arrowhead hunting question

[rem2506]

Is it legal to dig in caves in TN? also what about walking riverbanks or scratching around bluffs? I just want to abide by the law. Thanks in advance.

 

[stik]

illegal on tva and federal lands.

 

[Tennrock]

Illegal to dig or scratch unless is private land with permission. Walking riverbanks on TVA land ok, surface finds only, do not scratch or carry scratching equipment.
Some will tell you riverbank finds are not legal but ARPA protects that right.
Not a good idea to dig anywhere because disturbing human remains is illegal.

 

[Inkstainz]

If you are on private land on the river can you dig on riverbanks?

 

[in the dog house]

If you are on private land on the river can you dig on riverbanks?

No, if Im not mistaken all rivers are TVA owned ( in this part of the country ) even if it flows through private land.

 

[Tennrock]

TVA owns most of the river land, below the flood zone, on rivers they operate dams on. This land is used for water storage.

 

[Crow Terminator]

Walking the banks is fine and legal on TVA land. They post it with signs that are misleading to the people though. But at the bottom of the sign, they have it marked with 16 U.S.C. 470ee-470gg.

That is fancy talk for ARPA. ARPA states in section 470ee - 470gg that this EXCLUDES/EXEMPTS picking arrowheads up off the surface that were exposed by erosion.

The one good thing about Jimmy Carter was that he was an avid arrow head collector and would not sign the it into law until the exemption was made to exclude surface finds from the law.

APRA protects public land and resources from destruction...so that means NO DIGGING/SCRATCHING/SIFTING. But as far as walking the river bank and picking one up off the surface...it is perfectly legal. Some people do not know or realize this though...so do what I do, and print off that section and carry it on you in case you run into somebody that is uninformed of the law.