I have read several post on this forum and others from Tennessee MDers that mention "MDing Permit" from TVA to hunt their properties. I hunt deer and small game on several TVA held properties here in E. Tn. and ALL of those areas are open to the public. I have searched EVERY TVA web presence I can find and have yet to be able to find any info regarding MDing permits. Can anyone shed some light on this for me? I intend to detect TVA properties and don't want to run into trouble.
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TVA Permit?????
- Thread starter HOT COIL
- Start date
They are currently reviewing their MD rules and regulations. I sent my renewal application back in June and have not gotten my new permit back. The permits are good for 2 years and they will check them. There is some information on their website under recreation or you can give them a call. They require an application that you can print from their site and a copy of your drivers license. Not sure what the holdup is. They did have some problems from some MDers on Cherokee Lake. I would not go without the permit. Hope this helps. HH 
hershey1 said:They are currently reviewing their MD rules and regulations. I sent my renewal application back in June and have not gotten my new permit back. The permits are good for 2 years and they will check them. There is some information on their website under recreation or you can give them a call. They require an application that you can print from their site and a copy of your drivers license. Not sure what the holdup is. They did have some problems from some MDers on Cherokee Lake. I would not go without the permit. Hope this helps. HH
Do you have a link or contact info.? I am not going to be hunting beaches/swimming areas or dam sites. I will be hunting river properties and property owned by TVA but used by towns on the river.
HOT COIL said:hershey1 said:They are currently reviewing their MD rules and regulations. I sent my renewal application back in June and have not gotten my new permit back. The permits are good for 2 years and they will check them. There is some information on their website under recreation or you can give them a call. They require an application that you can print from their site and a copy of your drivers license. Not sure what the holdup is. They did have some problems from some MDers on Cherokee Lake. I would not go without the permit. Hope this helps. HH
Do you have a link or contact info.? I am not going to be hunting beaches/swimming areas or dam sites. I will be hunting river properties and property owned by TVA but used by towns on the river.
try this...
http://www.tva.gov/river/landandshore/culturalresources/faq.htm
pan4au said:HOT COIL said:hershey1 said:They are currently reviewing their MD rules and regulations. I sent my renewal application back in June and have not gotten my new permit back. The permits are good for 2 years and they will check them. There is some information on their website under recreation or you can give them a call. They require an application that you can print from their site and a copy of your drivers license. Not sure what the holdup is. They did have some problems from some MDers on Cherokee Lake. I would not go without the permit. Hope this helps. HH
Do you have a link or contact info.? I am not going to be hunting beaches/swimming areas or dam sites. I will be hunting river properties and property owned by TVA but used by towns on the river.
try this...
http://www.tva.gov/river/landandshore/culturalresources/faq.htm
Thanks but I have used that site before and the link to the permit app. is broken. I have talked to several people about this and they all say ,that unless an area is deemed "archaeologically" important or is otherwise posted, I should be ok to dig there. I'm gonna hunt till told otherwise.
Thanks....
" I have talked to several people about this and they all say ,that unless an area is deemed "archaeologically" important or is otherwise posted, I should be ok to dig there. I'm gonna hunt till told otherwise "
This is the logical approach, if you ask me. There are SCORES of places around the USA, under all sorts of jurisdictions (various city, county, state, and fed. agencies), that truth be told, no one really cares less, unless you're being a nuisance, snooping into obvious historic monuments, etc... But does that mean that if you asked long enough, and hard enough, that you might not find someone in the bureaucracy to tell you "no"? Of course not. You can ALWAYS find someone to tell you "no", even at the most innocuous of sand boxes, if you ask long enough and hard enough of enough bureacrats. All they need to do is leaf through the minutia, to find something to address your "pressing question" (disturbing foilage, harming earthworms, non-collecting verbage, etc...) and presto: you'll get a "no" where quite frankly, no one would probably have ever cared or noticed you.
And as for the TVA "reviewing their policies", how much you want to make a bet that the reason for this "policy review", is the numerous people going in and seeking clarifications, sanctions, asking questions (ie.: "can I keep this 51 yr. old penny I found?") etc.... It's a vicious circle, because if you try to tell these skittish folks "just go", they will invariably point out threads just like this, as the very reason they think they need to go asking. Thus merely perpetuating the vicious circles of new rules written and clarified to "address their pressing issues". Aaaarrggghhhh.
This is the logical approach, if you ask me. There are SCORES of places around the USA, under all sorts of jurisdictions (various city, county, state, and fed. agencies), that truth be told, no one really cares less, unless you're being a nuisance, snooping into obvious historic monuments, etc... But does that mean that if you asked long enough, and hard enough, that you might not find someone in the bureaucracy to tell you "no"? Of course not. You can ALWAYS find someone to tell you "no", even at the most innocuous of sand boxes, if you ask long enough and hard enough of enough bureacrats. All they need to do is leaf through the minutia, to find something to address your "pressing question" (disturbing foilage, harming earthworms, non-collecting verbage, etc...) and presto: you'll get a "no" where quite frankly, no one would probably have ever cared or noticed you.
And as for the TVA "reviewing their policies", how much you want to make a bet that the reason for this "policy review", is the numerous people going in and seeking clarifications, sanctions, asking questions (ie.: "can I keep this 51 yr. old penny I found?") etc.... It's a vicious circle, because if you try to tell these skittish folks "just go", they will invariably point out threads just like this, as the very reason they think they need to go asking. Thus merely perpetuating the vicious circles of new rules written and clarified to "address their pressing issues". Aaaarrggghhhh.
david bull
Well-known member
The TVA permit is only good in their campgronds and so many feet from boat launches.Everywhere else is off limits.
[size=large]people get into trouble going with phrases such as, "should be", "i think", "probly". you wanna stay out of trouble? then get the fore sure answer. assuming nobody is gunna care is when you find the one person who does and they are the authority. you might get away with it. can you afford it if you don't?
HH[/size]
HH[/size]
david bull
Well-known member
I went on the TVA website and as near as I can tell detectors are banned on all TVA property.This really sucks because now people who have never had a permit or even knew that there was a permit will continue to detect illegally as their are very few officers to enforce this regulation.
And the moral of that story is? I can think of places in CA, that if you were to ask long enough and hard enough, you would eventually find some fine print minutia that says "no" (just like in your TVA example). But, just like in your TVA example, no ones there in the middle of the forest to care less anyhow. Or ... oddly ...... you'll even get passing rangers that give you nothing but a friendly wave (because perhaps they just don't know, or just don't care). So if you ask me ....... if no one cares, and no one's around (as you say, there's not enough around to even enforce), then ...... well ........ nevermind.
http://www.tva.gov/river/neighbors/nov05/#13 look near the bottom of the page.
"Metal detecting on TVA-managed lands
TVA has very strict guidelines for the use of metal detectors on TVA-managed lands. These guidelines ensure compliance with state and federal laws designed to protect archaeological resources.
The first step is to apply to TVA for a free metal-detecting permit (PDF file, 106 kb). Applications must be submitted by mail and include a copy of a valid driver
"Metal detecting on TVA-managed lands
TVA has very strict guidelines for the use of metal detectors on TVA-managed lands. These guidelines ensure compliance with state and federal laws designed to protect archaeological resources.
The first step is to apply to TVA for a free metal-detecting permit (PDF file, 106 kb). Applications must be submitted by mail and include a copy of a valid driver
scubadetector
New member
"Objects located with a metal-detecting device can only be removed with a trowel or other hand tool, and digging is limited to a depth of six inches below the surface and a diameter of six inches. The ground surface must be returned to its original condition as much as possible."
They have GOT to be kidding!!! So what is the difference between digging 6" deep and 8" deep?? LOL I know two illegal inches!!!
They have GOT to be kidding!!! So what is the difference between digging 6" deep and 8" deep?? LOL I know two illegal inches!!!
Scuba, and I hope you also know that there is always a fellow there with a ruler, who follows md'rs around, specifically for the purpose of measuing the hole depths. Yup, that's right: the minute you stop to dig, he's right there, and lowers the ruler into every hole. So you better watch out !! 
I know a guy who got his detector confiscated, was ticketed, jailed, and arrested, all in the same day, for going 7 inches.
Sheesk and the sad part is, that all this stuff only comes about I betcha, because years back, md'rs took it upon themselves to go asking if they were allowed to metal detect. Thus, an activity that probably no one ever gave thought to (unless you were being some sort of nuisance around obvious historic monuments), all of the sudden "needs to be addressed". And once it gets passed back and forth between multiple desks, PRESTO: the rules you asked for. Doh!
I know a guy who got his detector confiscated, was ticketed, jailed, and arrested, all in the same day, for going 7 inches. Sheesk and the sad part is, that all this stuff only comes about I betcha, because years back, md'rs took it upon themselves to go asking if they were allowed to metal detect. Thus, an activity that probably no one ever gave thought to (unless you were being some sort of nuisance around obvious historic monuments), all of the sudden "needs to be addressed". And once it gets passed back and forth between multiple desks, PRESTO: the rules you asked for. Doh!