE NOT! So in the same way, do I put little stock into what some archies say is the laws regarding detecting in public sites.

There are people finding (gasp) old coins in public parks, beaches, school yards, forests, etc... ALL THE TIME. So that is total hogwash. And the only thing your posting this link does, is cause all the skittish to run and hide, "Seeking sanctions and clarifications". Thus only perpetuating the very thing your solidarity post hoped to end.

Think whatever you want guys, I go by my own experiences and what I've witnessed over the last thirty years which is that many many areas that were open to metal detectorist only a few years ago are now off limits, with more becoming off limits each year. I wonder why?

Great attitude you have and I'm sure that it will go a long way in helping to preserve our hobby for years to come! Enough said!

HH

 

[Tom_in_CA]

..... many many areas that were open to metal detectorist only a few years ago are now off limits, with more becoming off limits each year. I wonder why? ...

You wonder why ? It's because scary stories such as this. Get put onto forums as an "oh no, the sky is falling" mindset. Skittish newbies read it, and understandibly become "up in arms". Afterall, no one wants to "get arrested", do they ? Thus perpetuating the vicious circle of "must ask permission, or inquire of laws, wherever I set foot". Or "must fire-off-letters of protest, seeking clarifications, etc..." Which in turn is met with more dire-sounding links such as that link. Which get posted and in turn fires-up more of the same. And so on, and so forth.

A lot of the laws (and websites such as that) came about for NO OTHER REASON than md'rs going and making themselves a "giant bullseye" in need of sanctions, clarifications, and permissions. Ie.: the old addage of "no one cared UNTIL you asked" routine

 

[Tom_in_CA]

N/T

 

[stasys]

This was funn

What we really need to do is to organize into a 'Religion' protected under the 1st amendment! This way, nobody in Govt would be able to "restrict an individuals religious practices"!

I'm on to something big here boys! I bet a guy could download the forms off the internet and be registered by this afternoon! We can all go hunt Gettysburg or Yellowstone or the White House front lawn this weekend!

I bet we qualify! We are kneeling more than most Catholics, knock on more doors than most Jehovahs Witness's, jumping around more than most Pentecostals praising a miraculous find, proselytize more annoyingly than most Baptists, spend more time in deep reflection than most Buddhists, pay more attention to the tide and moon phase than most Druids..Hell, collectively we dig more dirt on any given day than a Branch Davidian burying a bus!!

The east coast beach guys, (Max) already plowed the road on this brilliant concept, referring to this Sport as 'Surf Church'? So we are grandfathered in there...we got it on tape!

Just gotta come up with a catchy name is all, and delegate somebody as 'Pastor Penny'..I'll just run this idea up the flagpole and see who salutes: How about, "The Salvation Army Silver Soldiers" or "The Free Planet Rangers" delegate somebody as 'Pastor Penny'...have a small membership fee, find a cheapo lawyer to represent us, ... and Bingo! Probably can get a tax credit for all our gear too!...Its either this or apply for "Endangered Species" status, (no doubt we all qualify for THAT!)...or we could go completely gay as a golfer...at least then we would have some 'rights'...one thing worries me though...What does our concept of heaven look like? What disc does a guy run hunting curbstrips in the afterlife when all the Streets are paved with gold? Small detail I know, but a guy has to think these things through...that sort of sounds like Hell..so maybe the Satanists have a leg up on us?
Mud

 

[mudpuppy]

Its OK Tom..I get it, you wernt raised in the Church and have no knowledge of traditional ecclesiastical functions..tell you what, lets put you in charge of making the coffee on the Wed night study afterglow session and see where it goes from there? I see some promise in you, you know most of this stuff naturally, exhibit great skills as a member of the Free Planet Rangers, so of course I must defer your total write off as a non-believer into a probationary status until I get some further wisdom or clarity on your issue... Dont worry, I got your back..the last thing we want is a bunch of Rule followers...those minelab guys are a pain in the @ss...but I suppose it just a part of their spiritual makeup...they sure are all about settings and whatnot...
Mud

 

[bootyhoundpa]

Thank you monsenior mud...this is the 1st good chuckle ive had all day...i am now willing to shave my head ,smear mustard on my farhead,wear a white toga while wearing black socks and send all my clad to the chosen one... ive got to remember not to have a mouth full of food or drink when read your replies... classic stuff...

 

[marcomo]

Well said as always, Tom.

You make very good points, but I don't think you can totally discount bad detecting behavior for some detecting bans.

mud - you are a trip...is it possible you aren't getting your mushrooms from the grocery store?

 

[mudpuppy]

Sorry boys, I was on a ripper yesterday! When I read my posts sober, they dont seem to be as funny as when I was typing them! I like picking on Tom on account of I agree with him on his logic concerning this subject, it always fosters a lively debate!...

Still, you gotta admit, the Free Planet Rangers idea has some merit!
Mud

 

[Overvoltage]

Free Planet Ranger, count me in