METAL DETECTING IS NOT A CRIME!!!!

[GOHO]

I was wondering how many of us have been harassed or treated as if we were criminals just because we like to metal detect?

Many years ago i was at Plyalinda Beach minding my own business metal detecing when i was approached by a park officer who treated me like i was a wanted felon. He searched my stuff and took my detector and gave me a ticket for $100.00. How much harm can someone do just detecting the beach? I thought we lived in a free country? I have to say for a country that is supposed to be the world model of democracy we sure don't have much freedom!!!!

 

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[itmaiden]

I haven't encountered this particular problem, but have received fair warning about certain areas (like Sebastian). The biggest issue I deal with are beachgoers who are about to jump out of their bikinis when they see me carrying TH tools to the shores. I have just been waiting for them to call "Homeland Security". Maybe they are used to metal detectors but not various other modified tools which they seem to perceive as "weird" or a weapon of some sorts.

itmaiden

I was wondering how many of us have been harassed or treated as if we were criminals just because we like to metal detect?

Many years ago i was at Plyalinda Beach minding my own business metal detecing when i was approached by a park officer who treated me like i was a wanted felon. He searched my stuff and took my detector and gave me a ticket for $100.00. How much harm can someone do just detecting the beach? I thought we lived in a free country? I have to say for a country that is supposed to be the world model of democracy we sure don't have much freedom!!!!

 

[BuckleBoy]

If you hunt in protected sites or places where detecting is outlawed, then it is a crime. Don't detect in areas where it is outlawed, illegal, or where you don't have permission. End of story.

There is no sob story and no whining about "freedom." Freedom does not mean that folks can do whatever they wish.

"Metal Detectors Are Not Allowed" A simple web search would've saved you the cost of the gasoline, the fine, the possible confiscation of your detector, and the headache. From the Canaveral Beaches website:


http://www.nbbd.com/godo/cns/brochures/remember/index.html


-Buckles

 

[mad4wrecks]

Goho stated that the incident happened "many years ago." I don't think an internet search was possible at the time.

I had the same thing happen to me at the Canaveral National Seashore in 1989. I was detecting for about 15 minutes, when a park ranger drove over the dunes in a 4 wheel drive vehicle and read me my 'rights.' I got away with just a warning and got to keep my detector. I still keep the warning in a picture frame, just because I thought it absurd the infraction listed was "use of a metal detector." I just never thought I needed permission because I had detected beaches elsewhere (including Sebastian Inlet State park) and never got bothered.

I think Goho's point is, banning the use of a metal detector on a "public" beach is just a bad law. The ranger I spoke with really couldn't provide me with a good reason why I couldn't detect that particular beach, while I could detect almost any other one in Florida.

I posted on the "Beach & Shallow Water" forum several months ago about how I recently got kicked off Riviera Beach, FL. for metal detecting. Apparently, they have a city ordinance banning it. I was told that I could either go detect in the water (Florida submerged bottom lands) or just walk down the beach about 1/4 mile (same beach) until I was out of the city limits. Silliness.

I would suggest that if you want to help protect your rights to metal detect, that you join an organization like the Federation of Metal Detector and Archaeological Clubs, Inc. www.fmdac.org

Tom

 

[pcolaboy]

Back to the point of your post GOHO....

Yes I have been harassed more than a few times but luckily I know most of the local ordinances and was able to step past the police officer's B.S. and respectfully asked him to verify the laws, property ownership, etc. Most times it turned out to be a few snobby transplants having a problem with someone metal detecting a vacant city lot littered with trash and call the cops. God forbid they ever remove any of the trash themselves as I always do when MD'ing. I've ended up making friends with one of the "harassers" simply by being respectful and doing the city a service by picking up trash as I go along.

My two cents.

 

[Salvor6]

Tom, do you know how many people are killed by metal detectorists every year? Don't take it lightly!

 

[GOHO]

Thanks Tom, It must have been 15 or 20 years ago when the Plyalinda beach incident happened...

Another instance that happened to a Friend, he was detecting after a Hurricane on Corrigans Beach and a police officer "Mark" tried to make him leave with threats of arrest but he refused and took a picture with his cell phone. Turned out the cop just wanted to detect the beach for himself and was using his badge as a way of making people leave the beach....

I can understand sneaking into a Historic site and detecting would get you in trouble but just walking down a beach and detecting not BOTHERING anyone should be legal everywhere!!!

We are not criminals just people who love the hobby.... Since when is finding a piece of metal a crime?

This is what i mean by "freedom".... I should have the right and the freedom to walk a public beach with my detector or fishing pole or whatever as long as i am not bothering anyone and have fun!!!!

 

[scubatreasure]

Just last week my tnet friend visiting from Illinois was out on the beach at Ft. Myers when a hotel employee approached him to inform him that he was tresspassing on their beach, and that they had a permit to prove it. He was polite and informed them that they infact had a permit to sell their food and rent their chairs because this was in fact a public beach and proved it by pointing to the county garbage can chained to the tree by the beach access. They almost went ballistic so he told them to call the police and he would have them explain it to them. PS he detected that beach for 2 weeks without incident.
Sincerely, Limo Bob

 

[BuckleBoy]

Just last week my tnet friend visiting from Illinois was out on the beach at Ft. Myers when a hotel employee approached him to inform him that he was tresspassing on their beach, and that they had a permit to prove it. He was polite and informed them that they infact had a permit to sell their food and rent their chairs because this was in fact a public beach and proved it by pointing to the county garbage can chained to the tree by the beach access. They almost went ballistic so he told them to call the police and he would have them explain it to them. PS he detected that beach for 2 weeks without incident.
Sincerely, Limo Bob

His case is different. He knew where he stood with the law. And when I am within my bounds of the law, I stand up to folks who try and tell me otherwise. But if you are on the wrong side of legislation it can get ugly.

-Buckles

 

[JohnnieWalker]

it's a misdemeanor, like spitting on the sidewalk.

I cannot see the reason why they would want precious artifacts to rust away to nothing.

Seriously if I found a cache of gold coin on the beach it is a win-win.

I spend money on a hotel, dinner, drinks and who knows.
What would they gain by me not coming? What would they gain by the coins never being found?

Doesn't it make sense to do the opposite and spread the word that they have relics and old coins to promote tourists to their town?
Seems to me the ones that really push for these laws are the same people that get federal funding for digging them up. (LAMP) Either way the coins will end up in the hands of museums and collectors.

You could pay a government agency to do it or you could just let us retrieve them for free!

Hey, I think we are doing a public service by finding this stuff, selling it, and stimulating the economy!

I would like to commend all you detectorist devoting your time to helping this country!

 

[itmaiden]

Oh, we do public service for sure. I was coming off the ramp at Bonsteel a few years ago, and right where you step down just about, there was a knife in the sand sticking point side up..ouch ! That would have been a major injury for someone. I pick up sharp glass, nails or other hazards as I see them so people do not get serious foot injuries. However, I do leave the syringes and used condoms alone.

itmaiden

it's a misdemeanor, like spitting on the sidewalk.

Hey, I think we are doing a public service by finding this stuff, selling it, and stimulating the economy!

I would like to commend all you detectorist devoting your time to helping this country!

 

[wyobuck]

Ok how about starting a petition on www.fmdac.org (Federation of Metal Detector and Archaeological Clubs) to open up the Cape Canaveral Sea Shore to metal detecting along the beaches and in the water? It can't hurt to try. I will be glad to compose it if everyone helps out by contributing some good reasoning.

 

[aquanut]

wyobuck,
Please compose it! I would support you 100%.
Aquanut

 

[GOHO]

Count me in!!!!

 

[aquanut]

I just visited and registered on the fmdac site. It appears dedicated to our freedom to metal detect. I recommend everyone here should at least review the site.
Thanks wyobuck,
Aquanut

 

[Alexandre]

In Portugal, you do need a license for metal detecting and you cannot get near any archaeological site with it.

And that's because, and usually, metal detecting endangers archaeological context. That is, if you go metal detecting on, say, a Roman villa site and you only pick the Roman coins, then you will be in fact removing all dating artifacts from the site - and that is not even mentioning that, by excavating with your spade, you will be creating havoc with the archaeological layers.

That said, metal detectors can be very useful. I once discovered a 30 yard long Spanish galleon by using a metal detector - in a site where all the tools of remote sensing had failed.

Also, when he have tertiary deposits - like a river eroding it's banks and then getting it dredged in order to fill a beach - we allow licensed metal detectorists to work it out.

In fact, there's a site, maintained by Portuguese metal detectorists, where you can find all the stuff they have dug from those said beachs, with hundreds and hundreds of artifacts going all the way to the Calcholitic and up into our age (Iron Age, Byzantine, Roman, Islamic, Christian Medieval, etc.):

http://www.ipsiis.net/pt_index.htm

The metal detectorists find the stuff, help research it and then they are proudly displayed at the local museum.

 

[Dr. Gaetan Algoet]

I was wondering how many of us have been harassed or treated as if we were criminals just because we like to metal detect?

Many years ago i was at Plyalinda Beach minding my own business metal detecing when i was approached by a park officer who treated me like i was a wanted felon. He searched my stuff and took my detector and gave me a ticket for $100.00. How much harm can someone do just detecting the beach? I thought we lived in a free country? I have to say for a country that is supposed to be the world model of democracy we sure don't have much freedom!!!!

Here in Belgium you need a permission to use a metaldetector to look for artefacts. This permission can only be granted when you give the time, exact place and permission of the ground where you do research. As owner is also the city or village and you need the permission of the major.

 

[JohnnieWalker]

Alexander, a license might be the answer.
This way each county can generate revenue and lets face it. Money is what they want.

They all say they want to preserve history so on and so forth unil someone with deep pockets comes along. then surprise, what do you know.... a new shopping center!?

It has been my observation that it always comes down to money.
Those who want to preserve history in old parks are in reality trying to hedge their grant money.

I bet if I offered any town a Million dollars to treasure hunt their park, they would hand me a shovel and say, "good luck"!

 

[mts]

Alexander, a license might be the answer.
This way each county can generate revenue and lets face it. Money is what they want.

They all say they want to preserve history so on and so forth unil someone with deep pockets comes along. then surprise, what do you know.... a new shopping center!?

It has been my observation that it always comes down to money.
Those who want to preserve history in old parks are in reality trying to hedge their grant money.

I bet if I offered any town a Million dollars to treasure hunt their park, they would hand me a shovel and say, "good luck"!

Amen! I'd gladly pay for a license to know for sure that I can hunt a location legally. It keeps the riffraff out and gives you something to show the busy bodies who may harass you. If the police show up you whip out the license and they just smile and leave you be. It's a win-win situation.

 

[armchairQB30]

Why dont you try this......explain to the people who are harrasing you that the city of __________ has hired you to locate dirty needles and syringes that were recently dumped offshore near the treasure coast by Haitian AIDS relief boats. Advise them to please be careful while walking on the beach and dont let your children play with anything in the red and yellow biohazard bags. I really enjoy when people come after me. I have fun with it.