Arrested for relic hunting

[JohnnieWalker]

Why do some people get so upset over someone digging an arrowhead that nobody will every see if not recovered?

http://staugustine.com/news/2010-02-12/men-charged-excavating-artifacts

 

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[bootybay]

State land.. is usually off limits unless permission is granted.. depends upon what state as I think each state is different.

 

[ivan salis]

state lands here in florida are normally off limits to metal detector /artifact gathering (and indian burial sites are always off limits)--the ladder that they had is a clue --it was to get into a pit or up into a cave or something -- they were not just walking around and "randomly" picked up a picked up a arrowhead --they were looking for a indian site to loot most likely --

 

[diggummup]

state lands here in florida are normally off limits to metal detector /artifact gathering (and indian burial sites are always off limits)--the ladder that they had is a clue --it was to get into a pit or up into a cave or something -- they were not just walking around and "randomly" picked up a picked up a arrowhead --they were looking for a indian site to loot most likely --

I agree and here is a better story with pics- these guys look like lawbreakers anyway.-http://www.gainesville.com/article/20100211/ARTICLES/100219912/1002

 

[ivan salis]

newman lake is a "well know indain burail area site" here in florida --theres lots of indain burail poachers that try to hit it sadly -- those guys were digging "test pits" to find a burail site to loot , count on it .--they found a few random arrowheads and such --but were looking for a "big" score --indain grave goods to sell --they dig "test pits" till they turn up a burial site then they dig as deep as needed to find the loot --thus the ladder .

digging in a "well known indain burial site" --and got arrested --good "grave robbers" needed to be busted.

these were no innocent random "surface find" arrowhead finders

 

[rjw4law]

Part of the article describes the area dug up as appearing "carpet bombed"......definitely will draw attention to anyone. Know where you are and what you are doing. when on the land legally, leave it as found.

 

[centfladigger]

oooh, I hate bringing up old post, so sorry about that,lol BUT. I know this site and the situation very well. Im a digger/diver for fossils and artifacts here in Fl. one of my digging partners is a police officer and this arresting officer was his roomate at the time of the bust. The arresting officer was at the boat ramp doing some paper work and had no knowledge of these guys digging, the came out of the wood with their dig gear and he looked up and got out and asked them and they told.
This site isnt a burial site at all, just alot of activity throughout the time periods. When the lake went dry about 7 years ago, Dr. Barbara Purdy who does the states wet site stuff found over 80 aboriginal watercraft ( canoes) too much to excavate and preserve so they are reburied, this lake has a creek that runs into Payne Prairie which was a HUGE site back in the paleo days

http://www.floridastateparks.org/paynesprairie/

These guys and hundreds of others were digging for arrowheads and most do it to sell nowadays, sad but true. thats what happened at this site pictured below, I had permission to dig here and tried to police it the best I could, these guys put this site on the internet and there were groups from Ga. driving down to dig, CRAZY, they brought grills and drank beer and left trash, I puylled out and then they did a bust and heres a pic of one guy who got busted