Lytle78, if the quote from your link above, is what you are referring to, then notice that it doesn't disallow the collecting/taking of an artifact (like a coin, button, etc...) It has a long list of natural things (firewood, cactus, rocks, etc....), but I don't see cultural or historic objects listed in that prohibition. Notice it's only the VISITING of "historic cultural or archaeological sites" that's forbidden. Ok then, if stay off sites that are listed in the trinomial system of designed historic sites, then presto, haven't you complied ? Not all land within the entire state's land is a "historic cultural site", lest you couldn't even step on the land to begin with ! (given a technical reading).
But let's cut to the chase: Let's assume that it WAS more comprehensive, and actually forbade the taking of historic artifacts, border to border (and not just at designated archaeological sites): I don't deny that such boiler plate verbage could indeed be morphed to dis-allow you or I from picking up the 1959 memorial. Here's what would need to happen:
a) You find a purist archie on the AZ state payroll.
b) you show him this citation.
c) you ask him "how is historic" and "artifact" defined?
d) he would tell you "50 yrs. old or older"
e) You then say: What if I looked down and saw a 1959 memorial, can I pick it up ?
f) He would say "no". And then he would go back to his offices in the state capitol of Phoenx, and you'd never run into such a person again. (unless you were parading yourself around obvious sensitive monument during an archie convention).
