Need some clarification on Georgia metal detecting laws.

[Crackerjack]

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

We-he-ell, uh, I'd like to hold off judgement on a thing like that, sir, until all the facts are in.

 

[Twisted Bones]

We-he-ell, uh, I'd like to hold off judgement on a thing like that, sir, until all the facts are in.

And you are more than welcome to do that.

Let them have unrecorded time. They can go geek out with the paleontologists and dig lizard bones. The rest should be open game in the U.S.

If it were up to them I wouldn't even be able to have hunted for and kept this little guy.

 

[jchap99]

I'm a little surprised by all the Georgia hate.

I metal detect here several times a month. I've done parks all over the state. I mainly do small towns but have dug downtown Atlanta curb strips, parks, and part of an old torn down public housing site, and hundreds of schools.

And never (not once) had anybody say anything to me except HI!

Just yesterday I grabbed a quick hunt in a park and had the sheriff K-9 unit roll in and he just nodded his head at me. And kept going.

Where are yall getting that Georgia is a tough state?

Add into that all the friendly landowners that will let me dig for free. And I'm detecting heavan.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

.... I metal detect here several times a month. I've done parks all over the state. .... And never (not once) had anybody say anything to me except HI! .... Where are yall getting that Georgia is a tough state?.....

Excellent post jchap99.

The answer to your question is: People look up cultural heritage, and ask bored archies. Then put the dire-sounding answers (or outright no's) on posts, and make compendiums of laws, and then sit around and lament how horrible it is.

It would be a little like this: You've heard of P.E.T.A., right ? People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. Ok, if you were to ask one of those animal rights wackos the following question: "Hello. Can I leave my pet bunny in the car while I run into 7-11 and get a Slurpee ?". What do you think they would say ? They would screech: "NNEEOO ! The bunny will suffer in the hot sun ! You will be arrested for animal cruelty ! Your car will be confiscated ! You will be cited and ticketed!" Blah blah blah . And ... heck, they might even be able to cite actual chapter and verse of laws that do indeed appear to bolster their assertions.

But what did you EXPECT an animal rights activist wacko to say ? Does anyone besides them *really* care if you did it ? OF COURSE NOT.

SO TOO do I put little stock into what some purist archies say. And the laws they cite that admittedly *could* be construed to arrive at what they're saying.

I mean, sure: Avoid obvious historic sensitive monuments. But beyond that, go by the "does anyone really care?" rule of thumb.

 

[Kimslaguna]

AS a cop in Ga for 27 plus years I had no idea about mding laws until I got into the hobby a few weeks ago. In the city I work in I have seen a few people over the years mding on school grounds after hours. When would see one mding I would just throw my hand up and wave and think to myself "thats pretty cool". I will research the law and report.

Thanks
Deacon blues

Hi, wondering if you ever deciphered the laws concerning metal detecting, I'm in Barnesville and have no idea where to start. Thanks

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Hi, wondering if you ever deciphered the laws concerning metal detecting, I'm in Barnesville and have no idea where to start. Thanks

Read back through this post and you can see the past inputs.

Are you asking about Barnesville city land (parks, schools, etc... ?). If so, check their muni. website for city laws, rules, charter, park ordinances, etc.... If you see nothing there that says "no metal detecting", then presto, it's not prohibited.

Naturally use common sense and don't be in the middle of holes when/if busy-bodies are watching. And naturally don't go snooping around *obvious* historic sensitive monuments, etc...

Or did you have some other type land around you ? Eg.: A type of county, or state or fed land ? etc...

 

[roaddust66]

game wardens

I live Chattanooga. Sometimes known as the second largest town in the state of Georgia. that is a joke but sorta true. Okay ....you have to have the written permission on your person. Most law enforcement are not aware of these laws. It is a funny thing....the state game wardens enforce it the most. You better have your papers or th game warden will take you in and book you. Well maybe...

 

[mountain digger]

Just yesterday I grabbed a quick hunt in a park and had the sheriff K-9 unit roll in and he just nodded his head at me. And kept going.

Murphy's Law applied in Georgia: The best MD finds are always under the K-9 unit's poop!

 

[MrNovice]

I read the OP's question but skipped the rest of the replies. For what I understand of public schools here in Texas, told by an ISD security officer, it's up to the principal of the school as to whether you can detect it. To me, that sounds a little low on the totem pole but sorta makes sense since he/she is the one immediately in charge of the property. Now, it is paid for with public funds (ie: property taxes), but even though paid with public funds it is private property. It belongs, not even to the city, but to the ISD of the city. And they take the "independant" in ISD seriously.

I've been told to leave by security officers and police officers while hunting elementary schools, and I've been told it's okay by other security officers and other police officers. Some are interested in my finds (curious about the hobby) and others just boot me out. I always leave no trace, properly dispose of all the junk I dig out of the playground, report suspicious activity direct to a security officer of the ISD that gave me his card...if I see anything weird going on while hunting at night. To this this one specific security officer, I'm an extra set of eyes. To others, I'm the trespasser. So it just depends?

I've never been ticketed, I completely cooperate with whatever they say, and I pull out a bunch of junk for them that might possibly injure kids. Not long ago, I found a door key to the school marked "do not duplicate" and I called the security officer to turn it in. The officer that showed up to retrieve the key didn't like that I was there, but after giving him the key...he let me continue. So my luck has been mixed.

I'm not exactly sure the entity within the ISD that would need to be asked for permission to detect, but pretty sure the answer would eventually be "No" so I'm not even going to attempt to climb that pole. I'm take my luck playing dumb till it wears out. I also bring my youngest with me so he can play on the equipment while I detect if not too late in the evening, I think that helps soothe it over too. Never once been approached when he was there with me playing.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

....I'm not exactly sure the entity within the ISD that would need to be asked for permission to detect, but pretty sure the answer would eventually be "No" so I'm not even going to attempt to climb that pole. I'm take my luck playing dumb till it wears out.

What ? Are you suggesting for a moment that the process is arbitrary and whimsical ? Say it isn't so !

And as for your last sentence: I agree. We can spend our lives trying to get every last person to love and approve of us. Or .... we can just avoid those singular kill-joys.

 

[MrNovice]

What ? Are you suggesting for a moment that the process is arbitrary and whimsical ? Say it isn't so !

And as for your last sentence: I agree. We can spend our lives trying to get every last person to love and approve of us. Or .... we can just avoid those singular kill-joys.

It might be different in the OP's area, but we have 40 something elementary schools just in our city, and our ISD is so large it manages three other smaller cities next door as well. So even in those 3 smaller cities it's still our ISD property, which is kinda weird but I guess technically I could include those too. So there are plenty of schools here to keep security occupied with other things than pulling out a few nickels and quarters out of playgrounds.

I could see if there were only a small number of schools though, it would be tougher.

 

[EdFerguson]

I called the City of Cumming GA and Forsyth County Parks and both said that it was ok to hunt in the parks as long as you take care to close up holes nicely. I'll have to contact the county school board to ask about MDing. I'll post what I find out.

That's great news! I live on the border of Gwinnett and Forsyth county so I'll have to find some good county parks to hunt!

 

[brock957]

I'm in Powder Springs, Ga. I called the city parks and asked if metal detecting was allowed in the city parks. The women that answered the phone said as far as she knew it was ok. I wrote down her name, the date and time of the call on a piece of paper and put in in my wallet. Figure I can pull it out if I get asked. We'll see how it goes.

 

[duggap]

I agree there is a law requiring written permission on private property in Georgia. I carry a preprinted form in my Jeep to get the signature. And you must have it on you. It is primarily enforced by the game wardens. But if you think the laws in Georgia are tough, try some of the laws in Alabama.

 

[DIRT DOBBER]

I agree there is a law requiring written permission on private property in Georgia.

That's amazing to me... here in the hills of rural Tennessee a Peace Officer is still the one who has to get written permission to set foot on private property. If any LEO or local government agent thought they had a right to have a say in private contracts they'd be run out on a rail. Public servants around here approach citizens hat in hand......the way it should be.

 

[NectarDetector]

I agree there is a law requiring written permission on private property in Georgia. I carry a preprinted form in my Jeep to get the signature. And you must have it on you. It is primarily enforced by the game wardens. But if you think the laws in Georgia are tough, try some of the laws in Alabama.

Good to know

 

[Ice Scratcher]

That's amazing to me... here in the hills of rural Tennessee a Peace Officer is still the one who has to get written permission to set foot on private property. If any LEO or local government agent thought they had a right to have a say in private contracts they'd be run out on a rail. Public servants around here approach citizens hat in hand......the way it should be.

Exactly how it should be...

<°)))>{

 

[Tom_in_CA]

I agree there is a law requiring written permission on private property in Georgia. I carry a preprinted form in my Jeep to get the signature......

Ok, let's try that out for size. Let's assume what you are saying is religiously true, enforced, etc....

So your buddy invites you over to watch the NFL game (or for dinner afterwork for the office Christmas party, etc...).

Does your buddy give you that "written permission" to come into his house ? Do you bring your pre-printed form in from your jeep to "have him sign"? If not, have you ever gotten harassed and questioned by anyone to produce your printed permission ?

 

[DIRT DOBBER]

Ok, let's try that out for size. Let's assume what you are saying is religiously true, enforced, etc....

So your buddy invites you over to watch the NFL game (or for dinner afterwork for the office Christmas party, etc...).

Does your buddy give you that "written permission" to come into his house ? Do you bring your pre-printed form in from your jeep to "have him sign"? If not, have you ever gotten harassed and questioned by anyone to produce your printed permission ?

No way. If I'm on my friends or neighbors place I thank him and no other man for the right......

Freedom and subordination are states of mind.

 

[Sub Dude]

DIE THREAD!