Florida is essentially eliminating Treasure Hunting July 1, 2012

Interesting Kuger. But another explanation I have heard rendered in these situations, is that the info was forwarded to authorities (of whatever entity it was affected), by md'rs on forums who .... I guess ....... had the attitude "well he shouldn't be there, so I'm going to report him". You know, like the super-hardcore "you gotta ask everywhere" type md'rs. So that too is a way that these things get on the radar of some authority, rather than thinking they "troll" forums.

And as you know, an authority like the police, or park rangers, or whatever, are more likely to pursue something if they get a call (because then they are duty-bound to respond). But lo & behold, if someone calls in and says "they shouldn't be doing that", then the SAME ranger or cop (who perhaps would never have given the matter a moment's notice or thought) is duty-bound to look into it, do something, etc.... Since afterall, .... someone is griping.

well Tom,Render it how ever you wish.I take that as an assumption or accusation that I have "turned",people in for Trespassing,in fact....no,I have not,would I?I think you well know the answer to that.You trespass on ground I have permission on,prepare to pay the consequence.....Thank You
 

Tom....two dredgers(not the one that told the cops he was going to be dredging)that post on here were both "pinched",so who would be on here that would turn them in?
 

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Tom....two dredgers(not the one that told the cops he was going to be dredging)that post on here were both "pinched",so who would be on here that would turn them in?

Hi Kuger, sorry, I don't understand this post/question. Maybe you can elaborate?

As for this: "You trespass on ground I have permission on" I also don't understand that. We live multiple hours apart from each other. So ........ I'm totally lost as to your meaning.

As to my surmising that md'rs have sometimes been the one to blow the whistle on another md'r: The reason I say that, is I heard, on our CA forum, about someone who got busted somewhere here in CA (can't remember where or what entities land). And the story I heard was, they figured out someone else on the CA forum had been disgruntled over where the person was md'ing (guess they figured it wasn't allowed), so they blew the whistle on the other guy(s). I don't know the full story. It wasn't me who got busted, and I'm not saying it was you who blew the whistle on whomever it was. Because I just don't remember all the details.
 

Hi Kuger, sorry, I don't understand this post/question. Maybe you can elaborate?

As for this: "You trespass on ground I have permission on" I also don't understand that. We live multiple hours apart from each other. So ........ I'm totally lost as to your meaning.

As to my surmising that md'rs have sometimes been the one to blow the whistle on another md'r: The reason I say that, is I heard, on our CA forum, about someone who got busted somewhere here in CA (can't remember where or what entities land). And the story I heard was, they figured out someone else on the CA forum had been disgruntled over where the person was md'ing (guess they figured it wasn't allowed), so they blew the whistle on the other guy(s). I don't know the full story. It wasn't me who got busted, and I'm not saying it was you who blew the whistle on whomever it was. Because I just don't remember all the details.
Tom,Dredging is illegal yet a couple folks continued to show pics on here of them dredging....two of which had LEO show up at there homes and used posts on here as evidence
#2 I was simply stating my stance known by you on private property.....I know your stance and again making mine clear....not accusing you

I am VERY clear on that whole deal and the "Reporting Party",happens to be a moderator on here,maybe she can elaborate on the dirty details which she had every right to take the action she took.The "Fellow",is a known trespasser and yes if I ever see him(trespassing) I will report him in an instant.The same guy has posted numerous videos on the net of committing illegal acts....real good rep of our hobby?
 

Yes kuger, what you are saying simply backs up what i am saying: that authorities are not necessarily patrolling forums looking for md violators (items over cultural heritage age, or items found in an area where md'ing is a no-no, etc....). That those incidents where an authority shows up on someone's doorstep with a forum post in hand , is probably a fellow disgruntled md'r who blew the whistle . So you are confirming this .
 

Kuger , regarding the "bad image" to our hobby : Since media attention, following such ratting-out of fellow md'rs , brings about (or i should say "brings attention to") to the bad image , then it seems to me that we should NOT be ratting out fellow md'rs. Ie.: the "lesser of evils " in that situation, eh?
 

Yes kuger, what you are saying simply backs up what i am saying: that authorities are not necessarily patrolling forums looking for md violators (items over cultural heritage age, or items found in an area where md'ing is a no-no, etc....). That those incidents where an authority shows up on someone's doorstep with a forum post in hand , is probably a fellow disgruntled md'r who blew the whistle . So you are confirming this .

Tom,you are missing my point....who would...on here turn somebody in for dredging?
 

Kuger , regarding the "bad image" to our hobby : Since media attention, following such ratting-out of fellow md'rs , brings about (or i should say "brings attention to") to the bad image , then it seems to me that we should NOT be ratting out fellow md'rs. Ie.: the "lesser of evils " in that situation, eh?

So Tom,say you have permission on a site,exclusive to you,somebody just comes in and goes to hunting....what are you going to do?
Why would the media be involved?I say posting video's of yourself committing illegal acts not only makes us all look bad but somebody that see's it thinks it must be OK,is far worse than turning somebody in for trespassing eh?
I dont know how you were raised but where I come from(and the ranchers,in your area)take there properties very serious and if they trust me enough to grant me permission I sure will give them the respect to turn anybody in there against the landowners wish's...as well as protecting my image and interests...we can argue this all day long,what is right is right,and I feel VERY strongly about it
 

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So Tom,say you have permission on a site,exclusive to you,somebody just comes in and goes to hunting....what are you going to do?
Why would the media be involved?I say posting video's of yourself committing illegal acts not only makes us all look bad but somebody that see's it thinks it must be OK,is far worse than turning somebody in for trespassing eh?
I dont know how you were raised but where I come from(and the ranchers,in your area)take there properties very serious and if they trust me enough to grant me permission I sure will give them the respect to turn anybody in there against the landowners wish's...as well as protecting my image and interests...we can argue this all day long,what is right is right,and I feel VERY strongly about it

I do not know anything about dredging, and I have no knowledge of the incident you speak of, so ..... I'm totally lost about that. I just heard that someone on our CA forum got the whistle blown on them, for md'ing (at least I thought it was md'ing, you're saying it was dredging?) somewhere they shouldn't have been. And the rumor I heard, was that the only reason they were caught, is someone on the forum turned them in, so they were set up to be caught, etc....

Yes, of course, if I had exclusive permission to hunt somewhere, and someone else were sneaking in, then of course that would bite. I've never had that happen to me. Seems most guys, if you research out a site (or have access to it), will not do that. I've never been back-stabbed. The "code" always seems to be "understood" amongst guys I hunt with. Ie.: if I invited them to a site, they do not return without me, and vice-versa.

I suppose if someone snuck into a site that I had exclusive permission for, I would take this up with that individual, not turn them in to authorities, to be caught in a sting. Because the last thing I would want, is media attention, or the attention of the law, because, yeah, then all that does is stir up more "awareness" on the part of the law (to cast a leary eye towards other md'rs in the future, no matter where else they see them, etc....).

Bottom line is, you and I are hours apart. I have no knowledge of any site of yours (at least that I'm aware of, or that I know is "yours"), nor do you come to my part of the state (at least that I'm aware of), so I really don't even know what we're talking about kuger.
 

Yea Tom you obviously have not followed what I have said....you said nobody monitored these forums.....I said they do...thus the example of the dredging issue...It was an example......the other issue you seem so foggy on was as I said a site that a mod on here had(I must clarify here,that this mod was unknown to me,and the site as well)permission on....sole permission and then Lowboy who hunts with one of your friends....and s a known fence hopper...hopped her fence and I beleive she turned him in....I dont know how more clear I can decribe all that.
I guess I have grown up and would call the law....years ago,i would have taken it up with the intruder and likely broke some legs....yea,I have grown up.and you damn right I will turn you in a hot minute....its common for people from the city to come to the hills and think everything is Public and go for it....very little public land here.Also I as you know know your area very well,and know virtually all of the major land owners there but,you know what?I have respected it as your ground and stayed away...whether you have permission or not I dont know...not my business I guess,but if you come up my way and trespass I will turn you in.....no other way around it....at least I have grown up
 

Im sorry I havent read every reply but I want to post something that may be of interest. I live and work in South Florida. Recently on 3 seperate occasions, Federal law enforcement authorities came by my job to question me because of something I wrote here at Treasurenet. As far as I know I have not broken any laws and I have no intentions of doing so. I have nothing to hide but it was a wake up call.

Treasure hunting on land in South Florida is over. The only place I carry a detector is to the beach. Law enforcement informed me that Treasurenet is being moniitored. Its the new age of law enforcement. I doubt that emails are private either. Its all public record. They are probably reading this. Just saying.
 

Yes kuger, what you are saying simply backs up what i am saying: that authorities are not necessarily patrolling forums looking for md violators (items over cultural heritage age, or items found in an area where md'ing is a no-no, etc....). That those incidents where an authority shows up on someone's doorstep with a forum post in hand , is probably a fellow disgruntled md'r who blew the whistle . So you are confirming this .
No Tom. Your statement is not true. Treasurenet is being constantly monitored along with Facebook and a few other forums. Anything that comes up on a search forum can be found by law enforcement. We all need to be careful how we represent the hobby.
 

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No Tom. Your statement is not true. Treasurenet is being constantly monitored along with Facebook and a few other forums. Anything that comes up on a search forum can be found by law enforcement. We all need to be careful how we represent the hobby.

I'm just curious then, why law enforcement doesn't troll the beach hunter finds forums (where jewelry is usually posted) and bust all the guys guilty of "lost & found" laws? Every state has them. The cut-off criteria, for value, is usually around $100 or so, for each state. Beyond which value persons are required to turn in items to police, for proper procedures. The law makes no distinction for when *we* think something was lost (ie.: a recent lost, or something from months or years ago "most certainly given up on"). If the law is trolling these forums, I would think that type "finds" forums, would be a slam dunk. But as you can probably guess, the law has more important things to do that worry if someone is turning in rings to lost & found, or whether an eagle button or buckle was found in Florida swamps, etc.....
 

I'm just curious then, why law enforcement doesn't troll the beach hunter finds forums (where jewelry is usually posted) and bust all the guys guilty of "lost & found" laws? Every state has them. The cut-off criteria, for value, is usually around $100 or so, for each state. Beyond which value persons are required to turn in items to police, for proper procedures. The law makes no distinction for when *we* think something was lost (ie.: a recent lost, or something from months or years ago "most certainly given up on"). If the law is trolling these forums, I would think that type "finds" forums, would be a slam dunk. But as you can probably guess, the law has more important things to do that worry if someone is turning in rings to lost & found, or whether an eagle button or buckle was found in Florida swamps, etc.....
No I cannot guess! Law enforcement didnt seem to have "more important things to do" when they came to question me about something I posted here at TN! They questioned me, not once, but on 3 different occasions! I never said it was about something found on the beach. Most tlikely it was something related to a Florida swamp.

All I am saying that law enforcement is indeed taking the time to monitor Treasurenet. Call it trolling if you wish but I call it new age law enforcement and its here. You can believe it or dont. I dont care. I am not interested in saying more about it because I do not want to be questioned again and I am hoping to leave this behind me and move on. I am not interested in breaking the law and I will continue to beach hunt only on occasion. Thats the only place I feel is safe...

They were nice enough but its a bit unnerving because I have been here since 2004 and with over 20,000 posts, I dont know what I might have said to attract the attention of federal law enforcement. Some of the arrests are slam dunk and others are not. I can only hope what I said in the past was not a clear cut violation of law or I would (or soon will be) in jail. Others will not be so lucky.
 

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Maryland has better politicians than you guys do. They make up the laws as they go along.
 

I didnt know about the lost and found laws Tom. Thanks, I will check on it. Ignorance of the law is no excuse.
 

Local law enforcement doesnt have time to fool with TN. Im talking on the Federal level.
 

One more note. I thought about looking back over my 20,000 posts to see what I might have said that attracted attention lol but its way too much work. I even considered deleting my entire account.

But Im not a criminal. I spent a lot of time here at TN helping others, identifying finds and I would hate to lose all the research. For this reason I have decided to leave it. Besides its too late to remove anything. Im not worried but like I said, its a wake up call and a few other members will most likely be visited and questioned..
 

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. But as you can probably guess, the law has more important things to do...
Keep in mind Tom that its not necessary for a law enforcement officer to read every post here at TN. I would imagine there is software technology where certain words are keyed in. Its probably not overly time consuming and the conviction rate per time spent is probably good. Im a bit surprised that there are no comments on my recent experience.
 

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