The day has finally come....

[sprchng]

George ,
Here's the pertinant (that means related to) clause in the code of a city I hunt frequently , like 300 times a year:
(2) Removal of Natural Resources. No person in a park shall dig or remove any beach sand, whether submerged or not, or any soil, rock, stones, trees, shrubs or plants, down timber or other wood or materials, or make any excavation by tool, equipment, blasting, or other means or agency.
Am I breaking the law? Not according to the city police or any park official.
Charleston's law may be different but Bristol's is about the same----if you interpret that as saying metal detecting is illegal , I am sorry for you ,,,,, but it sure leaves more stuff in the parks for me to recover. Thanks

 

[Tom_in_CA]

.... Sounds like pretty standard park rules that probably most cities have in one form or another. ...

Mrwilburino, you are exactly right. When I read the OP's park wording, I did not read into any of that : "no md'ing". That type wording, to the effect of forbidding "alter", "deface" "vandalize", etc.... will be in ANY park's wording across the entire USA. If those things automatically mean "no md'ing", then we all might as well give up all parks right now.

Thus on the contrary, all those terms/verbage implicitly refer to the END result. Hence if you've left no trace of your presence, then logically you have not alterED, defacED, or vandalizED anything, NOW HAVE YOU ?? Sure not everyone will agree with those semantics. Fine: go at lower traffic times and avoid such lookie-lous.

 

[digginLa]

Went hunting at a small town park about a month ago. There is a sign posted giving all the ruled for the park, the only thing that would pertain to metal detecting is that its unlawful to remove anything that is historically significant. Well while I was detecting one of the park rangers showed up, he said I could metal detect as long as I didn't dig any holes. His reasoning was the possibility that someone might step in it and get hurt.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Went hunting at a small town park about a month ago. There is a sign posted giving all the ruled for the park, the only thing that would pertain to metal detecting is that its unlawful to remove anything that is historically significant. Well while I was detecting one of the park rangers showed up, he said I could metal detect as long as I didn't dig any holes. His reasoning was the possibility that someone might step in it and get hurt.

diggin-La, that would assume you'd left the holes open. Lest how else could someone step in them and get hurt, if you'd covered your holes ? But from that ranger's perspective, he's not going to play judge of which md'r is clean and neat, versus which md'r "leaves holes". So guess what the easier solution is for him ? Otherwise, in his mind's eyes, even though *you* maybe neat, yet it's opening the pandora's box for any other yahoo to come along who may not be as neat.

And this "holes" thing for a "no" or "scram" could happen ANYWHERE, at ANY park in the entire USA. I mean, can you imagine walking into any city hall and asking : "Hi, can I dig holes in the park?" Of COURSE they are going to say no. Yup, even at places where detecting is common place and no one's ever been bothered.

So if I were in your shoes, (and assuming the md'ing is producing keepers there), I'd just pick lower traffic times when that singular lookie-lou isn't present. For example: Did he talk to you in the morning ? Then odds are, that's his shift. Just go late afternoons. Or, heck, it's gotten to where I do a lot of park turf at NIGHT nowadays. NOT because I think I'm doing anything illegal, but only because "why swat a hornet's nest?". Like nose-picking: you pick discreet times so as not to offend people.

And as for items of "historical significance", I don't consider barbers, seateds, and gold coins to be "historically significant". Do you ? Now maybe if I found a Roman coin from AD 100. Or a belt buckle that said "property of Abraham Lincoln", etc...