Jump to content

Question: Detecting In The Neighborhood And Sharing Valuables


Recommended Posts

All I know is in 45 years of detecting I’ve not had any issue of genuine consequence. I actually had a gal a few weeks ago loudly get my attention to tell me I can’t dig in parks. I politely told her yes ma’am, I can, I have a parks permit in my wallet that says so, would you like to see it? She apologized and that was that. I actually like having a permit as it removes confrontation instantly. I will never ask a government type as they usually do not know the rules and no is always a safe answer. Any permits of consequence can be researched online, and so 99% of the time I Google for restrictions. If I find nothing online I use common sense and am discreet. If challenged, I am not going to make a big I know my rights scene, I’ll just quietly go away and either come back later or go somewhere else. The main secret is try to pick times and places when people watching rare at the minimum possible number for the location. I try to be invisible, and it’s worked real well for me.

  • Like 8
Link to comment
Share on other sites


4 hours ago, Mike Hillis said:

.... but you have to check in at the local office and find out what sections are open and what sections are not.   Wilderness area's areas are typically open but Federal Forrest Lands are not without expressed written permission.   ...

Mike, this brings up an interesting twist on the subject :   The issue of "Commentary" vs "law".  Let me explain :

There's been a lot of those nifty compendiums , where someone from up-top tosses out:  "with permission" , or "inquire at each kiosk you come to", etc....   Ie.: not unlike what you're saying here.    And this pithy saying may in fact be coming from some authority in the given agency.  Thus:  Pretty hard to argue with that, eh ?   BUT WAIT :   Notice that it's not in the rules or laws.  Ie.: there's not a codified chapter and verse you can turn  to.   So what it REALLY is, is nothing-more-than some sort of answer, that someone  passed out in the past to an md'r who was asking "Can I?" type questions.    Eg.:  like on an FAQ or whatever.   

And I don't disagree that the powers-that-be can indeed say "scram" or "no".   I mean, sure, they are given the discretion to decide that something  you or I  are doing isn't safe or whatever.  So for example, they can ask  you to turn down your boom box if the music is too loud.   Ie.: they have latitude to interpret the grey-area verbiage to keep law and order.   Therefore, if you ever asked them something like : "Can I throw rocks" or "Can I collect sticks", they can say "As long as the park ranger at that location says it's ok", or "with permission from the ranger on duty", etc....    And then every md'r, from then on out, thinks "I must get the personal thumbs up ".

For example, this knee-jerk answer was very common in R.W. Doc Grim's book.   Many of the states said "with permission" or "inquire at each park", etc.... Yet when you went to look up to see where this was written, IT WAS NO WHERE TO BE FOUND.   All it was , was commentary, not law.  And notice that the commentary DIDN'T EVEN EXIST till R.W. Doc (bless his little heart) sent in his inquiries.   All it was/is , is a tacit admission that, sure, they have the say-so to administer as they see fit.   But that DOESN'T mean you  need their approval ahead of time (if not specifically forbidden).  It only means they can tell you "stop", if someone thought it was harmful etc...   So for example, I don't need to  inquire ahead of time if it's ok to  fly frisbees (might poke someone's eye out).   But sure:  They can approach me and say "stop flying frisbees " if they wanted.

Anyhow, this is the difference between commentary and laws.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

52 minutes ago, Steve Herschbach said:

All I know is in 45 years of detecting I’ve not had any issue of genuine consequence. I actually had a gal a few weeks ago loudly get my attention to tell me I can’t dig in parks. I politely told her yes ma’am, I can, I have a parks permit in my wallet that says so, would you like to see it? She apologized and that was that. I actually like having a permit as it removes confrontation instantly. I will never ask a government type as they usually do not know the rules and no is always a safe answer. 99% of the time I Google for restrictions, and if I find nothing online I use common sense and am discreet. If challenged, I am not going to make a big I know my rights scene, I’ll just quietly go away and either come back later or go somewhere else. The main secret is try to pick times and places when people watching rare at the minimum possible number for the location. I try to be invisible, and it’s worked real well for me.

Steve, we've been detecting about the same amount of time :  Since our teenage years.  I too started in the mid to late 1970s, as a pimple faced teenager.  And since then, have become about AS BRAZEN as they come.  Balls of steel and no scruples.   And like yourself, have never had any legal consquences.   Oh sure, some scrams or stink -eyes now and then.    Ok, so  what.

As far as "permits" (for the very very rare times that any city has ever dreamed up such a thing) :  Yes I know that sounds romantic and inviting.   It conjurs up images of being able to detect nilly willy and deflect busy-bodies, eh ?   Hence who could ever argue with "permits", eh ?   But notice that any time any city ever dreamed up such a thing, they tend to be fraught with sillyness.   Eg.:  Digger tool shall not exceed 3" in length.  Or "not within 10 ft. of any tree".  Or "turn in all valuables to the city hall office".  Or "yes but you can't dig".  Or "on sandy beaches only".  blah blah blah.

And worse yet, you'll notice that some cities that ever dreamed up such  a thing, simply revoke them, and disallow it entirely a few years or decades later . WHY ?  Because the mere fact that it's a "permit", means it's just ONE MORE THING on their radar to monitor.   Eg.: each year, when reviewing their list of administered functions, then sure as sh*t, one year, someone's gonna look at this and say "Gee, do we really want all these yahoos out there digging up the park ?".   And then simply revoke it.  

Hence it's MUCH more preferable to be "silent on the subject" (not addressed either way).   Ie.: the LESS they think of us, the better.  Not the "more " they think of us.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

In Oregon permits are a fact of life.  They are woven into the fabric of local clubs with city, county, state jurisdictions.  Coming from California I have been a low profile hunter like so many others are here.  Not asking a lot of questions while doing my hobby unless of course when it's on private or cultural land.  Well that doesn't work here.  You are going to be asked to see your permit some where some day, guaranteed!  It's even worse being on the coast.  You can hunt in "selected" State parks, only on the off season for tourists, with a permit.  That leaves you the winter months.  I'll take that but does put a damper on things a bit.  I'm 60 miles from Eugene, they require you to have a city permit and you can't get it online.  You have to go in person every year to the City Hall.  Haven't done that yet, but mean to every year.  Then every county up and down the coast requires a permit some online some not.  At least the beaches belong to the public.  High tide line to low tide line you are good.  I've been here three years and still haven't learned all the ins and outs of this goofy state yet when it comes to my chosen hobby and the right to pursue it.  GaryC/Oregon Coast

 

 

 

 

 

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, GaryC/Oregon Coast said:

In Oregon permits are a fact of life.  They are woven into the fabric of local clubs with city, county, state jurisdictions.  Coming from California I have been a low profile hunter like so many others are here.  Not asking a lot of questions while doing my hobby unless of course when it's on private or cultural land.  Well that doesn't work here.  You are going to be asked to see your permit some where some day, guaranteed!  It's even worse being on the coast.  You can hunt in "selected" State parks, only on the off season for tourists, with a permit.  That leaves you the winter months.  I'll take that but does put a damper on things a bit.  I'm 60 miles from Eugene, they require you to have a city permit and you can't get it online.  You have to go in person every year to the City Hall.  Haven't done that yet, but mean to every year.  Then every county up and down the coast requires a permit some online some not.  At least the beaches belong to the public.  High tide line to low tide line you are good.  I've been here three years and still haven't learned all the ins and outs of this goofy state yet when it comes to my chosen hobby and the right to pursue it.  GaryC/Oregon Coast

Gary, I'm willing to bet that every single one of the seemingly burdensome hurdles you list, was ONLY a function of past md'rs who went and swatted hornet's nests.   And I'm willing to bet that if I went asking enough questions here in CA, that I too could likewise come up with all sorts of silly supposed restrictions as well.   Well durned that Tom_in_CA (and the rest of us here) for "not asking enough questions".  Doh !

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...