Fairfax Northern VA?

[Shadowbox]

I'm a noob and really tempted to get a metal detector and start a new hobby but the metal detecting laws in my neck of the woods seem a bit draconian. I could and would make the occasional trip out of state, but am I in an area that'll give me the evil eye or a fine if I detect every weekend?

I'd like to hear from any locals who can attest whether there're any spots in my area where you can freely metal detect. I'm not planning on digging foot deep holes nor looting any relics, spare change maybe, but not relics.

 

[EmuDetector]

Gonna PM you

 

[achaios]

I can't speak for the city of Fairfax, but Fairfax County doesn't allow digging in its parks. If you were to just hunt the surface, I don't know, but you would have to wear gloves in at least some parks because they are used as "shooting galleries", so there will be dirty needles in some places. It's a pity, because there was a lot of civil war activity in my neighborhood, even though there were not any battles, apart from some action by Moseby's guerillas.

--Tom

 

[Shadowbox]

I guess hunting for Moseby's gold will have to wait. Are there any areas right outside of Fairfax county that's safe for detecting? I'm not hunting for relics, but rather loose change and lost rings and a few bottlecaps. At this point, I'm not ready to start an excavation for nineteenth century artifacts. I'm only at the poke around in the ground an inch or two stage.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Fairfax County doesn't allow digging in its parks. ....

Actually, there's not a single speck of public land in the USA (yes, even beaches) that this ^ ^ same thing couldn't be said. Yup: All city, county, state, and federal level. Even if it doesn't use the word "dig" or "digging", it will be some verbiage like "alter", "deface", "destroy", "injure" or whatever. It's always there in the boiler plate verbiage, at every single park, of every single level.

So ask yourself : Why is it then that we see daily show & tell of people who (gasp) hunt parks ? I mean, presumably they're digging their target, eh ? Are we all just lawless miscreants ? No. Here's why :

All such language is IMPLICITLY referring to the end results. So if you cover your spot, stomp it, and fluff it up, THEN PRESTO: You have not alterED, destroyED, injurED, or defacED anything. Now have you ?

And yes I would apply the same logic for dig versus dug. It's just that we don't spell it as past-tense "digged".

I'm sure that if you went into city & county offices asking for permission or clarification, asking "Can I ?" questions, that you'll invariably find someone to tell you "no". In which case : You are now the latest victim of "No one cared UNTIL you asked" club.

Same for in-the-field : Not everyone is going to agree with those semantics. Because, sure, our hobby carries connotations (that you might be about to leave a hole). Then you go at lower traffic times, and avoid such lookie lous. Presto, problem solved.

Shadowbox, I don't know what you mean by "draconian" rules/laws where you're at. Are you asking "Can I" questions and being told "no" ? If so, that's the wrong way to go about it . You will simply be the subject of the "easy answer" (from someone who envisions geeks with shovels). Instead: Look up in the city muni code FOR YOURSELF. And if nothing there said "No md'ing", then presto: Not prohibited. There's hardly a single city & county now, in this digital day & age, that doesn't have their park rules, muni codes, etc.... on-line.


Just avoid obvious historic sensitive monuments. And don't be "waltzing over beach blankets" at archie conventions, and you'll be fine.

 

[achaios]

From the Fairfax County government web site:

§1.13 Metal Detectors
No person shall use a metal detector or similar device within a park without the express written
permission of the Park Authority.

--Tom

 

[Shadowbox]

Actually, there's not a single speck of public land in the USA (yes, even beaches) that this ^ ^ same thing couldn't be said. Yup: All city, county, state, and federal level. Even if it doesn't use the word "dig" or "digging", it will be some verbiage like "alter", "deface", "destroy", "injure" or whatever. It's always there in the boiler plate verbiage, at every single park, of every single level.

So ask yourself : Why is it then that we see daily show & tell of people who (gasp) hunt parks ? I mean, presumably they're digging their target, eh ? Are we all just lawless miscreants ? No. Here's why :

All such language is IMPLICITLY referring to the end results. So if you cover your spot, stomp it, and fluff it up, THEN PRESTO: You have not alterED, destroyED, injurED, or defacED anything. Now have you ?

And yes I would apply the same logic for dig versus dug. It's just that we don't spell it as past-tense "digged".

I'm sure that if you went into city & county offices asking for permission or clarification, asking "Can I ?" questions, that you'll invariably find someone to tell you "no". In which case : You are now the latest victim of "No one cared UNTIL you asked" club.

Same for in-the-field : Not everyone is going to agree with those semantics. Because, sure, our hobby carries connotations (that you might be about to leave a hole). Then you go at lower traffic times, and avoid such lookie lous. Presto, problem solved.

Shadowbox, I don't know what you mean by "draconian" rules/laws where you're at. Are you asking "Can I" questions and being told "no" ? If so, that's the wrong way to go about it . You will simply be the subject of the "easy answer" (from someone who envisions geeks with shovels). Instead: Look up in the city muni code FOR YOURSELF. And if nothing there said "No md'ing", then presto: Not prohibited. There's hardly a single city & county now, in this digital day & age, that doesn't have their park rules, muni codes, etc.... on-line.


Just avoid obvious historic sensitive monuments. And don't be "waltzing over beach blankets" at archie conventions, and you'll be fine.

I did look up the muni codes, which says MD is prohibited unless there's written permission.

What counts as written permission? The City of Fairfax said in an email I can MD as long as I don't disrupt any vegetation. Bada bing bada boom. But, for the county of Fairfax, written permission is a special use permit that's $25 per park and needs to have the activity's coordinates, date, times, description of equipment, etc. Then the archaeology department needs to approve it. Long story short, they denied my request because MDing "disturbs archaeological sites" even though I specified playgrounds, sandy areas along the creek, and objects on the ground's surface for open fields. According to the Park Authority Policy Manual, every park is a potential archaeological site.

Would anyone stop me if I don't get permission? Likely not, but you only need one Karen. Besides, having permission provides peace of mind. I'm not worried about the small parks; it's the big ones like Lake Burke I want to get to.

The county's bureaucratic rigmarole seems draconian compared to the city's. In fact, MDing is prohibited in VA state parks. It's only allowed on designated man-made beaches and only with a DCR permit. Unfortunately, they don't tell you how to get a permit. I'm still waiting on a reply.

The only legal options are the City of Fairfax, national forests, head out of state, or get permission to check private property. Of course, I intend to fly under the radar. In the meantime, I'm planning a day trip to Assateague Island.

Nevertheless, these obstacles don't deter me; they only motivate me.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

§1.13 Metal Detectors
No person shall use a metal detector .............

I did look up the muni codes, which says MD is prohibited unless there's written permission.....

Hey there achaios and shadowbox : I have a sneaking suspicion why each of those locations has such verbiage, in the first place. And no, it's not because "someone must have left holes in the past". And no it's not d/t "archie concerns". Even though ... sure.... those will be the "go to answers" for if someone ever asked them : "But why ?". Care to take a guess how those got on their radar, as something that needed a rule to address it ?