Had to get my detecting permit at the state park-came home with 2 nice finds

[Darkflight]

The local parks-city parks-you don't need a permit. But some of the older parks here in Oregon are state run & a permit is required.

They just want to make sure you are responsible & know the rules. Otherwise just fill out the form & no fee!!.

There is a large picnic facility on the grounds & one of them is used for detector gatherings. I've never been but Monte told me of them a while back.
I found what I believe is a planted token as it is in such nice shape & was barely an inch deep.Edit to ad,it reads Los Angles Railway & Good for one fare. Has a swirly machined pattern & had almost no corrosion before I cleaned it.

The 2nd find I believe was an honest old find as it was about 6" deep. Whenever I see a nickle come out from that deep without corrosion-yep a war nickle.

Did a light cleaning with wadding compound. Seems to work really well on the war nickles & the token-well its darn purty if I do say so myself.
Otherwise I pulled more old style pulltabs out of the ground than any spot I have been at in a while. Hoping & hoping for something else of course...But there's always next time.

 

[Craig]

It's great that your state parks can be detected. California parks doesn't allow detecting ! From what I understand it's an arrestable offence. I think the environmentalist are afraid that we are going to damage a rare plant . or dig so deep that we find a lost settlement and steal all the treasure

 

[Tom_in_CA]

You say that CA state parks "don't allow detecting". Actually, that's not entirely true. That's not written anywhere, specifically using those words "metal detecting". It's only stuff morphed to apply, like cultural heritage wording, for instance. And if you're only finding new stuff, and not being a nuisance in some other way, then *technically*, you're not in violation. But of course, "application" is left in the hands of the rank-&-file on-duty persons. I mean, for example, if you are hunting in an OBVIOUS historic monument, and try to tell the ranger "but I was only looking for new change", he'll probably boot you. But get this: we hunt state of CA owned beaches here all the time, in full view of anyone and everyone, and no one ever cares. Yup, since the dawn of invention of metal detectors, as far back as anyone can remember, state beaches have always been considered fair game here. Yet they are over-seen by the very same "state parks" dept, right? So what does that tell you?

And there are some non-historically themed land parks administered by the state of CA here, that you can also go unbothered, till you're blue in the face. Now is that to say that if you "asked" (at that very same park where no one seems to care), that they'd say "sure, go ahead"? Probably not. But ....... oh well

 

[dixiedigger57]

they put your butt in jail in Ga and take your machine! signs posted at many. maybe its time to go to Oregon. What's it gonna hurt to look on a State beach. stay outta the sea oats, the kids dig craters on the beach, i dont see it would hurt to detect some. monuments no, but recreation parks, why not?

 

[Craig]

I was speaking in general and should have specified that I do hunt state beaches. But as far as other state parks I am very leery of who I might run into that has a badge and is having a boring day! The regulation for just visiting a state park says no disturbing of leaf mold, grasses etc... So I just try to avoid any run in !

 

[TheOtherLeggoHead]

vote with your feet.

 

[Terry Soloman]

It is $40 a year for a New York State Beach Metal Detecting permit. - Terry

 

[Rob (IL)]

No person shall willfully or negligently pick, dig up, cut, mutilate, destroy, injure, disturb, move, molest, burn, or carry away any tree or plant or portion thereof, including but not limited to leaf mold, flowers, foliage, berries, fruit, grass, turf, humus, shrubs, cones, and dead wood, except in specific units when authorization by the Department to take berries, or gather mushrooms, or gather pine cones, or collect driftwood is posted at the headquarters of the unit to which the authorization applies.

So if I don't hurt the grass I could hunt? I guess that would mean just pick up surface finds. Then I don't need to use a detector.

On your first post I wouldn't jump on people, manners please.

 

[Larry (IL)]

I think the point he was trying to make is if a permit is granted, those rules don't apply. I think we have a similar system here in Illinois, most State Parks are off limits but some will allow it with a permit.

 

[Rob (IL)]

Here is the exact information for all who need to know, and basically states that as long as a person doing the detecting doesn't dig-up anything and just searches for items laying on ground level it is perfectly ok.

I was going by this statement he made. But then I could just be irresponsible. Have a good day Larry.

 

[Larry (IL)]

This is what I read:

Section 4309 gives the Department the authority to grant permits to disturb resources if it is in the best interest of the Department to do so.

 

[Wile.E]

Can relate to what you all think and say, and no offense to anyone,but Iwill put my 2 cents in on this subject. Iown house at state lake here , 100 yards from lake which I also raised now adult children.Also fed game preserve 3 miles away.We now have located 50 miles away in city, but still own our place there. A state park mind you. We now live in a city 50 miles away because of age and economy , but state park place still home! Lived there many years, was member of fire dept. and donated to our little community when Icould. You could not believe the crap we had to tolerate from john q public Fighting in our fenced yard, destruction of property, and even a couple attempted break -ins, which has happened since we relocated.This is private property, not state property,the state property around the lake especially after hollidays is littered with beer cans, and garbage,craters dug on the beach with half burnt trees that people has chopped down from the surroundings, I can go on and on. No wander, Huh! I go tell the park manager im going mding no prob in a state where you have to go through all the rigamorart. only because they all now its my home and Ive always respected. and have always stuck to the mding bi-laws.As Isaid no offense to anyone but it seems that respect and consideration is 2 words that is not well known these days.
This does not apply to my fellow mdists on this forum, a great bunch butis days and times and being a resident of a statepark. Lets hear from ya

 

[Tom_in_CA]

if you guys are worried about ordinances/laws/rules that forbid "disturbance" blah blah blah, then here's what I have to say: You've chosen the wrong hobby.

There's absolutely no park or school yard or anything that will allow you (if you ask enough questions, far enough up the chain of command) to molest, disturb, vandalize, alter, deface, etc... blah blah blah. And if anyone here thinks they have a public location where they CAN metal detect: it merely means they haven't asked enough questions, of enough desk-bound bureaucrats, with the right buzz words.

I mean, c'mon ....... seriously now folks.

 

[Wile.E]

Never been to california!

 

[Tom_in_CA]

What I'm saying is not specific to CA.

There's not a single city or county anywhere across the USA, that doesn't have laws forbidding destruction, vandalizing, defacing, altering, removing, etc..... Gauranteed. So for those of you who make the automatic "connection" that phrases like these automatically & necessarily equate to metal detecting, then you might as well give up. You've chosen the wrong hobby.

Because if you imbue this necessary "definition" on to metal detecting, then as I say: you'll never find a city that allows it. To prove my point, try this: walk in to any city or county hall ANYWHERE in the United states, go up to the front desk, and ask the clerk "Hi. Can I please vandalize, dig, deface, and alter the park?" And see what they say. Do you get it? This is why people will avoid those words, and simply ask "can I metal detect?" (or "is there anything that prohibits metal detecting?"), and avoid those words.

Thus I do not consider those clauses to apply to you/me/us. To do so, is to have lost the battle already. And when you think of it, most of those clauses ("vandalize" "deface", etc...) all imply END results, do they not? Ie.: how an area was left. So if you left no trace of your presence, well then by golly, you haven't been "vandalizing" or "defacing" anything, now have you? Oh sure, this doesn't handle some of the other buzz words like "dig" (the temporary evil interim process which you will have erased in 30 seconds), or "remove" ('cuz you "removed" a coin or pulltab), etc.... So like I say, if all these things bother someone, then they've chosen the wrong hobby. Clauses forbidding removal of park features were written so as to stop people from backing up to the park and harvesting the tan-bark for use in their own garden back home. Or from harvesting all the roses from the rose garden, or unboltinng and taking the swing set for use in your own back-yard, etc.... But there's nothing to stop these clauses from being applied to taking coins, or seashells, etc... But they have! When people have tried to ask permission (or fight a booting), it's silly clauses like those, that get brought out to apply to your "pressing question".

So as I say, the way I avoid such confrontations, is to pick low traffic times, avoid busy bodies, be discreet, etc.... Like nose-picking: as long as you're discreet, no one notices. But the minute you go asking for sanctions and permission to do it, someone will tell you "no".

 

[Rob (IL)]

Just referring to a post that was removed.

 

[Scortch]

I have a friend who did get a ticket for metal detecting in a park without a permit. Long story short he went to court for it and the judge wanted to give him 3 days jail and a 500 dollar fine plus court costs. He decided to fight the ticket with a jury trial. The prosecuting attorney dropped the charges. Guess it wasn't worth the time for them, he dodged a bullet on that one.
I did a little research and it turns out the law was enacted by the county in the late eighties. It turns out that a or some detectorists dug holes in a park back then and didn't fill them. A 12 year old girl playing in the park stepped in one of the holes and broke her leg. I'd like to get my hands on the guy or guys who let those holes.