Metal Detecting Rules Beach Hunting North Carolina?

All state and national parks are prohibited. The exception is state parks where you are searching for a specific lost item... And then you need a permit. Public beach access doesn't seem to be a issue.
 

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geodetecting said:
OK, I have read some info and posted it on my website (not trying to spam) but I need some actual facts about this, where can I hunt? I know I can hunt in Outer Banks, but we might go to Moorehead city any info on this?

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Bill
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I don't get it. Your own posted link, regarding NC state park's system parks and beaches, says:

"This regulation does not include North Carolina ocean parks. "

So it sounds to me like you can hit beaches there. So what's the issue?

BTW: In CA (to use as an example), a strict reading of the state-park's rules might lead someone to say that state parks here disallow detecting (because there's the obligatory "cultural heritage" verbage, etc....). And our beaches that are state-owned, are merely a sub-category of the state parks systems. So one might conclude, in the absence of any specific "allowance", (like you see in your NC text) that therefore, the state beaches here too are "off limits". HOWEVER, the *reality* here is, you can detect state beaches till you're blue in the face, and no one cares. They've just been historically always detected, and no one's ever cared (even right in front of rangers, etc....). Moral of the story? Don't no one go asking a bored ranger, lest he look it up in his books, do some gymnastics with verbage, and say "no".
 

Golden oaks said:
All state and national parks are prohibited. The exception is state parks where you are searching for a specific lost item... And then you need a permit. Public beach access doesn't seem to be a issue.
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OK, sounds good, thanks.
 

Tom_in_CA said:
I don't get it. Your own posted link, regarding NC state park's system parks and beaches, says:

"This regulation does not include North Carolina ocean parks. "

So it sounds to me like you can hit beaches there. So what's the issue?

At certain times, and certain beaches I have heard you CANT hunt, this is NOT totally correct. I need clarification, no sweet, I will just call the city etc. I'm going to go to. Thanks
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I am a Deputy Sheriff here in NC. Here is the law. All state parks are off limits for using a MD unless you are searching for lost personal property and you must be accompanied by a Ranger to do so. You may in some cases get a permit from the SUPERINTENDENT of the park to MD and then you have to be accompanied by a Ranger. As for National Park Beaches as in south of Kill Devil Hills at MP 21.5 they are Federally protected and will get your MD confiscated and you fined or jailed or both. As I type this Kitty Hawk beaches are closed until further notice from hurricane Sandy. I have spoken to Nags Head PD and south of Kitty Hawk until MP 21.5 is open. Several public access areas are sanded in. North Carolina follows the Federal Law on digging historic items. Also...MD is not allowed on NC beaches that are demeaned a public recreation area from June July and August. Don't ask me I have no clue why. I hope this clears up some confusion. Protecting and serving 24/7!
 

Holy smoke...Bill from Mebane? It's Charlie from Roanoke Rapids if this is the same Bill!
 

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geodetecting said:
At certain times, and certain beaches I have heard you CANT hunt, this is NOT totally correct. I need clarification, no sweet, I will just call the city etc. I'm going to go to. Thanks
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It's not a good idea to go "seeking clarification", if what you have here (that beaches ARE allowed) is clear. Because otherwise all you may do, is find some bored bureaucrat to morph something else to apply to your "pressing question" (like as in what metal.detective has found) and tell you "no". Ie.: the old "no one cared till you asked" psychology. If you look it up for yourself, and see no prohibitions (or in this case, an outright "yes" for pete's sake), why are you arguing? If someone else has, as you say been told "no", well gee, guess why? they asked and got someone to look long and hard (who probably never even cared) to tell them "no". You are simply going to perpetuate the same self-fulfilling psychology, and get more "no's", when perhaps no one really cared. If the verbage has some sort of "in", then for pete's sake, why keep going up the ladder?

And as far as cultural heritage "historic items" stuff, well ... gee .... you're only finding clad, right? I mean ... sheeskkkk.....
 

Hmmmmm..."like what metal.detective has found"...I'm curious as to what that's supposed to mean?
 

Metal.detective said:
Hmmmmm..."like what metal.detective has found"...I'm curious as to what that's supposed to mean?
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Here's what it means:

I read what you wrote in #6 above, and it is filled with citations and text that can be morphed to conclude "no detecting" (barring, for the moment, those things that say *specifically* no metal detectors in certain months, or whatever). But just focussing on the "digging historic items" and "federally protected" kind of wordings, those are the kinds of things you can find ANYWHERE you go. Yup, even in the most innocuous sand box anywhere, if you ask enough questions, with the right combinations of buzz-words, you can preclude yourself. You know, like show up with a shovel and city (or county, or state, or whatever) front desk asking "Hi. Can I please *dig* in the park, to look for *sensitive cultural historic artifacts*, for my own fun and profit to sell on ebay please?" And lest they not understand the full implications, be sure drop words and phrases like ARPA, lawsuits, holes, and how the city museum is deprived of these items, and so forth. Then stand back and watch the "no's" come forth, at places where no one's ever had a problem before!

In other words, what I'm trying to tell you metal.detective, is a lot of what you've sleuthed up, can often time be in places where no one's ever had a problem detecting before. It can often be the old "no one cared .... TILL you asked" routine.

That's what I meant by that comment.

Here's an example of the psychology: http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/g...why-not-ask-innocuous-public-places-long.html
 

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Well I welcome you to visit Cape Hatteras National Seashore and bring your detector. Please wave at the first Federal Park Ranger you see and see how they respond. I'm at the Outer Banks now as I type this and I've been here all day. I as a law respecting and law abiding citizen haven't set foot in an area that's closed or considered to be off limits. Maybe...just maybe all the NO's come from people that do not abide by the rules and laws that govern us. Have a nice day sir. You detect where you wish and so will I and so will everyone else. But I can promise you this...I will come home at the end of the day with my detector and no fines or criminal charges against me. As I said...have a nice day.
 

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Metal.detective, I have no doubt that certain places are certainly off limits by specific edict. Like the national seashore you allude to. Granted. I wasn't talking about places with "specific" verbage saying "no metal detectors". I was referring to other places that have the catch-all things like "historic artifacts" or "cultural heritage" verbage type stuff. If I read your post #6 wrong above (and you were referring to the places that had it down specifically), then please accept my apology.

On another note: I bet if we/you were able to trace back on the evolution of such "no's" (those federal beaches, in this case), I bet the only reason there is specific "no's", to begin with, is that years ago, people went seeking clarifications, permission, etc.....
 

metal.detective laid it down pretty accurately and clearly. There's no problem on the general beaches.

Stay off the State beach rec. areas adjoining parks in June, July and August (and honestly, you'd have to go out of your way to find and detect these areas - by their very nature you wouldn't be likely to be staying there.) The other state parks are off limits with the limited exceptions noted.

Don't even think about getting out the detector inside Cape Hatteras or Cape Lookout National Seashores. It will not end well.
 

Tom_in_CA...here in NC we have areas known as historic districts. It is a specific rule that you can't detect there. I'm not trying to be a know it all or down people trying to get to new places to detect. With my career I can't afford a trespassing charge or trouble of any kind or I will lose my job. I have so many places to hunt it's ridiculous. From fresh water beaches in a park (where I checked with the park manager for a yes) to a house built in 1742 that was one of the largest plantation operations in my county (where I checked for permission and got a yes)to and all dates and types of spots in between. And I've gotten those yes answers from each property owner. I've gotten over 60 yes answers in a year and a half and not one no. Maybe people here in NC are nicer...maybe it's the way I approach them...by the time I finish a conversation with a land owner I've got them ready to want to go buy a detector. I'm a HUGE supporter of this great hobby and I will continue to be an ambassador for this sport...but I'm going to be an ambassador that expects each individual I introduce to our community to know the laws of my great state and expect them to abide by them. I wouldn't think it right to put a teenager behind the wheel of a car without the proper training...hence drivers ed...why sir when I am versed on the law of my state allow someone to go and get themselves in trouble when I could have educated them just a little and saved them money time and embarrassing moments in the judicial system. Please...and I'm not being sarcastic...I'm here to help. The original poster asked...what are the laws on metal detecting in NC. I just provided the knowledge I have to assist him. I would expect that he is a fully competent grown man and can make the correct decision after being introduced to the information I provided. As i said before I'm here to help. I had the knowledge and passed it along. I didn't expect in anyway to see a post from someone in this hobby pretty much saying and correct me if I see this wrong but I took your post as saying don't worry about whether or not you can detect there...go anyway and take your chances and maybe no one will say anything. But my friend...what if someone were to say something? What if this man was fined or arrested and his MD that I'm sure wasn't free gets taken away. Maybe it's the lawman in me but I'd feel terrible. Maybe sir we can agree to disagree or maybe I have pled my case to your jury well enough to change your mind on what I meant when I "dug up" and twisted words to explain the law.
 

Do they know you are law enforcement agent? they may be quicker to give you permission than to one who is not!! I don't know
 

Not sure how active this thread still is, but I just moved to Swansboro and I'm looking for a detecting partner. The primary reason for the ban during June July and August is the tourist season. Those particular months are the busiest as they have the King Mackerel festival in full swing. Maybe it's a crowd issue, I'm not sure. I do have a specific issue I've posted in some groups. I have a Minelab Safari, and in regular ground I can get targets as deep as 16-18 inches, but when I hit the beach I might get 3-4 inches. I've tried the "all metals setting" and with a 12 inch coil that's all I get. Do I need a beach detector now?
 

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