If you are unfamiliar with private property rights, and public land use issues, I doubt that anyone that I know out west is really interested in your paying a visit. Those that come to hunt meteorites should do a great deal of home work so they do not: #1. end up in a legal situation with federal or state land administrators (for instance on one side of I-80 there is no vehicular travel allowed off road, other side of the Hawaii, it is for the retrieval of down game, or off road ranching activities only), or being arrested for trespass on private lands. #2 with out permission on private lands, or knowing what you are doing on some public lands, you stand a very good chance of giving up any thing you find if you don't know what you are doing. Ignorance of the law works sometimes...but don't count on it, especially with Mr. ranger.
A library is a great place to start searching information, and then contact the appropriate federal, state, and private entities BEFORE you come to hunt, or be sure to know what you are doing. Many wonderful policies can be reversed by a few that do not do the homework/right thing. The hobby of collecting meteorites does not need those that would ignorantly trod into trouble and thus shine a bad light on meteorite collectors as a group.
Dave Freeman
Warren Zwanka wrote:
Marcie and list,
Having grown up in South Carolina and now Florida I am just familiar with the fact that if you don't have permission, then you better not be on someone's property. Even on state lands you had better have a reason for snooping around... especially with a metal detector. Either way, being where you're not invited arouses a lot of suspicion here which it doesn't seem to raise out west. Is the only difference that there is just too much land to supervise, or is it understood that if it isn't fenced then you are welcome on it? Is hunting meteorites on state/federal land legal in western parks? Because it sure isn't here.
I am looking forward to when I can visit out west for some real "cold hunting" but have never been too clear on how those of you that do it regularly handle the property ownership issues.
Warren
IMCA 3602
From: Marcia Swanson [mailto: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: Fri, 12 Sep 2003 16:11:22 -0500 (CDT) Subject: RE: [meteorite-list] Cold hunting question
Hello Warren and List, Warren your question about property locale ownership, brought to mind a question of my own that I would appreciate an answer to, on or off-list, by yourself or other list members. I understand that when hunting on private property, you are supposed to get (written?) permission. I know that different Countries have different rules on whether or not a meteorite is property of finder or confiscated by government, or percentage of it taken for identification and record and display at museum, ect. My questions are regarding meteorites found in USA. What EXACTLY are th e rules to guarentee that if you find one, say on public land ( State Park, lakeshore, river-bed, dry-lake, abandoned gravil pit, ect.) you can claim it without fear of confiscation, by State or Local authorities? I know this was an issue with the F.P. that supposedly "bounced" off the public sidewalk before hitting a home and was confiscated by local authorities ( Sorry to bring that unfortunate issue up), and there have been other instances. Is it the amount of money ( it's worth) that determimes whether or not a counter-claim is laid on it by local, state, or is it the classification of the fall or find that again,makes it confiscatable? To be classed, especially if it were something really significant, you do have to say where it was found right ? How does this work? When something is found on private property, after having been given permission to look, what is the obligation of the collector in regards to payment to land- owner , should a possible meteorite, or a meteorite be found, or land owners right to counterclaim pwnership rights? I would truly appreciate guideline answers on some of these questions please, or reference reading material? Thank-you and Best Regards, Marcie
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Just wondering who owns these areas you "cold hunters" are searching? Are areas like the Gold Basin and Bonneville Salt Flats publicly owned or do you make arrangements with individual land owners?
Warren
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