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Metal Detecting Hobby Talk
     November 2019         Metal Detecting Hobby Talk News Brief                                             Volume 11 Number 116
Metal Detecting Hobby Talk Support The Hobby
I would like to point out to the News Brief readers that there are a number of organizations taking on the challenge against various types of legislation dealing with metal detecting and gold prospecting. MDHTALK's recommendation is to visit their website and give strong consideration to joining the fight. In some cases your support may be to send emails and / or write a letter to specific legislators or to provide funds to help with the fight. Here are the organizations and a link to their website.
Go to the Join The Fight MDHTALK Webpage to read more about each of these organizations

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November

What is a News Brief?
The news brief provides a brief look into any news event. The intent of the news brief is to provide you, the reader, with news clips on what was taking place in the hobby last month. To read the whole story select the Article Link or go to MDHTALK.org. There are more news stories placed on the MDHTALK website for October the news stories listed in the MDHTALK News Brief are just a portion of all the hobby related news reported the past month.  The news Brief is now available in Adobe PDF format, there is a link at the top of this webpage. The news brief is no longer emailed; it is only available on the MDHTALK website and can be downloaded.

The Website's featured article for this month is:   Thoughts on Responsible Metal Detecting
Download This Article

The term Responsible Metal Detecting can be found in the Code of Practice on Responsible Metal Detecting in England and Wales a May 2006 publication. However, the term Responsible Metal Detecting in the U.S. is rarely used or defined. I have used the term in a number of articles but have never really thought about what this term encompasses. This short article will be an attempt to provide some definition for Responsible Metal Detecting.
 
Responsible Metal Detecting is to:
  • Know and Follow the Law.
  • Gain Permission.
  • Apply the Metal Detecting Code of Ethics.
  • Join a Metal Detecting Club and National Metal Detecting Association.
  • Understand the Potential Cultural Value of Your Find.
  • Volunteer Your Services to the Hobby.
Know and Follow the Law means that one should read and understand the American Antiquities Act of 1906 and Archaeological Resources Protection Act of 1979. Archaeological resources are part of our Nation's heritage and these two acts cover archaeological resources and their recovery on public and Indian lands.

The two acts cover all national public / Indian lands and in many cases also have been adopted either wholly or in part by many states to cover state lands. There are also additional regulations that have been developed by the USDA Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the National Parks Service.

Most states also have laws that cover just state parks, beaches and recreation areas. States usually have a specific web-site where you can find out almost everything you need to know. Some states do not allow metal detecting under any situations, while most states require either verbal, written permission or a permit.

Then there are the county, city and school district laws. Each of these entities may also have laws regulation metal detecting on their specific lands. Contacting the authorities for these public entities should yield the information you need.
 
A good rule of thumb is if it is national, Indian land or is a historical site it is off limits to metal detecting and other lands require permission.
 
Gain Permission to search both public and private land.
Permission should be acquired in writing when ever possible and cover the following: owner’s name, property address (Street, City, State, Zip) with description of the area on the property to be searched, purpose of access to the land, liability wavier, ownership of items found, property conditions after the search, start / end date and time of the search with signatures of all parties.
Otherwise gain verbal permission by contacting a public authority in person or contacting a private property owner in person and obtaining verbal permission to enter the property. This form of obtaining permission should cover the same terms as outlined in the written permission section above.
 
Apply the Metal Detecting Code of Ethics.
The metal detecting code of ethics is meant to re-enforce the national, state, county and city laws. The code of ethics also covers gaining permission, property damage, tampering with structures, equipment, gates and being an ambassador for the hobby. These are important ethics statements and following them may be difficult but very important in meeting the public’s perception of how the hobby must and should be practiced.
 
Join a Metal Detecting Club and National Metal Detecting Association, is a commitment to metal detecting excellences. By joining you are committing your time to learn more about the hobby or to contribute your expertise / knowledge to others who may be less senior in the hobby.
By joining a club and getting involved generates hobby centralism. This centralism can impact many laws that are drawn up in states and cities which in the past have had no voice from those in the metal detecting hobby. If there is no voice or involvement from people in the hobby laws are created - many times with a negative hobby impact.
So joining a club at the local level provides a local hobby voice and joining and getting involved with a national organizations starts to generate the necessary centralism for national support of the hobby.
 
Understand the Potential Cultural Value of Your Find is practiced in England but not practiced well in the U.S. at least not in an acceptable matter for most hobbyists. The reason to characterize your find for its culture value is to understand if it may be part of out American Heritage. If one is following the law and not detecting on historical, national lands or Indian lands there should not be a problem in getting advice on cultural value. However, having said that one must use caution by including others for their opinion / expertise since this could cause a litigation situation. But in the end it is everyone’s responsibility who metal detects to ensure whether or not a find may be part of our American Heritage and should be treated as such.
 
Volunteer Your Services to the Hobby. This could be in the form of starting a metal detecting club in your area, volunteering to be a club officer or a specific club chairperson.
Today more than ever clubs need volunteers to handle officer duties / responsibilities, chairmanships for membership, hunt masters, club involvement projects, evident recovery teams, public relations, newsletters, etc. Many of these chairmanships are important and without them the club will not grow or become an involved part of the community.
As the local club needs volunteer support and expertise so does a national detecting organization. People who have been with the hobby for a while should look in the national leadership direction and move their experience to the next level.
 
There, now you have my thoughts on Responsible Metal Detecting and how you must fit as a metal detector hobbyist. Responsible Metal Detecting is for everyone who puts a detector in his / her hands and starts a search for treasure which may be under that next coil swing.
Hobby Related News
General U.S. and World Wide Hobby News
  • Thibeault detects history underground. Article Link
  • Agawam woman searching for lost engagement ring. Article Link
  • Who is she? Antique photograph found at Columbia home built in 1835. Article Link
  • Found treasure at Narragansett Town Beach. Article Link
  • Mayor Greg Conkey says residents metal detecting on public land, like Duke of Kent Oval, is 'disgraceful' Article Link
  • Town to consider policy around metal detectors. Article Link
  • Rare gold coin found by birdwatcher at popular camping spot in outback WA. Article Link
  • 30 amazing metal detector finds. Article Link
  • Under Our Feet: Chazy hosts metal detecting festival. Article Link
  • Tips for Treasure Hunting with Nat Geo’s Tim Saylor: Discover the Truth. Article Link
  • Want to start metal detecting? Here's what you need to dig and need to know. Article Link
  • 1840 shipwreck reveals trove of gold coins that could be worth millions. Article Link
  • WV Civil War buffs unearth history with aid of metal detectors. Article Link
  • Chazy to host metal detector event. Article Link
  • Charleston, ‘The Secret’ buried treasure remains a secret, at least for now. Article Link
  • Little interest means local society of treasure hunting hobbyists will have to shutdown. Article Link
  • 'The Curse Of Oak Island' Season 7 Air Date, Spoilers: Gary Drayton Hints They Found What They Have Been Looking For. Article Link
  • Discover the Truth with Garrett Metal Detectors: Competitive Hunters Seek Hammered Coins in the UK. Article Link
  • Much that was once lost are being found by lords of the lost rings. Article Link
  • Some Oklahoma land lovers check dirt for metal treasures. Article Link
U.K. News
  • Illegal metal detectors target Herefordshire castle. Article Link
  • Metal detecting rally raises almost £40k for RUH’s Cancer Care Campaign. Article Link
  • Hoard of Roman coins found in Derbyshire field by treasure hunters. Article Link
  • Baffling Bronze Age Weapons Hoard Found in London. Article Link
  • Gloucester treasure hunter amasses large collection. Article Link
  • STRIKING GOLD Treasure hunter strikes gold after finding 4,000 year old Bronze age neck-ring worth up to £100,000. Article Link
  • Rogue Metal Detectorists On Trial For Stealing $3.6million Treasure. Article Link
  • Rare coin minted for King Edward VIII’s reign sold at auction for $163G. Article Link
  • 1,100-year-old Viking treasure reveals its secrets. Article Link
  • Do you know the First World War soldier whose medal was found in a field in Hertfordshire? Article Link
  • Metal Detectorist Finds Hoard of 99 Anglo Saxon Silver Pennies. Article Link
  • Bucks treasure hunter hopes to trace family of owner of 1917 army medal. Article Link
North America Archaeology News
  • Jamestown mystery: Archaeologists unearth a churchyard grave — facing west. Article Link
  • Deeper Archaeology Dig To Explore Lesser-Known Areas Of Fort Negley. Article Link
  • Online Map Leads Archaeologist to Maya Discovery. Article Link
  • Dismissed as fakes for a century, enigmatic Puerto Rican stones could rewrite history. Article Link
  • Georgia's Oldest City Considers 1st Archaeology Ordinance. Article Link
  • Rising Seas Threaten Hundreds of Native American Heritage Sites Along Florida’s Gulf Coast. Article Link
Other News Sources
  • American Digger Relic Roundup. For diggers and collectors of history. An hour long program every Monday Night at 9:00 PM eastern standard time. Join your hosts Butch Holcombe, Jeff Lubbert and Heath Jones as they explore the past. Learn more about Metal Detecting, Treasure hunting in all it's forms, and the preservation of history. Hour Long Programs
  • American Mining Rights Assn is not a gold club but rather an advocacy group for miners and public land users to preserve and maintain their rights as they pertain to access to their public lands. October News
  • Coin World - Numismatic and Coin Collecting Coin News
  • Gold Prospectors Assn of America (GPAA) - News on legal issues for the gold prospecting community  October News
  • GPAA October Newsletter
  • Kellyco - The Complete Guide to the Best Metal Detectors of 2019. Article Link
  • Kellyco - A guide to what magnet fishing is, how to choose the right equipment, and how to magnet fish. Article Link
  • Kellyco - Tips on the best way to detect for gold, information on the different types of gold detecting technologies and our recommended gold detectors. Article Link
  • Minelab Find of the Month and Minelab Multi-IQ October News
  • Prospecting and Mining Journal (IMCJ)  October News
  • 1715 Fleet Society November Newsletter
Jewelry Returns
  • Chippenham detectorist helps woman find 54-year-old solid gold wedding ring. Article Link
  • Rosemount woman uncovers lost class ring after 50 years. Article Link
  • Man gets personal treasure back after 16 years. Article Link
  • Bismarck man finds a class ring while metal detecting. Article Link
  • Man finds Somerset class ring that was lost for 40 years. Article Link
  • WMC Action News5.com</a> Memphis man reunited with wedding ring with the help of local metal detecting club. Article Link
  • 955 St. Xavier High School graduate reunited with his long-lost class ring. Article Link
W.W. Meteorite News
  • X Meteorite Hunting In The USA. Article Link
  • The man who owns 1,000 meteorites. Article Link
  • Meteorite Hunting Laws & Guidelines. Article Link
  • Falling Fireballs Crashed in Chile Last Week. They Weren't Meteorites, Experts Say. Article Link
  • LOSE ENCOUNTER Asteroid larger than a bus soars closer to Earth than the Moon in near miss. Article Link
   
Event News
Metal Detecting & Gold Prospecting Events.
Now is the time to start planning and getting your club's 2020/21 hunt information on the web. The sooner it is out and available to the metal detecting community the greater the chance for people to see it and give your event some consideration.



Add Your Event Information Here

  • November 02, 2019 (One Day)
    Stanton, Arizona
    2019 Swing Dancing Detector Hunts: Kids to Pros at Stanton Camp
    The Lost Dutchmans Mining Assn
  • November 09, 2019 (One Day)
    Round Rock, Texas
    Satellite Hunt
    Texas Assn of Metal Detecting Clubs
Select here to View
the Complete Event Details for November
  • November 09, 2019 (One Day)
    Round Rock, Texas
    Veterans Day Open Hunt
    Austin Metal Detecing Club
  • November 09, 2019 (One Day)
    Ashland, Virginia
    11th annual Old Dominion Relic Dig
    Hanover Metal Detectors Club LLC
  • November 16, 2019 (Two Day)
    W. Stanley Con0ver Beach Pavilion, Deal, New Jersey
    28th Annual Open Beach Treasure Hunt
    Deep Search Metal Detecting Club
 BLM - Bureau of Land Management Website

The public lands offer a broad range of outdoor activities that include collecting resources such as firewood, gemstones, pine nuts and fossils for personal enjoyment and use. This is a summary of what may be collected from public lands. The BLM encourages people to explore the nearly 48 million acres of public land in Nevada.

Collecting on Public Lands
Please use care in collecting. Avoid activities which damage public resources such as vegetation, scenery and archaeological sites, or which create hazardous conditions such as pits or trenches. Power equipment and explosives may not be used except for woodcutting and certain dredging operations.

Reasonable amounts of the following may be collected for non-commercial purposes:
•Flowers, berries, nuts, seeds, cones, and other plant parts.
•Campfire wood.
•Rocks, mineral specimens, common invertebrate fossils and semiprecious gemstones.

Exceptions
Exceptions include specifically protected plants, campfire wood in posted areas, wilderness areas, wilderness study areas, areas of critical environmental concern including Stewart Valley, near Gabbs, Nev., Red Rock Canyon and Sloan Canyon National Conservation Areas, historic and prehistoric sites and districts, and national natural landmarks. Maps and information on specific restrictions are available at Bureau of Land Management (BLM) offices in Las Vegas, Tonopah, Carson City, Reno, Winnemucca, Battle Mountain, Elko, Ely and Caliente.

Minerals
Gold and silver may be prospected for with hand tools including pans and metal detectors. Minerals such as gold, silver and opals found on mining claims belong to the claim holder. Mining claim records may be viewed at BLM and county recorder offices. Sluicing, dredging and commercial mining require permits. Recreational panning which does not involve mechanical equipment is permitted in wilderness and wilderness study areas if it does not create surface disturbance or impair the environment.

Saleable minerals, such as sand, gravel, cinders, topsoil and other common mineral materials must be purchased by prior arrangement with the BLM.

Gemstones and common rock specimens may be collected for private use on unclaimed sites.

Commercial production of common rocks on an unclaimed site requires a permit. Only hobby collecting is allowed in wilderness and wilderness study areas and must not involve surface disturbance. Collection of prehistoric tools and chips made of precious or semiprecious stones is not allowed.

Fossils
Vertebrate fossils such as dinosaurs, mammals, fishes and reptiles, and uncommon invertebrate fossils may be collected only by trained researchers under BLM permit. Collected fossils remain the property of all Americans and are placed with museums or other public institutions after study.

Common invertebrate fossils such as plants, mollusks, and trilobites may be collected for personal use in reasonable quantities, but may not be bartered or sold.

Petrified wood may be collected up to 25 pounds plus one piece per person per day, with a maximum of 250 pounds per-person per year. Permits are required for pieces over 250pounds. Petrified wood may not be traded, bartered or sold without permit.

Cave resources, including plant, animal and geologic features, are federally protected and may not be altered, damaged or removed.

Cultural Artifacts
Cultural materials on public lands may not be removed, damaged, disturbed, excavated or transferred without BLM permit. Cultural resources include prehistoric and historic artifacts and sites, broken objects and debris more than 100 years old that were used or produced by humans. Protected materials include arrowheads and other stone tools, grinding stones, beads, baskets, pottery, old bottles, horse shoes, metal tools, graves and trash scatters.

Historic sites such as cabins, sawmills, graves, trail traces, mining areas, town sites, ranches and railroads are not open to collecting.

Metal detector use is allowed on public lands. Modern money may be collected, but coins and artifacts more than 100 years old may not be collected.

Wood, Plants and Pine Nuts
Various species of trees are available for firewood with a personal use permit, which allows the cutting of up to 10cords per family per year in specified areas for a nominal fee. Permits for woodcutting are required even on an individual’s mining or exploration claim.

Collection of dead and down wood for immediate campfire use is allowed except for posted sites.

Christmas tree permits are available for a nominal fee during the holiday season. Check with local BLM offices for permits and tree cutting area maps.

Small amounts of plants, plant parts, seeds, flowers and berries may be collected for personal use in most areas. Cacti, yuccas, succulents and evergreen shrubs and trees are protected by the state. Species listed as threatened or endangered are protected by the federal government and may not be collected without permit. Collection of species listed as sensitive or candidates for threatened or endangered status should be avoided.

Pine nuts in amounts up to 25 pounds per person per year may be collected for non-commercial use. Although there are some designated commercial collecting areas, these are fully open to the public as well.

Harvesting plants or plant materials such as seeds, pine nuts, landscaping materials, firewood and timber for commercial purposes requires a permit.

Animals
Collection or harvest of game and nongame animals, including fish, is regulated by the State and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Information for hunters, trappers, fishermen and collectors is available from the Nevada Division of Wildlife.

Threatened and endangered species, including desert tortoise and some other reptiles, whether federal or state listed, may be collected only under permit from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service or state of Nevada. Lahontan cutthroat trout may be taken with a Nevada fishing license in permitted areas and seasons. Lists of protected species are available from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Nevada Division of Wildlife and BLM offices.

Wild, free-roaming horses and burros may not be harassed, harmed, collected or sold under any circumstances. Their water sources are also protected. Wild horses and burros gathered under BLM supervision and prepared for private ownership may be adopted from the BLM.


Violations of regulations under the Federal Land Policy and Management Act, the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, the Archaeological Resources Protection Act, state and federal wildlife law, and other laws may be punishable by fines, imprisonment, and forfeiture of equipment and vehicles used in commission of the crime.

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