Metal Detecting the Outer Banks Beaches

pghcoinhunter

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Dec 26, 2011
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Pittsburgh, PA
I know there are probably some people on the forum who are familar with the laws down there, so I figured this would be a great place to ask.

I'm going to the outer banks next week and of course, I was planning on taking the ACE with me down there. But, I've heard a few different things:

1. It is illegal to have MDs on the Beaches.

2. It is illegal to hunt in the Dunes. (makes sense)

3. It is legal to hunt the beaches below the tide mark close to the water but not in the dry sand??

4. It is illegal to hunt anywhere on the outer banks.

I have no clue what is true and what isn't. I did a google search, but couldn't find much info so I figured I would check to see if anyone was familiar with the laws. Thanks for any help!
 
I was just down there a couple of weeks ago. I stayed in Duck, the only places you cannot detect are south of Nags Head towards Hatteras as it is a State Park and wildlife refuge. I had no issues in Duck and up towards Corolla. The dunes on the other hand are considered a National Park as well from what I was told. The beaches from Nags Head north are fair game. I didn't have much luck only about $4 in clad but I still had fun. It was my first time beach hunting and it was a little frustrating until I got my AT Pro dialed in. I used a hand held scoop and had no issues on the dry or wet sand. Good luck and happy hunting.
 
Thanks for the information! I'll be in Duck too, so that's good to know. I've never detected a beach before, so it's a new experience for me too. I figured I could do that every morning early and take the kids with me. They can hunt Sea Shells and I can do the metal detecting. (They'll have more luck than me I'm sure.) I'm going next week, I'll post how I did.

Have a good one!
 
Thanks for the information! I'll be in Duck too, so that's good to know. I've never detected a beach before, so it's a new experience for me too. I figured I could do that every morning early and take the kids with me. They can hunt Sea Shells and I can do the metal detecting. (They'll have more luck than me I'm sure.) I'm going next week, I'll post how I did.

Have a good one!
If you are going to duck and have a 4wd then drive off the end of the road onto the beach. Go a short way and park up well above the tide line. On that section you can not park along the hard packed lane since it is a roadway for the homes up in the sand dunes going north. Detect the high line since that is where people party.
 
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