Been busted detecting? What penalty?

[bergie]

Let's hear worse stories on anyone who has gotten 'busted' detecting and what kind of
penalty was received and can you laugh about it now, or not.

 

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[lab rat]

Here's a second-hand story I heard from a lady while visiting a North Carolina gift shop. Next to the cash register was a bowl containing a few Civil War bullets for sale. I bought one and asked where it came from. She said her husband dug it from Fort Fisher, which is now a historic site. I asked her how many more she had, and she said that was it, and there wouldn't be any more. Her husband got caught detecting there and lost his detector, had to pay a $2000 fine, and wasn't allowed on any historic site for the next 5 years for any reason. Maybe I should have bought ALL of those bullets! Especially as she was selling them for $4 apiece!

 

[bergie]

Geez. Guess if he had found a few gold pieces it might have been worth it. Wonder what big wig got his detector. I wonder if they auction them off.

 

[bakergeol]

This story is second hand too. One afternoon a member of a local detecting club was detecting the sidewalk strip between the curve and the street(actually city property). He was confronted by an irate homeowner who demanded that he stop. The detectorist didn't want to create a incident so he stopped detecting in front of her house and started detecting her neighbor's strip. This seemed to make the homeowner even more mad so she dialed 911 and soon enough a cop appeared.
The homeowner explained her reason for dialing 911 and demanded that the detectorist be arrested.?
After listening to both sides the cop issued a $500 ticket and left. However, it was the homeowner who got the ticket for misuse of the 911 number and the detectorist spent the rest of the day on her block with a smile on his face.

George

 

[greatdane]

For a long time I have been detecting at a state park here in western New York and have found many of clad coins all around the area. I never had any trouble with anyone. One day the park manager drove by and seen me with the detector and slamed on the brakes and approached me. He asked if I had a permit and of coarse I didn't have one. He gave me the riot act and I was glad to leave without any trouble from him or the park police. I guess it was a clear warning. Since that time I have applied for a state park permit by mail and recieved one with in two weeks. The permit is only issued for the beach sand area and no other place on thier property. Just a little story that happened to me this past year. Greatdane

 

[mavrick03]

Well
I am off to detect somewhere im not supposed to today so if i get caught ill let you know the outcome in 10 years




Mav

 

[Silverseeker]

I didn't get in trouble with the law, but I did have to deal with a ticked off homeowner once. In and around my hometown, there are tons of empty lots with nothing but the foundations left. Many are not fenced in and I visit the ones that don't have a "No Trespassing" sign posted.

Little did I know that the owner of the property lived in a nearby house. He was ticked off and kicked me out. I knew I didn't have permission to be there, so I was very apologetic and left. As I was leaving, he was getting pretty cocky. One of the few times I let somebody act that way towards me without dealing out some pain. I was in the wrong, so I had to leave with my tail between my legs. lol

 

[Hank]

Well
I am off to detect somewhere im not supposed to today so if i get caught ill let you know the outcome in 10 years




Mav

I was nabbed on an isolated riverside beach in a National Park.? My Jack Russell ,[off leash] , caught the attention of a passing ranger.? The Ranger was quite decent on both petty offenses...and only apprised me of the laws...which I well knew. Later, I was told by a retired ranger from the same district, "if I had been caught by old "iron ass", I would have had big problems".
A few years ago, there was a disturbing news article about one or [two?]? person/s arrested at Padre Island.? Their auto and equipment were confiscated and they were fined $5,000.? Such laws and penalties are outrageously draconian.? ? It is my opinion this is due to the hysteria generated by archaeologists...stewing over the more serious abuses which must occasionally take place on scheduled and historical sites, etc.?

? As G.B.Shaw once noted; "I never expect a soldier to think".? ?He forgot to include cops....and some idiot judges.

 

[Coin_Saver]

Well, I have three stories to tell one involving me, and the two others my brother and his friend, The first one (involving me) we came to our old house that the park rangers had torn down, we saw no no tresspassing signs, at all, we started to detect, when a ranger pulled, up and started yelling at us, we went with no argument but he kept yelling at us for a while which was very annoying, but we left and we did't get a fine! The second one (not involving me) my brother and his freind got caught detecting at a house where they did'nt know where the owner lived but the house next to then is where he lived. lol but the owner noticed them and yelled at them too, he said that he had security cams evrywhere and he was going to check the tapes, he asked for my brothers phone num and he gave it to him, the last one is a long story, and don't want to type it. HH CoinS

 

[treasurekidd]

I've never been busted detecting, but I'm a newbie, and I've always stuck to the public areas around here, but it's only a metter of time (GRIN)! Anyway, here in Rhode Island, I've never even heard of anyone getting in trouble for metal detecting, anywhere. But my Dad lives in Florida, and although he caught the MDing bug from me, he is afraid to even try, as he had heard the 99% of Florida is off-limits, which I think stinks! As for nasty park rangers, it's my experience that most of them are wannabe police officers who couldn't cut it, and they all walk around with a chip on their shoulders. That's why I ALWAYS carry a good size bag with me, and collect trash around the area, not just junk I dig up, but other trash as well. In case I do run into someone with a bad case of the nasties, I hope that my trash cleaning efforts help to "mitigate the circumstances", lol!

 

[mavrick03]

made it back home with no trouble
didn't have all that much luck today only 3 buttons still cleaning them up will post but in these parts allot of mder's have been more or less Vandals and they have ruined it for the rest of us allot of times in a civil war area the relic hunters go in quick nd leave the place looking like Swiss cheese thats why everything is posted now new guys are paying for the deeds of the old
so please be respectful when you hunt pick up any trash and be sure to fill in your holes return things like you found them so poor guys like me dont have to run covert ops just to do a little hunting.



Mav

 

[renegade_7]

I like George's story best.

 

[trmark]

I like George's story also because I had a home owner chase me off a piece ground just like that,and the homeowner was real nasty and mouthy. I got ran off 2 state parks in Washington state with just a warning and one Natiol park in California where the ranger was very nice about it, it was a parking lot, I got 2 wheats, and the ranger sat in his truck while I was detecting until he thought it was time for me to go. I also agree that picking up trash besides what I dig up helps me stay out trouble as well. I always save the aluminum cans I find and most of the time plastic bottles to cash in. In California you can't park along a hwy of a state park or the rangers will threaten to give you a ticket. I don't go to places where I'll get into trouble very often unless theres good cover from being seen, earlyin the morning while the rangers are drinking coffee and tellin lies, or durring holidays, and rainy days when nobody wants to go out. I cover my detector with a large zip loc clear bag to keep it dry. I like sneakin around but watch out for the tatelltales out jogging or hiking.

 

[abird]

What the heck is wrong with you guys? if its not your land, and you dont have the ok to be there, STAY OFF
Be respectfull.

 

[jeff of pa]

My understanding Hunting on National Parks is Highly Illegal, and it is very Dissapointing to hear that some of you are risking arrest to do this. the Laws may not be fair, but neither are the penalties. I understand Some "Laws are made to be broken" in order to make money to keep this country in the black, however, My personal Suggestion, If you'r going to do it, Don't advertise it. <> I personally have so Many Legal sites to search, I wouldn't even have the time to search illegal sites. if you do a little research out there , I'm shure you could make this same comment. <> either way, I'm not your Keeper, however you may want to re-consider some of your actions. <> I'm shure all of you out there know what P.R. is. using good? P.R. I'v gaind the right to search many sites, others would be laughed at for even thinking about asking to search. TRY IT. ? HH ; Jeff

 

[bergie]

Ok, since I started this whole thing, here's a story from earlier this week that is more about what you can accomplish by never giving up even if it seems unlikely at first you will get permission. I had researched what I felt could be an amazing site and very remote and not well known, but very old. Based on old photos and talking to old timers, I found the location, but when I got there the signs said "No Trespassing, Federal Government Equipment on Site, Violators will be Prosecuted"
As you know, nothing worse than feeling you have found a great site and you just can't search it, so I waited along the road by the gate leading to the site and when a car came by, I got in the middle of the road and waved the guy down. I explained why I was there and the guy said he would introduce me to the bossman. I went up the road and met a few of the guys there (turns out it's a training facility for heavy construction equipment so guys can practice without screwing up for real on the job). These guys were cool and gave me the thumbs up when I assured them I'd stay out of their way. (I ended up finding lots of old bottles some ruins of the site I was looking for, an old set of three bracelets, but still trying to find the exact site within the location that could give up the goods, if they are still there). Anyway, you have to have some big balls to go on a site that's posted without permission knowing you could get arrested. I'd have a hard time enjoying the day looking over my shoulder the whole time. I could see the twisted thrill in getting away with it if you have a certain type of personality, but it's not for me.

 

[jeff of pa]

? you have to have some big balls to go on a site that's posted without permission knowing you could get arrested. I'd have a hard time enjoying the day looking over my shoulder the whole time. I could see the twisted thrill in getting away with it if you have a certain type of personality, but it's not for me.

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? You said it all right there BERGIE ; Thanks

 

[coinshtr]

Hello all. I personally feel the way alot of you do about trespassing. I have passed many opportunities to hunt a site because I havent asked yet or havent received permission yet. Those of you that do will almost certainly pay for itsomeday. It may even occur to you if you are land or property owner. Then you may be faced with lawsuits from someone who got hurt on you property. Don't laugh! I know of a large local company who got sued by an individual. The fellow was looking for arrowheads on farmland. He stepped into a rabbit hole or something broke his ankle. then proceded to sue the big company because they obviously can afford it, and the fellow won. Very disheartening to me.
Hope all of your finds are well.
HH coinshtr

 

[mavrick03]

well
i guess i am the black sheep of the family





Mav

 

[Darren in NC]

Good grief, guys. Why the guilt trips? I'll be the first to admit we should have responsible behavior. But I also grew up in the days before hunting leases. You could go to any patch of woods nearby in the country and just go hunting - guns, dogs and all. You didn't have to ask for permission because people in those days assumed trust of others. Those days are gone and I know times have changed. But some of us remember those days and still feel "assumed trust" is just as respectable as "permission based trust." Call me an idealist and out of date, but don't lay the heavy on me just because I go detect a patch of woods somewhere and didn't call the paper company ahead of time. I always ask individual land owners for permission. I can't say I do for public or company owned land. Bergie asked for stories, so let's stick with his request instead of critiquing how we got there.