Gold Sniping Etiquette

[inshanity]

Hello all,

I apologize if these are dumb questions. I'm a long time spearfisherman who recently learned of sniping...right up my alley! Anyways, I bought my gear and from what I understood from the clerk sniping can be performed pretty much anywhere, unlike other forms of prospecting. After researching this I'm feeling unsure, and don't want to upset anyone, or end up with a fine. These are the specific questions I have:

1) Private property - Can I snipe through it assuming I don't go to shore?

2) Government land - Excluding rec areas that allow prospecting, can I snipe through BLM, Forrest Service, state parks?

3) Claims - Can I snipe through it assuming I don't go to shore?

Thanks for helping out!

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Agony and Death on a Gold Rush Steamer: The Disastrous Sinking of the Side-Wheeler Yankee Blade - Grab it through Amazon!

[Hefty1]

#3 No! #1 No! #2 Have at it.

 

[russau]

you need to do your research into the land owners property rights and property lines! not all states have the same laws! Here in the state of Misery , when it comes to streams /lakes/ ETC. the property lines vari from high water mark to the middle of the river/stream and some include river bottoms. it can get into a heated argument REAL fast and was noted in Misery a few years ago when the posted land and owner came to remove people from "his land" and a man was shot and killed only to find out that he didn't own this part of the shore. He is in jail now for a long time!

 

[Goldwasher]

absolutely not on a claim...that's the point of the claim!

 

[DDancer]

Take a look at the laws for the waterways in your area. As said the ownership of waterways varies so just because your in the water does not mean your not trespassing. This goes for public and private lands as some waterways are under the jurisdiction of a local government or federal branch such as the army of engineering. Even armed with the knowledge people will react as though your on their land even if the property does not include the waterway so if confronted just move on.
As pointed out claims are inclusive of the waterway and surrounding area depending on how they are staked so its a no go situation.

 

[meMiner]

Excellent answers and the same applies within most jurisdictions in Canada.

 

[Skiddum]

Yep yep pretty much all land is open to play on except privately owned land. a claim is pretty much privately owned or rented land

 

[bobw53]

a claim is pretty much privately owned or rented land

I wouldn't say that.. A claim only gives you the mineral rights.

Somebody else can have it fenced in so their cows can crap there.

Somebody else can have a water well there.

Somebody else can have an oil well on your claim.

Somebody else can have a crew of guys chopping down trees on your claim..

ANYBODY can walk through your claim,
ANYBODY can camp on your claim.
ANYBODY can fish on your claim.
ANYBODY can hunt on your claim.

Its pretty much the furthest thing from private property you can get.

 

[Skiddum]

where talking about mining and sniping. owning a claim is like renting land that you can start a bigger mining op with the proper permits. others can still go through it and do pretty much what you've said but to a miner that's off limits unless you get permission. and it's the same with private property. it's off limits to unless you get permission. that's what I'm saying. besides. if you open a claim you don't want others to come start digging up your claim so why would you go on to anothers claim

 

[inshanity]

Thanks for the help everyone!

So I definitely wont snipe on someone's claim or private property. However, can I float through these areas to get to my destination and be ok? I'm in Placer County, CA so I'm dealing with a lot of both situations.

 

[Goldwasher]

I think you really really need to learn how to find out what's what as far as property goes before you try. There are a lot of long held claims in Placer county. Do you know how to look up land status?

 

[russau]

I wouldn't say that.. A claim only gives you the mineral rights.

Somebody else can have it fenced in so their cows can crap there.

Somebody else can have a water well there.

Somebody else can have an oil well on your claim.

Somebody else can have a crew of guys chopping down trees on your claim..

ANYBODY can walk through your claim,
ANYBODY can camp on your claim.
ANYBODY can fish on your claim.
ANYBODY can hunt on your claim.

Its pretty much the furthest thing from private property you can get.

BUT they need to bring cold beer to the party!

 

[fowledup]

Go to a place you know is open and snipe until your hearts content. Doing a "float trip" anywhere in the mother lode is asking for trouble. How would you know whats private, open, claimed, etc, behind a scuba mask floating down a river? Way too many temptations glassing your way down the river that may get you into trouble. Best of luck.

Go to the campgrounds, some may be privately claimed but most all don't mind folks prospecting, or have agreements, easy to verify before going.

Recreational Gold Prospecting


Auburn State Recreation Area - Search for gold on two forks of the American River.
Columbia State Historic Park (Fee) - Various fee panning opportunities.
Himalaya Tourmaline Mine (Fee) - Dig for amazing multi-colored tourmaline crystals!
Keyesville Recreational Mining Area - Pan, sluice, dredge and dry wash for gold.
Malakoff Diggins State Historic Park - Gold panning along Humbug Creek.
Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park - Gold panning along the American River.
South Yuba River & Merced River - Now closed to dredging but open to panning, sluicing, etc.
South Yuba River State Park Project - "Hands and pans" only.

 

[hey_ad_man]

NFAM at Yankee Jim Bridge, how much of that is open?

 

[goldenmojo]

Above the bridge is owned by a land trust. Below the bridge past the S turn is private.

 

[hey_ad_man]

Glad I asked. So many damn steps to take before jumping in. Okay, Google, whatcha got for me now?! Haha

 

[goldog]

If the top Google result is landmatters.com you searched the right term.

 

[NeoTokyo]

Be careful about state parks and recreation area's, many of those do not allow more than hands and pans.

 

[KevinInColorado]

If the top Google result is landmatters.com you searched the right term.

Mylandmatters.org actually just so no one gets confusticated

 

[goldog]

Thanks Kevin, my bad.