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Texas

Metal Detecting at James E. Daughtrey WMA in Texas

Authorization required for disturbance/recoveryGrade A · 98/100 · Verified

TPWD public-hunting rules prohibit disturbing or removing soil, shell, rocks, artifacts and other objects without proper authorization; recreational access is not recovery permission.

Answer first

Can you metal detect at James E. Daughtrey WMA?

Authorization required for disturbance/recovery. TPWD public-hunting rules prohibit disturbing or removing soil, shell, rocks, artifacts and other objects without proper authorization; recreational access is not recovery permission.

Permit/authorization: proper authorization for disturbance/removal — Do not interpret public access, hunting, fishing, camping, boating, beach access, or trail use as detector/recovery permission.

Evidence freshness: verified , Grade A, confidence 98/100. Recheck the official source before travel.

Managing agencyTexas Parks and Wildlife Department — Wildlife Division
Permitproper authorization for disturbance/removal
Jurisdictionstate
Location typeWildlife Management Area / TPWD public-land identity
Rule basisVerified controlling rule

Current verified decision

What the current evidence actually allows

Decision resolved
Detector useAuthorization / designated-zone control
Ground disturbanceConditional — restoration/tool limits apply
Recovery feasibilityPotentially available only after required authorization and zone checks
Permission inferenceAuthorization is a prerequisite, not an assumed right
Legal precisionConditional authorization / designated-zone prerequisite
Permission ceilingOnly after required authorization and only within the approved footprint/conditions
Trip block / prerequisiteAuthorization, permit or exact-zone prerequisites must be satisfied before detecting
Planning stateObtain Authorization Before Travel
Jurisdiction scopeControlling Rule Scope Stored
Proof required before tripYes
Water jurisdictionSeparate water rule applies
Historic / recoveryProtected-resource restrictions apply
Scope guardrail: The existence of an application or permit process is not itself permission; approval and exact scope must be verified.
Jurisdiction scope note: Apply the stored controlling rule only within its stated jurisdiction/property scope and honor any narrower site-specific overlay.
Scope gate: Confirm the exact approved property/zone and the authority that can issue the required authorization.
Authorization pathway: Complete the current permit/written-authorization process and verify the approval covers detector use, recovery method, dates and exact footprint.
Proof before travel: Carry the current permit/written authorization and any map/zone documentation; an application or permit program alone is not approval.
Operational status: current — Current identity/system pathway verified from cited authoritative sources in the current data. Current operations source
Next action: Read the permit/authorization and allowed-zone details, obtain any required written approval, and verify the exact footprint before travel.

Evidence: Grade A · 98/100 · verified 2026-08-30 · freshness Current · revalidation due 2026-12-28 · source conflict none identified.

Map and public access reference

This record has a safe map query. Resolve it on demand to display a temporary provider search match without altering the verified dataset.

Map coverage modeNamed public place map search
Navigation queryJames E. Daughtrey WMA, Texas
Map verificationQuery navigation — no invented coordinate

The map always renders with state/local context. Use Resolve this place on map to place a temporary provider search match on the map, or use the provider buttons directly. The temporary match is not written into the verified-coordinate dataset.

Legal status and controlling rule

TPWD public-hunting rules prohibit disturbing or removing soil, shell, rocks, artifacts and other objects without proper authorization; recreational access is not recovery permission.

Where detecting is allowed

Only areas/activities affirmatively allowed by the controlling agency and current site rules.

Restricted or prohibited areas

Protected cultural resources, unauthorized excavation/resource removal, and any posted/closed or sensitive areas.

Permit and digging rules

Permit: proper authorization for disturbance/removal

Do not interpret public access, hunting, fishing, camping, boating, beach access, or trail use as detector/recovery permission.

Digging: Do not excavate or recover targets unless the governing rule for the exact property/zone affirmatively permits it. Restore any permitted disturbance and comply with tool limits.

Water and artifact rules

Water detecting: No shore, lakebed, riverbed or submerged-land permission is inferred. Verify the precise land/water manager and any special-use restriction.

Historic/artifact rule: Do not target, disturb or remove archaeological, burial, historic or other protected cultural resources. Leave suspected protected material in place and follow agency reporting requirements.

Verification record

This page is published only after its legal and access evidence passes the project verification checks. Its current legal/access record is Grade A with a confidence score of 98/100 and was last checked on .

Map policy: every record has an in-page map plus external map-provider navigation. Verified pins remain canonical; query-only records can create a temporary provider search marker on demand, which is never promoted to verified geometry automatically. No map mode proves permission.

Source conflict: none

Official legal and place sources

James E. Daughtrey WMA metal detecting FAQ

Can you metal detect at James E. Daughtrey WMA?

TPWD public-hunting rules prohibit disturbing or removing soil, shell, rocks, artifacts and other objects without proper authorization; recreational access is not recovery permission.

Is a permit or authorization required at James E. Daughtrey WMA?

proper authorization for disturbance/removal Do not interpret public access, hunting, fishing, camping, boating, beach access, or trail use as detector/recovery permission.

Does the map show where detecting is legally allowed?

Yes. The page provides map context and address/name-based navigation even when an independently verified coordinate pin has not yet been published. Query navigation does not establish detecting permission.

How current is this James E. Daughtrey WMA record?

The legal/access record was last verified on 2026-08-30 with verification grade A and confidence score 98/100. Recheck the cited official source before travel because rules and closures can change.

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