Newbie Question-- the woods

heymirth

Full Member
Aug 19, 2015
143
149
Just North of Detroit
Detector(s) used
Equinox 800
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
How do you find "the woods" to hunt. Here in Mich we have a lot of woods but we also cannot hunt state or federal land.

So how do you find a section of woods to hunt. I kinda understand looking at old aerials to find old homes or home sights. But how do you find the owner and the. Search thru all the junk?
Also. The aerial website I found only goes back to 1964!
I love the idea of doing the UK corn fields and a woods but where do you start?

Thanks in advance
Mark
 

Go to historicalmapworks,com. Look up your county. Most of the Maps from the 1870's or earlier will show where buildings and house one stool. You will also need to go online to the county auditor's webstite. Most of them have a map that acts a little like google maps. You can select a property and it will tell you who owns the land, what address that the tax bill is sent, and other cool info.
 

Find out who pays the taxes on the parcel you want to hunt.
The local township office knows who pays .
I have historic mapworks bookmarked also.

Antiquities act applies to state and federal land.
Also there are culturally sensitive areas that are off limits.
If you see me out in the woods detecting , I'm looking for a sentimental pocket knife I lost while small game hunting. May have found some shell casings and a couple pennies and other trash ..depending what is in my trash pocket.

What law did you find that prevents hunting modern coins and jewelry on state or federal lands where not posted closed to detecting?
 

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I believe that any National forest land is open to detecting
 

I believe that any National forest land is open to detecting
No it isn't, some are and some are not. Just one example, Ocala National forest doesn't allow detecting...
 

my bad then, I searched SD last summer for vacation and figures it was a nation wide deal
 

If a detectorist is swinging in the woods, but nobody is around to see it, is he really there? ROFL - Copy.gif
 

...but we also cannot hunt state or federal land....

How do you figure ? MI is one of the states with a "yes" in their column, on the fmdac list . And that's just state "park" land. Not all state land is state "park" land. Same for federal: where did you get the idea that all federal is off-limits ? Oh sure, perhaps NPS, and/or obvious historic sensitive monuments.

And to the extent that for any state and federal level you can cite "cultural heritage" that applies (I admit), ok: fine then, you're not finding 51+ yr. old coins, right ?
 

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