e-mailed the Sheriff

[maipenrai]

Just put yourself in the shoes of the poor sole that sits and answers the phone all day for the county or city or whatever. You call and ask if you can detect somewhere, so what is he going to say? He might not have a clue if detecting is allowed, but he sure isnt going to go out on a limb, and tell you, "sure, go ahead". It would be his hide, if he was wrong. So the only off the cuff answer for him to give, is "no, you cant detect".

Another thing is that when someone talks of metal detecting, up comes images of someone with a shovel, digging 6 foot deep holes, so no one is going to give you permission for that. Lets face it, some people can dig and fill their holes nicely, and others cant, so they are not going to give one person permission, and not give it to others, based on how will you can dig. I myself have filled some holes very badly in the past, but thought I was doing a good job. It takes time to learn!

I have asked the rangers when going to some beaches in Cali, Just because I had to pass by their office, and a couple times got the answer, "sure, but dont dig holes". Well, I wouldnt even need a detector, if I wasnt going to dig holes. I just say OK, then go and dig my holes, in the sand or pick nick area, in the dirt, then fill them up. Probably their definition of hole digging is different than mine. Also going anywhere, its a good idea to pick the off hours, you dont need to get into peoples faces.

I usually just ask a fellow detectorest, if a certain place is allowed or not, or take my chances, but calling city hall would be the last choice.

 

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[Tom_in_CA]

reply

No, that's not a "pheonix button". I though you were talking about one of these:

article4

They do get found along the Columbia river area, which is where you were hunting at.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

that's not a "phoenix button". This is what I was talking about (which do get found along the Columbia river area):

article4

 

[Hot zone]

Ok,ok, I was ill informed. I am nuntheless pleased with my button find. I have read Emory Strong's "Stoneage on the Columbia" and the great basin book some 20 years ago; I should have been paying more attention but arrowheads were my passion at the time. You remind me of my 2nd grade teacher who couldn't just say I was wrong once she had to repeat it.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

oops, I didn't think my 'puter took my first attempt to reply (it wasn't showing). So I repeated. Sorry. I guess I'll be like a grade school teacher then and repeat things. Be glad I didn't tell you to stand in the corner! haha

 

[Hot zone]

oops, I didn't think my 'puter took my first attempt to reply (it wasn't showing). So I repeated. Sorry. I guess I'll be like a grade school teacher then and repeat things. Be glad I didn't tell you to stand in the corner! haha

The dunce cap is a little tight due to my fat head! Emory Strong was quite the anomaly. When he is cited by archeologists they must always include the word amateur. It is like the asterik beside Roger Maris because, while he hit more homers than Babe Ruth in a season, his season had fewer games. If all he did was find the Monarch Cache he would have been famous. Emory gives the amateur hope that if we keep looking, and aquire a large enough collection, we will command some respect but unfortunately with the asterisk. I often wondered why amateurs had the good stuff and museums displayed the mediocre until I met a gal who had found a small cache on a College Dig only to have it stolen by one of her classmates. The good stuff if it is small enough to be hidden,never makes it to a museum period.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

reply

The dunce cap is a little tight due to my fat head! Emory Strong was quite the anomaly. When he is cited by archeologists they must always include the word amateur.

Yup, you got that right. It was in the 1970s that the "purist" archaeologists "got hold" of the systems up there. Prior to that, the private hobbyist/collectors had basically been the back-bone of all knowledge collected, assembled, known, etc... on the pre-history there. This is because that even back in the teens and '20s (heck, maybe even back into the late 1800s), indian artifact hunting had been a popular past-time, even then! People would row boats out to the islands on the Columbia river, take a picnic lunch, and the whole family would spend all day sifting. Amazing how far back indian artifact nostalgia/collectibles go in the american psyche. But yes, Emory Strong was of that vintage of persons who as a young person, took an interest in that. But lo & behold when the "purist" archies look at his work, they "bristle" that he (egads) collected, dug, traded around, etc... and was not credentialed with a degree and so forth. And they bristled that he would dare reveal site locations (lest others be inclined to go relic hunting themselves, and ... oh no ... we can't have that).

Yet as you know, his work is, to this day, the premier authority on the topic in that region. You might also want to check out a book by a fellow "Paul Fridlund" called "The Conquest". He touches on a lot of the same material: early contact period of the pacific NW, that Emory gave some space to in the Stone Age book. Paul is currently working on a book (supposedly) dealing with strictly trade items of the pacific northwest, of which, of course, a chapter or section will be dedicated solely to Phoenix Buttons.

 

[Hot zone]

A digger friend of mine John died last year in Camas. His square atlatl was pictured in Emory's book. He also traded items with him. John really liked to trade and in the 1980s, I traded 3 Washougal broadheads to Him for a side notch mcnary knife/spearhead. John theorized the large broadheads found on the Washougal and lady island were actually for atlatl and the fact that weights are not found there didn't bother him. He felt the bead spacer found at both sites was not a bead spacer as no beads were found. He felt they had little function anyway not adding to the distance of the throw and were thus serimoniously attached. I argued the large points were simply used to spear salmon and the spacer was a bead. We had great fun and I will miss him.

 

[Hot zone]

Back on subject: Today I filled out the form to metal detect at battleground lake state park. The rules basically say if you find anything of old military, Indian or of a historical nature you must leave it were it is and notify the ranger so the area can be quarantined. You find something good you can't have it and no one will else will be allowed to detect either. Only 2 small areas of the park are designated. When arriving I couldn't help but notice all the signs asking for a $10 daily fee or $30 for a discover pass. I hunted the park last year for nothing and now plan only to visit Oregon state parks, so I left for cheaper options.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

The rules basically say if you find anything of old military, Indian or of a historical nature you must leave it were it is and notify the ranger so the area can be quarantined.

Hmm, well I don't consider an 1880 s $20 gold piece to be anything of "old military, indian, or historical nature", do you? Now perhaps a Roman coin from AD 100 might be "old" or "historic", right? But "mere" IH's, seateds, gold coins, etc... old? Nah.

 

[Chug And Red]

Larry, Your Ok In Vancouver As Long as You Dont try to Metal detect Near Fort Vancouver Bad Stuff will Happen!!!Fines Up to 5000.00 They will Take your Metal detector And Vehicle You Arrived In!!!! Its A National Historic Reservation It Extends Into the Columbia River To the Middle of the Channel and Aproximantly 1/2 Mile to Each Side of It When In Doubt Ask Other Wise It good to Go, State Parks Require A Permit Cost 5 dollers And You have to Follow the Rules

Just remember Respect the Parks And Dont Destroy the Hobbie for Us All!!!! And If you See A Tall Guy and A Cute Red head out Detecting Come on Over Red Only Bite's Once in Awhile!!!

OOPS forgot If you Contacting the Sherrif's Office Your Just A Little Out side Vancouver And We Have Never Had Any Problems Just stay Away From Our gold Park!!! LOL Chug

 

[Hot zone]

Hmm, well I don't consider an 1880 s $20 gold piece to be anything of "old military, indian, or historical nature", do you? Now perhaps a Roman coin from AD 100 might be "old" or "historic", right? But "mere" IH's, seateds, gold coins, etc... old? Nah.

In the summary of rules it also says no item of historical or archaeological significance from early pioneer activity. The 1735-1795 lung dynasty coin I found could have predated Captain Gray, but it only becomes significant if China pushes the issue!! Lol

 

[Chug And Red]

Larry, Your Ok In Vancouver As Long as You Dont try to Metal detect Near Fort Vancouver Bad Stuff will Happen!!!Fines Up to 5000.00 They will Take your Metal detector And Vehicle You Arrived In!!!! Its A National Historic Reservation It Extends Into the Columbia River To the Middle of the Channel and Aproximantly 1/2 Mile to Each Side of It When In Doubt Ask Other Wise It good to Go, State Parks Require A Permit Cost 5 dollers And You have to Follow the Rules

Just remember Respect the Parks And Dont Destroy the Hobbie for Us All!!!! And If you See A Tall Guy and A Cute Red head out Detecting Come on Over Red Only Bite's Once in Awhile!!!

OOPS forgot If you Contacting the Sherrif's Office Your Just A Little Out side Vancouver And We Have Never Had Any Problems Just stay Away From Our gold Park!!! LOL Chug

Hi, also don't detect around train tracks, you will get a huge fine and could lose all your stuff! Red

 

[signal]

yeah i think thats way overkill. If a sheriff emailed me and told me he had no knowledge of the law, i would save the email, and move on........there are probably 10 of thousands if not hundreds of thousands of laws. If the sheriffs don't know them, heck if I am going to spend time reading all of them.