Has anyone actually detected on National Forest land?

[Irons]

So, after reading the link, if you find a coin from 1950, your screwed? Do these acts also cover private property? What if you find a miniball dating from the civil war? That most certainly is over 100 years old, is historical, and could be called an archaeological site. Right?

Well there was no civil war fought here so who's to say just how old a chunk of lead you happen to find is? Could be a shotgun slug or a modern muzzle loader ball.

What went on in northern lower Michigan where these forests are is the logging industry and that's about it. The buildings are long gone and the RR tracks were taken up 80 years before I was born.

Check your local national forests for historical areas before hunting it, but around here man there really isn't much besides water and trees.

 

[gordonquixote]

A lost seated quarter ar a swimming hole would not have historical context. A lost seated quarter at Abe Lincolns cabin could. Its all about context (in my opinion).

 

[DirtyNeckJesse]

I hunted a State Park here twice last week. The guy in charge just said "obey the antiquities laws, don't disturb the lake bed, and fill your holes back up. Hope ya find something good!"

No big deal.

 

[Grumpysrb]

You have to read the pages.
"Generally, most of the National Forests are open to recreational mineral and rock collecting, gold panning and prospecting using metal detectors." "It's always wise to check with the Local District Ranger if you have questions."

 

[Topdecker]

You can type in the name of pretty much an national forest you want and then add metal detecting and search from google ("Bienville National Forest metal detecting" for instance). This will return a page for the rules for that specific national forest.

All of the pages that I have visited say that you cannot dig. Thank gosh for ARPA.

Top

 

[DixieRiverDiggr]

My understanding is that each National Forest sets those policies at the Forest Supervisor level. (But they all follow the same basic boilerplate designed to enforce ARPA.)

I contact the HQ for a Forest via its website and get a response that I print out and carry with me, and, I try to talk with a law enforcement ranger for the area I'm in. When I go the first time I also try to introduce myself to the ranger(s) and let them know what I'm doing, (when and where and how long I'll be there), and see if they have any questions or concerns that I can talk out before there's a potential problem.

(Also carrying a handy copy of the MDers Code of Ethics is a good idea so you can talk about / show how you'll conduct yourself in the Forest.)

GL + HH!

~ Red