Informal Poll...Arrested or cited for metal detecting.

[rjsupersonic]

I've been metal detecting since the mid seventies, I have heard stories of people getting arrested or cited for detecting but have never talked to anyone who actually has. I would like to ask this question: Have you ever been arrested or cited for metal detecting? Not warned or kicked out of a park by employees but actually arrested and or cited, first hand information only please. I would venture to say it will be very few or none at all.I might also add that I'm a retired officer and never observed anyone get cited or arrested in the three different departments that I worked at. So anyone?

 

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[austin]

Nope, never, but it has always been pretty loose down here...

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Good question supersonic. Because anytime questions of detecting public land comes up (even innocuous places with no rules prohibiting!), a few are sure to post fears we're supposed to leery of: "Getting arrested" "tickets" "confiscations" "jail", and so forth. Yet when you press those people of examples of such things, few are ever forthcoming. And if any examples ever ARE given, they are invariably someone night-sneaking an obvious historic monument, or someone who couldn't take a warning, etc...

I'm as BRAZEN as they come, and have been so for 35+ yrs. of this. And I have never faced anything more than scrams.

But with that said, I do personally know of 2 people who got tickets: One was for state historic park property, AND HE WASN'T EVEN DETECTING. He had been detecting a private ag/furroughed field, adjacent to that park. And then when done, he took a short-cut across a portion of the state park (just a dirt/grass over-flow parking area for RV's), on this way back to the public street. Detector off, just walking to his car. A ranger saw him and gave him a ticket. He could have fought it (since he was only going from point a to point b), but when he saw that the ticket was only a measily $100 or so, he just paid it. Wasn't even worth taking time off work, and he actually got a laugh out of it.

The only other time was a friend at a federal military base. It was admittedly historic-in-nature. The two buddies each got tickets. And of such a insignificant amount, that it was more of a nuisance than anything. Something on the order of $150 each. The lady MP that got them, waited till they were getting back to their car to leave, and told them she'd been watching them for over an hour. Which sort of irked my friends because .... in their mind ..... it was like ....... "if this is so friggin' wrong, why didn't you come over here and talk to us, or give us the ticket, an hour ago??". I suppose they too could have fought it, as there was no posting to the effect, and I suppose they might have argued they didn't have anything over 50 yr. old, or were looking for their boyscout ring, etc.. But when they saw the amounts of the ticket, it was just easier to pay and not fool with it.

But barring that 2nd incident (which admittedly they could have "figured"), and not counting the first incident (which my friend was not even detecting, and could have successfully appealed), I have not personally heard of anything.

I'm sure there *might* be a rogue incident someone could find, of someone getting jailed for hunting city sand-box somewhere. I mean, so too can someone probably come up with an incident of an over-zealous cop roughing up a motorist for nothing but a tail-light out.

 

[kuger]

....I have "Heard",of several,but since you stated KNOWN for fact,One guy I know was cited (I beleive it was $250(?)and his detector confiscated by East Bay Municipal Utility(Which for those that dont know,are an owner of a massive amount of ground out here,much with signs that dont allow even walking.The other was in a National Rec area(I still see people detect there)and that guy lost his detector as well

 

[cudamark]

43 years now and no ticket nor have I any personal knowledge of any hunting partners getting one. Sure we've been chased several times even though they couldn't come up with a legitimate reason. We had one incident where they used the "disturbing the grass" arguement. We just left and came back another day.

 

[PhilBarnett]

I don't understand laws that prohibit this such as national forest which cover a lot of lad around where I live that is wilderness. Do we not pay taxes on these government lands. Why should they not be for our recreational use. Artifact laws are just a way to keep us the people from making a profit or just using the land for recreation. What does it mater if things are buried there that have been there for hundreds of years. They will remain buried. yes I understand not disturbing graves but other then Thant what does it matter if we the tax payer find things. god created the land for our use and it does not belong to government. Most of there land they lay claim to was taken from someone else such as the Indians. How does government figure they have a right to keep us from using the land and searching for things lost by some one many years ago.

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[cudamark]

The government has the power we allow them to have. We need to vote in people with good character and who believe what we believe.

 

[PhilBarnett]

The government has the power we allow them to have. We need to vote in people with good character and who believe what we believe.

I agree with that. They have creeped in and took all our rights away as has been Given By God.

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[ivan salis]

just told to leave a few times and bothered by "nosy types" but I am careful where I go and what I do.

 

[calmerthanu]

i was given a written warning by a game warden last summer for detecting on a beach, i had permission from the property owner to hunt the yard and there beachfront, it was during low tide and he approaches me and asks if i have permission to be there, i said i did, he then proceeds to tell me thats its illegal to metal detect on a beach or shoreline below the high water mark, i told him as far as i knew the landowner can own the property to the low water mark, he said i was wrong and that i needed a permit from the va marine resources to do that, he gave me a written warning and went on his way, a couple weeks later i contacted va marine resources and they told me i dont need a permit unless im salvaging a shipwreck and for the most part there is no issue especially if im still above the "LOW" water mark, in this case from what im told the officer was wrong and should not have given me the written warning

 

[Tom_in_CA]

reply

i was given a written warning by a game warden last summer for detecting on a beach, i had permission from the property owner to hunt the yard and there beachfront, it was during low tide and he approaches me and asks if i have permission to be there, i said i did, he then proceeds to tell me thats its illegal to metal detect on a beach or shoreline below the high water mark, i told him as far as i knew the landowner can own the property to the low water mark, he said i was wrong and that i needed a permit from the va marine resources to do that, he gave me a written warning and went on his way, a couple weeks later i contacted va marine resources and they told me i dont need a permit unless im salvaging a shipwreck and for the most part there is no issue especially if im still above the "LOW" water mark, in this case from what im told the officer was wrong and should not have given me the written warning

calmer-than-u, you much you want to make a bet that the only reason this "game warden" was so "rehearsed" in such minutia (below or above high water marks, blah blah blah blah) was ONLY because others, prior to you, had gone in to him (or his superiors, etc...) asking "can I metal detect?". And presto, someone, somewhere, somehow, needs to go looking into this "pressing issue", and finds verbage about mel fisher's shipwrecks, or Shiloh, or ARPA, etc... Sshheeeesk. Thanx for posting.

 

[pippinwhitepaws]

having entered the white house ruins in canyon de chelly in northern Arizona as a child, the rooms filled with pottery, sandles, sleeping mats...corn in the cribs...Canyon de Chelly National Monument - Canyon De Chelly National Monument

NONE OF THAT MATERIAL IS LEFT! others felt the objects were theirs an took them home...sold them in the market...lost knowledge.

while I am a seeker of many objects, I missed the class on if I saw it, it was mine an only mine. history be damned.

 

[AC1955]

Husband and I were actually stopped by a police sgt. last week while detecting a sidewalk tear out. Someone had complained to 911 that we would "hit" the gas and water lines! (I live in New England where they are buried deeeeeep! Deeper than we want to dig!). Officer had no problem with us detecting, in fact he wanted to know what we found - only junk up to that point. Told us to enjoy the rest of our hunt. After he left, we pulled out an 1890 IH, 1913 Wheatie, a B&M (Boston & Maine) Railroad button and a few really rusted square nails.

 

[ivan salis]

oh my their detecting * I must call the police ! --get a life people ... go bake some cookies or sumpin.

 

[H-2 CHARLIE]

They are over having FUN and im just a Cop caller , i must call and watch there fun end .

 

[LI Tom]

Several years back my buddy received a $250 summons in a Staten Island,NYC park for digging in a manicured lawn,which is prohibited.Mind you,he had a NYC permit and this "manicured lawn" was a scraggly,weed filled,field with huge bare spots that this moron ranger just drove on with her 2 ton SUV.In my experience most NYC rangers are reasonable people ,who are not out to bust chops,but there is always a rotten apple in the barrel.

 

[pennyfarmer]

I have been asked to leave on a few occasions. They usually tell me that we are damaging the lawn or such. I asked this particular fellow about the damage done and that I would like to see it. Of course he cant cause there isn't any.

I have been stopped by the BLM and was able to talk my way out of it. I had maps and showed him that we were on private property although we didn't have written permission.

On another occasion we were hunting a construction site and I seen someone get arrested cause they were cutting a hole in the fence. I don't know what their problem was cause they could clearly see that there were about 30 detectorists behind the fence. Could have asked someone where the "natural" hole was. The city took a don't ask don't tell approach to this particular site cause they knew there was no way of actually keeping us out.

Another thing. Get to know local police. I have helped them on a few occasions searching for evidence and they generally leave us alone. I think a little commonality would go a long way with them. I think the nature of their job allows them to dehumanize everyone they come in contact with and if they know you (not in a bad way) things become easier.

I also don't take the risks I used to in my 20's. :P

 

[DeepseekerADS]

Three in the 80's, with my headphones on focused on a dig, I looked up to a cop telling me I was trespassing. I put my gear up and left without contesting = don't need trouble.

And then I hit a park with one silver dime after another, and again some dude said I couldn't search there - same reaction from me, just leave...

These events, plus my heavy overtime at work and angry ex-wife, I left the hobby for over 20 years to recently return.

The hobby has changed now, but I'm wifeless and once again on my knees

 

[cudamark]

There again, you weren't cited or arrested.....just told to leave. We all will get that response from time to time if you detect long enough.

 

[tumbleinn2]

I had signed permission from land owner sherif and city police showed up started to try and throw there weight around I let them pull there tricks then I asked why they were there they said there was a complaint filed with 911 I told them they need to go back and bust the person for fileing a false complaint. Then showed them permission in wrighting I had.