I've seen some phase I surveys go for as high as 1.5mill. I also have done a 10 acre phase I for as little as $100 or I have done a 1/2 acre survey for $600. There's a lot of variables to figure on. As for using volunteers and unpaid students to complete contract paid projects, that practice is finished. Its been a dead practice for a long time now. If I have a contract survey project then everyone working on it gets paid. Volunteers are also not allowed, accident liability/workers comp would not cover them.

Had a neighbor that had an amazing collection he found himself, mostly on "the river" when the water was low. Cops found a complete skeleton hid in his storage shed. Now why were the cops in his shed you ask. They were investigating a murder.....his wife killed him. About as bad as juju gets.

Skinny - What are the actual laws pertaining to artifact collection by private individuals in Alabama? Surface collecting and digging(not in burial sites) on private property, river digging or using a small dredge - just curious. I have heard the pros and cons from both sides, but have never known the actual laws.

Its landowner discretion, the landowner owns the artifacts or what ever else is on their land. The only exception is burials, and that is treated the same for all burials regardless of age or cultural affiliation. So if a landowner has a known cemetery on their land it would be illegal for them to bulldoze it. If they knowingly disturb human burials on their land then they are in violation of federal and state burial protection laws. The artifacts are the landowner's but if the landowner is knowingly robbing graves on his land then he would be in violation. If you are taking artifacts or fossils or timber or anything from a private landowner without their permission then its considered theft and maybe other violations. If seen lease holders get in trouble with their lease owner for this kind of theft.

Thanks for the info Skinny. I would also like to know what the law is pertaining to diving, digging and dredging in navigable and non-navigable waters on private property.

It depends on a lot of factors. Most waters are state owned, but then there is TVA, Army Corps, APCO, and other considerations. In some places the State owns the river bed but the Feds own the water. Most large creeks tend to be property boundaries or county lines and some big creeks are under state jurisdiction. The law is the same for property, it just depends on who the owner is and it can be very confusing. Unfortunately, there is not a simple answer, but you need a permit or its illegal in most rivers.

And you can't get a permit...

Well, no wonder with gun ammo so hard to come by... be funny to get pulled over by a Trooper who's packin primitive weapons.

Crazy mess. I'd hate to get caught selling star fish and sand dollars.