Hello all. Always liked the idea of metal detecting and am staying near Dauphin island Al currently. We own a home in Wisconsin but staying in our rv for while now. I bought an at pro figured it’d be fun to hit the beaches while we are here. Now that I’m looking for somewhere to go I’m having some trouble. I had read online people detecting on west end beach dauphin island but I have asked in the town hall and a not overly nice woman said absolutely no metal detecting anywhere on island. And most public areas are posted as well it is not allowed. So does anyone know of beaches close by that do allow it?? Was thinking from what I find Pascagoula beach park in ms looks open to it?? Thank you in advance I greatly appreciate any advice.
New to forum and detecting looking for area
- Thread starter Hrisch92
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Jeepfreak81
Senior Member
I don't know anything about your area, just wanted to welcome you to the forum. I'm new as well and also picked up an AT Pro. Too cold and wintery here to use it at the moment, but looking forward to getting out with it soon.
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HappyOgre
Elite Member
Welcome from NW PA. I would say that if there aren't any signs actually posted prohibiting metal detecting, then go ahead. The lady may, or may not be in the know herself. You will find a lot of "no" answers are a knee-jerk reaction.
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Birddog1911
Senior Member
Greetings from Colorado!
adirondak5
Full Member
Welcome from L.I. , NY
I googled it and it seems like it is legal ANYWHERE up to the high water mark. As stated, sometimes asking you get a personal opinion and not the law.
The public beach does NOT allow metal detecting per their rules:
http://dauphinisland.org/public-beach/
However, most laws are ONLY for land and not the water to the high water mark. I don't believe ANY state park owns the ocean.
Welcome aboard. I hope this helps.
It is like if you anchored a boat off shore and detected, what could they do? You are NOT in the park. Maybe try googling RIPARIAN rights in Alabama to get a better answer.
Example:
A few years ago I was at a lake with a public boat launch in Michigan. We launched my boat and went over to a private marina. They had a roped off swim area. I got suited up and went in the roped off area to detect. After a while I felt a tug on my dive float. I came up to a woman on a float. She told me I couldn't be in that area. I told her she was wrong. a guy on the dock yelled, have you ever heard of riparian rights? I yelled back sure have and you don't have any. I told her I wasn't leaving and if she didn't like it to call the police. She also said I couldn't anchor my boat where it was. I told her she was wrong there also.
I went back under and a while later I heard a bam bam bam. I came up to a police officer on the dock. I walked closer and he told me I was trespassing. I told him no I wasn't. He said well now that you are standing up you are. I said no. This is a public lake with public access. No home ower owns the water up to the high water mark. He said he was reading the law and he believed I was right. I told him politely I knew I was and told him my background. We had a GREAT talk and he left to tell the folks I was right they were wrong.
So the campground can make the land illegal to detect and state NO METAL DETECTING. BUT the ocean is NOT theirs neither is the sand under it. You are not in the campground as soon as you touch the land at the high water mark. Plain and simple. Nobody owns the ocean as far as I know. I would be shocked if a campground had any rights at all.
The public beach does NOT allow metal detecting per their rules:
http://dauphinisland.org/public-beach/
However, most laws are ONLY for land and not the water to the high water mark. I don't believe ANY state park owns the ocean.
Welcome aboard. I hope this helps.
It is like if you anchored a boat off shore and detected, what could they do? You are NOT in the park. Maybe try googling RIPARIAN rights in Alabama to get a better answer.
Example:
A few years ago I was at a lake with a public boat launch in Michigan. We launched my boat and went over to a private marina. They had a roped off swim area. I got suited up and went in the roped off area to detect. After a while I felt a tug on my dive float. I came up to a woman on a float. She told me I couldn't be in that area. I told her she was wrong. a guy on the dock yelled, have you ever heard of riparian rights? I yelled back sure have and you don't have any. I told her I wasn't leaving and if she didn't like it to call the police. She also said I couldn't anchor my boat where it was. I told her she was wrong there also.
I went back under and a while later I heard a bam bam bam. I came up to a police officer on the dock. I walked closer and he told me I was trespassing. I told him no I wasn't. He said well now that you are standing up you are. I said no. This is a public lake with public access. No home ower owns the water up to the high water mark. He said he was reading the law and he believed I was right. I told him politely I knew I was and told him my background. We had a GREAT talk and he left to tell the folks I was right they were wrong.
So the campground can make the land illegal to detect and state NO METAL DETECTING. BUT the ocean is NOT theirs neither is the sand under it. You are not in the campground as soon as you touch the land at the high water mark. Plain and simple. Nobody owns the ocean as far as I know. I would be shocked if a campground had any rights at all.
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ArthurEvans
Senior Member
Welcome from the Hudson Valley of New York.
Beach rules vary quite a bit... If you can get the information first hand from a document, it's better, since a lot of people just default to "no", when really they just don't know and they don't understand the hobby. Federal lands are often ruled out, state parks vary - some no, some yes, some require a permit - and town beaches have their own rules too.
Good luck finding out! And happy hunting!
Beach rules vary quite a bit... If you can get the information first hand from a document, it's better, since a lot of people just default to "no", when really they just don't know and they don't understand the hobby. Federal lands are often ruled out, state parks vary - some no, some yes, some require a permit - and town beaches have their own rules too.
Good luck finding out! And happy hunting!
GKL
Forum Supporter
Welcome from South Carolina !!!!
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Tom_in_CA
Elite Member
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Did the "not overly nice woman" say what law or rule said such a thing ? Ie.: did she say "... per such & such law or code" ? Because otherwise it could be as Arthur says:
Example; This just recently happened @ a CA beach that you can detect till you're blue in the face. Someone came on a forum lamenting that "detecting on such & such beach isn't allowed". A few of us asked : "Where'd you get that information ?". And it turned out they'd .... drum-roll ..... ASKED.
NOT SAYING THAT SUCH A RULE MIGHT NOT TRULY EXIST THERE where you're referring to. Perhaps one does exist. But just sayin' .... : Don't swat hornet's nests. Look up laws/rules for yourself. If you see nothing there that says "no metal detectors", then presto, it's not dis-allowed.
I do not know of the link/law that scuba-detector alludes to (haven't studied it).
It is the official website of the PUBLIC PARK BEACH. Open from 8am - 6pm
Again it is talking LAND. Positive if a boat is anchored offshore there is NO LAW against it and the water is not owned by the beach.
However Tom, you and I both know they want folks to THINK the water belongs to them.
dirtydog
Forum Supporter
Welcome from FL.
Cherry Picker
Forum Supporter
Welcome from Dodge City
yooper69
Elite Member
Welcome to the forum .
Dtcjem
Full Member
Welcome from Snowy Southern NH. Dreaming of hunting the beach with some warmth.
BuscaPlata
Forum Supporter
Welcome from west Michigan!!
hoser
Forum Supporter
Good to have ya here. Welcome.
JWalker3
Forum Supporter
Welcome to the forum from snowy Western NY 
cellrdwellr
Elite Member
Welcome from central MA!
