Scooter-jim, let's unpack this bit by bit :
Correct. And I am a member of the "public". So I will "use" it. And yes for the purpose of "hunting" [coins]. So what's the issue ?
some of it is not public land. It is private property that the owner allows the public to come on for a specific reason. Some are deer hunting only, some hog only, no fishing, no bird watching or frizbee throwing allowed. Others are open only specific dates much of it is still farmed. It is private property and all artifacts, coins, minerals and anything else you can think of still belongs to the private property owner. Wildlife belongs to the state.
Ok, sure. Let's take that for a test drive in a "real world" scenario : If bird-watching, or skipping stones on the pond, or frisbee throwing, or nose-picking, or walking backwards heel-to-toe isn't on that list of allowed things, then you would agree that you can't do those things. Right ?
Yes you can not do those things. you can not be on the PRIVATE property except for the reasons listed on the land use lease. Many of them are farms that are happy to let hunters in to control crop eating critters after the harvesting is done, but they don't want a bunch of hippies playing frizbee in the cotton patch. Some areas they will allow bird watching others you can play frizbee, but the TPH is very specific about what is allowed and where it is allowed.
Yes, this is the perpetual one that gives md'rs fits. I admit it. But think about it : There is something akin to this in EVERY SINGLE park and speck of public land EVERYWHERE. The boiler plate verbiages that forbid "remove". And worse yet (yes) sometimes even use the evil word "artifact". Or put another way, I'll bet that for all the show & tell you see on forums, where members show stuff found in parks, I'll bet that if they data mined long enough, they would likewise perhaps find some minutia that talks about that. Or , for example, if I walk into my city hall park dept. and say "Hi, can I remove artifacts out of the park please ?". I'll bet I'd get a "no". Yet the fact is, I can detect the park till I'm blue in the face and no one cares.
Not denying that the word isn't there. Just saying it's probably EVERYWHERE, if we stood on one foot and squinted hard and asked enough people "can I?". The REAL issue is: Does anyone care ? And bear in mind that "artifact" is usually defined by the 50 yr. rule . Ok, fine, then you're only hunting for clad, right ? Of course this doesn't apply to obvious historic sensitive monuments. But sheeesk, for the middle of nowhere ? Is anyone really out there armed with a pocket calculator to jump out from behind a tree and start doing the math on the age of your coins ?