>But, I see nothing wrong with individuals going out on private land a
>searching with a metal detector.  In most cases, any thing that will be
>found will not be old or of historical signifigance.  The vast majority
>of what we know about Americas Past has already written in the history
>books.  So what if someone finds an old button or bullet or coin for
>that matter.  It may tell that someone was there at some point in time,
>but it is not like your can learn something new from it.  What if
>detectorists make extinsive notes about what they found and document the
>location of each artifact withing a grid.  Is this not what
>professionals do. Anyone is very capible of doing this.  Then if they
>choose to, they can submit the info and artifacts to a museum, or give
>the info to professionals as well.  You cannot just take freedom away
>from people like you wish you could do.  This is a free country and it
>sounds like you wish we lived under communist rulers.
>
>You are misinformed  about the past history of  the Americas.  As an
 archaeologist working on a 1796 Spanish fort site for which there are no known
 architectural drawings,  a vast amount of information has been gained by the
 excavation and plotting of each stone and artifact.  In the same area, a later
 whaling station, valuable information regarding the existence of Chinese
 culture in San Diego has  been revealed only in the past ten years.
I have never seen a person with a metal detector taking extensive notes.
Also, please check with your lawyer.  Disturbing a cultural site can produce
 heavy federal fines.
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