Los Padres National Forest of Ventura county

Best to check in at the ranger's station and ask. Always a good idea to let them know you are there, where you are going, what you plan on doing. Something happens, they know where to start looking. The ranger are usually pretty helpful, if metal detecting is allowed, they'd know where some good spots are, and how to get there quick and easy. Save you a lot of time and trouble. Don't really know what's going on in California, sneaking around seems to be the normal approach for most places. A national forest isn't the best idea though, always best to let the rangers know you are out there.

HarveyH48 said:

Best to check in at the ranger's station and ask.....

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Sure. And be sure to mention "dig", "holes", "take", "remove", "cultural heritage", and "indian bones". Then sit back and wait for the "yes's" to roll in.

I'm in Salinas, CA. And we've gone south to various points in the Las Padres National forest, all through Arroyo Seco, west of Hunter Ligget, and all through the Big Sur area. Never had a problem.

NFS has no specific prohibition. Oh sure, there may be something about objects over 50 yrs, blah blah. But just stay clear of obvious sensitive historic monument, and archie conventions, and you'll be fine.

eg,

Well ... here's my thoughts on some of the advice you've been given.

Best to check in at the ranger's station and ask. They really want to get to know you, up close and personal! Might want to go ahead and provide them a copy of your drivers license too. Well, it could be useful and make their job of locating you at your own home easy, right? Chance to introduce them to the wife & kids!

Always a good idea to let them know you are there, where you are going, what you plan on doing. After all, they don't have anything better to do...you know, they are Federal Government employees, right? And of course the reason we have government employees is to keep an eye on MDers that are enjoying their legal rights, right?

Something happens, they know where to start looking. Yep, and we know something is bound to happen to you doing all that sneaking around you do in their National Forest. Maybe cut yourself and need an ambulance or trip over your MDer and fall into the creek and need resuscitation. You know you're not very resourceful or self-sufficient. Accidents are always happening to you and that's why you chose MDing instead of naked rock climbing, right?

The ranger are usually pretty helpful, if metal detecting is allowed, they'd know where some good spots are, and how to get there quick and easy. If they're particularly intelligent and actually know the law, they may share with you their favorite National Forest MDing site! After all, they probably work their 8 hour shift, go home and change into their 'tecting pants' and head right back to the worksite to enjoy their MDing hobby and to suck down some suds, right? And what's with that word 'IF'? MDing is either legal or not legal in National Forests, right?

Save you a lot of time and trouble. Unless not, but they do look for troublemakers, don't they? But I thought you were there to MD and to avoid trouble by kinda' being alone with your expensive metal detector? Maybe those National Forest are not really there for all the taxpayers and citizens to enjoy like we've been told all our life by those in charge?

Don't really know what's going on in California, sneaking around seems to be the normal approach for most places. Oh, so no real Ca. knowledge ... really, and Los Padres is in California and who's sneaking around? Well, it really doesn't matter since it is a National Forest and all one really needs to know is the National Forest laws on MDing. You're normal approach is to sneak around isn't it?

A national forest isn't the best idea though But I don't understand why it wouldn't be a good idea to MD where it is totally legal to MD and immerse yourself in a legal hobby?

always best to let the rangers know you are out MDing is just like taking a 3 day hike in the backcountry. Especially if you spead Peanut Butter all over your bareness in bear country, right? Oh no, you don't really metal detect in the buff, do you? Well, if you do you'll want to do it in the National Forest where the rangers all have really good optics! Do you like Jelly with your PB?

Sure. And be sure to mention "dig", "holes", "take", "remove", "cultural heritage", and "indian bones". Then sit back and wait for the "yes's" to roll in. Is this guy for real? Oh wait, I can tell sarcasm when it's forced down my throat!

I'm in Salinas, CA. And we've gone south to various points in the Las Padres National forest, all through Arroyo Seco, west of Hunter Ligget, and all through the Big Sur area. Never had a problem. Real experience in Los Padres? Well, maybe if this is the truth.

NFS has no specific prohibition. Oh sure, there may be something about objects over 50 yrs, blah blah. But just stay clear of obvious sensitive historic monument, and archie conventions, and you'll be fine. Should I own it by doing some research or just rely on this forum? Dang, the guy did use 2 blah's in the same sentence. Might look up the actual laws on MDing in the National Forests to verify ... I'm pretty smart and 15 minutes of research would let me know if this guy is really blowin' smoke up ... oh never mind, I already know who's really blowing smoke!

mountain digger said:

.... Should I own it by doing some research or just rely on this forum? Dang, the guy did use 2 blah's in the same sentence. Might look up the actual laws on MDing in the National Forests to verify ......

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M-Digger, your post brought a smile and chuckle . Thanx !

Yes there's been the links posted in the past, that NFS is not dis-allowed. In fact, it even has express allowances for it for pete's sake. I can post again if you or anyone wants. About the only objections raised when the links were floated in the past is:

a) that the only apply to the west and mid-west, etc... But that , supposedly, where were a few small isolated east coast NFS spots, which had a specific exception to that. But this post is about CA, so that objection is a non-issue.

b) that although it's not dis-allowed, yet if you looked hard enough, squinted and stood on one foot, and asked enough archies: That it's ok as long as you're not removing cultural artifacts. And those would be defined as 50 or more years old. Ok, then I guess it's up to yours and my's math skills ? I mean, c'mon ! If anyone's really hot and bothered and someone might follow them around with a calculator, then simply re-insert any coin, older than 50 yrs. old, back in the soil

Bottom line .......you have a snowballs chance in hell of any ranger saying you can detect. Might as well ask if you can start growing weed in the forest.

There is national forest land at south Lake Tahoe and I asked to detect the beaches which they said yes.

Best of luck! Be sure to let us know if you find anything!!

metaladdict said:

There is national forest land at south Lake Tahoe and I asked to detect the beaches which they said yes.

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Ok, sure. But be aware that if you came in the next day, and asked a different desk person there, you could get a different answer.

It all depends on the mental conjecture they attach to your question. For example, how did you phrase it ? With the euphemism of "can I metal detect?" If so, then you failed to mention "dig", "take", "remove", and "cultural heritage" key-words, they could have said "no".

So you see then, it's Russian Roulette of who you ask, and what connotations they have to the question. And the trouble with happening to find one who says "no" (like if an archie happened to be manning the desk that day), is that it then becomes a bee-in-their-bonnet to start issuing "BOL's" or somehow now aware of something that, perhaps, prior to that, never crossed their minds.