Excellent post. I don't disagree that metal detectors is an odd-ball action, that elicits curious stares. And then presto: mental questions get applied, and then presto: Someone can say "that's trespassing" , or "that's not allowed" etc... WHILE THE VERY SAME ACTIVITY (eg. trespassing by stepping off the sidewalk, or cleats that "made holes", etc....) goes un-questioned and un-noticed.
So two different persons can essentially be violating the same thing, yet ... one is innocuous (not noticed and no one cares) and the other isn't. Hmmm.
So apply the question to the public side of the equation : Take manicured turfed parks for example: You and I might know that we'll leave no trace. Right ? Yet to a curious on-looker, the wheels of their brain start turning (EVEN IF YOU'RE NOT EVEN STOOPED TO DIG), and they might think "aha ! Holes !" Right ? Whereas multiple other park users who might equally harm the grass never get noticed. Right ?
To me, that dilemma is the same analogy of the fisherman vs the md'r on some sort of corporate land, vacant lot, etc..... One is ignored, yet the other is scrutinized. Yet technically, each is equally guilty. Eh ? Have I summed up what you're saying correctly ?
Yes I get that. So when it comes to manicured turfed parks, I have long since given up trying to get red-carpets rolled out for me. Eg.: permissions, clarifications, getting people to condone it, etc.... It will simply never happen. And all that I will end up doing is getting more rules to address "my pressing issue". ie.: more "no's". So when it comes to manicured turf, I have taken the tactic of being as invisible as possible. NOT that I think I'm "doing something illegal". But SIMPLY because I'm aware of the odd-ball factor that md'rs present. So rather than swat hornet's nests, it's gotten to where I do 99% of my manicured turf hunting at night nowadays. So peaceful. So serene. No one around to gripe. Presto, problem solved.
So how does that apply to the OP topic here ? Well .... if a tree falls in the woods and no one is around to hear it, then what ?