Here are just a few of the statutes that can be applied to a person metal detecting on a roadside. There are several more that I know of for sure, but I don't remember where they are listed in the Louisiana Revised Statutes. The main thing you have to realize is that there are historically significant areas everywhere in Louisiana. And don't even get me started on the conservation and research areas.
Louisiana RS 41:1604
§1604. !Responsibilities of the division.
The division shall initiate and promulgate a program in archaeology, which shall include but not be limited to the activities delineated in this Section. !In carrying out this responsibility, the division shall:
(1) !Promulgate reasonable rules and regulations concerning the recovery and study of historic and prehistoric archaeological remains which in any way relate to the inhabitants, prehistory, history, government, or culture, in, on, or under any of the lands belonging to the state of Louisiana, including the tidelands, submerged lands, and the bed of the sea within the jurisdiction of the state of Louisiana. !These remains shall include but shall not be limited to:
(a) !All prehistoric and historic American Indian or aboriginal campsites, dwellings, habitation sites, burial grounds, and archaeological sites of every character;
(b) !All historic sites, objects, and buildings;
(c) !All sunken or abandoned ships and wrecks of the sea or rivers, or any part of the content thereof;
(d) !All treasure embedded in the earth or underwater; and
(e) !All maps, records, documents, books, artifacts, and implements of culture which relate to such archaeological remains.
(2) !Maintain the state archaeological site files, including but not limited to site records, field notes, maps, photographs, and reports.
(3) !Function as legal custodian for all archaeological artifacts and objects of antiquity which have been recovered from state lands or donated from private lands, except those donated to the Louisiana State Museum or the office of state parks. !The repository of all artifacts under the control of the division shall take into consideration the public nature and research value of these objects and insure that they are accessible to maximum public exhibit consistent with their preservation.
(4) !Implement a program of activities that will make available to the public information about the historic and prehistoric resources of the state. !This shall include but shall not be limited to press releases, newsletters, booklets, exhibits, audio-visual programs, and teaching materials.
(5) !Serve as the archaeological advisory source for all state agencies by assisting them in evaluating any potential impact of their projects on archaeological resources.
(6) !Administer those portions of the National Historic Preservation Act relative to archaeology.
(7) !Advise the secretary of the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism and the state historic preservation officer on matters affecting archaeology.
(8) !Administer an archaeological grants program.
(9) !Implement for the state the Abandoned Shipwreck Act.
Acts 1989, No. 291, §1.
Louisiana RS 41:1605
§1605. !Archaeological finds on state land; state property.
A. !All sunken or abandoned pre-twentieth century ships and wrecks of the sea and any part of the contents thereof and all archaeological treasure located in, on or under the surface of lands belonging to the state of Louisiana, including its tidelands, submerged lands and beds of its rivers, and the sea within the jurisdiction of this state are hereby declared to be the sole property of the state of Louisiana, under the administration and protection of the secretary of the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism, hereinafter in this Chapter referred to as the "secretary".
B. !It shall be unlawful for any agency, political subdivision, group, or person to take, alter, damage, destroy, or excavate on state-owned lands as herein described without first obtaining a permit or contract from the secretary. !Permits shall be issued for purely scientific and educational projects and only when all recovered materials are to remain the property of the state and when there is to be no compensation to the permittee based on the value of the recovered remains. !Contracts shall be entered into for recovery of materials when compensation is to be made to the contract holder based on the value of the recovered remains.
Acts 1989, No. 291, §1.
Louisiana RS 41:1610
§1610. !Prohibited excavations
A. !No person, not being the owner thereof, shall without the consent of the owner enter or attempt to enter upon the lands of another and intentionally injure, disfigure, remove, excavate, damage, take, dig into, or destroy any sites or artifacts addressed by R.S. 41:1604(1).
B.(1) !No person may excavate, remove, damage, or otherwise alter or deface or attempt to excavate, remove, damage, or otherwise alter or deface any archaeological resource located on state lands unless such activity is approved by the agency with ownership responsibilities over the lands and is authorized under a permit issued pursuant to R.S. 41:1606.
(2) !No person may sell, purchase, exchange, transport, or receive or offer to sell, purchase, or exchange any archaeological resource if such resource was excavated or removed from state lands in violation of Paragraph (1) of this Subsection.
(3) !Any person who knowingly violates or counsels, procures, solicits, or employs any other person to violate any prohibition contained in Paragraph (1) or (2) of this Subsection shall, upon conviction, be fined not more than ten thousand dollars or imprisoned not more than one year, or both. !However, if the commercial value of the archaeological resources involved and the cost of restoration and repair of such resources exceeds the sum of five hundred dollars, such person shall be fined not more than twenty thousand dollars or imprisoned not more than two years, or both. !In the case of a second or subsequent violation, upon conviction, such person shall be fined not more than one hundred thousand dollars, or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.
(4) !All archaeological resources collected, transferred, or sold in violation of this Subsection shall be forfeited to the state.
(5) !All vehicles and equipment of any person that were used in connection with the violation of this Subsection may be forfeited to the state.
(6) !Nothing contained in this Subsection shall apply to any person with respect to any archaeological resource that was in the lawful possession of such person prior to June 26, 2001.
(7) !For the purpose of this Subsection, "archaeological resource" shall mean any material remains of past human life or activities that are of archaeological interest which shall include but not be limited to pottery, basketry, bottles, weapon projectiles, tools, structures or portions of structures, human skeletal remains, Civil War artifacts, or any portion or piece of the foregoing items.
Acts 1989, No. 291, §1; Acts 2001, No. 938, §1, eff. June 26, 2001.