Planning a trip to Virginia

[steelheadfever]

Hi all, My daughter lives just outside DC in VA. and I am planning a trip there. Can anyone tell me if there are any laws that prohibit metal detecting in the parks and schools ? I don't want to take my detector there if I can't use it. Thanks and HH Dennis in Idaho

 

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[Tin Nugget]

I grew up there and lived there in Alexandria and Falls Church until 3 years ago when I moved to Dallas. It used to be wide open except for state parks, however, it is my understanding schools are off limits and Fairfax county parks are off limits. But take your detector anyway. There are tons of places to detect. Let me know when you are going and I will give you some places in the Loudoun County area. Can almost always pick up some three ringers and other relics. I also have a spot in Alexandria I have been trying to get somebody to check out for me. I never did and had forgotten about it. Old house foundation. We used to hang out there at night so you would probably find a lot of beer pull tabs. One corner of the floor fell in once and we found some wooden boxes full of old books from the late 1890's. I never did detect the place and I doubt if anyone ever has. It is isolated from the roads and unveiwable unless you are right on it. My sister also has 25 acres just off RT. 29 past Manassas that I had just started checking before I moved.

 

[Digginman]

Hi all, My daughter lives just outside DC in VA. and I am planning a trip there. Can anyone tell me if there are any laws that prohibit metal detecting in the parks and schools ? I don't want to take my detector there if I can't use it. Thanks and HH Dennis in Idaho

Hi Dennis,

I don't live in the DC area, but I hear that detecting is frowned upon there. I live further west and have never been questioned about my hobby at any school. Small town attitude, I guess.

If you want to hook up, let me know. I'm about 2 hours west of the DC area, near Winchester. I have lots of places we can go.

DM

 

[Tin Nugget]

I have pulled quit a few three ringers and musket balls out of the Winchester area.
Great area as the north and south chased each other up and down the shenandoah all through the civil war.

 

[Dirt Fishin Dale]

I will be leaving the beach hunting and going to Northern Virginia in the morning. I lived there about 9 years ago and really miss the relic hunting. The only relics I can find on the Florida beaches are 85 to 95 years old and still breathing.
I will be around the Fredericksburg area. Find some woods and dig….

 

[Digginman]

I will be leaving the beach hunting and going to Northern Virginia in the morning. I lived there about 9 years ago and really miss the relic hunting. The only relics I can find on the Florida beaches are 85 to 95 years old and still breathing.
I will be around the Fredericksburg area. Find some woods and dig….

Good Luck, Dale!!!! I've hunted around Fredericksburg, it's pretty amazing.

DM

 

[borninok]

steelheadfever,

I live in Manassas, VA (a hop/skip/jump from Alexandria) and because of the state/local/federal laws, it is very difficult to find a place to MD.........unless you have connections or are in a club. Believe me, I have been kicked out of a ton of local parks, 'cause they don't want anybody looking for relics. I'm not into relic hunting per se....I just want to MD for the fun of it and to get exercise. I once got kicked out of Lake Fairfax Park because I was hunting a torn-up soccer field...........believe me, the soccer field was so torn up that you never could have seen any of my MD holes. And here in Manassas.....the mere possession of a metal detector on city/public property is illegal.

Which is why I go to the beaches...........no hassle.

But, you know, it's people like your daughter, as a principal and educator, that could really make a difference for us MDers. Lordy, if she gave permission to detect the school grounds.............hmmmmm....I'd be more than happy to join you for a round of MDng.

Sadly, bureauracracy & political heads would rather deny us permission to MD an area.........than to think about some of the advantages. For example, how better to get youth and citizens interested in local history.......get hands on experience....have a day each month of metal detecting in an area of interest...but under the supervision of a park ranger. The MDers could also pay for a permit during this session. But...sadly enough........politicians and management would much rather hide their heads in the sand and say "no, can't do it". Sad.

Anyway, bring your MD with you. You never know when an opportunity could arise. And, if you do get the opportunity.....Lordy, pls let me know. I would be very grateful.
---Mel
borninok

 

[arobfeds21]

I grew up there and lived there in Alexandria and Falls Church until 3 years ago when I moved to Dallas. It used to be wide open except for state parks, however, it is my understanding schools are off limits and Fairfax county parks are off limits. But take your detector anyway. There are tons of places to detect. Let me know when you are going and I will give you some places in the Loudoun County area. Can almost always pick up some three ringers and other relics. I also have a spot in Alexandria I have been trying to get somebody to check out for me. I never did and had forgotten about it. Old house foundation. We used to hang out there at night so you would probably find a lot of beer pull tabs. One corner of the floor fell in once and we found some wooden boxes full of old books from the late 1890's. I never did detect the place and I doubt if anyone ever has. It is isolated from the roads and unveiwable unless you are right on it. My sister also has 25 acres just off RT. 29 past Manassas that I had just started checking before I moved.

I'm new to detecting and live in Loudoun County, VA. Any advice you can give me on where to hunt? I've just begun researching and it is overwhelming. Thanks!

 

[Tom_in_CA]

arobfeds21, welcome to the forum.

..... I've just begun researching and it is overwhelming....

By "overwhelming", do you mean the subject of the OP on this 10 yr. old thread ? Namely: Law, rules, etc... ? If so, then your "overwhelming" is probably only because of .... doh ... threads like this. Ie.: you read some stuff somewhere, of someone who got hassled. Or some place where persons on a thread muse "allowed or not". Blah blah blah. Then the psychology of "shark attacks" take hold. It works like this:

You are thinking of going swimming at the beach. However, you read a story about "shark attack" somewhere around the world. And NOW, no matter HOW FAR AWAY, no matter HOW REMOTE, no matter HOW RARE, and despite that 10k people per day swim in the ocean w/o attack, yet ..... Guess what you'll be thinking of ? Shark attacks. Right ? Contrast to if you'd never read about that fluke attack, you'd have never have given it a moment's thought.

So too is the same psychology at play here in md'ing circles: All it takes is one person to muse: "Is it allowed at such & such place?" or some fluke story of an over-zealous ranger hassling someone. Others read that, and then promptly rush out to seek clarifications of their own intended locations . After all, they don't want to be hassled. Or they're worried "gee, what about my place?" or "Gee, does this grey-area verbiage apply ?"


You see how it just snow-balls. It causes more persons to ask and wonder, which likewise, prompts more people to worry and ask. And asking for and about places where it has NEVER BEEN AN ISSUE to anyone. And then, sure as heck, someone will go ask a power-that-be : "Can I detect?" (can't be too safe, eh ?). They receive the "safe" answer (from someone who would otherwise never have thought of it, simply because they envision geeks with shovels, or they consulted with a purist archie). That "no" gets floated around forums, and .... guess what ? Driving the engine to cause-yet-more people to get the overwhelmed "everyone hates us" fear.

It becomes a self-feeding and self-fulfilling vicious loop.

Just avoid a) obvious historic sensitive landmarks, b) high traffic times and/or archaeologist conventions, c) nice manicured grass when busy-bodies are present.

But for run-of-mill innocuous beaches, parks, forests, etc..... : Don't overthink it. I authorize you. Now go find some cool stuff

 

[against the wind]

Don't leave home without it.