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Metroparks and Sheds?

Flathead76

Junior Member
85
16
Athens
One could argue, it's only illegal if you get caught...the guy I saw in a metropark (off the trail) was in full camo...Now why would someone be wearing full camo to walk around a metropark, off of the marked trails??? Hmmmmm..

I have to talk to a metropark ranger one of these mornings and see just how big of a deal this is...seems likely, they don't care much about the shed antlers, but care more about making sure EVERYONE stays on the marked trails.
I dont really care if the guy is collecting sheds out of the park. Not like he is hurting anything in my book. What he does is his business. What I wouldnt want to see is someone that does not like him turning him in for doing it. Like the OP said is that the guy comes right out and says that he found these sheds out of the park with pictures on his facebook page. That could snowball into a pretty big fine. They might even go and confiscate his sheds. Someone on this site that is friends with him maybe might want to suggest him taking the pictures off his facebook page. Also while he is at it he might want to keep what he finds in the park to himself. Just my 2 cents.
 

Jackalope

Dignitary Member
Staff member
38,841
260
Not sure what the actual charge was. You are not allowed to collect or remove items out of the park.

You're not allowed to skate backwards at the skating ring either, but that doesn't mean you broke the law and are subject to civil penalty.

Laws are set by the state, preemption prohibits city's, villages, townships etc from passing laws stricter than the states laws. If the state doesn't have a law against it, it's legal, and no lesser government body can pass a law prohibiting it. This doesn't mean they didn't get him on some BS charge like vandalism for removing it. But the state doesn't have a law to my knowledge against removing items from metro parks. Governance of the park is handled at a local level and as such they only enforceable laws subject to penalty are those already on the books by the state. Now. They can set rules. But those aren't subject to civil fines. That's why I was wondering what the charge was. Would be interesting to see what the charge was.
 

GoetsTalon

Senior Member
Supporting Member
4,293
128
Walbridge oh
I dont really care if the guy is collecting sheds out of the park. Not like he is hurting anything in my book. What he does is his business. What I wouldnt want to see is someone that does not like him turning him in for doing it. Like the OP said is that the guy comes right out and says that he found these sheds out of the park with pictures on his facebook page. That could snowball into a pretty big fine. They might even go and confiscate his sheds. Someone on this site that is friends with him maybe might want to suggest him taking the pictures off his facebook page. Also while he is at it he might want to keep what he finds in the park to himself. Just my 2 cents.

Yeah i here ya and welcome aboard!!!! I had my wife ask him if he knew if it was legal to pick them up and he said it was so i figured he knew more than me and i wasn't going to push it. She went to school with him was how she knows him. He has been taking pics in the park for years and might have struck up a friendship with whos running it there. I know a guy that picked a sack full of morrels out of Oak Openings and the ranger was waiting for him to walk out and ripped him for picking them and took them from him. No fine but no schrooms either. Ranger and his buddys had a mushroom party that weekend i'll bet lol.
 

Flathead76

Junior Member
85
16
Athens
All that I know is that they will give you a ticket. The guy must walk the park every single day to find sheds in there. I have gone in there many times and have NEVER found a single one! The only thing that I have found were other people shed hunting. I would bet that most sheds do not lay on the ground more than 12 hours before they are picked up. So if you find one in there and dont want to risk the fine someone else will pick it up for themselves in a few hours.

You're not allowed to skate backwards at the skating ring either, but that doesn't mean you broke the law and are subject to civil penalty.

Laws are set by the state, preemption prohibits city's, villages, townships etc from passing laws stricter than the states laws. If the state doesn't have a law against it, it's legal, and no lesser government body can pass a law prohibiting it. This doesn't mean they didn't get him on some BS charge like vandalism for removing it. But the state doesn't have a law to my knowledge against removing items from metro parks. Governance of the park is handled at a local level and as such they only enforceable laws subject to penalty are those already on the books by the state. Now. They can set rules. But those aren't subject to civil fines. That's why I was wondering what the charge was. Would be interesting to see what the charge was.
 

GoetsTalon

Senior Member
Supporting Member
4,293
128
Walbridge oh
some care some don't, most of the time it's technicall illegal though
Thats true!!. After starting this thread i ended up getting a job for the parks and after being in all the parks thats kind of how it is. Some say no way and others say its no big deal but when it comes down to it your not suppose to.
 

antiqucycle

Junior Member
506
36
East Ohio
Laws in Ohio are written by the Ohio House and Senate, voted on and signed by a governor, then published in the Ohio Revised Code. Odinances are created by city councils, then signed by a mayor. This is limited to Cities and incorporated villages, not townships or counties. Picking mushrooms, blackberries, buckeyes, shed antlers in parks have to be tied to the Ohio Revised code authorizing the rules. Its like requiring leashes on dogs.

Think about this, if you leave a shed lay on the ground, some tree rat, chipmunk, ordinary rats are going to devour the shed. So the park authorities should eliminate squirrels and chipmunks if they prohibit a human from picking up a shed.
 

antiqucycle

Junior Member
506
36
East Ohio
Another twist to the rules, your on a municipal golf course or a golf course in a Metropolitan park, and see a golf ball in the "rough", are you allowed to pick it up???? What if you spot a lost wallet?
 

swantucky

The Crew
1,594
122
Swanton, Ohio
The rules of the Toledo Area Metroparks do not allow removing anything from the park. I am sure there are some rangers that will look the other way but most will not. I have seen them check more than one person coming out of the woods during both shed and mushroom season.
 

RedCloud

Super Moderator
Super Mod
17,381
193
North Central Ohio
The rules of the Toledo Area Metroparks do not allow removing anything from the park. I am sure there are some rangers that will look the other way but most will not. I have seen them check more than one person coming out of the woods during both shed and mushroom season.

That's crazy. You would think there would be other pressing matters to worry about then sheds and shrooms. You know like looking in the parking lot for a white panel van with a half naked guy looking for somebody to give him a wet wipe bath or something lol.
 

finelyshedded

You know what!!!
Supporting Member
31,855
260
SW Ohio
Laws in Ohio are written by the Ohio House and Senate, voted on and signed by a governor, then published in the Ohio Revised Code. Odinances are created by city councils, then signed by a mayor. This is limited to Cities and incorporated villages, not townships or counties. Picking mushrooms, blackberries, buckeyes, shed antlers in parks have to be tied to the Ohio Revised code authorizing the rules. Its like requiring leashes on dogs.

Think about this, if you leave a shed lay on the ground, some tree rat, chipmunk, ordinary rats are going to devour the shed. So the park authorities should eliminate squirrels and chipmunks if they prohibit a human from picking up a shed.

Plus, show me a park ranger that will leave a 90" shed laying on the ground and I'll sell you some incredible deer hunting land crawling with 200"ers in Vermont! Lol

Another do as I say not as I do IMO.
 

FireManBowHNTR

Junior Member
I live in summit co.Big no no picking up sheds. But hey I pay taxes I'll shed hunt in them. I won't steal,liter, dismember any park property but you better believe I'll pick up a park shed