# nevada digging laws



## nelsondigs (Mar 22, 2009)

Just a quick question, new to this site thanks to an awesome ebayer sharing with me.  When I was a child you could dig anyplace in Nevada, Quite a while back went out and found some bottles some were older pre 1900 I learned from another ebayer, anyway, an officer of land came buy and said I had to  leave them because they were over 50 years old. I was shocked. Finally got the courage to go back to our old dig spot 30 years or more later and couldn't take a prize home.  As I drove away I watched this WONDERFUL PERSON breaking the ones he took from me.  Know anything about the Nevada laws. at best he could have taken them to the museum!
 Thanks for your help Judy


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## Oldtimer (Mar 22, 2009)

I am not from Nevada. But I have a general law I always follow: It ain't illegal unless I get harrased.
 Law # 2 is: Don't get harrased, be sneaky as a black cat on a moonless night.


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## CALDIGR2 (Mar 22, 2009)

On private property, with permission, you are good to go. There is no legal digging on BLM, USFS, or Nevada State properties. If you are off the beaten path, do as you wish, but be aware that you may be watched from a great distance. It has happened to me while artifact walking in Churchill Co. Public lands are sneaky and very persistent in their "protection" of all things under their respective jurisdiction. How's that for an answer? I dig in NV all the time, but watch my trail and never let on what is happening. Don't ask, don't tell.


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## capsoda (Mar 22, 2009)

> an officer of land came buy and said I had to leave them because they were over 50 years old.


 
 That sounds odd that he would say that. They must not be as strict out west as they are on the little spects of dirt that the feds watch over in the south if you so much as flip a leaf they are all over you like ants. Some years back a bottle buddy and I were looking around for  digging prospects in a wooded area that we hoped would be fruitful. We stoped and sat on a downed tree and broke out the water bottles. While sitting I picked up a stick and started sketching the trails I knew of in this area three federal ranger dudes came out of the woods and began to grill us about what we were digging up with the stick! The the nice ranger dudes gave us a free ride back to my truck and said good by and don't come back. It is that way in Northwest Florida and Southern Alabama. If you get caught taking bottles out of the Gulf, rivers, streams or lakes and ponds Alabama you are in big trouble because the state top the feds with have weird treasure act. They will take every piece of equipment you have including vehicles and put you in jail.

 I stay off fed land with out an invite.

 Welcome to the forum Judy.


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## Lordbud (Mar 22, 2009)

I've recently trod upon some private property both on the peninsula and downtown San Francisco, both daytime and at night. If you don't act loud, act suspicious, and generally do act as if you "belong" no one bothers you. Even Judi (from Montara) was out at the 3rd street piles recently...nothing like sinking into excavated bay mud up to my ankles.


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## CALDIGR2 (Mar 22, 2009)

'Ya gotta give por 'ol Judy creds for being persistent, anyway. Those "piles" are not my cup-a-tea. I remember too well the "good old days" at Sierra, Oyster, and Candlestick Points. Now, THOSE were PILES.


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## Rockhounder55 (Mar 23, 2009)

If I'm not mistaken, our hobby, when done on public lands, falls under federal jurisdiction and not state. I believe the law is the Archaeological Resources Protection Act of 1979, and it may have been amended in 2006. I printed off the 13 pages once, and it would be nice if someone here could interpret it for us. It's not written to be understood very easily. Typical government bureacracy bs. It would be nice to just stay off fed land, but out here in Nevada, 87% of the land is fed land, so we don't have as many privately owned privies to dig as some of you back east do. Anyway, I'd like to hear back from anyone that has more knowledge on the subject than I do.  ~Mike


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## CALDIGR2 (Mar 24, 2009)

The ARPA pertains to Native American artifacts, and actually has a susection that excludes arrowheads picked up from the surface. There IS NO penalty for that activity. You cannot dig on public lands, regardless of your looking for artifacts or bottles. The only digging allowed is for rocks and minerals.

 I have dug extensively in Winnemucca, too. There are several spots still holding bottles in the older portion of town. Many are covered, but the maps are available that show the privy locations. You really don't need the maps, though, Virtually any pre-1910 yard has several holes, and all 'ya gotta is probe for 'em.


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## Rockhounder55 (Mar 25, 2009)

Thanks Mike. You sound quite knowledgeable. Thinking about it now, I think the law I wanted to quote was some Antiquities Act, not an Archaeological Act. I'll have to go back and do some research. Now, whereabouts are those bottles out here? Actually, there's got to be quite a few houses out here that date from 1910 or older. I just never thought that a house that new(1910) would have had a privy.  ~Mike


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## CALDIGR2 (Mar 25, 2009)

Water has long been a precious commodity in NV, and due to this many towns allowed outdoor facilities long after hydrants and running water arrived. By early 1900 Winnemucca had water for fire protection, mainly. It came by gravity feed from a reservior in the mountains, several miles distant. Some of the old 4" IP may still be in place. 2' cast pipe ran under the streets, but did not serve many homes. It did provide water for businesses. There was also a gasoline powered pump in the Humboldt River for emergency fire protection only.

 Any residence that pre-existed at least the early 20th C will have pits. There are also numerous mining towns in the not too far distance that once were covered in empty bottles. Most are extremely rocky and what wasn't picked up years ago has been subjected to the harsh extremes of NV winters and the relentless sun of most of the year. There are many still out there, though. It takes diligence and persistence to uncover them.


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