Hi Norm,No you'r not allowed to metal detect in the Uwharrie National Forest, but you may be able to on the Land Trust land witch joins and is consisered Uwharrie mountians in the same area.It's not regulated bu the forest rangers and is privetley owned in Low Water Bridge area. They allow prospecting along the river there, but and own most of the land approching the river for a few miles.But they don't want prospectors digging in banks of river to prospect so i'm not sure if they'd want metal detector diggers doing it.Just know the National Forest don't control that land and it joins national forest land in several places.The montgomery GIS will show who owns what parcels of land there and you can get a great area map at the BP station there on Hwy.109.Lots of old gold mines in that area that I'd love to detect myself. Good luck...
Bill Tavui > douglas r. becraftApril 20, 2010 at 9:05am
I believe the law is you cannot dig into any banks in North Carolina, public or private land. I was told this at Vein Mountain, LDMA and Thermal City when visiting last year.
Norm Birdsall > douglas r. becraftApril 20, 2010 at 6:09am
Thanks for the info. What kind of detector do you use? I've never tried around Low Water bridge. I've always stayed west of 109. I have always wanted to try just below Crow Creek. I met one guy who found pinto bean size nuggets in that area, but he was using a suction dredge. Have you found anything in that area?
Hi Norm,I use a Whites MXT. Would love to detect along Crow creek also.It runs near the old Russell mine and down to the Uwharrie just upstream from Low water Bridge.We hunt alot in that area and are always running into prospectors with detectors playing around the Russell mine.I'd like to detect there too, but that area is forest land and if caught detecting,could lose my detector.Some folks risk it . I've yet to run into a forest ranger in that area but just don't wish to risk it.Lots of old mine shafts there.Big creek runs by the Russell mine and Crow creek runs really close to Big creek then turns toward the river.Behind the Russell mine the land is owned by N.C. Land Trust and i think Crow creek runs threw there land and into the Uwharrie. Land Trust allowes prospecting in the Uwharrie from the Low Water Bridge down river to just below hwy.109 bridge where it re-enters national forest land.I don't know if Land Trust would have a problem with folks detecting their land along Crow creek as iv'e never run into anyone down there from Land Trust.Wouldn't dig alot of unfilled holes if i did though. Just do a GIS search of the plots of land down in the area to know who owns what so you know where the forest land is as it joins the Land Trust land up river from Low Water bridge.Maybe some one else could better fill you in on this Crow creek idea as i'm just going on my GIS research i did for hunting the area.I do know that you can walk the river bank up stream and acess where Crow creek enters the river(up stream from Low Water bridge)...Just be aware of where the Land Trust land stops, and forest land starts...lol...GIS it..Good Luck Norm
Norm Birdsall > douglas r. becraftMay 15, 2010 at 4:52pm
Thanks Doug,
Went down to The Cotton Patch Mine today. Found some nice looking gold. A little more than 2 grams. Nice day out for the fist time this year.
When I visited the Uwharrie National Forest last June, I explicitly ask the Ranger's Station about metal detecting, and they said NO!
I told them that I was going to be on vacation and that I would have my metal detectors with me and if that would bar me from entering the forest, and they said it was alright to have them in my car but if I took it out even to get something else out of the car and a Ranger saw it I would risk getting a ticket, I did take them into the forest but they never came out of the car!!
Same scenario with my sucker tube/hand dredge (never call a sucker tube a hand dredge, which I didn't), they consider them to be in the same class as a motorized dredge, which I think is crazy!!!
The Rangers will always say NO, you have to go to speak with the Ranger in charge ask for him or her, have a copy of the rules , they will know it it is there anyway. Know your dos and don'ts ,
about leaving no trace behind. Know about the areas history etc, when you speak with
him or her, and explain that if any artifacts are found they will be left in placed tagged and
location will be mapped and told to the ranger on duty so a state archeologist can look at them where they were found. Never remove and artifact from the location. Be sure to state this in your permit application also. Been done this, Cowpens National Forest
Gettysbury etc This will get you the permit.
I just posted what I read http://www.uwharrieinfo.us/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=21
I know I'd like to take my MT in and around Fort Fisher but they have signs posted every 50ft.
They make it Clear No Metal Detecting.
Replies
Norm
Went down to The Cotton Patch Mine today. Found some nice looking gold. A little more than 2 grams. Nice day out for the fist time this year.
I told them that I was going to be on vacation and that I would have my metal detectors with me and if that would bar me from entering the forest, and they said it was alright to have them in my car but if I took it out even to get something else out of the car and a Ranger saw it I would risk getting a ticket, I did take them into the forest but they never came out of the car!!
Same scenario with my sucker tube/hand dredge (never call a sucker tube a hand dredge, which I didn't), they consider them to be in the same class as a motorized dredge, which I think is crazy!!!
Skip
about leaving no trace behind. Know about the areas history etc, when you speak with
him or her, and explain that if any artifacts are found they will be left in placed tagged and
location will be mapped and told to the ranger on duty so a state archeologist can look at them where they were found. Never remove and artifact from the location. Be sure to state this in your permit application also. Been done this, Cowpens National Forest
Gettysbury etc This will get you the permit.
I know I'd like to take my MT in and around Fort Fisher but they have signs posted every 50ft.
They make it Clear No Metal Detecting.
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