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Hunting sites illegally . . .. what it means to the hobby (current news story)

Every time you post here the software loads up the subject matter and the post itself for the Googlebots and it becomes something anyone wanting to pass laws can use as evidence why you should be forced away from being allowed to do this.

Guvner..
 
Email sent...

J
 
Ah, but that's why its not ok to dig on NPS protected battlefield sites. These are, for the most part, hallowed ground, where men fought and died. Is it much different than hunting in a graveyard if you hunt on a battlefield? If somebody is that desperate to dig up relics to sell, take up a different hobby.
 
Tresspassing is one thing, but understand the archeological community is working diligently to make all hunting and collecting illegal and they are quickly succeeding.
 
The solution is to customize detectors to fit down your pants leg with coil in the heel of your right shoe - the heel of your left shoe will have a spring loaded Lesche tool - you then walk around your metal detecting site carrying a boom box that plays beejees disco tunes and you sort of dance to the music to locate and dig your finds - the larvae eating- tree hugging - self defacating archaeologists will just think we're odd and leave us alone.
 
Its really too bad people would rat you out. I can see being mad if they left the holes open. But I go out in the woods near my house and the surrounding towns, I dont ask permission of the town. Its all Town or County property. Im not asking. They dont care if kids on dirt bikes and quads ride out there, and rip up the ground. They dont care if kids drink out there every weekend. So why should I care If I dig a hole and pull out an old musket, or a few coins. I will never rat, if I see another metal detector out in the woods. I'll just stab him and tell him to get off my turf!!!!!!!! hahaha
 
GREAT reply.

I agree 100%

There is a difference between trespassing on Federal property such as a battlefield or historic site and just going out and finding sites and detecting them.

If I get a chance to ask permission then I do ask for permission. However, if I am in the middle of nowhere then I am just going to go and worry about the consequences later. I have been caught a few times and in almost every instance the owner was a bit upset but got over it quickly and we talked, many times they just said OK.

You are 100% correct about drinkers, dirt bikers, fishermen, hunters and lets not forget the damned litterbugs.

Not many people are perfect. Many of those that condemn us for going on basically vacant land think nothing of having a few beers and driving a car, trespassing to hunt or fish, or even driving over the speed limit.

Don't take me wrong, it is better to ask, but sometimes you are stuck with the problem of just who to ask and many times the land is owned by persons who do not even live in the area.

One last thing, of course if it is posted that is another matter. If people post their land then they usually live nearby. In Missouri they have a stupid law that all one has to do is paint a tree purple, or a fence post purple, or a gave purple and it is legally posted and that would be criminal trespass.

It kind of reminds me of the farmer who won't let anyone on his land to hunt indian artifacts, but will not get off his tractor to pick one up that he sees and instead destroys it with his wheels or equipment.

Many of our valued artifacts are quickly deteriorating. In another 50 years there won't be many buttons, iron relics, scabbard tips and a lot of other neat relics that we are finding and preserving for later generations.
 
Exactly as above. No digging where signs are posted and you got to stay out of hallowed National and State Park sites. However municipal and county land should not be off limits unless posted - for God's sakes, for $11,000 plus a year in NJ property taxes I should be able to dig a few bucks back to pay that bill - by the way that's what you can tell the official when he taps you on the shoulder. Let's all lighten up!
 
oh joe you are so right, people arent perfect, but they do become perfect when they lets say, write a civil war relic book, or maybe even start up their own metal detecting forum or whatever reason. when i listen to the righteous it kinda makes me sick, because i know who they really are. the ones that pretend to be perfect are the ones that really get to me. ive seen a lot of people over the years become perfect, but they get a little uneasy when old friends show up. never mind all that,,,,,,,joe that river bank is starting to sound better everyday, let me get through this weekend and we'll go from there,,,,,
 
As far as hunting on state and federal lands. I guess the goose is cooked in that regard. They're not going to change the laws. But being harassed on private land? That is too much control. I think they (conservation officers, park rangers & DNR) should consider themselves lucky that they don't get shot at. And I'd love to know where that park ranger is doing "night recon" to catch people...I'd have a field day messing with his head.
 
They did not ask permission. That may be the only morally poor choice they made. The owner was near enough to ask. GIS is a great tool. Made 4 calls this evening. Course I got 2 no and 2 call me back this summer. Oh well.

Now I would love to take more space to blast the government and the politicians but I doubt that I could add much to what has been said. With the exception, you guys forgot to hit the lawyers.

Bigger government is bad for all. Over reaching and overbearing. I have read some of the Washington state and national metal detecting laws and they, like most other laws, are written in such a manner to give most power to the government and less to the citizen. Overly broad in so many areas as to make most actions one makes, illegal, and punishable by law.

By law if one finds coins on an Oregon beach he is required to turn it over to the Oregon parks dept.

Andy do you do that?

I also believe you may not keep anything you find in the National Forests that is over 50 years old. Now that would include a single Wheat Penny, Or am I wrong on these

I know that most anyone, not just metaldetectorists would not. That includes park rangers, police and archaeologists.

I pray that the people of this Great Nation will take it back from the thieves to whom we have given it. (I guess I did have something to add)
Jeff
 
I've been hunting civil war relics with a metal detector for almost 30 years. Chickamauga National Park is about 3 miles away and I have never considered sneaking into the park with a detector. I don't want to go to jail, lose my vehicle or pay a hefty fine. And when I say hefty; the fine is in the thousands of dollars.

That doesn't make me a good guy. That just makes me too afraid of the consequences to take the chance. I don't think this is a bad law. If it were not in place, everyone with a metal detector within miles would be out there every weekend and it wouldn't take long for it to look like it had been bombed.

But, extending this type of law to private property is in my opinion, oppressive government. There is no good reason for me to step across the fence into the park but on the other hand, there is no good reason for the Department of the Interior to step over to my side either.

Just my two cents.

P.S. The words "treasure hunting" make me want to scream. If you will notice, that's what metal detecting is referred to in every government bill. This term is used to stir up emotions - nothing else. If I were to cash in all my "treasures", it would equal less than 50 cents per hour; far less than archeologists are paid.
 
Damn straight!, They are going to ban us either way, as they have been striving to do. I think most of the relics end up in the museum basement all boxed up anyway. dig em while we can! DON'T TREAD ON ME>>>:usaflag:
 
Damn straigh! they are working to ban us no matter what. Dig em while you can, most of the relics from archaes end up in a basement boxes anyhow. I'm here to dig, I love history, don't stand in the way! DON'T TREAD ON ME>>>.
 
You could not have said it better! How long are we going to sit around while they rip away everything we enjoy? I wonder if we'll be laying down a new batch of war relics for the future generation to find! DON'T TREAD ON ME>>>
 
North Carolina Law states that a person finding any artifact or relic found pertaining to NC history is advised to give it to the state. Ive picked up 300 + NC indian artifacts since 1978 and advise the State find there own. The Civil War battlefields around here were stripped mined In the 70s and 80s.It had a lot to do with the nautilus deep seeking relic detectors that are built in this area. I did some renovations on an archaeoloical office and while talking to a couple of them and telling stories they quickly started prying trying to find where the places were located at where I had some good artifact finds. Each time I would quickly change the subject back to there digging finds and locations. After a couple days at work they wouldnt even speak to me anymore. Then when finished w/ the job they nit picked my work before finally cutting me a check.I left with a smirk on my face. I dont tresspass on any ancient restricted sites or battlefields because its just not worth the consequences this day and time.I say though find it while we can because its not going to get any better.
 
When you illegally tresspass on private property or government property, you give the people who want to ban our hobby a reason to do just that. No matter how you feel personally about the laws, until you work to change them, you still are not justified in breaking the law. The government passes laws that make no sense and do it for the simple reason that most people will moan and complain about it, but very few will feel led to contact their elected officials and write letters to the editors of their newspaper. Of course, my experience is that a lot of time they will not print an opposing opinion, depending on the subject. This applies to regular metal detecting, bottle digging, relic hunting and hunting for artifacts like arrowheads, stone knives, etc. I just try not to throw anymore fuel on the fire and give the people who want to shut down our hobby a rationalization for doing so.
 
Unfortunately for those guys they were engaging in illegal activities and were caught. Unfortunately for the rest of us is they were M.D.ing.
 
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