i need some advice.

[neu]

hey everybody, im new to this forum but would like to share something with you. ive been in and out of the metal detecting scene for about 8 years now, usually into when i have the time and or money to spend. but anyways, i grew up in middle tennessee on a farm that my family had owned for years. there are many great spots out here, but i came back to visit yesterday and found something that was both amazing and terrible. i was walking thru the woods when i came apon an area with a rock fence around it, and what appeared to be an old wagon road, of which there are many out in these parts. i started poking around, looking for any old building and found the remains of an old house, all of it was gone but the chimney revealed it to me, i used that as a searching point and looked around more, i found an old well, several outbuilding all in about a 3 or 4 acre rock wall. this was amazing to me, just thinking about the possibilities of what i can find there, as the farm i lived on was used by both union and confederate soldiers to camp and the wagon road was used to travel for centuries. but what was terrible, is that i did a little asking around, and the property that the house was on was recently sold to a company planning to make it a rock quarry.... any advice on what i should do hunt it regardless and hope not to get caught is what im leaning towards, this is something that i cant just stand by and see it destroyed, all the history that is burried in this place is too much to think about losing.
what would you guys do
thanks - alan -

 

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[southern gent]

I've had my run-ins with the rangers. I had one tell me that NO METAL DETECTING was allowed as HE was going to hunt there. I had a hard time but I managed to get him fired! I work hard, pay alot of taxes, and often have to pay entry fees to get into parks. No one will deny me access to metal detect a park. The only places that I won't even try to hunt are the historic parks. They do have good reason for limits in many of those areas. And there are more places to hunt without the hassles.
Most rangers do not know the laws because their training does'nt cover that. Push the issue, but arm yourself with the facts first. Good luck & HH! Chris

 

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[neu]

so are you telling me that they cant really make me leave? i can actually legally hunt in parks? it's not like its a historic park, its just a local little recreational park. but if there are laws saying that i can, i wish someone would tell me so i could go back tomorrow and hunt the park

 

[Gribnitz]

Ask your State Park department if you can detect. Here in my area, it is only legal to hunt state parks on "certain" beaches and in "certain" parks and you need a permit to even to do that !! Anyplace else and you are courting to be arrested.

City parks are different. You need to ask City Hall if it is ok to detect in those type parks. Haven't run into too many problems on municipal parks, but there are some towns that have wierd rules (like you can use your metal detector here, but you just can't dig...believe it or not).

 

[southern gent]

Every state has differing laws on detecting and recovery. Here in S.C. we're pretty fortunate I suppose. As was said, check local ordinances, ask a few questions, talk to the "nicer" rangers. Do what it takes to arm yourself with the rules and your rights. When you have it all together, if it's legal where you are, then no one can stop you. By the way, if you find it to be against local ordinance, you can fight to have that changed. The states generally do not give a crap about the individual, but the locals do. Enough signatures can sway them your way. Besides, you could be the one to change local law for future detectorist. I did. HH! Chris

 

[neu]

cool, thanks for the advice guys!

 

[Lowbatts]

Choose your battles carefully or it will be another eight years before you get to detect. I rank them pretty simply:

Municipal parks: Few towns and few cities have laws regarding MD'ing in them. Rockford, Il. down the tollway from me has a 5$ sticker you are supposed to have on your md, but no one enforces the issue. I haven't hunted there and if I do, I will get the sticker just to save any potential hassle. No problem in my town, lots of helpful folk in the park district here. Had run-ins with others in nearby towns where I always prodcue volumous trash and offer to turn it in to them, or them into it as the case warrants.

County Parks and FP's, these can be touch and go. You've got to be aware of the local authority and get on their good side where there are no prohibitions. Where there are prohibitions, stay out and elect new county commissioners. Preferably friends or family.

State Parks: Carefully check into any state regs then again the site regs. Here in Il, a few are strictly off limits and others are at the discretion of the onsite rangers. I've hunted the ones that are at the discretion of the park rangers, even historic sites, with no issues or conflicts. Probably due to the nature of the ranger's disposition. Well that and my willingness to kiss a little butt to get a good hunt underway. I ain't proud, I'm a TH'er!

I skip the whole federal property thing, National Park or whatever, until we can get the idea of public service back where it belongs instead of the statist position of our feds and their LEO's. No I wouldn't go hunt Gettysburg tomorrow if the rangers all went away, I keep reverence for those memorial sites, but the blanket approach used by the feds is way too over-reaching. Until the federal government shows an active interest in old sites, they should get out of the way of those of us who would locate and dig them.

Be careful and stay legal, for sure someone is waiting for you to help them make a name for themself in the "public interest" and I only wish every such person would lose a class ring or wedding band and have to ask me to help locate it.

 

[neu]

lowbatts, you always make such good points. i really appreciate it. i consider most of us th'ers as the subtle archeologists. there are ofcourse those of us who abuse the right, and take things from the ground they shouldnt, but i would never do that. i think its really the thrill of the hunt and anticipation of the find that gets me. also the history and research is amazing if u have the time to put into it. like this 18th century house, im corresponding with the remaining family, and they would like me to help research and document their history. and i get to hunt the old house site turning out to be an amazing story so far.

 

[bergie]

Just remember the old addage from the bank robber when they asked him why he did it and he said "that's where the money is" or something of that nature. You are much better off spending a week doing research to find a spectacular, hidden location, than going with the easy locale and spending a week or weeks finding little or nothing. Be a detective. Ask old timers lots of questions about where people used to hang out in large groups at fairs at swimming holes, etc. This will pay off and it's enjoyable. You could even combine it with a good deed by volunteering a few hours at a local nursing home. What a great way to do some good and meet people who have a wealth of knowledge of the local area.