Need Help - Do I Need Permission?

[Rooster 777]

I'll be visiting family very soon and taking my MD. I'll be at Salt Creek Beach in Dana Point, California, which is located in Orange County. I tried calling the Sheriff's Department (non-emergency line) multiple times and having trouble getting an answer. Does anybody know if it's legal to metal detected on Salt Creek Beach? I'm going to be with my kids, so I don't want any trouble.

Thanks

 

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[Back-of-the-boat]

Here are the park rules for there it doesn't say anything about No detecting.

PARK RULES​

• Beach hours: 5 am - 12 a.m. daily (includes Strands Beach)
• Dogs are not permitted on the beach. Dogs are permitted (on a 6-foot leash) on paved walkways and at Bluff Park, the grass area above Salt Creek Beach.
• Consumption of intoxicants prohibited.
• Vehicle operations restricted to designated roads.
• All fires are prohibited. Fire prevention must be the first concern of every visitor.
• Possession or use of firearms or weapons is prohibited.
• State fishing license required for visitors over 16 years of age.
• Skateboarding is not permitted.
• Bicycling is permitted on the paved trails only. Off-road bicycling is prohibited.
• Park only in designated areas.
• A speed limit of 10 MPH enforced at all times.

 

[Peyton Manning]

Looks like you are good to go

 

[TORRERO]

If its not posted on a public beach, the worst that can happen is they tell you to leave, State and Federal parks are questionable even for beaches and I would steer clear, but public beaches that are city owned or doesn't appear to be owned.. I would hunt without asking until someone tells me no. That said there probably have been hundreds of others already hunting that beach and you will know once you start...

 

[cudamark]

Except for Federally protected National Seashore areas, bird sanctuaries, and some military bases, all our California beaches are public up to the high tide line. Even most of our State Park Beaches don't have a problem with detecting them. In some areas, above the high tide line may encroach on private property, but, those areas are fairly rare and usually marked as such. Some beaches have a curfew though (looks like Salt Beach has one), so, check with signage at the beach entrance. Even beaches with curfews, I've had no problem detecting them in the middle of the night, although I have friends that been kicked out at certain beaches. I think they're mainly at beaches that have had problems with all-night parties and criminal activities and are geared toward those problems and not a detectorist taking advantage of a low tide. Please, don't go asking permission. Look up the rules yourself to see if detecting is prohibited. If nothing states that it is prohibited, it's permitted. Asking permission suggest that we need it for some reason and may get them thinking that we're potentially doing something wrong. It's best we stay completely under the radar of all government bureaucracies.

 

[Rooster 777]

Here are the park rules for there it doesn't say anything about No detecting.

PARK RULES​

• Beach hours: 5 am - 12 a.m. daily (includes Strands Beach)
• Dogs are not permitted on the beach. Dogs are permitted (on a 6-foot leash) on paved walkways and at Bluff Park, the grass area above Salt Creek Beach.
• Consumption of intoxicants prohibited.
• Vehicle operations restricted to designated roads.
• All fires are prohibited. Fire prevention must be the first concern of every visitor.
• Possession or use of firearms or weapons is prohibited.
• State fishing license required for visitors over 16 years of age.
• Skateboarding is not permitted.
• Bicycling is permitted on the paved trails only. Off-road bicycling is prohibited.
• Park only in designated areas.
• A speed limit of 10 MPH enforced at all times.

Thanks brother!

 

[Rooster 777]

If its not posted on a public beach, the worst that can happen is they tell you to leave, State and Federal parks are questionable even for beaches and I would steer clear, but public beaches that are city owned or doesn't appear to be owned.. I would hunt without asking until someone tells me no. That said there probably have been hundreds of others already hunting that beach and you will know once you start...

Looks like game on! Thanks!

 

[detectorcowboy]

Good Luck

 

[Rooster 777]

Thanks for all the comments! Personally, I think beach detecting should be encouraged, we are cleaning up the beach when we detect metal trash.

Thanks again!

 

[TORRERO]

Thanks for all the comments! Personally, I think beach detecting should be encouraged, we are cleaning up the beach when we detect metal trash.

Thanks again!

I can tell you that on Myrtle Beach they must be doing a good job because I can't find my ass, much less trash or coins or anything ha ha ha

 

[TORRERO]

Except for Federally protected National Seashore areas, bird sanctuaries, and some military bases, all our California beaches are public up to the high tide line. Even most of our State Park Beaches don't have a problem with detecting them. In some areas, above the high tide line may encroach on private property, but, those areas are fairly rare and usually marked as such. Some beaches have a curfew though (looks like Salt Beach has one), so, check with signage at the beach entrance. Even beaches with curfews, I've had no problem detecting them in the middle of the night, although I have friends that been kicked out at certain beaches. I think they're mainly at beaches that have had problems with all-night parties and criminal activities and are geared toward those problems and not a detectorist taking advantage of a low tide. Please, don't go asking permission. Look up the rules yourself to see if detecting is prohibited. If nothing states that it is prohibited, it's permitted. Asking permission suggest that we need it for some reason and may get them thinking that we're potentially doing something wrong. It's best we stay completely under the radar of all government bureaucracies.

I missed an opportunity years ago in a small town in Georgia, there was a common park in the middle of town and looked great, but I was nervous, sooo City Hall was right there so I called and nobody knew the law and didn't know who to ask and after an hour of trying to find out, they just said I shouldn't do it even though they didn't know one way or the other.... Sometimes its better to ask forgiveness than ask permission ha ha ha

 

[cudamark]

I missed an opportunity years ago in a small town in Georgia, there was a common park in the middle of town and looked great, but I was nervous, sooo City Hall was right there so I called and nobody knew the law and didn't know who to ask and after an hour of trying to find out, they just said I shouldn't do it even though they didn't know one way or the other.... Sometimes its better to ask forgiveness than ask permission ha ha ha

That's the thing. Most people don't know what the law is, and to make it easy on themselves when asked, they just say NO. Why would they stick their neck out by saying YES, when NO works so easily and with no consequences. All public sites that I've ever looked at have had rules posted somewhere....be it city hall, county court building, online, etc. If it isn't specifically prohibited, it's allowed. Somehow some people think it's the other way around and that they need permission to do anything on public land. That doesn't mean that some bureaucrat, groundskeeper, or some other type of civil servant won't get their panties in a twist over seeing one of us having fun detecting. There are busybodies everywhere that think their opinions are gospel. Sometimes it's best to just come back another day and time if someone like that is all up in arms about it and wants to call the police. Print out the rules regarding that site and keep a copy with you if it should come to a major confrontation. Use some common sense as to when you hunt a busy site. Do it at off hours when traffic is low, use proper recovery methods so as to keep the place looking as good or better than when you started, and be friendly when approached. I'll even bring and keep some hazardous junk in my pouch to show anyone who asks "what have you found", or, "what are you doing"? Showing a groundskeeper, ranger, or even a dog walker, nails, can slaw, broken glass, etc. can sway their opinion of you and what you're doing in a positive direction.

 

[TORRERO]

That's the thing. Most people don't know what the law is, and to make it easy on themselves when asked, they just say NO. Why would they stick their neck out by saying YES, when NO works so easily and with no consequences. All public sites that I've ever looked at have had rules posted somewhere....be it city hall, county court building, online, etc. If it isn't specifically prohibited, it's allowed. Somehow some people think it's the other way around and that they need permission to do anything on public land. That doesn't mean that some bureaucrat, groundskeeper, or some other type of civil servant won't get their panties in a twist over seeing one of us having fun detecting. There are busybodies everywhere that think their opinions are gospel. Sometimes it's best to just come back another day and time if someone like that is all up in arms about it and wants to call the police. Print out the rules regarding that site and keep a copy with you if it should come to a major confrontation. Use some common sense as to when you hunt a busy site. Do it at off hours when traffic is low, use proper recovery methods so as to keep the place looking as good or better than when you started, and be friendly when approached. I'll even bring and keep some hazardous junk in my pouch to show anyone who asks "what have you found", or, "what are you doing"? Showing a groundskeeper, ranger, or even a dog walker, nails, can slaw, broken glass, etc. can sway their opinion of you and what you're doing in a positive direction.

This is true about the trash ... years ago in SC me and a buddy were hunting an old church... better not ask.. ha ha ha but we were picking up trash as we went along with the Barber and Mercury dimes buffalo Nickels and wheats..
Some people showed up and asked what we were doing... They became very uninterested when we showed them the pull tabs and bottle screw caps... They were members of the Church but seeing the trash they let us stay and wished us luck... People always believe your digging tons of treasure... Of course we did not show them the old coins.... just the trash, but they were happy we were cleaning up their church ha ha ha

 

[Rooster 777]

This is true about the trash ... years ago in SC me and a buddy were hunting an old church... better not ask.. ha ha ha but we were picking up trash as we went along with the Barber and Mercury dimes buffalo Nickels and wheats..
Some people showed up and asked what we were doing... They became very uninterested when we showed them the pull tabs and bottle screw caps... They were members of the Church but seeing the trash they let us stay and wished us luck... People always believe your digging tons of treasure... Of course we did not show them the old coins.... just the trash, but they were happy we were cleaning up their church ha ha ha

Nice!