Places not to metal detect

edwardsdalejr

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Jun 27, 2009
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I thought this would be an interesting topic to discuss. If you know of somewhere you are not allowed to detect please list it here. If you also have a copy of he law that would be helpful as well. I tend to travel a lot lately and am always trying to find places to metal detect and came across this one today because next week I will be in Alexandria, VA all week. I guess the government is getting so greedy they even want the money and items that people lost.

Metal Detecting and Digging on City Property

Code of the City of Alexandria Chapter 1, Title 13 Section 13-1-40:

(a) Except as provided in subsections (b), (c) and (d), it shall be unlawful for any person, while located on city property, to:

possess or use a mineral or metal detector or any other device or probe to search for objects in, on or below the surface of the soil;
dig, excavate or in any other way disturb the surface of the soil;
remove any object found in, on or below the surface of the soil.
(b) Notwithstanding the prohibitions in subsections (a) (1) and (a) (3), permission may be obtained from the director of the department of recreation, parks and cultural activities, or his designee, to use a metal detector on city property to locate and recover a specific item of personal property which has been lost by the person requesting the permission.

(c) Notwithstanding the prohibitions in subsections (a) (2), permission to dig on or excavate specific city property may be granted by the city manager, after review of and favorable recommendation on the request by the city archaeologist. Any objects found as a result of such permitted digging or excavation shall remain the property of the city. Any person receiving permission under this subsection shall, at the completion of the work, restore the city property to its previous condition.

(d) This section shall not apply to activities conducted by city employees during the course of their duties.

(e) Any person violating this section shall, upon conviction, be guilty of a class three misdemeanor. Each day that a violation continues or occurs shall constitute a separate offense.
 
No metal detecting

Basically they're telling you that if you go through the trouble to get an ok from the city that everything you find still belongs to the city. So whats the point in digging if you cannot keep anything you find? It's mainly these archaelogical groups that push this kind of garbage through. You cannot dig and if you do dig then it still belongs to them. But when was the last time you went to a museum and saw any type of coins or jewelry from a dig on display??????? So when they dig where do the items go because they don't wind up being put on display?
 
So if I read that correctly its unlawful for me to posess eyes and use them to search for objects on city property. Its also unlawful for me to step in dog crap as thats removing the object from the property. On that note its unlawful not to clean up after your dog but its just as unlawful for you to pickup an object... Make sure not to drop your car keys or you'll have to run and get permission to pick them up.
 
up here is everett, wa its easy. the sandy beaches in the parks are fine. tot lots i think are fine too. rest of the parks are a no...of course that was over a year ago....will have to check for any updates
 
Sad but true. I do believe it may get worse too over time. I see more and more places becomming "OFF LIMITS" :(:mad:
 
I know that it is illegal to detect in State Parks in Minnesota but I was wondering about other public lands. I stopped in the DNR office and asked them about the rules regarding detecting on public lands and they told me that if I lost something, I could look for it, but that I could not use the detector on any land managed by the DNR for any other reason.

Crazy... just crazy.

-Mike-
 
I know that it is illegal to detect in State Parks in Minnesota but I was wondering about other public lands. I stopped in the DNR office and asked them about the rules regarding detecting on public lands and they told me that if I lost something, I could look for it, but that I could not use the detector on any land managed by the DNR for any other reason.

Crazy... just crazy.

-Mike-

Yeah, MN State Parks are off limits. I would not go by anything the DNR says. They are the wrong guys to ask. The only thing they should have a say in is if you find a coin or ring inside of a fish or game animal.:lol: Public land is just that: Public. Where in MN are you?
 
Archeologists stink

I see more and more places using the archeologist excuse as a way of not letting people detect. I know PA is one of the places that depending upon the area you cannot detect on certain state owned properties. I think there needs to be a push for legislators to change this. They just keep weasling their way to make it illegal to metal detect in your own yard by pushing legislation through prohibiting you from digging up items lost by others and even yourself. Never saw a museum yet that shows coins on display.
 
First of all... If you have just gotton your new detector, I advise you to try it out in your own yard for at least 30 minuets
 
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