Need some clarification on Georgia metal detecting laws.

[zymurgyathome]

As a resident of Dekalb County, Georgia, I have been trying to locate information on the legalities of MDing. Below is what I have found so far. Aside from private property, the prospects look bleak.

MDing in Dekalb County, Georgia parks is prohibited unless searching for a lost item on behalf of the person who lost the item(s)
http://www.dekalbcountyga.gov/parks/pr-park-rules.html

The Georgia DNR has their rules posted here:
http://georgiashpo.org/archaeology/artifact

 

[Long2bhiking]

I live in Forsyth so I know what you mean with the DNR, but this doesn't stop you from seeking permission in city parks, schools, etc.

 

[kmad515]

I agree with Long. A lot of the counties around here can be quite ridiculous when it comes to detecting. I'd stick to the different city parks and city school systems if you want to hunt in public areas.

 

[Ice Scratcher]

The law is written permission on private land only, it is a tresspass letter to give you the right in other words, can and does pertain to any activity on private land.

Not...

You don't need written permission for private property, I don't care what anyone says.. Or what "local" laws are posted online.. This is still America..

All you do need is permission from said land owner. What if you and the land owner are illiterate lol, the property owners word, hand shake, nod or whatever is plenty! This is crazy talk here.. The only way the police should come onto private land is from a complaint, but if you have the ok from the property owner that should not happen, the police do not have the rights to enforce the wishes of somebody that does not own the property. I'm sure that is about as unconstitutional as could be possible...

I ain't buying it!!

<*)))>{

 

[WildDigger]

Another old dead thread.

 

[SilverFinger]

Georgia metal detecting laws

I know this is a zombie thread but I have to chime in and I hope somebody sees this before making the mistake of moving to Ga.

Moved here a year or so ago from Wisconsin.

The detecting here is not only terrible due to so many factors (red clay soil, being the least of them) but almost every plot of land short of privately owned property is subject to stringent jurisdiction, even if there are no laws on the books regarding metal detecting.

My last straw was a small public park in the city of Canton. I made the mistake of inquiring at a police dept. regarding going in there. All the cop did is shake his head no. No reason, nothing to back up his authority.

I am truly sorry I moved here from the north where the people aren't so damn up tight, righteous and full of false 'northern pride'.

The geography down here is stunning but it is quite oppressive compared to the north. I miss my home. I miss my metal detecting terribly. I can only blame the brutal midwestern winters for driving me away to a place that will never feel like home.

 

[Crackerjack]

I know this is a zombie thread but I have to chime in and I hope somebody sees this before making the mistake of moving to Ga.

Moved here a year or so ago from Wisconsin.

The detecting here is not only terrible due to so many factors (red clay soil, being the least of them) but almost every plot of land short of privately owned property is subject to stringent jurisdiction, even if there are no laws on the books regarding metal detecting.

My last straw was a small public park in the city of Canton. I made the mistake of inquiring at a police dept. regarding going in there. All the cop did is shake his head no. No reason, nothing to back up his authority.

I am truly sorry I moved here from the north where the people aren't so damn up tight, righteous and full of false 'northern pride'.

The geography down here is stunning but it is quite oppressive compared to the north. I miss my home. I miss my metal detecting terribly. I can only blame the brutal midwestern winters for driving me away to a place that will never feel like home.

It's a free country, sort of, you can move to a less oppressive state.

 

[BufordCityDawg]

I know this is a zombie thread but I have to chime in and I hope somebody sees this before making the mistake of moving to Ga.

Moved here a year or so ago from Wisconsin.

The detecting here is not only terrible due to so many factors (red clay soil, being the least of them) but almost every plot of land short of privately owned property is subject to stringent jurisdiction, even if there are no laws on the books regarding metal detecting.

My last straw was a small public park in the city of Canton. I made the mistake of inquiring at a police dept. regarding going in there. All the cop did is shake his head no. No reason, nothing to back up his authority.

I am truly sorry I moved here from the north where the people aren't so damn up tight, righteous and full of false 'northern pride'.

The geography down here is stunning but it is quite oppressive compared to the north. I miss my home. I miss my metal detecting terribly. I can only blame the brutal midwestern winters for driving me away to a place that will never feel like home.

Yes, detecting here is a challenge, but hey, Georgia has great fishing and we're 4 seasons. Trade those detectors in for a boat and some rods.

BCD

 

[Long2bhiking]

Wow, I've never had a problem with police or anyone for that matter detecting in GA (knock on wood). I've been in many city parks hunting and police drive by I wave and they keep on going. Sorry for your difficulties. Just keep trying and dont give up.

 

[Twisted Bones]

I know this is a zombie thread but I have to chime in and I hope somebody sees this before making the mistake of moving to Ga.

Moved here a year or so ago from Wisconsin.

The detecting here is not only terrible due to so many factors (red clay soil, being the least of them) but almost every plot of land short of privately owned property is subject to stringent jurisdiction, even if there are no laws on the books regarding metal detecting.

My last straw was a small public park in the city of Canton. I made the mistake of inquiring at a police dept. regarding going in there. All the cop did is shake his head no. No reason, nothing to back up his authority.

I am truly sorry I moved here from the north where the people aren't so damn up tight, righteous and full of false 'northern pride'.

The geography down here is stunning but it is quite oppressive compared to the north. I miss my home. I miss my metal detecting terribly. I can only blame the brutal midwestern winters for driving me away to a place that will never feel like home.

I am right there with you man. I have one year left in my contract in georgia and then back to Florida for me. I use to hunt everyday in Florida. Lucky to hunt once a month here. The laws in Georgia are rediculous at best. Can't wait to show this state my backside.

Matt

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Wow, an old thread indeed. I bet that in ANY state, if you asked enough police, archies, gardeners, lawyers, mayors, etc.... that you can ALWAYS find something that .... in some way ... forbids our hobby. Eg.: "remove" "take" "harvest" verbage. Or "alter", "deface", "dig" verbage. Or "cultural heritage" issues (as in the GA case). Or "lost & found" verbage, etc.... It's never-ending.

But on the other hand, I bet there's no shortage of guys in GA finding places to hunt, on private and public land. And yes, even (gasp) finding old stuff.

And here's the oh-so-classic case:

....My last straw was a small public park in the city of Canton. I made the mistake of inquiring at a police dept. regarding going in there. All the cop did is shake his head no. No reason, nothing to back up his authority. ...

Yet here's the oh-so-classic reality:

Wow, I've never had a problem with police or anyone for that matter detecting in GA (knock on wood). I've been in many city parks hunting and police drive by I wave and they keep on going......

Moral of the story ?

 

[Twisted Bones]

I have to chuckle every time I hear cultural or heritage. How many bullets, buckles, buttons, cannon balls......does a museum need? The stuff would rot in the ground never to be seen again with little care if the archaeological folks had it their way. when we find a site does it change history as we know it? 99% of the time no. It might if the detectorist went out on a limb and informed the state. This one would not. Why in gods name would I want to put in my time to research and discover goodies only to hand them over to a group that will hide them away in a storage room with the other 9 million bullets, buckles and such. I have found in this state to get to anything worth hunting, its pirate style. Take the plunder and tell no one, sell it on ebay, repeat. screw the cultural and heritage part.

Matt

 

[Tom_in_CA]

... How many bullets, buckles, buttons, cannon balls......does a museum need? The stuff would rot in the ground never to be seen again ....

Good Post Matt. Your lament is the popular lament of md'rs. But let me tell you how the purist archies would answer your stance:

They would say that perhaps *now* there is not funding or resources to dig up those goodies to display. And perhaps *now* there is no added info that buffalo nickel or CW button reveals. But how do you know that FUTURE generations might not dig an archie pit in that exact spot ? How do you know that FUTURE generations might not benefit from the information revealed by that buffalo nickel in that exact spot ?

Example: Consider the pyramids of Egypt. While it's accepted that the pyramids themselves are, of course, sensitive monuments (and no one would argue for the right to go pillage and poke around them). Yet way downstream or upstream from there, archies dig out villages of the common-man workers. And just the most mundane routine things (buttons, coins, midden, etc...) tell us lots about ancient Egyptian life, of those that built the pyramids. At places seemingly innocuous and not in the immediate environs of ground zero at the pyramids.

SO TOO, in 2000 yrs, might there be an archie dig at that park or battlefield that you dug that buckle, coin, etc... at. So SHAME on you. I know you are grief-stricken now. But not to worry: I will absolve you of all guilt. Just pack up all your ill-gotten gain, and send it to me. I will handle all of it.

 

[Twisted Bones]

What more needs to be learned about the civil war. Do buttons, bullets and so on really matter at this point. Maybe if the archaeologists played a fair game (which they dont) they might just find that most detectorists would jump on board and do the searches probono. I would gladly drop flags all day long at a site just to see what comes out. Do I care if the items have any cultural historical value? Nope. As for known and protected sites. I never detect them. There is absolutely nothing there worth losing my machine or being fined for. Unfortunately in georgia it appears that the archaeologists think the whole damn state is sacred ground. That is an overreach IMO. That mercury dime I dug from a curb strip a week ago has no more historical or cultural significance than the lone button I dug a month ago in the middle of nowhere. The button was on its side pointed norteast 4 inches down. Tell me it tells a story and when you get done I will reply B.S.

Matt

 

[Tom_in_CA]

What more needs to be learned about the civil war. ...

Matt, did you read my post ? Did you see what their answer would be ? SURE! Right NOW that bullet or button adds-no-more-info. But 2000 yrs. from now, FUTURE generations could learn from the "context" of where that button was found.

Also, put yourself in their shoes: Let's just say for a moment that they conceded the point that no one's harmed if a V nickel or button is plucked from the park or forest, right ? And let's just say for a minute that they agreed with you, and loosened their rules on md'ing, so long as you stayed away from their archie pits going on, or .... truly obvious sensitive monuments. Then you know FULL WELL what would happen next: All of us md'rs would be PERPETUALLY "pushing the envelope" to see just how close we can get to history (afterall, we love old coins, right ?). And it would be a forever battle of semantics and definitions on just how the truly sensitive spots are defined (their boundaries, borders, etc...).

So what do you THINK the "easy" answer for the govt. is ? : To simply say "no within their entire borders". Presto, problem solved

 

[Twisted Bones]

2000 years from now? I would hope by then the history of the civil war has loooong been sorted out. Lol as for the context of the button. Yeah right. How would they know that is where it was dropped. For all they know, a bear ate the guy, swallowed the button and deposited it 50 miles away when it took a dump. Context. Give me a break. Cheap term for "our best guess".

Matt

 

[Ice Scratcher]

Detect where you want, those that matter, don't care, and those that care, don't matter...



<°)))>{

 

[Tom_in_CA]

2000 years from now? I would hope by then the history of the civil war has loooong been sorted out....

Well, sure. But SO TOO did those Egyptian pyramid workers think the same thing, for their humble little blue-collar worker towns, miles away from the pyramids. They too would have said "gimmee a break", and saying all the same things you're saying now.

Besides, you haven't answered the other point: Of how the government understandably doesn't want to get into the "splitting hairs" business. For example: If they said "all National parks are open now, because Twisted Bones logic is right". They would most certainly have to add: ".... except Shiloh, Bodie, etc...", right ? But how about the historic cabin at one end of forest? Certainly that would be off-limits, but not the rest of the park, right ? Ok, who decides how close you can get then ? 50 yards ? 100 yards ?

Do you see the camels-nose-in-the-tent issue going on here ? Hence their stance to just "make it easy". "No" is always the easiest answer. See ?

 

[Mud-puppy]

2000 years from now? I would hope by then the history of the civil war has loooong been sorted out. Lol as for the context of the button. Yeah right. How would they know that is where it was dropped. For all they know, a bear ate the guy, swallowed the button and deposited it 50 miles away when it took a dump. Context. Give me a break. Cheap term for "our best guess".

Matt

I'm liking the cut of this guys jib! Although, be warned Matt, a lot of guys here do not cotton to your Dastardly reprobate ways...WE do, but most do not! Let Tom take all the heat when this "permission" subject comes up! He really enjoys it! Glad to see another Pirate finally! If we wanted to follow rules, we'd be golfers!
Mud

 

[Twisted Bones]

Well, sure. But SO TOO did those Egyptian pyramid workers think the same thing, for their humble little blue-collar worker towns, miles away from the pyramids. They too would have said "gimmee a break", and saying all the same things you're saying now.

Besides, you haven't answered the other point: Of how the government understandably doesn't want to get into the "splitting hairs" business. For example: If they said "all National parks are open now, because Twisted Bones logic is right". They would most certainly have to add: ".... except Shiloh, Bodie, etc...", right ? But how about the historic cabin at one end of forest? Certainly that would be off-limits, but not the rest of the park, right ? Ok, who decides how close you can get then ? 50 yards ? 100 yards ?

Do you see the camels-nose-in-the-tent issue going on here ? Hence their stance to just "make it easy". "No" is always the easiest answer. See ?

To compare the current times with the Egyptians is comedic at best. With the age of computers, social media and all well entrenched in our record keeping there will be little question as to how petty and controlling our society is.
As for the government splitting hairs, I respect that they protect hallow ground and natural resources. My point is this. In areas that were subject to less than spectacular incidences, a historical marker should suffice and unless it is private property detecting should go uninhibited. All should be able to hunt a homesite on historicaly marked land with the owners permission. Hell, currently the owner cant even legally do that in historical districts in most locations. Thats absolutely unacceptable and ludicrous in the most exceptional ways. It is all nothing more than a bunch of overeducated folks that majored in a niche trying to justify their jobs. Archaeologists serve a purpose over seas. In the United States they create their own purpose as well are a headache.

Matt