County parks, hmmph...

andrgo

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Aug 9, 2006
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Well, I've been wanting to do some metal detecting for quite a few months now but I've been kind of lazy on my days off to get around to it. Today I thought I'd spend some time researching (via maps mostly) some parks within my county and surrounding counties so I could know where to metal detect. In my state, metal detecting on state land is against the law. I wasn't sure how things were at county-level though, so I decided to email the guy in charge of the county parks. I asked him if he could tell me if metal detecting is prohibited in any specific parks or county property, and he shot me back this fancy wording which was an obvious cut-and-paste job from section from some list of park regulations the county has:
6.0 ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
6.1 No person shall disturb, destroy, injure, damage, or remove any property within a Park or Trail including but not limited to vegetation, ruins, wildlife, geological formations, signs or facilities, except edible fruit and wild animals legally taken under the provision of sections 12 of this ordinance specifically permitted by these parts. Collections for scientific and educational purposes may be made after obtaining a permit from the Director
So while it doesn't mention "metal detecting" or "metal detectors" specifically, is it me or does it sound like metal detecting is pretty much banned from any park or public property in the whole entire county? If so, I find that rather absurd because it's infringing with my well-loved semi-hobby.

Thoughts?
 
Sounds like retrieving the target would be a violation, but I'd ask a park ranger to see how strictly the laws are enforced. You couldn't even walk in the park without "disturbing" something.
 
The man could have told you a simple yes or no. By sending you that blurb, it appears he doesn't know the answer himself, and is leaving it up to you to translate it.

You're not destroying anything my metal detecting. I'd go ahead and give it a whirl - at least until someone says you can't do it.
 
That last sentence kinda gives you an out though. Who is to say what is scientific and educational. If I am learning from what i find, isn't that educational?
 
That last sentence kinda gives you an out though. Who is to say what is scientific and educational. If I am learning from what i find, isn't that educational?

Send the director an email asking for permission to dig in the park. Tell him you are doing historical research for a summer class you are teaching at a school.
 
Check with county Sheriff's Dept

Ask if you could be fined for detecting in county parks. They would know if they were supposed to send someone out to ticket detectorists. They don't really say anything about removing coins or objects not made by nature. The no digging/damaging etc laws were around before metal detectors existed & sometimes they make an exception for us, as long as we don't do real damage. If they say there's fines for all detecting, look elsewhere. HH, George (MN)
 
I sent a email to my county parks department and they still haven't replied back to me yet. At least you got some kind of response, it seems I'm just gonna get ignored.
 
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