BLM rules

maxbet

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Location
Chico, CA
Hey everyone, I've located a spot which I think will be good for quite some time but it's owned by BLM. Upon visiting their website I found that metal detecting specifically IS allowed but "removing artifacts" is NOT allowed.

http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/info/iac/metal_detecting.html

When you click through to the "removing artifacts" link it becomes unclear what exactly an "artifact" is.

There was a similar thread by Glennz recently in reference to the state of Alaska but I'm wondering if anyone has experience detecting BLM land and BLM land in CA?
 
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maxbet, for some reason, your link is not working. But I've seen the BLM info you speak of before. Yes, you're right: BLM has a specific *allowance* for md'ing. Heck, mere silence on the topic is good enough to go (ie.: the absence of any prohibitions). But in this case, there's an actual spelled out allowance! haha :laughing:

It shows that the old addage, about how we can't detect federal land, is simply not true. Anyone who says that is not realizing that there's multiple types of federal land. Of which BLM is one of many types of fed. land.

But to answer your question, I'm afraid that if you asked enough questions, of enough bureaucrats, further and further up the ladder (esp. if you got your Q to pass by a purist archie's desk), they would either say one of these two answers:

a) items over 50 yrs. old. Or

b) all federal land is an archaeological site, border to border. Thus it means no md'ing on any fed. land.

Only purist archies would answer with (b). And it's totally wrong, because the fact is, there are sites hither and yonder, if archaeologically significant, get onto the "Smithsonian Trinomial system". Ie.: it has to be named/designated as such. Thus obviously, PRIOR to getting this designation, the spot therefore was NOT "archaeological". So the answer then, would be (a). Yay!

Therefore, I guess it's up your math skills. Are you expecting persons to be out there watching you, calculators-in-hand, checking each target as you dig?
 
Thanks for the response Tom. I'm fairly positive there won't be another person for miles, I'm really just asking out of curiosity.
 
Hey everyone, I've located a spot which I think will be good for quite some time but it's owned by BLM. Upon visiting their website I found that metal detecting specifically IS allowed but "removing artifacts" is NOT allowed.

http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/info/iac/metal_detecting.html

When you click through to the "removing artifacts" link it becomes unclear what exactly an "artifact" is.

There was a similar thread by Glennz recently in reference to the state of Alaska but I'm wondering if anyone has experience detecting BLM land and BLM land in CA?

some states the term artifact varies, correct me if i'm wrong but i believe california passed a state law that makes artifact over 50 years old... (although if your in a modern area and find something old will you take it... probable)


Also in my thread i did get a defined yes by a person and a defined age of antique by our natural history museum...... because i knew the law prior i wasnt concerned about getting you cant responces when i know it is legal.

over the whole country its over 100 years old... just dont be at a site over 100 years old that is close to a road, park, something like that..

also find out to make sure your on blm land.. where i am there are lots of places that look like blm but are federal or private land... federal land its over 50 years... just don't make a scene of yourself.


I am going to print out the laws so if i ever do run into some archie an they try to give trouble i have my "proof" as one could say...


this has opened up only 2 sites that i know of but unless the government bans detecting on non private land there is not much that i wont detect now.... as for city parks i am just going to do them though as lots of others do... a lot of sand stuff i just need my snow to melt away so i can begin.
 
I read the rules some time ago. If I remember correctly you should contact the sites manager for clarification and a permit..?

grumpysrb, no, you need-not contact a "site manager" for "clarification". The only clarification you need, is the info you ALREADY have showing you can hunt there. What better clarification can one ask for? How much more law-abiding can a person be, that to have looked it up for oneself? If you're skittish, just print it out, and presto, you've "clarified" it. And no, there's no permits needed on BLM. And to be sure, you're only finding new stuff. Heck, I consider Barber and seated dimes to be "new" afterall. When compared to BC roman coins, for example. :wow:
 
I read the rules some time ago. If I remember correctly you should contact the sites manager for clarification and a permit..?

I can tell you that I detect Federal lands (BLM & FS) in Colorado all the time and Tom is correct. Unless there is some special designation to the site (i.e. historical, archaeological, etc) no permit is needed, no clarification is needed, and a BLM site manager is not authorized to make up their own rules and/or interpretations of the regs (although some might think they have the authority to do this).

This document may be of help as it also addresses Metal Detecting in addition to Rock collecting:

http://www.docstoc.com/docs/96946687/Mineral-and-Rock-Collecting-on-the-National-Forests

IMO, this is a document every MDer should read and become familiar with. Pay particular attention to the four forms of metal detector use ... is very, very important.
 
Depends on your definition of artifact. Good luck.

Haha, well, yes ..... some md'rs have cracked jokes about this. Ie.: they don't consider seated dimes to be old, or historic, or artifacts, or relics, etc... After all: There are some places in the world where coins newer than 1500 are considered "modern", eh ? Hence I don't consider gold coins or seated to be old, do you ?

But If someone wanted to get technical, and do cross-reference studies for the words, they would unfortunately get defined as an object 50 or more years old.

But .... gee .... if THAT'S all it really boiled down to, then ask yourself: When was the last time anyone ever came up to you, and riffled through your apron, armed with a calculator, doing the math on the ages of each coin ? If my 40+ yrs. of this, that has never happened to me. And I've been through countless "scrams".

Naturally the defense of "only looking for modern clad" will not work for obvious historic sensitive monuments (Shiloh, Bodie, Gettysburg, etc....). But when it comes to the middle of B.F.E nowhere deserts and forests, then .... fine. I'm only finding new stuff.

All those old coins I put on show & tell were just bought off ebay. Eh ? :laughing:
 
But If someone wanted to get technical, and do cross-reference studies for the words, they would unfortunately get defined as an object 50 or more years old.

Is it an object more than 50 years old or an object in the ground more than 50 years? If your camping and lose the ring passed down 3 generations does it become an artifact when it hits the ground?

I think it comes down to some common sense. Does the guy in charge care if you find old coins, or is he worried about protecting Indian artifacts. I have never been searched by any authority figure unless I was already on the way to jail and I don't think a few old coins would make a difference. I don't care what uniform they are wearing if someone asks what I'm finding, it's nothing but trash.
 
.... Is it an object more than 50 years old or an object in the ground more than 50 years? If your camping and lose the ring passed down 3 generations does it become an artifact when it hits the ground? ....


Good question Jim. Because also, go figure : It's possible for you to get a 51 yr. old coin in your change from the 7-11 store, right ? Someone could loose a 1965 nickel tomorrow, right ?

So I'll tell you the easy solution (since I can tell you're skittish & law-abiding) : Just box up all the coins you've ever found, that are over 50 yrs. old and found on some type of public land. Send them all to me. I will put them through the proper channels, and absolve your conscience of all guilt.

No ... don't thank me .... It's a the least I can do for a fine fellow md'r forumite like yourself ! :cool:
 
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