Hobby? Ask yourself this question.

[mxer47]

Many of you are aware of the tactics of the green movement (govt. agency's included) to define us as hobbyist or recreational gold prospectors, some are not aware.
I have thoroughly enjoyed my time prospecting in the sierras and continually look forward to each trip out. When I find a deposit of gold I try different techniques and equipment configurations to maximize my profit with the hope of freedom. This freedom I hope for is the ability to work the ground for enough money to live without having to rely upon anyone else for a period of a time, or ever. Some of you have done this already and I am envious. Some are just starting and I wish you all the luck. But if you call yourself a hobbyist or consider this a recreation ask yourself this question, if during your next trip you found a deposit you could replace your income with would you quit your job stake a clam, and start mining? If so you are a prospector period. If not for the sake of people like me who hope for freedom please refrain from using the terms hobby or recreation. Thank you.

 

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[Goldwasher]

I have to spend money on golf that I do not get it back. I get a return on any money I have spent on prospecting. Hunting and Fishing Helps me feed my family. And maintain a connection to my heritage a connection to my forefathers. My great grandfather was a coal miner and that side of the family were hunters and outdoorsman in Czechoslovakia before immigrating in 1890. Coming here for the opportunity to be an American and enjoy the life that being a citizen of this country can provide. Those unfortunate souls who live on the east coast, surrounded by private property and having to ask permission to go anywhere and/or having to pay for it. Will never understand the freedom and open space we have available to us in the western states. And, why there should be no ground given when it comes to giving up our Mining and Constitutional rights. As they are the roots and core of this great nation. Assuming the courts will do right by anyone for the sake of justice and the systems inherent virtue is foolish...It takes people to stand up for their beliefs with others of the same ilk. A lot of good women have died over these rights that are unique on this planet. The point is that people with claims are being prevented from working them due to unfounded and unproven reasons. And its coming from the private sector. Being taken by people with money who can recreate how they wish where they wish. Especially if land is closed to the common man. Its People with claims who spend money and time maintain them who are being affected and prevented from working in a way that truly allows them to be successful. It is worth fighting for on principal alone as others have fought and died for your freedom. Supporting our citizens in any endeavour that can be marketable...backing them and streamlining the red tape will directly improve our sustainability. Weekend warriors are horrible stewards...its the people who really use our resources and count on them for their life that have always been the best conservationists. Commercializtion will be the down fall...Freedom of enterprize will take us to better things.

 

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[Goldwasher]

Golf with my Sous Chef today and working on a model tonight with my son those are hobbies.

 

[Oakview2]

Spoken like a true patriot

I have to spend money on golf that I do not get it back. I get a return on any money I have spent on prospecting. Hunting and Fishing Helps me feed my family. And maintain a connection to my heritage a connection to my forefathers. My great grandfather was a coal miner and that side of the family were hunters and outdoorsman in Czechoslovakia before immigrating in 1890. Coming here for the opportunity to be an American and enjoy the life that being a citizen of this country can provide. Those unfortunate souls who live on the east coast, surrounded by private property and having to ask permission to go anywhere and/or having to pay for it. Will never understand the freedom and open space we have available to us in the western states. And, why there should be no ground given when it comes to giving up our Mining and Constitutional rights. As they are the roots and core of this great nation. Assuming the courts will do right by anyone for the sake of justice and the systems inherent virtue is foolish...It takes people to stand up for their beliefs with others of the same ilk. A lot of good women have died over these rights that are unique on this planet. The point is that people with claims are being prevented from working them due to unfounded and unproven reasons. And its coming from the private sector. Being taken by people with money who can recreate how they wish where they wish. Especially if land is closed to the common man. Its People with claims who spend money and time maintain them who are being affected and prevented from working in a way that truly allows them to be successful. It is worth fighting for on principal alone as others have fought and died for your freedom. Supporting our citizens in any endeavour that can be marketable...backing them and streamlining the red tape will directly improve our sustainability. Weekend warriors are horrible stewards...its the people who really use our resources and count on them for their life that have always been the best conservationists. Commercializtion will be the down fall...Freedom of enterprize will take us to better things.

 

[Aufisher]

Sweating, bleeding, hypothermia, exhaustion, exposure, dehydration, cramping and laying in the dirt are a hobby? LMAO

 

[Terry Soloman]

This entire thread cracks me up. Some of the most passionate "gold prospectors" I know are weekend warriors that have very good, run-of-the-mill jobs to feed their families and pay for their expensive trucks and gold prospecting equipment. All, and I mean ALL of the real gold prospectors I know personally, range from toothless placer miners living on $250.00 a week, to corporate geologist prospectors in Canada, Africa, and Ireland making $200,000.00 a year to find drill locations for big mining concerns.

Unless you are "prospecting" full time (not living off your retirement pension check and screwing around on some club claim), you are a "recreational gold prospector." Who cares what "they" call it? The bottom line is we are getting our butts kicked because there are not enough of us, we can't and won't get organized, and the people that are supposed to be helping us fight the green meanies are frauds, idiots, users, and profiteers.

Wake up people. Fishing is a hobby, hunting has become a hobby, BUT - these pursuits HAVE MILLIONS of participants and lobbyists in Washington that KNOW what they are doing. We are fighting against PUBLIC OPINION with one lawyer from the PLP. How's THAT working for us? Until we get ALL of the gold prospecting manufacturers and suppliers in ONE BOAT with a large annual budget to educate and lobby lawmakers in Washington, we are screwed - period. Fighting the Forest Service and BLM is just a sideshow.

 

[MadMarshall]

I figure I am a glorified bum. Call yourself what you want.. To hell with the legal ******ation.. Stupid. The attack on mining has little to do with the environment. The closing of lands and over regulating this is the government forcing people to be dependent on one source of income.(legal Tender) soon it will be absolutely the only way to eat or drink or provide shelter for oneself. these Greenies and enviromentlist are mere puppets manipulated by a more treasonous force! The world has never seen Slavery in such a massive scale. Their is no stopping it!!

Partner, try doing this every day of the week just for a year or so. Gets harsh, hot, freezing, miserable, punishing. As a hobby it's great. Maybe some good extra income. But sitting down with the family for a nice dinner every night after coming home from a guaranteed paycheck job can't be beat...

I rather my family see an empty chair at the dinner plate and know that I am doing something I am proud of.. I rather the children see a man taking chances and going against the grain. Then the much easier route.

 

[AzViper]

I don't know about the rest of you but if I'm spending my hard earned money here in the state of Arizona buying equipment, buying gas and supporting those in business while doing the back breaking work of digging and shoveling then I'm doing a lot more harder work than the guy is it sitting in an a climate controlled front end loader working for a mine company digging. (WHO'S THE RECREATIONAL MINER?) At the end of the day my day is a lot harder than the guy driving the front end loader 5 days a week even though I only go out on weekends. Call whatever you want, but I am mining.

 

[Terry Soloman]

I don't know about the rest of you but if I'm spending my hard earned money here in the state of Arizona buying equipment, buying gas and supporting those in business while doing the back breaking work of digging and shoveling then I'm doing a lot more harder work than the guy is it sitting in an a climate controlled front end loader working for a mine company digging. (WHO'S THE RECREATIONAL MINER?) At the end of the day my day is a lot harder than the guy driving the front end loader 5 days a week even though I only go out on weekends. Call whatever you want, but I am mining.

For "Fun," not to make a living like the guy in the front end loader who is doing it to pay his bills and put his/her kids through college. You ARE, a "recreational miner."

 

[Rdg Sluicer]

For "Fun," not to make a living like the guy in the front end loader who is doing it to pay his bills and put his/her kids through college. You ARE, a "recreational miner."

Just because I have another job doesn't mean I am just doing it for fun. I am not looking for gold to add to my rock collection I am trying to make money on the side because this economy sucks. Call yourself whatever you want but dont ****ing label me!

 

[AzViper]

Terry so what do you call yourself? Your profiting from digging in the Arizona soil and helping others learn about prospecting. It pays your bills and perhaps has put your kids through college.

 

[Rdg Sluicer]

Terry so what do you call yourself? You profiting from digging in the Arizona soil and helping others learn about prospecting. It pays your bills and perhaps has put your kids through college.

Sounds like a teacher not a miner.

 

[Terry Soloman]

Terry so what do you call yourself? You profiting from digging in the Arizona soil and helping others learn about prospecting. It pays your bills and perhaps has put your kids through college.

I run a hospitality business that teaches placer gold prospecting. The vast majority of my customers are "Bucket List" types that just want to taste the "adventure" of gold prospecting. Maybe one-percent are "Serious" about gold prospecting on an ongoing basis. I turned my "hobby" into a business. How many folks get to do that? http://arizonagoldadventures.com/id25.html

 

[Terry Soloman]

Just because I have another job doesn't mean I am just doing it for fun. I am not looking for gold to add to my rock collection I am trying to make money on the side because this economy sucks. Call yourself whatever you want but dont ****ing label me!

I'm not labeling you. But unless you are making back your equipment/claim/gasoline costs plus $10.00 in gold and hour, you are a recreational gold prospector at the very best. Most, and I mean 99.9-percent of all "recreational" gold prospectors could make better money as a part-time greeter at Wal-Mart. We do this because we ENJOY it for the most part, making a little money at it is a bonus.

 

[jog]

I now see why we can't get organized and band together.......Very Sad.

 

[AzViper]

I run a hospitality business that teaches placer gold prospecting. The vast majority of my customers are "Bucket List" types that just want to taste the "adventure" of gold prospecting. Maybe one-percent are "Serious" about gold prospecting on an ongoing basis. I turned my "hobby" into a business. How many folks get to do that?

So your a miner profiting from your recreational clients. LOL... So you dodge my question, what do you call yourself? In your own words you stated a miner is someone who pays his or her bills mining. Your business activities suggest your a miner/teacher.

 

[Rdg Sluicer]

I'm not labeling you. But unless you are making back your equipment/claim/gasoline costs plus $10.00 in gold and hour, you are a recreational gold prospector at the very best. Most, and I mean 99.9-percent of all "recreational" gold prospectors could make better money as a part-time greeter at Wal-Mart. We do this because we ENJOY it for the most part, making a little money at it is a bonus.

Thats where I recognize you from....

 

[Terry Soloman]

So your a miner profiting from your recreational clients. LOL... So you dodge my question, what do you call yourself? In your own words you stated a miner is someone who pays his or her bills mining. Your business activities suggest your a miner/teacher.

I'm a business owner, and a recreational gold prospector.

 

[ssdevilfish]

I like prospecting and it's a new hobby for me. I'm also educated in mineral and water rights and I am a commodities broker. Once thing small prospectors should know. The fed and the rest of the worlds countries that buy sell and produce precious metals do not care nor ever will about a guy pulling in a half ounce a week. Our gold will never affect the market. That is why you can't organize. Because big mining interests are all the fed and others will listen to. Your better off lobbying your local towns to put aside parks for recreational gold panning and sluicing. If you really need to stomp on our federal land to pull gold you believe is yours if found then go for it. But somewhere in my gut it doesn't feel 100% right to take what's all of ours and then cry because I can't go back for free and dig more gold and then never expect to give back anything. Buy a claim improve it dig a bunch a damn holes fill em back in take your gold cash it in give to a lawyer who will gladly write a letter to your congressman. We can organize only if all us weekend prospectors gave up all the gold we ever get forever.

 

[Pirate George]

If you don't want a mod to step in please follow TN rules. No insults.

3%

SI VIS PACEM, PARA BELLUM

MALO PERICULOSAM, LIBERTATEM QUAM QUIETAM SERVITUTEM

We will NOT go quietly into the night!

I am retired and enjoy having a lot of things to. I will let others define those activities. Cause I really don,t give a dang what others classify my activities. I don't classify theirs..maybe just bummin around is enough.

 

[Goodyguy]

Anyone go out and chop down trees as a hobby?
Of course not, it's done either as a source of income or to save money on heating bills.

Clearly some folks do go gold panning simply for the sheer fun of it as well as experiencing the joy that an outdoor activity surrounded by nature provides. Same thing with fishing and hunting. All three of those activities can also be done as a second source of income..... a primary source of income.... or on a larger scale done commercially. Just none of those other activities have as great of earnings potential as that of Gold mining.

The government wants their share of any income based activity and since "recreational hobbyists" pay no taxes on their gold finds which could easily add up to millions of dollars annually in lost tax revenue now that gold is selling for well over $1000.00 an ounce and with an estimated several million self described recreational miners and growing, the government has no reason to support their so called hobby.

I believe it's really the value of gold that makes "recreational" mining such a target. And the powers that be are using any means necessary to put an end to it, even if it means getting into bed with the greenies. Back when gold was only $300 an oz. it was under the radar and no notice was taken, but things have changed and now Uncle Sam wants to put an end to it.

It's a whole different story though when a families primary source of taxable income is at stake even if it is only from a second income source. The government has a hard time turning down potential revenue and putting more folks on the dole. (well accept for liberals )

This Country was founded on the principals that we have a right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness!

But now the doctrine of Government for the People by the People seems to have been replaced by government for the purpose of taxing and spending all the money they can get their greedy hands on.

United we stand, Divided we fall! If you're not part of the solution then...........






Go for the gold,
(while you still can)

GG~