Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire scattering ashes - legal?

It's common for people to take a relative's ashes out to a favored spot and scatter them over the land or in a river. But, is it legal? I read an article that puts a lot of it in question. Each state has it's own rules. The BLM says that scattering on their land is subject to state law. The Forest Service prohibits it, saying "placing cremains creates a “perpetual occupancy,” and may be “incompatible with the purposes for which the lands are managed." Some Nat. parks allow it but only with a special permit.
Putting them in water is usually prohibited even when scattering on land is allowed. The US Clean Water Act prohibits ashes from being put in any water less than 3 nautical miles from any land. Permits are required almost everywhere.

Idaho is quite liberal. There are no state rules or permits required. Only the rules imposed by the controller of the land apply. Ashes can be scattered by plane as long as the urn isn't tossed out, too. I don't know if loading the ashes in shotgun shells qualifies as aerial scattering. Since the BLM goes by state law and Idaho has no applicable state laws, ashes can be scattered all over southern, ID. We also have 20 million acres of Nat. Forest where it's prohibited according to what I've read.

Scattering on private land is legal in most places with the landowners permission. Whether a permit is required is up to the state.

After all is said, do they really think that all the rules and permitting is going to keep a family from scattering Grandpa over his favorite fishing stream? Not likely. All the rules are totally unenforceable and I'll bet that 99% of them are ignored. How would the USFS determine that a bag of ashes is 'perpetually occupying' the forest if they can't find the ashes or prove who they belonged to if they did find them?

Good question. My own opinion is scatter and remain silent. Part of my brother's ashes is in our CRP field. I found some really nice wild flowers and put him to rest.

kwg

Well I figure to have my ashes poured out where all my dogs are buried. Legal or not. For a long time I wanted to send them off into the wind from a ridge behind Superior Wyoming but home is where your dogs lie.

My mother was a WWII veteran and loved pink. Her ashes are planted by the flag pole under a pink rose bush.

There's a friend of mine "perpetually occupying" a place in of a certain park in Cali where the Dwyerville Giant is now laying on the ground. And he's in the Pacific from a spot near Shelter Cove.

More than one of our dogs is scattered in various places around.

Then again, I've been known to Question Authority at times.

I've been told, only on private property. Most of the stories are true.

A member from Colorado asked me, and I checked it out.

Right at the top of the Who Gives a Fugg what the government says list.

Classic example of "don't ask, don't tell."

Since I worked at the plumbing trade for 50 years, I’ve left instructions to be take to the old El Paso tower I worked on as an apprentice. Take me to the 50th floor, dump me in a toilet, let it rip. Hell of a last ride. Eventually hit the San Jac river, head out to sea. Fitting end to a damn old plumber, don’t ya think?

LOL, that is some funny stuff right there. Makes me wonder where an OB/Gyn would want his ashes spread.

This. I don't think even most of the gov't weenies would care.

Been telling my sons for years that I want them to load mine into a cannon on Little Round Top and let ‘er rip.

Might not please the Park Service, who IME can be kinda cranky…..

Mom said [just yesterday]
1/2 to either Nags Head or Hilton Head Island shoreline, 1/2 to my stepfathers farm by the existing cemetery.

This

Is it legal? SMDH

I told my wife to spread mine in a sand bunker at the golf course. I’ve spent enough time in it, so it’s already like home

We cremated my father, at his request, after lung cancer took him. Before he died he asked me to place some of his ashes in the places he liked to hunt, fish and camp. He gave me a list of 11 places. It took me 2 years but I buried a small amount of his ashes in the places he asked. I did not ask anyone if I could do it and I wouldn't have cared if anyone had told me I couldn't. Pop wanted to be there and I made sure he is. Screw asking permission, I'll ask for forgiveness if caught.

Depends on each states' regs.

One thing I would advise, DON'T SCATTER ASHES INTO THE WIND..don't come home with them in your mouth, eyes, and ears. Upturn the container and tap any remaining ashes out...let the wind and rain scatter them.

Absolutely!

My wife's first husband, aside from being a physical abuser of the highest order, was a high roller.
His kids very discreetly sprinkled some of his ashes on the carpet under his favorite gaming table, and the rest in the ocean.

Satisfying to know some of him rests in a landfill after being vacuumed up! A fitting end to a real a-hole.

And no, there was nothing legal about it.

My father died at the peak of the COVID restrictions, so I sent his ashes to be buried with his late wife. He wanted the ashes of his four cats buried with him. I asked the cemetery manager about it and was told to send them, but not to indicate what they were in any way. I said they’re “keepsakes” right? “Right”, she said.

He was such a dick for most of his life I was tempted to put all of the ashes together and shake well, and see what Jesus could make of the mix in the next life.