Indiana hunting....."turn in your finds at State parks". You're kidding me

[musky8it]

Just got my new MarkII this week. Decided to try out a new spot not to far from me. Its a Ind. state reservoir, Mississinawa Reservoir. I had already went online to the DNR site and found out it was legal to hunt beach areas at our Ind. state parks/reservoirs. But can't hunt the rest of the state property, just the beach. I thought that seemed ok. So before I went I wanted to check out any local rules they may have, I called and talk to the office.

The person said, yes you are aloud to hunt but only the beach area. They said I had to stop in and get a permit first, that seems ok to me. Then they told me the rules, read them right off the permit sheet.

1. No detecting aloud during general beach hours. I ask what where those hours, they said dawn to dusk. I thought to myself when am I suppose to be able to hunt, after dark?????
2. What I find I had to turn in to lost in found. I said even if I find a quarter I had to turn it in, they said yes.

Man alive those rules are stupid, I never ask if there was anymore rules. Lets see, Can't hunt during general beach hours and turn in all my finds....I thought, Why spend gas money and gate fees to go there just to have to turn around and turn in my finds....

Going to email the State DNR and ask them if these are all state parks rules or just that place.

 

[ratpack]

The whole idea is to discourage you from detecting so take a flashlight.If you turn in the stuff and no one clams it its yours after 30 days, think of it as a bank account.

 

[Gunnar MN]

I found the same thing was not alowed to hunt in any turffed areas grass and you have to turn in every thing basicalyy dont bother

 

[musky8it]

The swimming closes down on labor day. So I was thinking I would wait until them so I could hunt during the day. To me, if they are trying to discourage MDing. Why don't they just get it over with and ban it. Like everything else the GOV does. One thing that would help, is if the MDing manufactor companies would complain/lobby they are looseing sales and jobs because of all the stupid regulations. Maybe some state laws would get changed. I am going to write my congressman/senator and complain. I pay taxes, just like campers, hikers, boater, etc. do and if I don't distroy state property I should be alowed to detect.

 

[musky8it]

I found the same thing was not alowed to hunt in any turffed areas grass and you have to turn in every thing basicalyy dont bother

Indiana state parks you can't hunt the grass areas, only beach......you mean don't bother to hunt, or don't turn it in....... What they don't realize is we perform a service to beach areas. We help clean them up of glass, nails, screws, pins, hooks, etc......

 

[woodwizard]

I'd go ahead hunt up a whole bucket full of caps and poptops and other assorted trash then dump it on their desk

 

[musky8it]

So any body posting from Indiana? I am 65 N of indy....

 

[McDyver]

WI state parks changed their rules this year and banned detecting all together, what a bummer they hold allot of gold! Up until now I've been a law abiding citizen, anyone have any stealth ideas they want to share?

 

[grumpyolman]

If you do the water and it's a lake, approach at night from the water in a boat. Anchor it and step out and start hunting. Never get near the dry portion of the hunt area. Different states have different laws on how far the landowner, the state in this case, property line goes into the water. If you did it by diving and were in 10' of water where you went in I'td be pretty tough to say you were trespassing. Besides, even the park rangers sleep.
What a great idea....Walk into the park office and dump all the trash you find and say.."didn't find nothin today."
Isn't a &(@#$))*^ that we are forced to criminal activity in order to enjoy a hobby? Jim

 

[Willee - Texas]

As long as the general public did not know or thought much about what was being found at the beach and everyone thought it was just someone picking up dimes and nickles everything was cool.
Now since every gold ring and diamond treasure is photographed and posted on the forums people are wising up to the fact that we are finding valuable things ... and they are getting jealous.
In this day and age of socialistic equality the thinking is ... why should we be allowed to profit from lost jewelry when they dont get any of it.
We are profiting and the government is not getting their share!
It wont be long before the IRS will be coming after unreported profits from metal detecting and all the evidence they need is right here on the forums ... even the appraised value of the item is often posted for all to see.
We are often seen as looters and pirates by outsiders and ... we sometimes promote this image on our forums!
Arrrrrr Mates ... look at my loot for today!

To anyone just discovering a beach forum it would seem that we are finding handfuls of gold and diamond jewelry every day.
Nothing but post after post of fabulous finds.
Add to the fact there are many more detectors seen swinging on the beach and it is easy to understand why we are getting a higher profile.
Park directors are thinking ... what right do they have to find and keep those valuable items and why should I allow that to continue.

Sad to say ... I am just as guilty as the next guy about posting and bragging about my finds in the past.

WE are largely to blame for the bans on beach hunting.
OUR public actions as a whole have brought this on.
There is nothing to gain (other than inflating our ego) and everything to lose when bragging and publicly displaying the jewelry we find.

Just as an example as to what the laws can be toward finding valuable things ...
Did you know you can be arrested and put in jail for finding a lost electronic cash coupon (the kind the slot machines print out instead of giving cash or tokens) on the floor of a casino and cashing it in? Or even a $1 bill.

Just my thoughts and opinions on the subject of why we are losing places to metal detect.

Willee

 

[ratpack]

They have to give a wide variety of different uses for a wide variety of peoples interests, the ones they don't really like all that much they make rules that discourage you so you'll just give up. Example is parking close to the beach in my area, the sign says no parking on this street from 10 am to 5 pm but that's when the beaches open and closed. so they are giving you permission to park just not the times you want to.

 

[musky8it]

I think I may give this reservoir one try to see what goes. I have hunted at night in the park before so night hunting is no big deal for me. If I do find any rings, you can bet your bottom dollar they will go right on my finger(unless its a womans wedding ring, then it will go in hiding).