Legal or Not so much ??

Hi guys new to scrap metal. I need some advice I have read many posts on this forum over the last few months so I know about 2% when it comes to scrapping.
This is my question I hunt for Morel Mushrooms this time of year(good $ in that) and about 1/4 mile in the woods I found a old road. The road goes on for about 1/2 mile deep in the woods and on that road is a set of guard rails. The rails are the cabel kind. There are posts about every ten feet connecting the cable from one to the next. I have lived in this area my hole life and I have never knew this road was there so its atleast 30 years old and deep in the woods. I have done some research and found out the land I was on is owned by the Army corp of engineers. I have contacted them and asked about metal recovery on there land and they have not gotten back to me for weeks now, I doubt they ever will.
I would love to scrap it there is 1000 pounds of steel out there (that needs to be plucked!) and I just want to know if its legal. Any and all advice would be greatly recieved. Thanks fellas:confused:

I found great things in the woods for scrap, last week while looking for mushrooms I came across 9 old rims about 1/2 mile in the woods. A bit rusty but totally scrapable so I spent the day pulling them out 2 at a time. Scrapping appeals to me because I dont like to leave money behind.

While it may be legal for the government to steal from us (via taxes - I still call it stealing) there is no way I would steal from the government. You don't go to federal resort prison for things like that - you go to federal pound-you-in-the-*** prison.

that's what "cool hand luke" went to prison for, taking "unused" parking meters off the poles and laying them on the curb. He wasn't even stealing them.

If you're asking the Corps about taking recycling materials, and then tear down their guard rails, I doubt they'd consider that acceptable