Sources & Methodology
Last updated: April 2026
Primary Source Types
Every fact published on Permitted Pursuits must trace to one of the following primary source categories:
| Content Type | Accepted Primary Sources |
|---|---|
| Metal detecting — federal land | BLM Land Use Plan · USFS Forest Plan · 43 CFR Part 8365 · 36 CFR Part 261 |
| Metal detecting — state / local | State parks regulations · County ordinances · Site-specific posted rules |
| Foraging | BLM foraging policy · USFS non-timber forest products rule · State parks harvest limits |
| Rockhounding | BLM casual use policy (43 CFR 3800) · USFS minerals rule · Fee-dig site permits |
| Fossil hunting | Paleontological Resources Preservation Act (PRPA) · NPS permit requirements · BLM vertebrate fossil rules |
| Permits | Agency permit application pages · Federal Register notices · Site-specific ranger district rules |
How We Verify Requirements
- Locate the primary source. For federal land rules, this is typically the relevant Code of Federal Regulations section, the agency's land-use plan, or the specific ranger district's permit page.
- Read the original rule or policy. We do not rely on secondary interpretations for permit requirements, restricted areas, or penalty information.
- Cross-check against agency summaries. BLM and USFS offices often publish visitor-facing summaries that confirm our interpretation of the underlying rule.
- Record the "Last verified" date. Each article carries the date our editorial team last confirmed the information against the primary source.
How We Handle Conflicting Sources
Where a federal regulation and an agency's site-specific rule appear to conflict, we consult the full regulatory text and note any ambiguity in the article. We do not publish a requirement we cannot verify against a primary source, and we flag situations where the rule is genuinely unclear or disputed.
Outbound Links and Citation Format
Where outbound hyperlinks to primary sources are included, they are manually verified before publication. A broken link to a government source undermines credibility more than no link at all. Source citations without hyperlinks follow the format: agency name + document or rule reference (e.g., "BLM — 43 CFR § 8365.1-5").
Adding and maintaining outbound links is an ongoing editorial effort. Articles published prior to our hyperlink standards may carry citation text only; these are updated as editorial capacity allows.
Update Cadence
Federal land-use rules change through notice-and-comment rulemaking and land management plan revisions. We monitor Federal Register notices and agency announcements for changes affecting the hobbies we cover. Articles are re-verified at minimum annually; high-traffic articles and articles covering recently changed rules are reviewed more frequently.
Limitations
We focus on US federal and state land-use rules for metal detecting, foraging, rockhounding, and fossil hunting. Private land rules, municipal parks ordinances, and international regulations are outside our primary scope unless directly relevant to a specific site page. Site-specific posted signs and on-the-ground ranger instructions always take precedence over published summaries.
Contact
If you believe a source citation is incorrect or outdated, please contact hello@permittedpursuits.com. We take source accuracy seriously and will review flagged content promptly.