Update: Cook county forest preserve meeting to address ban on detecting

[chicagoron]

The meeting on Tuesday went pretty well. We had a packed room (35 hunters) for the meeting. We listened to the lawyer for the county forest preserve talk about the 1918 statute about no digging or removing items from the preserves. He also talked about protecting the preserves from destruction, and that most of the Illinois forest areas were moving that way. There were no individual concerns expressed by them, Our Lawyer and Pat Anderson then gave a short presentation on all we as detectorists have done to improve the preserves over the years, including clean-up days, removing loads of trash, recycling removed items, returning items found and also donating items to local museums.

Pat talked briefly about putting together a permit and training plan to allow detecting on some if not all cook county property. The board was open to discussion and a meeting was set for 2 weeks to start dialog.

I will update as more info is available.

 

[GKMan]

Ron I'm really glad to hear the update. It sounds like things are moving in a good direction for us. Although I'll probably never ever detect there since I am in New York I wish you all the best of luck. And if it works out it could serve as a good plan for future issues like this in other parts of the country facing the same issue.

 

[KinTN]

Wow, everyone acting like adults and working within the law. Congrats to everyone and my best wishes are certainly with you all.

fwiw, I've always like the way the UK handles finds of archeological significance. Fair for all; detectorist, landowner, and archeology folks.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Ron, if they think that "1918 law" , and laws prevening "destruction" means "no detecting", then ......... I don't get it. If those things ("digging" and "removing") can be construed to mean "no detecting", then ........ why do they need a new law? Heck, they can just boot you guys now, from what's already written in the books. So what am I missing here?

 

[HaroldILL.]

So it has been 2 weeks any progress? If this thing sticks next will be the Chicago parks and the lake fronts you like so much.

 

[HaroldILL.]

I guess they are just going through the motions to make it look good. I don't mean to point fingers,But all the people using shovels instead of hand trowels didn't help matters any.

 

[Rob (IL)]

I tried to get an update, but no luck.

 

[ChicagoJohn]

Any updates? Will they have meeting again?

 

[ironsight]

....Pat talked briefly about putting together a permit and training plan to allow detecting on some if not all cook county property. The board was open to discussion and a meeting was set for 2 weeks to start dialog.....

The infamous Cook County Board and their crony Chicago politician counterparts! Mention the word 'permit' and all they see are $$$$$.

If a permit and a training program allows detecting again, its at least better than that complete ban.

 

[purplesage]

No, Harold, it's not the few slobs screwin' it up for everybody. It's the excuse that all government agencies use for "people control". The government would love it if every one of us outdoor recreationists would just go away....stay at home, sit in the lawn chair with a beer and watch the grass grow. These people have a mindset all their own.

These "control freeks" would then have all our national forests and parks to themselves!:veryangry:

 

[ironsight]

No, Harold, it's not the few slobs screwin' it up for everybody. It's the excuse that all government agencies use for "people control". The government would love it if every one of us outdoor recreationists would just go away....stay at home, sit in the lawn chair with a beer and watch the grass grow. These people have a mindset all their own.

These "control freeks" would then have all our national forests and parks to themselves!:veryangry:

Yep, those big city/county and now the fedds are coming up with all kinds of rules and regulations to herd us all into who knows what kind of corral.
Can't do that anymore, can't celebrate 4th of July anymore with private fireworks, can't say that anymore, can't smoke that anymore, can't drink that much soda anymore, can't eat that much junk food anymore, can't protect your home and family anymore with a firearm, surveillance cameras everywhere, spying/data mining on private U.S. citizens, etc. etc.
What is the logical conclusion of all this BS? We are literally becoming a 3rd world country possibly worse.

Now they're banning metal detecting. I've seen more damage done to park turfs by their mowers, moles, ground squirrels, birds, geese crapping all over the place, sport activities, dogs p_ssing all over the place, etc.

Most just don't give a sh_t, they're content to watch their sports hyped-up ball games same as the old Roman Empire.
The nanny state is upon us on steroids and i fear its the beginning downfall of this great country that was found on liberty.

 

[ChicagoJohn]

If you walk in deep woods along or near Des Plaines River and you cant believe how much garbage out there! Soda cans, beer cans, tires, metal, broken glass, and lot more! Why not let us go metal detecting and bring one garbage bag. we pick up all in one full bag and metal detecting! I went to meeting and I see man that I can tell that hes not interesting in natural and forest! How he get promotion on that high level job! I see that fishery biologist seem support us because too many metal and junk in and near water is bad for fish and animals!

 

[Surfinsafari]

The problem with asking for permission to hunt on land that the tax payers bought and paid for and still get taxed through the nose to maintain is that it empowers politicians who look at us as feudal serfs. The politicians have no skin in the game other than to get a sick satisfaction of being able to rule over people. Guess what? I hunt the forest preserves all the time. I backpack my stuff in and I look at all the garbage that non-detectors haul in and are too lazy and piggish to pack out. I am tired of the queers having dominion over land that I helprd to pay for and then treated like a child when I want to enjoy my property and engage in a hobby that actually benefits the land. Screw Crook County...catch me if you can!

 

[Tom_in_CA]

You're right: It couldn't possible be "holes" or "shovels" type thing. I mean we're talking in the middle of a frickin' forest for pete's sake !! The "Holes" reason may be plausible for turfed parks, .... but .... no .... not the beach and forests.

And let me tell you something else: Even if a bureaucrat DID ever say that the reason is "because of holes", that STILL doesn't mean that there was ever any cases of someone leaving holes (at least not that would have resulted in laws). I'm convinced that this is often-time just the "go-to" reason for the bureaucrat to justify the rule or law he just made. Why? Because think about it folks: what's the connotation that comes-to-mind for the average person, when tasked with thinking about "metal detecting" ? HOLES, of course (geeks with shovels). It doesn't actually mean there was ever a case where that person SAW a hole or shovel. It's just the mental image they have, hence they say: "no because of holes".

I'm betting the reason this came onto Cook county's radar, way-back-when, of something that needed addressing, is that no doubt some well-meaning newbie md'r went in to desk-bound-bureaucrat's asking "can I metal detect in the forest preserve?" Then lo & behold, they must invent a rule to "address this pressing issue".

 

[skookum]

Can

 

[Tom_in_CA]

What? Surely you're not serious ?? You're trying to tell us you're detecting anyhow, not stopping in the future either ? Even though some new rule is floating about? That's absolutely horrible surfin-safari !! Next thing you know, you'll probably be removing the label tags from mattresses, and starting a life of crime.

Certainly you know that Navy Seal command archaeologists lurk behind every tree out there, waiting to jump out of hiding and accost you, right? So please, recant of your defiance, and come back to your senses! We'd hate to have to kick you off the forum

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Yup, my dad lost a LOT of boyscout rings when he was a kid. Trouble is, I don't know exactly where he lost them all. But ...... I keep looking.

 

[klever]

The government was put here for the people not to rule the people. My how things have changed since our founding fathers...........

 

[tarajudy]

YOUR SO WRIGHT. ME TOO. ONLY PLACE I WILL NOT HUNT IS PARK SCHOOL BASEBALL FIELDS

 

[Surfinsafari]

What? Surely you're not serious ?? You're trying to tell us you're detecting anyhow, not stopping in the future either ? Even though some new rule is floating about? That's absolutely horrible surfin-safari !! Next thing you know, you'll probably be removing the label tags from mattresses, and starting a life of crime.

Certainly you know that Navy Seal command archaeologists lurk behind every tree out there, waiting to jump out of hiding and accost you, right? So please, recant of your defiance, and come back to your senses! We'd hate to have to kick you off the forum

Yeah..I think its just the rebel in me or maybe.......I am sick and tired of Crook county lording over all of the state of Illinois. The FPD turns a blind eye to all of the homosexual activitys that happen all over the place. They are the main culprits defiling the woods with their toilet paper, napkins, condoms and filthy magazines and we have to beg to go dig a tiny hole in the forest. All the boyscouts better hurry up for their permission slips to detect the Kings forest before I find everything. I will not beg for permission to hunt land that was bought and paid for by the taxpayers. We are the only ones that actually respect the land and clean it up from the rest of the pigs that just dont care. Again...catch me if you can!