Public Rivers?

Go for it.

It probably depends on your state/county. Some places a property owner owns the rivers and creeks. Where I am they don't.

I clean them and never had a problem at all. Wear waders as there is alot of septic waste in them flowing out from homes.

GLHH!

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In Georgia the land owner owns to the half way mark in the river. In Tennessee, it is usually covered by TVA. I don't know the law now, but in Florida it use to be that if the waterway was able to run a boat it was public.

A permit is required in Va.

Rivers are okay here, problem is, way back when, they used to dump their trash in, and on the river banks. I've had more luck digging old bottles in rivers than relic/coin hunting. I guess it mostly depends on the history of the area your searching though. Good luck out there!

Nuggetnoggin seems to find alot of stuff in rivers.

In New York you should be ok.

Unless you hunt on politically connected property owned on the Salmon River.

Then you might have problems.

In California it's ok unless National park or private property.

EmuDetector said:

It probably depends on your state/county. Some places a property owner owns the rivers and creeks. Where I am they don't.

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What about in Arkansas?

natetheslugger0 said:

What about in Arkansas?

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Well let me put it to you this way: Imagine in your mind the particular river(s) that you have in mind. Ok, would it be unreasonable for you to simply walk along the banks of that river ? Eg.: to walk your dog ? Fish ? Birdwatch ? Or would those actions constitute a "scram" from someone. Or a charge of trespassing, etc...

If you can simply walk along the shores of that/those rivers, and partake of various innocuous activities, like in my example, then why would md'ing be any different ? Is md'ing somehow so evil that it's in a class by itself ? Since when ?

Unless it's within an obvious historic monument park type place's boundaries, and is just the run-of-the-mill river that goes through mundane terrain, where pedestrians are not disallowed, then ... sheeesk, go look for the ring your wife lost there last week.

And of course, if fronts someone's private home , where their home comes down to the border of the river, such that you're on their front lawn, then sure, use common sense. But beyond that, don't overthink it.

Or you can knock yourself silly inquiring and surveying to determine city vs county vs state vs fed (all of which have varying sub-entities within each of them). And then go asking a bunch of "pressing questions" to desk jockeys 100 miles away. And will probably become the latest victim of "no one cared till you asked". In the same way if I asked them "Can I walk my dog there" , I might likewise fetch a safe "no". When reality is: Did anyone really care less ?

Just avoid obvious historic sensitive monument places, and people's front lawns, and places with no-trespassing signs (where you wouldn't imagine even being a pedestrian).

Tom_in_CA said:

Well let me put it to you this way: Imagine in your mind the particular river(s) that you have in mind. Ok, would it be unreasonable for you to simply walk along the banks of that river ? Eg.: to walk your dog ? Fish ? Birdwatch ? Or would those actions constitute a "scram" from someone. Or a charge of trespassing, etc...

If you can simply walk along the shores of that/those rivers, and partake of various innocuous activities, like in my example, then why would md'ing be any different ? Is md'ing somehow so evil that it's in a class by itself ? Since when ?

Unless it's within an obvious historic monument park type place's boundaries, and is just the run-of-the-mill river that goes through mundane terrain, where pedestrians are not disallowed, then ... sheeesk, go look for the ring your wife lost there last week.

And of course, if fronts someone's private home , where their home comes down to the border of the river, such that you're on their front lawn, then sure, use common sense. But beyond that, don't overthink it.

Or you can knock yourself silly inquiring and surveying to determine city vs county vs state vs fed (all of which have varying sub-entities within each of them). And then go asking a bunch of "pressing questions" to desk jockeys 100 miles away. And will probably become the latest victim of "no one cared till you asked". In the same way if I asked them "Can I walk my dog there" , I might likewise fetch a safe "no". When reality is: Did anyone really care less ?

Just avoid obvious historic sensitive monument places, and people's front lawns, and places with no-trespassing signs (where you wouldn't imagine even being a pedestrian).

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"If you can simply walk along the shores of that/those rivers, and partake of various innocuous activities, like in my example, then why would md'ing be any different ?"

Digging

Tom_in_CA said:

Well let me put it to you this way: Imagine in your mind the particular river(s) that you have in mind. Ok, would it be unreasonable for you to simply walk along the banks of that river ? Eg.: to walk your dog ? Fish ? Birdwatch ? Or would those actions constitute a "scram" from someone. Or a charge of trespassing, etc...

If you can simply walk along the shores of that/those rivers, and partake of various innocuous activities, like in my example, then why would md'ing be any different ? Is md'ing somehow so evil that it's in a class by itself ? Since when ?

Unless it's within an obvious historic monument park type place's boundaries, and is just the run-of-the-mill river that goes through mundane terrain, where pedestrians are not disallowed, then ... sheeesk, go look for the ring your wife lost there last week.

And of course, if fronts someone's private home , where their home comes down to the border of the river, such that you're on their front lawn, then sure, use common sense. But beyond that, don't overthink it.

Or you can knock yourself silly inquiring and surveying to determine city vs county vs state vs fed (all of which have varying sub-entities within each of them). And then go asking a bunch of "pressing questions" to desk jockeys 100 miles away. And will probably become the latest victim of "no one cared till you asked". In the same way if I asked them "Can I walk my dog there" , I might likewise fetch a safe "no". When reality is: Did anyone really care less ?

Just avoid obvious historic sensitive monument places, and people's front lawns, and places with no-trespassing signs (where you wouldn't imagine even being a pedestrian).

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Good point. I’m currently looking for CW battles that took place near a small stream. I don’t know I guess river detecting interests me.

Martin_V3i said:

....Digging

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Which is the SAME exact answer when likewise posed to park turf. Eh ? And yes, I have *no doubt* that if you and I went "swatting enough hornet's nests", of the powers-that-be (that are the entity of whatever-water-way it is), asking "Hi can I dig ?" THEN SURE : You and I are sure to get a "no" answer.

BUT SO TOO CAN THE SAME BE SAID OF PARKS. Yet you find no shortage of (gasp) md'rs who hunt parks. Why is that ? Because: They leave no trace and passerbys could CARE LESS. Then why can't the river banks be the same ? Heck, IF ANYTHING: If it's sandy beaches, then .... all the more reason that "digging " be a non-issue. If you think that's an issue for sandy shores of waterways, then I suggest you take a quick look at the beach and water forum here on FMDF, and (gasp) you will find no shortage of us md'ing on beaches. And I got news for you : They (gasp) dug their targets.

If someone thinks "digging" is the reason for us to be unable to do our chosen hobby, then it almost makes me ask : "Why then did you get into this hobby in the first place ? Didn't it ever occur to you that you were going to dig your targets" ?

I would also point out that your one-word answer "digging" seems to agree with the notion that the simple act of being there (fishing, birdwatching, walk-your-dog, etc...) is an agreed-upon non-issue (ie.: it's not like you're trespassing). Then if we agree on that, and the only issue is "digging", then why is that only an issue here ? Why isn't it an issue for ANY place you hunt ?

Let's try this: You give me a list of places you hunt. And give me 24 hrs. And I'll bet I can find someone in the hierarchy of that place that will say : "Martin V3i shouldn't be digging there". I just have to make some well-placed calls, and word the question in the right way. If you doubt me, then by all means provide me the list of places you hunt, and we'll see if they allow you to "dig" there.

DbblTap said:

I clean them and never had a problem at all. Wear waders as there is alot of septic waste in them flowing out from homes.

GLHH!

Sent from my Armor_3 using Tapatalk

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and in metro areas like Atlanta lots of carcinogenic runoff from home lawn pesticides, fungicides and fertilizer.

duggap said:

In Georgia the land owner owns to the half way mark in the river. In Tennessee, it is usually covered by TVA. I don't know the law now, but in Florida it use to be that if the waterway was able to run a boat it was public.

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you can check your local county GIS map and see the property lines. Some go to the center, some stops at water's edge. Depends on your county and can even vary within the county.

But I will tell you with some rivers like the Chattahoochee that runs through Atlanta, forget the flood plain since anything old and good is buried under several feet of sand. Move out of the flood plain up to the higher bank. Be careful some rivers have two levels of flood plains.