14 Day Limit is Driving Me Nuts

TheNewCatfish

Sr. Member
Mar 4, 2011
344
125
The most frustrating thing about this business is the fourteen day camping restriction on public lands. It's rediculous. Buy the time you set up camp, pick up supplies in town, survey the locale, set up your equipment and dig up the material.. It's time to start packing. God help you if you have to order something that takes three to five business days, (make that a week) to arrive. Now you only have seven days left. Of course, nobody works non-stop. You'd drop from exhaustion. So you'll need a couple of days off. Which leaves only five days of actual work. That only holds true if some whacko BLM Ranger with an attitude doesn't think you look like the guy who ran off with his wife in 1989. He's gonna tell you, "you've already been here 14 days and you have to displace 30 miles and 30 days before returning". Don't laugh. It's happened to me. This forced me to make a side trip to the hospital ER in Salida Colorado where i obtained a doctor's note that said i was suffering from an abcessed tooth and couldn't travel. The next day was wasted taking the note to the regional BLM office where Ranger Ron's supervisor issued a temporary waiver allowing me to stay the remaining (Three Days) of my vacation. Silly of me to think Ranger Ron would accept the note on the spot without the approval of his supervisor... who agreed laughing i did kind'a resemble the guy who ran off with Ron's wife back in 89'. So after spending a thousand dollars and travelling 1500 miles, i got to prospect and pan at Point Bar Colorado (Three Days). The Vicadin i got at the hospital was the only bright spot in an otherwise crappy experience. Who makes these assanine rules and restrictions ? Why are they being arbitrarily enforced by psychologically unstable officers ? IS THERE ANYWHERE YOU CAN GO AND PROSPECT FOR MORE THAN THREE DAYS WITHOUT BEING HARRASSED AND DRIVEN NUTS !!!
 

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TheNewCatfish

Sr. Member
Mar 4, 2011
344
125
If anyone out there has a claim on private land and needs help.. I'm available. I'm a retired fireman. I got nuthin but time and money. I can feed and house myself and shovel 70 buckets of dirt a day into a highbanker for 20% of whatever we net after operating costs. I'm just bone tired of havin some badge walkin up and tell'en me "It's time to move on". This work is too hard and gold is too hard to find to have to put up with this same government B.S. every year. Others have suggested joining a Club. But guess what.. They've all got 14 day limitations too.
 

goldog

Hero Member
Sep 25, 2012
923
987
Tujunga, CA
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Bazooka Gold Trap, A-51, Gold Pan
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I've got it! You need another guy just like you. Equipment, time and skill to get the job done. After a couple weeks, switch. May need 3 teams to avoid the thirty day rule.

Just to mess with them.
 

pmgsourdough

Jr. Member
Feb 13, 2013
73
43
Black Hills, SD
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
You and me both brother. The 14 day limit on public land is absurd. The common response when trying to debate the rule with gfp is "if you do it, then everyone will want to do it". How many people are willing to go 24 hours without television, internet, electricity, running water, etc... let alone 14 days! my personal record is 63 consecutive days without leaving camp in the black hills. In that time, i did not see another human being.
 

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kazcoro

Hero Member
Feb 11, 2013
876
357
Glendale
Detector(s) used
Gold Bug Pro, Gold Buddy drywasher, Black Magic, Pro Gold recirc, Custom highbanker/2.5" dredge, Roadrunner Member
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
You and me both brother. The 14 day limit on public land is absurd. The common response when trying to debate the rule with gfp is "if you do it, then everyone will want to do it". How many people are willing to go 24 hours without television, internet, electricity, running water, etc... let alone 14 days! my personal record is 63 consecutive days without leaving camp in the black hills. In that time, i did not see another human being.
That sounds like a hell of a peaceful time!
 

Doitlaynstyle

Hero Member
Feb 21, 2013
683
352
Idaho
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You and me both brother. The 14 day limit on public land is absurd. The common response when trying to debate the rule with gfp is "if you do it, then everyone will want to do it". How many people are willing to go 24 hours without television, internet, electricity, running water, etc... let alone 14 days! my personal record is 63 consecutive days without leaving camp in the black hills. In that time, i did not see another human being.
Man I dream of a vacation like that... It haunts me actually..
 

Fullpan

Bronze Member
May 6, 2012
1,928
1,528
nevada
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Its easy for me, way over in Reno, but some old-timers have done nothing to defend their own rights to keep mining. I'm NOT talking about anyone on Tnet.
I'm talking about the 15,000 claimowners who were called personally by the WMA - less than ten offered to help in their own defense, actively. The Gold Rush
Alaska showed that, up there was a common practice to lease from claimowners at 10%

My point is, it can be a win-win for the leasee, who gets to mine a claim for more than 14 days. And the claimowners would get their annual filings paid
for, and some additional income from bankside deposits that he will never mine in the first place. Just sayin
 

KevinInColorado

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Jan 9, 2012
7,037
11,370
Summit County, Colorado
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I've got it! You need another guy just like you. Equipment, time and skill to get the job done. After a couple weeks, switch. May need 3 teams to avoid the thirty day rule.

Just to mess with them.

Great idea...and get matching tents/campers just to mess with them!
 

Vance in AK

Hero Member
Feb 15, 2010
584
572
Kenai, Alaska
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i too don't like the limit, BUT if it weren't in place we would have a lot of folks with the welfare mentality buying cheap trailers (or tents0 & turning the campgrounds into "trailer parks" & we wouldn't be able to find a spot to cam anyway. They would carpool to town to get their check & food stamps. You & I would be paying to haul off all their trash...
 

Doitlaynstyle

Hero Member
Feb 21, 2013
683
352
Idaho
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Prospecting
I think that as long as the Forest Service guy evaluated the area you are staying at for trash and for impact and everything seems above board, He talks to you about how long you plan on staying they usually look the other way. That has been my experience. A hot cup of coffee always smooths things over. I think you can apply for extended permits too.
 

Hoser John

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Mar 22, 2003
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6,721
Redding,Calif.
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I have 3 contiguous claims so I move the trailer 15' and on another claim as camp where they meet :hello2:more than 1 way to skin a cat. Also works well where BLM meets FS and a claim or 2,don't need to be yours either or club claims work too as long as different CAMC number and name. John
 

Jim in Idaho

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Jul 21, 2012
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4,698
Blackfoot, Idaho
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As I see it, it depends on the availability of campsites....or should. Since it's everybody's public lands, everybody should get an opportunity to use it. But kicking you out, when there are other empty campsites available is stupid. We don't have much of a problem with that in my area, or at least I haven't seen it.
Jim
 

Doitlaynstyle

Hero Member
Feb 21, 2013
683
352
Idaho
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It would seem to be that way more and more huh jim? not too many people using the great outdoors anymore.
 

TerryC

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Jun 26, 2008
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Yarnell, AZ
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Where you at, Catfish? C'mon down to AZ! I have never heard of the Feds kicking out anyone here on BLM land due to the time limit. Only people that have been reported for roudyness or accumulated trash are told to leave. If you'll just pay for the $50 membership at a local club, TimC and I will put you on good gold. You don't have to give us any percentage. You keep it all. TTC
 

63bkpkr

Silver Member
Aug 9, 2007
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4,618
Southern California
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It will take some time to undo what is being done but a start is to Vote
If we want to get our rights back then we have to work for them in time and money.
Voting is only the starting point...................63bkpkr
 

pmgsourdough

Jr. Member
Feb 13, 2013
73
43
Black Hills, SD
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
Vote for who? President, congressmen, senators? These people have no concern for the wilderness. They are simply career politicians. There is no growing concern for your rights as a human being. The only thing that is left is a growing need for capital. Trying to keep up with the Joneses. I prefer living my life trying to succeed by my own standards and values.
 

KevinInColorado

Gold Member
Jan 9, 2012
7,037
11,370
Summit County, Colorado
Detector(s) used
Grizzly Goldtrap Explorer & Motherlode, Gold Cube with trommel or Banker on top, Angus Mackirk Expedition, Gold-n-Sand Xtream Hand pump
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
Vote for who? President, congressmen, senators? These people have no concern for the wilderness. They are simply career politicians. There is no growing concern for your rights as a human being. The only thing that is left is a growing need for capital. Trying to keep up with the Joneses. I prefer living my life trying to succeed by my own standards and values.

Yah! What he said!! (Seriously, well put!)
 

Jim in Idaho

Silver Member
Jul 21, 2012
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Blackfoot, Idaho
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It would seem to be that way more and more huh jim? not too many people using the great outdoors anymore.
Yup...partly young people aren't interested, older people are becoming infirm. That and the fuel prices. The people that do like the outdoors want all the comforts of home, and that means dragging fuel-hungry trailers, and 4 wheelers, etc. Big expense. Where are you located?
Jim
 

Doitlaynstyle

Hero Member
Feb 21, 2013
683
352
Idaho
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Rock Nose and sniffer belly
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
Im in meridian. I have a huge motorhome but my first outings are going to be tents and pans till I find a good spot. Then maybe I will set up the new Highbanker Im building. I am a guide and I have spent half of my life in the outdoors. My first real memory is getting kicked off of a horse when my dad was getting on. He put me on the back, behind the saddle and then swung up. Down I went and I have loved the smell of the earth since... Strange huh?

Gold sluicebox progression - YouTube
 

63bkpkr

Silver Member
Aug 9, 2007
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4,618
Southern California
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Well in part I agree with you the run of the mill politician is concerned about him/her self. This is why we need to keep trying to get folks in there that care. Can we find any? Are there any?

I am concerned about not being allowed to go "out there" any more as it has been put off limits. Or if I am still allowed to go out there everything I want to do is illegal (prospect, fish, camp, sluice, pan, highbank and maybe even dredge). I know things are disgusting! I believe 'O' would use drones against us in an instant, just give him a reason like a Civil uprising.

If we stop trying to make things better, if we stop telling them NO, if we put it in our minds that "we can't do anything so why should we try" then indeed all is lost. But the Colonists in the 1700's did not give up and so today we have what may be the last independent country in the world because people gave their lives trying. Put another way, if it comes to it the police in the streets, the national guard are not the enemy, in a way the enemy is us and in a way the enemy is our government which we the people have gotten mighty lax about, in my opinion that is...............63bkpkr
 

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