Detecting Black Hills National Forest Allowed!

"as long as you don't dig holes"

MDing allowed in a National Forrest?
That's shocking. I was always told to avoid anything National or Federal at all costs. It doesn't have to makes sense, it's the federal government.

I would keep a print out of that info with you though. Have fun.

Dont dig holes,WTBLEEP catch 22, Sure Bring out the MD's but dont dig holes? DUH! some Goverment employee must have been laughing when they made that regulation. What a simpleton Goverment we Have.Makes me sick

I would keep a print out of that info with you though.

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Haha that's what Vlad said. Yes this is the first I have ever heard of a National Forest allowing detecting, even if it was listed under the gold panning section. Who cares? No ranger is going to follow you around making sure you don't dig a hole .

I read somewhere that MDing is allowed in Nat. Forests but not in Nat. Parks. Here is the link: http://www.treasurefish.com/government.htm Scroll down to "the good" then keep reading.

arfive said:

I read somewhere that MDing is allowed in Nat. Forests but not in Nat. Parks. Here is the link: http://www.treasurefish.com/government.htm Scroll down to "the good" then keep reading.

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Interesting stuff. I may have to look into this further.

ARFIVE is RIGHT

National Parks Are a stricy NO..

BUT Nat. Forest are open to locval ranger discretion..

I live near the george Washington Nat. Forest in Western Virginia... I called the Lee Ranger District and they do allow MDing. I printed out the regulation and carry it with me...You are not allowed to go into archiological (sp) site, indian burial grounds or historical sites....but picnic areas, parking areas, hiking trails, fishing areas, swiming holes are all good. each year in the fall I go by the parking lots for the hunting areas and find a few bucks, beer cans, and lots rifle rounds both live and just the spent brass.

The rules say no digging, but I think thats open to inturpetation and most spots the ground in too hard or rocky to dig anyway....

The last I heard, out here in Oregon national forest is open to prospecting, so one may metal detect for gold, but artifact hunting is verboten. Anything over fifty years old and you can get in big trouble. It's generally figured that it is OK to pick up an arrowhead off the top of the ground, but that depends on the smokey bear that sees you do it. If he wants to be a jerk, then you can explaine to a judge why you thought it was legal, and you'll probably never see the arrow head again. I remember when if you wanted to look for arrow heads you stopped by the office and they handed out maps telling you where to go. Not anymore. There were two guy got into a lot of trouble and a big fine in the Winema Nat'l Forest. They were looking for bottles in an old logging camp dump that was over 50 years old and it was unbelievable the amount of crap they went through. BLM is about the same thing also. As far as I know, it's still legal to prospect in Oregon on public land, but not National Parks. Also it's legal to search state parks with a state issued permit. Stop and ask and they give you one. Don't even say to fill your holes, they want anything you find turned in and if they can't find the owner, then it's yours. I'm also under the impression that Federal law lets one look for bullets and coins in National Forest and BLM. ???? I don't know for sure on that one.