It's over for detecting in Pittsburgh Pa:rant:

[Tom_in_CA]

Mega, you're exactly right about the UK system. A lot of USA md'rs are confused about that. They think it's a grand idea, about the supposed love-affair of museum/archies/md'rs. Ie.: they "buy you out" if you find a cache or something, blah blah.

But as your post shows, very few UK hunters are hunting public land (parks, schools, forests, etc....). Instead you guys are 99% private land with permission. Thus the UK system is NOT some sort of "carte-blanche" to detect nilly willy. And it DOESN'T allow on most public land (d/t all the resources belong to the queen, blah blah). Contrast to the USA, if you find a cache on farmer Bob's land, it's totally between you and farmer bob what you want to do with it

 

[skookum]

Hi,
The UK has many many beaches where you can metal detect legaly
The permits are not expensive and they are issued without hassle.
http://www.thecrownestate.co.uk/coastal/metal-detecting/metal-detecting-permit-application/
Under terms and conditions the rules are laid out so everbody knows how to act accordingly
I find nothing wrong with this sort of system
hh
skookum

 

[JASONSPAZ1]

So it appears Allegheny county Pa hired park Rangers to take over the city and county parks...they have taken the applications for permits to detect off the website and are kicking detctorists out of the parks some have hunted for 35 plus years unmolested,I have seen the turf damage and garbage left by unethical detctorists and that is at least partially to blame,some TV shows and a few you-tubers that some of you like also are contributing to the issue and I'm not suprised by the recent ban on our hobby that is occurring all over and in my backyard ....sad to say this but I told ya so! I'm going to do my best to fight this locally. ....Mole

I am so sorry pghmole. That sucks! A few years ago over here in M.A / N.H. they tried to ban the entire coast to detecting. Thousands of us signed a petition and it was reversed. They never gave a reason as to why they considered banning detecting. But I can say all those AT-PRO's I saw at the beaches where in the hands of newbies who you just knew saw the guys on DIGGERS using AT-PRO's and they figured they could find some summer nectar. ( sarcasm )

I know you have commented on another thread about the damage of the hobby by the show DIGGERS, so I figured I could share it here.

http://www.findmall.com/read.php?85,2226525,2228882#msg-2228882

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Yes, I am aware that beaches (and maybe not "all" beaches?) there in the UK are the exception to the blanket-statement I made. Thus yes, there is some hunting of public beaches going on there in the UK. Hence you're right: It's not strictly private farm-land being done there.

HOWEVER, I betcha dollars-to-donuts that they're not hunting town parks, town commons, campgrounds, etc... (at least not legally). But contrast that to the USA, where parks, schools, campgrounds, public forests, etc.... are ROUTINELY hunted.

So all I'm trying to say is, that the UK system is not some sort of free-for-all that allows you on "all public land" (as some USA hunters seem to think). Quite to the contrary, there is TONS of public land there, that is off-limits. Much more so than in the USA, where you can hunt scores of public lands w/o issue.

 

[pghmole]

-- moved topic --

 

[Elton]

The above post by Tom is his opinion..and not necessarily how things are. Sorry Tom, but you could get some people in real trouble making some of your statements if they were all to be believed at face value.
You say . I bet they were out in the open.. WELL yea Tom.... Why Not?? If you have to hide to do the hobby where is that any fun...One should be able to detect out in the open..not hide and looking over your shoulder.

Permits are a fact in some areas. No detecting is also a fact in some areas...Removal ,and, or arrests are also a fact in some locations... if you violate the rules, and codified laws ( Ordinances) of that particular area.

Enforcement in City, State, Federal,and County parks can be enforced. Arrests can be made of violators. Detectorists can be removed, and are.... You better check, and follow the rules in your area before you detect in some areas.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

.... If you have to hide to do the hobby where is that any fun...One should be able to detect out in the open..not hide and looking over your shoulder.....

For nearly 40 yrs. now, I've been waiting for the "red-carpets-to-be-rolled-out for me". I too have wished there were signs welcoming me with "metal detecting welcome here" signs. And even if I talked about "indian bones" , "dig", "alter" "take", and "cultural heritage", the archies should welcome you & I with open arms right? Lest it be no fun and be "sneaking around" right ?

Or .... I can face reality that not "every last person on earth" will sign off on me, love me, bless me, etc.... Perhaps if I chose a much less oddball hobby like needlepoint, I could attain that stutus. Hmmmm. Or I could stick to md'ing, but relegate my self to modern sandboxes. But even then, I bet that I could find someone to object. Moral of the story ?

 

[HaroldILL.]

That is like where I live the word ''Forest Preserve'' is a misnomer as are ''Forest Presreves'' are full of Trash,Prostitute's,Drug addict's and Homosexual's ,But they are worried about a very few detectorists diggin' a coulpe holes and fillin' them in? I don't get this country sometimes?

 

[Tom_in_CA]

That is like where I live the word ''Forest Preserve'' is a misnomer as are ''Forest Presreves'' are full of Trash,Prostitute's,Drug addict's and Homosexual's ,But they are worried about a very few detectorists diggin' a coulpe holes and fillin' them in? I don't get this country sometimes?

You've listed these activities from there:

a) those who dumped trash there,

b) those who practice prostitution & homosexual liasons there,

c) those who do drug use there,

Do you know what the difference is between those above people, and us md'rs is ? None of those people asked permission to do their activities, did they ? Had they done so, then THEY TOO would get a 'no' like we have. Then THEY TOO could start forums lamenting their "lack-of-freedoms", like we md'rs have. I'm sure there's some rule that forbids dumping trash, drug use, & prostitution there. But it's an issue of them not asking for permission, or waiting to see "red carpets inviting them". But we md'rs seem to think we need red carpets.

Thus, no, bad analogy. Those things aren't non-prohibited. However, it's a good analogy in another way: If they're doing it, with no apparent issue, and if you know DARNED WELL that we do less damage and social ills than them, then I'll be durned if I'm going to have a guilty conscience practicing my hobby in those forests.

I bet you dollars to donuts, that the origination of the no detecting rule of that forest, was well-meaning md'rs, way-back-when, who went asking "can we detect?" type questions. Moral of the story ? Don't ask silly questions, and you won't get silly answers.

 

[ironsight]

That is like where I live the word ''Forest Preserve'' is a misnomer as are ''Forest Presreves'' are full of Trash,Prostitute's,Drug addict's and Homosexual's ,But they are worried about a very few detectorists diggin' a coulpe holes and fillin' them in? I don't get this country sometimes?

Its 'politically correctness' these days!
What used to be bad is good now
What used to be wrong is right now
What used to be down is up now
What used to be frowned on is enthusiastically accepted now
Likewise, metal detecting used to be ok, now its politically INcorrect in some areas!

I'd say modern movies and television sitcoms with the liberal mainstream media cheering all this political correctness BS is to blame.
Joseph Geobbels the master Nazi propagandist once said:

If you repeat a lie often enough, it becomes the truth. If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it.

I sometimes wonder what the logical conclusion of all the crapola goin on today is gonna be?
The last days of the Roman Empire? Greek Empire? etc....comes to mind.