Treasure Hunter’s Code of Ethics

As responsible treasure hunters, it’s our duty to follow a code of ethics – and to promote it to those who might stray from it.

  1. Before Searching public sites, always check laws, ordinances, or regulations that may govern your search.
  2. Never trespass – always get permission when searching private property.
  3. Never leave open holes! Leave the search area exactly as it was before you arrived to detect. Better yet – take the trash you recover out of the area when you leave.
  4. Report the discovery of any items of significant historical value to the local historian or museum.
  5. If you discover live ammo or a lethal object, do not touch it. Mark the site and notify the police at once.
  6. Be polite and informative to those who inquire about your hobby. You are the ambassador of a passtime we want to protect.

Remember: We will all be judged by how you act and respond.

This is more important now than ever. As the hobby grows, and more people try detecting, it only takes a few ‘bad apples’ to spoil it for the rest of us. Such behavior is directly responsible for having beaches and parks closed to detecting.