Oh please! You really don't believe by calling you bring unwanted attention do you? That's ridiculous!
I have been lurking on the forums for a long time and decided I just had to reply to this ridiculous comment.
OK, I do work for "a" County Forrest Preserve in Illinois. (name withheld). I do have first hand information that there has been constructive discussions on MD at our preserves. And, mostly due to the many calls, emails and letters we receive.
However, I am willing to bet that the MD issue(s) won't be fully considered at the board level for some time yet, if at all. But, I won't go into certain elected officials and their views.
Again, I wanted to respond to this gentleman's comment trying to tell people not to make phone calls. Do make calls and let yourself be heard. It's a great hobby and those elected by us need to know this!
For the record, I am one of many Preserve Rangers/employees that enjoy the hobby of metal detecting.
Wow, what an old thread.
Ok then captn-john, let's read carefully what you yourself have written S-L-O-W-L-Y and see if it self destructs:
a) you say that the amxfred's advice to not ask permission is not a wise idea. Ie.: the fly under the radar and don't make waves or ask dumb questions is "ill-advised". Right?
b) And as proof of this, you give your own entity as an example of where people asked, and "constructive discussions" had/have gone on about "allowing" md'ing, right?
c) yet reading closely, you say that the REASON why these "discussions" have EVEN GONE ON in the first place, is d/t " .... the many calls, emails and letters we receive."
d) And presumably the answer your entity gives might eventually be "no", right? (or on the other hand, it might be "yes", but as of this post, you're not saying which it is).
e) Then it seems to me that it's NOT a "ridiculous" notion that ".... by calling you bring unwanted attention ". Because in the case you site (your own entity), THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT IS HAPPENING!
Now I don't know the already-existing rules at your particular entity. Perhaps there is a rule that truly and specifically says "no metal detecting". If so, then fine, solidarity to get that over-turned is great. But if your entity is only answering the "numerous inquiries" by morphing other things to apply (disturbing wildlife, harvesting and removing, alterations and defacement, etc...), then all those people asking have merely availed themselves of being the latest victims of "no one cared, till you asked".
And if any passing ranger or personell DID now see an md'r, they merely recall the earlier inquiries, and think "aha! there's one of THEM" and start booting others. Or ask themselves "gee, do we allow this?" and so forth.
Thus I agree with the others in this thread and amxfred: If there's no specific rule that said "no metal detecting", then you do not need to ask "can I metal detect" ANY MORE THAN YOU NEED TO ASK IF YOU CAN FLY FRISBEES.