at the beach

[kyhareraiser]

a good place to use medal detectors is on a beach. i went to th state park beach during winter a couple years back to try out the boys medal detectors and on my first two finds  i sifted a dine and a penny on one and on the second a ring(cheapo though,,tarnished bad)anyway,a park ranger told us that it was not legal to dig on state property and ask us to leave..i tried to explain we was'nt planning to dig up the grass or anywhere near it and that we would smooth the sand back out and he said no dice,so we had to go..any one have a place like a beach where a lot of people hangout in the summer,you might find some valuables someone lost

[mechanic]

In Georgia it is illegal to remove any artifact from state property, or to remove any artifact from running water.  They take it seriously.  Over in neighboring Ala. a guy went to jail for removing a totally rusted and ruined civil war era musket from a river.  It is also illegal to hunt on Fed. lands. 

A lot of seacoast is not off limits however.  I hunt often off the Fla. coast.

[Flash]

  It is also illegal to hunt on Fed. lands. 

Not so. It is perfectly legal to hunt on Assateaque National Sea Shore and metal detect too.
http://www.nps.gov/asis/hunting-at-assateague.htm

[mechanic]

  It is also illegal to hunt on Fed. lands. 

Not so. It is perfectly legal to hunt on Assateaque National Sea Shore and metal detect too.
http://www.nps.gov/asis/hunting-at-assateague.htm

Depends on what you dig up....

 The following sections discuss the most common types of US property and provide advice on whether or not you can legally detect them.  Many metal detecting activities on US property are governed by the Antiquities Act of 1906 or the Mining Law of 1872.  Of the US Government Properties that you can detect or prospect on, the administrating agency may require permits.  So as always, follow the Treasure Hunter's Code of Ethics and ensure you contact them for permission.  I do know for certain that you cannot relic hunt on any property owned by the US Government - which laws define as any manmade object more than 50 years old (ARPA - Archeological Resources Protection Act). 

[Flash]

Gosh, the surf is crawling with detector users in the summer on Assateaque. The surf fisherman drop articles just as the sun bathers do and the folks with detectors are always on the hunt for the folding knives, tackle, coins, etc. That often takes place within sight of park rangers.

[mechanic]

Technically as long as people are pulling up modern artifacts, they are ok.  If you should luck up on a washed up gold piece, just drop it in you pocket and shut up and get the heck out of there............

I got permission to hunt beaches on Corp of Eng. property on our lake here.  The deal was I had to bring everything back and let them vet it before I could leave......I could only keep modern coins.