Park Hunting issue

[MarkCZ]

They can NOT fine you if the "Park Rule Signs" (posted signs) do not include "No Metal Detecting" worse case is you could be ask to leave.
Now State Parks is another issue all together.

Telling clerical personal isn't likely to get you to the real legal or not legal aspects of detecting in a city park anyway, now if you ask for the written laws or rules for a certain park and they let you look at them then you have done what you need to do. Being nice and buttering up to some office clerk about how tidy you are and how you remove all the trash that you dig up isn't how you investigate city park rules, just ask them for the written rules of the park, go over the list, thank them and leave!

Tom nor I are saying you shouldn't check on the park rules, just don't go in and give them the details of how nice you fill in your holes, and that you use a ground cloth, and you only dig with a garden spade. They do not need to know WHY you want to see the park rules and don't tell them. Now if the rules would state something like,
'Metal Detecting Is Only Prohibited If The Person Has An Issued Permit To Do So'
Then you would do good to ask them to point you in the direction of the office that issues those permits. But, I wouldn't bother even hunting the park myself and the reason is if they require a permit there is almost for sure a LONG list of limitation that is to stringent to make it worth detecting.

Mark

 

[Tom_in_CA]

....there are no signs addressing the use of metal detectors in any of the parks here so one could assume if no signs, no rules against it, but I don't like to assume.....

I don't get it. Where's the "assuming"? There's no "assuming" at all going on, if you study and know there's no rule that said "no md'ing". Sounds like you haven't "assumed" to me ?

.... just do something ASSUMING its ok only to have Jonny Law show up and hit me with a fine...

Can you tell of of any incidents you've heard of , of "fines" for detecting in inncuous (ie.: not an obvious historic sensitive monument) , and that didn't have any "no detecting" rules, in the small towns that you speak of ? If you have a case of tickets, fines, jail, etc... in such a case, please do share.

..... I like to check at City Hall first. ...

Correct. And isn't the city-hall laws, ordinances, rules, etc... posted publically for anyone to read and study ? Eg.: @ their website, or behind the front desk in binder form, etc... ?

..... I personally don't believe for a minute that my checking to see if there are any laws or rules against MDing is going to generate one,.....

This shows you're seeing the alternate "what could happen" point of view. Thanx. And to answer this quote, it would depend also on what you mean by "generate one". Because let's say for a minute that you got a "no" (because some desk clerk thought you'd harm earthworms). Does that, or does-that-not, constitute a "rule" ? Because suppose for a minute you found out later, that someone else was md'ing there no problem, and getting choice seated coins out of that park. But wait, you can't go, because you got a "no", right ? So is it really fair that he can go, but you can't ? So ... again, what constitutes having generated a "no" ? I have, by the way, heard of city's who had a rule, and it did INDEED start with someone asking/inquiring, and thus leading to the genius idea to make a rule to "address the pressing question".

...., I see it as projecting the image that WE care about our parks too....

How is checking the rules ahead of time, if you are skittish (which their answer would be based on actual laws/rules anyhow, eh?) not "caring" about parks ? I "care" about parks, and do not consider detecting them to be anything that's un-caring. So .... I don't get this statement.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

mark, your post reminded me of the person who posted years ago, the following lament:

He asked "can I metal detect?" at city hall ? The confused city clerk at the front desk was confused as to his question. I guess she was thinking of airport style "metal detectors" ? After some clarification, she then got the intent of his question. So she looks all through her city booklets, muni codes, etc.... She can't find anything that says anything about "metal detecting". So she announces to him "I can't find anything that dis-allows that, so I guess you're good to go!".

The md'r, upon hearing that, gleefully announces: "Great! And I'll be sure to fill in all my holes. You won't even be able to tell I was there". However, the instant she heard the word "holes", she tells the gentleman: "wait, let me check some more". She excused herself from the front desk, and the md'r could see her going down the hall, and poking her head in various other superior's office doors conferring about the matter.

She returns to the front desk and says "Sorry sir, but we're going to have to tell you no". The man objected (because he sensed this was arbitrary and whimsical), asking "what changed? you just said yes?". She handed him a utility Co. brochure that ... on the cover, said "call before you dig". And it depicted a backhoe digging trenches or whatever as the photo on the cover.

The man laughed when he realized this was talking about construction companies, heavy equipment, gas lines, etc.... He handed the brochure back to her and said "mam, this is talking about people digging 6 ft. deep! I'm only going to be digging 6 inches deep! " She leafed through the brochure, and handed it back to him saying "Sir, it doesn't say *how deep*, it just says call before any digging, therefore we're still going to have to tell you no".

The poor fellow left with his brochure, more confused than when he'd started. True story !

 

[Dirt slinger]

....there are no signs addressing the use of metal detectors in any of the parks here so one could assume if no signs, no rules against it, but I don't like to assume.....

I don't get it. Where's the "assuming"? There's no "assuming" at all going on, if you study and know there's no rule that said "no md'ing". Sounds like you haven't "assumed" to me ?

.... just do something ASSUMING its ok only to have Jonny Law show up and hit me with a fine...

Can you tell of of any incidents you've heard of , of "fines" for detecting in inncuous (ie.: not an obvious historic sensitive monument) , and that didn't have any "no detecting" rules, in the small towns that you speak of ? If you have a case of tickets, fines, jail, etc... in such a case, please do share.

..... I like to check at City Hall first. ...

Correct. And isn't the city-hall laws, ordinances, rules, etc... posted publically for anyone to read and study ? Eg.: @ their website, or behind the front desk in binder form, etc... ?

..... I personally don't believe for a minute that my checking to see if there are any laws or rules against MDing is going to generate one,.....

This shows you're seeing the alternate "what could happen" point of view. Thanx. And to answer this quote, it would depend also on what you mean by "generate one". Because let's say for a minute that you got a "no" (because some desk clerk thought you'd harm earthworms). Does that, or does-that-not, constitute a "rule" ? Because suppose for a minute you found out later, that someone else was md'ing there no problem, and getting choice seated coins out of that park. But wait, you can't go, because you got a "no", right ? So is it really fair that he can go, but you can't ? So ... again, what constitutes having generated a "no" ? I have, by the way, heard of city's who had a rule, and it did INDEED start with someone asking/inquiring, and thus leading to the genius idea to make a rule to "address the pressing question".

...., I see it as projecting the image that WE care about our parks too....

How is checking the rules ahead of time, if you are skittish (which their answer would be based on actual laws/rules anyhow, eh?) not "caring" about parks ? I "care" about parks, and do not consider detecting them to be anything that's un-caring. So .... I don't get this statement.

Tom, I'm having trouble understanding how you can so completely misread or misunderstand nearly every point or statement Ive tried to make. Ive read and reread everything Ive said here and I don't know how I can state my point of view or experiences any clearer than I already have so before this turns into one of "those posts" I will just bow out and wish you good hunting!

 

[ironsight]

....I ALWAYS check with the city officials to see if detecting is legal, and in every case...where I am...it is, they just ask that you leave it as you found it, to which I reply that it will be cleaner than when I got there. If its legal where you are, get a letter from the city stating so, ....

This sure sounds like you 'always' make person to person contact requests with City hall officials especially getting permission letters form the city.

The only time i do this type of permission thing with gov. property is where there are clear 'no metal detecting' signs. Sometimes it works if one can talk fast, mention connections and with a load of BS. Been there done that successfully a couple times.
City parks with no NO METAL DETECTING posted in the park rules on-site sign, just go for it.

If there are no signs prohibiting metal detecting in a city park, its beyond me why someone would go through all that BS with the real risk of giving political hacks a heads up idea for a prohibitive MDing ordinance to enact. These people love to enact ordinances in order to keep their phony balony jobs. Don't give them any ideas.
The less said to these people, the better off.

 

[HaroldILL.]

Hi,
Why not be honest and show her the nickle and then mention that your equipment to recover such is worth more than a thou (US $)?
She would probably laugh, shake her head and write you off as a fool.
hh
skookum

I learned a long time ago it's better to say you found nothin' But trash and show some Pull Tabs or Junk if you want, But I want too Be a harmless idiot who doesn't find anything of possible value.

 

[woodchuck1127]

You never now who is watching you these days , sounds like somebody was trying to scare you from a public park that they think is theirs

 

[HaroldILL.]

Hey Woodchuck I like the Kitty! I always was a Cat guy. Had a Persian that passed away He was just like a Dog as He would come when I called Him. He was a great Cat!

 

[dfmike]

Harold, you're still getting good replies. A post-script I would add to my previous reply is: This type thing is exactly why I do most of my turf hunting at night nowadays. So peaceful. So serene Because let's be perfectly honest: Turf hunting *does* have ... uh ... "connotations" [that you might be about to leave a hole]. Hence rather than debate people on semantics, I just go when such lookie-lous aren't likely to be present. Presto, problem solved

Depending on where one lives, that might prove difficult. I tried it once but here in the summer months, hives of mosquitoes literally come out of the woodwork around 8PM and leave when the sun comes up. If you don't have a net to protect your whole body, forget it. That's not counting the occasional skunk, hedgehog, raccoon, coyote or fox that one can find in its path.

 

[Ringzapper]

You will always get some one who does not like you detecting , some people love sticking there noses into things they should not. Digging in parks is dicey as some people get annoyed
by seeing the hole. They will happily let there dogs foul the park though! I always tell people to Piss off when they approach with a load of verbal abuse.

 

[slingshot]

Hi,
Why not be honest and show her the nickle and then mention that your equipment to recover such is worth more than a thou (US $)?
She would probably laugh, shake her head and write you off as a fool.
hh
skookum

I learned a long time ago it's better to say you found nothin' But trash and show some Pull Tabs or Junk if you want, But I want too Be a harmless idiot who doesn't find anything of possible value.

Pennies!!! They shake their heads and walk off. Sometimes I say I also found a nickle. Never have to lie that way.