Stopped by DNR

[GateKeeper]

Yesterday I was informed by 2 DNR officers that it was illegal to MD in an inland fresh water lake. I was given permission by the town's PD, Historical society, and the Chamber of commerce, yet the DNR says No digging in the lake. Has anybody else encountered this?

 

[Larry (IL)]

You must have been hunting on State property where the "little green men" reign supreme. That is where a few "yes sirs" will go a long way, they have more powers than the State police. They can search you and siege your equipment at will if they are in the mood ..........but most of them are pretty good guys. Hunting State property is a whole new ball game, OK some places and not allowed at others.

If you are hunting the US Army Corp of Engineers property, you might want to carry a copy of permission granted to hunt, thanks to an agreement between the Corp and the FMDAC.org some years ago. Unless the Corp of Engineers property is posted, we can hunt it. That covers a lot of the man made lakes and lock and dams in Illinois and across the country.

 

[GateKeeper]

DNR told me that since it is a natural lake, it belongs to them. The town told me tthe town owns it. A friend told me that the Army Corps of engineers was planning on dredging it. HMMMM. What is that agrrement your talking about Larry?

 

[Larry (IL)]

You might have to do some digging, it has been quite a few years ago but this site came to mind. http://www.wwats.org/index.php?module=ContentExpress&func=display&ceid=17&meid=-1 This and the FMDAC.org will get you started.

 

[GKMan]

Sounds scary to me that they would make such a claim based on it being a natural lake ... Definitely would like to hear an update if you could keep us informed.

 

[Larry (IL)]

Phil, I made a call and the little green men were in the right if you were IN the water. The Dept. of Natural Resources has jurisdiction of the water even if the natural lake is on private property. If you had permission to hunt on the ground, you should be OK if you stay out of the water. I was also told the DNR must have been following up on a complaint because they usually don't bother with things like metal detecting.

 

[GateKeeper]

Crazy. Yea not in the water when I talked to them. They were just informing me for the future.

 

[steve herschbach]

That is how I get to feeling sometimes. need to get out and detect like crazy where I can for as long as I can because the list of legal places just keeps getting shorter. It seems like it was just yesterday that nobody cared.

 

[GateKeeper]

Just talked to DNR office. All we have to do is apply for a permit and we are good to go.

 

[GKMan]

So...this was state property?

 

[GateKeeper]

NO its not! Just called down state to main office. Talked to DNR director in charge of water. He told me that this IS NOT state owned and I DO NOT need a permit for metal detecting in the water. He said that Conservation Officers do patrol the lake to enforce fishing regulations, but the officers can not stop me from metal detecting in the water. If I do get stopped, the director told me to have the officers call him so that he can set the officers straight. The director told me that it would be in my best interest though to get written permission from the town, which I do. So there you have it. Do your research and dont let others try and push you around when they dont have all the information.

 

[Ism]

Thanks for the follow up GK.

 

[bugg]

politicians who push bigger government , and voting for those who take away our freedoms, then we wake up one day and realize we are screwed.

 

[GKMan]

Thanks Gate good to hear things worked out.

 

[mudpuppy]

Its good policy not to argue with a guy who has both a gun and a badge..I don't know what I'd do, probably go ahead and hunt and act like I was an illegal alien, which would put me out of their jurisdiction..hell, they'd probably give me a free lunch and a house!
Mud

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Thanx for the followup. Your results are one of the reasons I put very little stock in any "booting" I may receive. As your case shows, often-times its just one person's opinion or mood (so you merely give lip service and avoid just that one person in the future ). Or as was pointed out , could be them responding to some griper who called in, yet they themselves could care less.

A lot of md'rs would have taken an encounter like yours and thought "oh no, I can't detect !" But often-time a booting is just random, and is not a precedent for anything .

 

[GKMan]

Ha!