Metal Detecting CODE OF ETHICS

[jbwalden]

"PLUS, we have some ethics that we follow that are not posted such as:

1. We don't detect cemeteries
2. If we are invited to go somewhere, we don't start detecting till the person that invited us gets there, and we leave when they leave.
3. We don't sneak behind our friends backs and clean out their spots.
4. If you are asked to leave a place, you apologize and leave."



I think as well as concern for cemeteries, we should also respect the land of churches and other houses of faith even if we are atheists or agnostics. I myself am a Christian and think that houses of faith (any faith) should get the same respect as cemeteries.

Is it just me or can the CoE be summed up in two lines: respect the environment, respect others' property.

[JVA5th]

Yeah i agree very good rules to follow.

[Dick Stout]

Just wanted to share this with you all if you haven't seen it before. The late Jim Lewellen, CEO and prez of Fisher, wrote this back in the eighties, and it always broke me up. I tell the whole story on my website, under latest news,
May 27th. www.stoutstandards.com

The Ten Commandments of Metal Detecting
by Jim Lewellen
1. Thou shalt not leave behind unfilled excavations.

2. Thou shalt not trespass or defy in any way the lawful decrees of thy city, state, province or country.

3. Thou shalt not harm vegetation, the creatures of the field, natural resources or the personal property of others.

4. Thou shalt not covet the finds of thy companion. Nor shall ye covet his metal detector, digging tool, or the hallowed place he diggeth.

5. Thou shalt not neglect thy family and friends whilst in the endless pursuit of this hobby.

6. Thou shalt assist the distraught owners of lost goods, and the archaeologists, the enforcers of law, and all others who may need thy skill as a metal detectorist.

7. Thou shalt return found treasures to the proper owners, whenever their true identity can be rightfully determined.

8. Thou shalt report to the proper authorities any find relating to criminal activity or of archaeologtical significance.

9. Thou shalt be considerate of others on the beach, and in other public places whilst waving thy searchcoil, and digging holes in the sand and soil.

10. Thou shalt speak out against unjust laws and stand firm against the Philistines who would cast out all those who would use detectors of metal.

and.....
If thou dost not abide by these Commandments, may ye be plagued with mineral-bearing rocks, hard packed soil, pestilence, serpents, locusts, poisonous vegetation, and great multitudes of pulltabs, bottle caps and rusty nails. May ye spend the remaining years of thy wretched life digging signals of false origins. For thine iniquities shall surely bring the overzealous wrath of the ignorant, heathen bureaucrats down upon those of us who are innocent. For we are the righteous and the just and ye who do not obey the Ten Commandments of Metal Detecting are doomed to bad luck.

"Thanks Jim. Rest in peace!!"

[PSYS]

Brilliant...

Thanks for posting!!

[ace202]

Is it possible to MD in an area designated as being on the national Register of Historic Places? i am refering to an old ghost town in my area that is in a national forest. I am new to the hobby and my thinking tells me NO but i just thught I'd ask.

[stewart73]

What a great thread...lots of good rules to remember!

[SLO_Dave]

Originally Posted by ace202

Is it possible to MD in an area designated as being on the national Register of Historic Places? i am refering to an old ghost town in my area that is in a national forest. I am new to the hobby and my thinking tells me NO but i just thught I'd ask.

What is the name of the place.. ?

[ace202]

I am talking about Leesburg. It was a huge mining town but now it's a ghost town. It is on the national historic register so am wondering if it's off limits to MD'ing. The surrounding National Forest areas could be productive too. Leesburg was a HUGE gold mining area

[montygarlic]

Originally Posted by stewart73

What a great thread...lots of good rules to remember!

Amen!

[rootin ruth]

this answers one of my questions - i wondered if md'ers made an effort to locate the owners of their finds? and if so, how much of an effort? like, would you put an ad up, contact the police, local museum or something like that? i don't think i'd want to give up any nice finds.. finders keepers! ?

[DixieSweeper]

Originally Posted by ace202

I am talking about Leesburg. It was a huge mining town but now it's a ghost town. It is on the national historic register so am wondering if it's off limits to MD'ing. The surrounding National Forest areas could be productive too. Leesburg was a HUGE gold mining area

National forest=No

[PuddleJumper]

Originally Posted by rootin ruth

this answers one of my questions - i wondered if md'ers made an effort to locate the owners of their finds? and if so, how much of an effort? like, would you put an ad up, contact the police, local museum or something like that? i don't think i'd want to give up any nice finds.. finders keepers! ?

If it doesn't have their full name, phone number, address and date of birth....I consider it mine

[kevdawg]

I meet two guys today that needs to look back at the code of ethics. thanks to them I am getting kicked off a site that I have be given permision to metal detect on. thank a lot .

[ATPROJOE]

...should be a common virtue.

[timsuggs]

Originally Posted by scrapman

I'm having a (green) T-shirt made up with the Code of Ethics on the back and a picture of a MD on the front. Maybe if enough people see it they will get the idea that all metal detectorists aren't vandals. They can see that we have set rules that we follow.

Make a few extra! I'd buy one.

Tim.

[PESKEYBOBCAT]

you left out the part where you report all your finds to the IRS..

[Wilvekio69]

Originally Posted by ezdigger

Do not Kill the hobby these are,
Good Rules to Follow When Detecting

- Never trespass. Always get permission to traverse private or restricted lands.
- Always respect private property and do no metal detecting without the owner's permission.
- Before searching public sites, always check laws, ordinances or regulations that may govern your hunt.
- Always leave gates as they are found whether open or closed.
- Never do anything that might contaminate wells, creeks or other water supplies.
- Never tamper with signs, maintenance facilities or equipment.
- Never damage or destroy property, buildings or what is left of ghost towns or deserted structures.
- Never spook, taunt, provoke or otherwise disturb wild or domestic animals.
- Never leave litter. Pack out any and all trash or debris you create or find.
- If necessary, clean up after a previous detectorist. Acting in spite of him or even just ignoring his trangressions will only hurt us all in the end.
- Always use the correct digging or probing equipment to make the least intrusion or marks.
- Never throw trash finds back in the hole.
- Leave as little sign of your passing as possible.
- Always fill in your holes, including plowed fields, sand pits, beaches and in water.
- Study, learn, appreciate and protect our heritage of natural resources, wildlife, and private property.
- Be thoughtful, considerate, courteous and respectful of others at all times.
- Protect the metal detecting hobby by being a good will ambassador at all times.
- Report the discovery of any items of possible significant historical value to a local historian or museum in accordance with the latest legislation of your area.
- Report any live ammunition or other potentially lethal or toxic objects you may find to authorities after carefully noting or marking the location.
- Report any criminal activities you see to proper authorities immediately. You are not a "snitch" or a "tattletale". You are a citizen with both rights, privileges AND duties. Respect them as they were hard-earned by many who came before you.

I did not make up these rules, just trying to save the hobby for newbie's to come.

ezdigger Stan

I like these...just noticed this posting...I just posted this condensed and editable version....

William

Here is the link to my new posting...

http://metaldetectingforum.com/showthread.php?t=84262

[OZARKS]

Add one more to the list that I always try to abide by whenever possible.

That hot chick... you know, the one walking the dog in the park or at the trail. She wants you to say Hello and make conversation. They like to talk Seems every park I go to this has been the case

[eliochnb4]

Not much I can do about spooking the animals, plus normally I am the one being spooked by them. But I think we all know what is right and what is wrong, its not a hard concept.

[WildDigger]

According to Ga DNR officer state parks no national forest yes as long as you do not mess it up. He said you can hunt it and that is a form of hunting.