Our Researchers
The guides on this site are researched by hobbyists who navigate these rules personally — not by staff writers summarising other summaries.
Rachel Mower
Rockhounding Researcher
Rachel is a rockhound focused on BLM open desert and Southwest public lands. She learned to navigate the federal casual-use rules and mining claim complications the hard way — by showing up at spots that turned out to be claimed land — and now researches claim status before she drives anywhere.
Sam Peterson
Foraging Rules Contributor
Sam is a forager based in Florida who got serious about the legal side of wild harvesting after discovering that picking saw palmetto berries — something thousands of people do casually — is a third-degree felony under Florida law. He now documents harvest rules across national forests and public lands so foragers know exactly what they're walking into.
Stuart Wilkinson
Metal Detecting Researcher
Stuart is a weekend detectorist based in central Florida who has worked the Space Coast and Treasure Coast beaches for several years. He started keeping detailed notes on local rules after a ranger stopped him at a Brevard County park and cited an excavation ordinance he had never heard of.