AA County MD.

[KinTN]

This language exists most places... It is just a matter of how they choose to enforce it and how much you want to risk...


(3) cut, pull up, burn, carve, or in any manner mutilate, misuse, or damage any tree, shrub, plant,
grass, or flower on park grounds; or
(4) intentionally destroy, injure, deface, remove, or disturb soil, rocks, or mineral formations
unless incidental to a permitted activity.


BCD

True.

From what i have read on the forums, I think theres a tendency for 'enforcement' to vary by the type of people/society in the specific area. In general, intrusive gov/big city areas tend to take the hard line and small town/rural types of areas tend to be more permissive. I credit Tom.CA for helping me to see this. His area (CA, noted for their Ahattery) vs my area (rural/small town South where the cops are apt to stop and have a friendly chat) seem to be vastly different in how a citizen interacts with local LE/officials.




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[Tom_in_CA]

This language exists most places... It is just a matter of how they choose to enforce it and how much you want to risk...


(3) cut, pull up, burn, carve, or in any manner mutilate, misuse, or damage any tree, shrub, plant,
grass, or flower on park grounds; or
(4) intentionally destroy, injure, deface, remove, or disturb soil, rocks, or mineral formations
unless incidental to a permitted activity.....

Correct. There's not a speck of public land anywhere that, when you look closely, doesn't have language like that. And sure: And anyone can try to say that md'ing falls into a category there. Because our act of digging constitutes "damage", "altering", etc... Eh ? And the act of our removing coins constitutes "taking" . (after all, you "took" a coin, right ? )

I think we can all agree that the solution to the above potential , is NOT to go in to those powers that be asking "Can I?". Because there's been too many cases of "no's", where, quite frankly, it had never been an issue.

So if you're going to hunt nice manicured grass, you just have to grow a thick skin. Don't go at times where you'd be "begging for attention".

Technically, I do NOT believe we fall afoul of the "alter" and "deface" and "damage" language. Because: We cover our spots and leave no trace. But sure, someone could dispute those semantics. But no amount of going in ahead of time and asking, will solve that. If anything, that will only make the potential worse.

The "remove" and "harvest" language is a bit more troublesome . Fortunately most rationale people realize that verbiage like that was NEVER meant to apply to fumble fingers losses. So that one doesn't come up too often.

I don't know that I'd call any of this a "risk" though. Depending on what you mean by "risk". If you meant "legal action", then no: No risk. A "scram" at worst. But if by "risk" you meant a "scram", then sure. If someone's tolerance just can't fathom that, then they probably shouldn't be doing manicured turf. Perhaps woodsy terrain, sand, etc... is better for them.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

.... a tendency for 'enforcement' to vary by the type of people/society in the specific area.....

Interesting theory.

I dunno. In CA, I've gotten scrutiny in very big cities (SF, for example), and scrutiny in very small towns alike. As for out of state, I haven't done much turf out of state. Just relic trips when traveling that far. So I dunno.

I do recall one time, in about 1982, as a college student hitch-hiking with my detector folded down in my backpack. Was passing through Alabama, walking along a country road. And passed by an old 1-room school house. No signs, no fences, no nothing. School not in session (perhaps a school house no longer even in use). It even had a picnic table out front.

So I set my backpack on the picnic table, and assembled my detector, and began to hunt. No sooner did I begin, when a sheriff pulled in ! They gave me the 3rd degree. When they found out I was from CA, they even gave me a "ride to the county border" .

As I got into the back of the squad car, there was a civilian looking person, in the front seat with the sheriff, who was in uniform. Turns out it was a mayor or alderman or councilman type person. Who apparently rides around with the sheriff to make sure there's no "riff-raff" going on anywhere in their nice rural "Dukes of Hazzard" type area. And they apparently didn't think highly of anyone from CA ! haha

I don't think the issue was my detector. I think that someone in some nearby house had simply called me in, d/t having seen a man with a back-pack. Which, I guess, conjurs up images of "transient" or something. Anyhow: That was an series of actions that I can't imagine happening in CA.

 

[KinTN]

Interesting theory.

I dunno. In CA, I've gotten scrutiny in very big cities (SF, for example), and scrutiny in very small towns alike. As for out of state, I haven't done much turf out of state. Just relic trips when traveling that far. So I dunno.

I do recall one time, in about 1982, as a college student hitch-hiking with my detector folded down in my backpack. Was passing through Alabama, walking along a country road. And passed by an old 1-room school house. No signs, no fences, no nothing. School not in session (perhaps a school house no longer even in use). It even had a picnic table out front.

So I set my backpack on the picnic table, and assembled my detector, and began to hunt. No sooner did I begin, when a sheriff pulled in ! They gave me the 3rd degree. When they found out I was from CA, they even gave me a "ride to the county border" .

As I got into the back of the squad car, there was a civilian looking person, in the front seat with the sheriff, who was in uniform. Turns out it was a mayor or alderman or councilman type person. Who apparently rides around with the sheriff to make sure there's no "riff-raff" going on anywhere in their nice rural "Dukes of Hazzard" type area. And they apparently didn't think highly of anyone from CA ! haha

I don't think the issue was my detector. I think that someone in some nearby house had simply called me in, d/t having seen a man with a back-pack. Which, I guess, conjurs up images of "transient" or something. Anyhow: That was an series of actions that I can't imagine happening in CA.

There will be exceptions, of course, and youre right that it can be an individual thing as well. I've got friends that are quite scruffy looking, but wouldn't harm anyone. And the converse, of course. If you present well, you tend to slide under the radar more, I think.




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[ChrisMD]

I present like an innocent choir boy, time to detect Gettysburg

 

[KinTN]

I present like an innocent choir boy, time to detect Gettysburg

Naw, that's in Yankeeland. They'll have Attitude for sure up there. Try Manassas instead.




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[31-coinshooting]

I noticed you found a nice coin in one of the Prince Goerge's county park, I just started in this great and lovely hobby that unfortunately is getting more complicated every single day!,what do you think about this?

PARK RULES & REGULATIONS
Effective July 1, 2017

Section 17. Metal Detectors, Digging
No person shall use a metal detector or dig into the surface of Park Property, except as authorized by Permit. Section 18. Animals & Wildlife

https://www.mncppc.org/236/Park-Rules-Regulations

 

[Tom_in_CA]

I noticed you found a nice coin in one of the Prince Goerge's county park, I just started in this great and lovely hobby that unfortunately is getting more complicated every single day!,what do you think about this?

PARK RULES & REGULATIONS
Effective July 1, 2017

Section 17. Metal Detectors, Digging
No person shall use a metal detector or dig into the surface of Park Property, except as authorized by Permit. Section 18. Animals & Wildlife

https://www.mncppc.org/236/Park-Rules-Regulations

I think what Chris is hinting at is: Sometimes there was verbiage like that (yes.... unfortunately specific) that got on the books years or decades ago. Yet you'd be hard-pressed to find anyone in authority to know of such minutia, nor care less.

Example (don't get "lost in the example") a city in CA that .... decades ago dreamed up a "permit" (something like $10 p/yr). You get them through the club, which mails a single check to the city each year for it's members. But all the md'rs in that city can never remember anyone ever being carded for it. And one guy tried to get one directly from city hall. No one there had any idea what he was talking about.

Thus it's *possible* that some of these are akin to "spitting on sidewalk" type rules. Ie.: you'd be hard-pressed to find anyone who cares or knows about it. Naturally : Don't throw caution to the wind. Obviously don't go tromping on obvious historic monuments, etc...

Also: To the extent that ... yes ... . it does appear to be mentioned specifically there: I'll bet I know how it got that way: Someone(s) , years ago, went asking "Can I?" type questions. And thus: They invent a rule to "address the pressing issue".

You can be safe and simply avoid county parks. City parks, as others on this thread have said, isn't an issue.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

...I fully understand that my actions and interpretations may fully end up one day with me in a pair of bracelets putting this to the test.... .

I highly doubt it. Despite specific dire verbiage, I'll bet you dollars to donuts that the LEO's have bigger fish to fry. If anything, they'd look at me and you and think "what a loser" . EVEN with something specific they could point to.

But as for your logic of "rules" vs "laws": As I've said before: That is quite a unique stance ! Not even me, as brazen as I am, could have tried to construe that.

I think what you are aiming at, is to equate "commentary" with "rules". In which case I would agree: There's many stories of someone fetching a "no", or an FAQ which says "no". That .... you're right ... . I do not equate to "law".

This would get into a complicated legal wrangling that we've gone over before. Very interesting take on things !

 

[KarenESP]

Males are bolder. I could never metal detect in a park where there was a rule against it. Are the AA Co. Rangers the same group as the STate of Md Rangers?? I audited a few State Parks back in the day for the State and those Rangers are as serious as County and State law enforcement. They probably thought you were a Co. worker, subcontractor or Miss Utility.