Whats happening in the hills near you - good or bad

[63bkpkr]

What's happening in the hills near you - good or bad

Hi Everybody,
I noticed a news release that two fellows were arrested for illegally metal detecting on someone elses claim and taking gold from it. It was easy for the officer to make the arrest as he could drive right up to the claim. Only thing was that one of the young men was carrying a concealed 45 ACP without a CC permit.

A friend of mine has mining lease rights on a very large area and has had several incidents of claim jumpers hitting his place as well as other claims within sight of his. Police are called but as the jumpers are out on a mountain side illegally searching tailings the police will not go out after them.

I know of another claim where every piece of mining equipment as well as the entire camp goods were stripped from the site.

Another miner had some of his equipment vandalized.

All of these are in Northern California. What do you have happening in your areas? Thanks for the inputs as I would just like to get a feeling about just how or what is taking place. Summer is coming and I plan on being out there but I'd like some input as to the kind of folks that might be out there this year. I know life for many is not very good but what types of choices are people in mining country making?..........63bkpkr

 

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[bobsreturn]

sounds like you need one of those cattle electric fences and some fine wire , you will hear them when they contact it . problem may be forgetting about it . things have got worse since you couldnt hang them hi police dont like to see it anymore , but dont get caught speeding, best of luck Bob

 

[jeff of pa]

The Hills Have Eyes

 

[63bkpkr]

I'm wondering just how widespred this is. Is it just a small pocket of unhappy people in NorCal or is it more of a general condition facing the nation?? .....63bkpkr

 

[TerryC]

I'm wondering just how widespred this is. Is it just a small pocket of unhappy people in NorCal or is it more of a general condition facing the nation?? .....63bkpkr

I suspect, Herb, it will get worse as the price of gold goes out the roof. TTC

 

[Got_4by4]

I agree with Terry C.
And, even among those who are knowledgeable about claim jumping, they do it anyways!
63bkpkr, you said that police were called, crime in progress, claim lease papers in hand, and NO ACTION was taken?
That smacks of a lawsuit for the cops not doing their job!

just my 2 c

 

[cuzcosquirrel]

I'm not surprised by this. I was thinking of going up into the hills north of Rich Bar and detecting for pockets myself. Those bench rock bar tailing up there that are visible haven't moved in 150 years. Can't say they are really being worked except right down in the Fether River Canyon on the wet claims.

I'm sure this is going on some, especially north of Red Bluff where all kinds of people are up in the hills. The fact that it is a claim and has work and improvements on it lets these types of people zero in and do it the easy way.

Law enforcement seems spread pretty thin in the Norhtern counties. You would probably have to catch them at it.

 

[63bkpkr]

So this is starting to look like a wide spread and likely growing situation. Like TC suspects it is and will be associated to what happens with the price of precious metals.


It harkens back to historical stories of "bad guys" running amock in the old mine camps. I do not want to go negative about this but just be realistic about the possibilities.


Monday I checked the price on a can of pepper spray for Bears, so a big can of pepper spray at a cost of $40 plus tax. I really do not want to count on deadly force so I'm looking at alternatives to any need for self defense in the outback where The Law will be the integrity people have inside them wherever they go, or the lack thereof. Your thoughts on any other deterents would be useful.........63bkpkr

 

[TimC]

It's not all in the boonies. Some people just don't care about the rules. I was camped at an LDMA (Stanton) site during one of their outings. I was not part of their outing. Two couples exchanged greetings with me while I was poking around some rocks in the wash. They where MD'ing. shortly after I went to my main dig. My ID bucket was at the site, my pick and shovel were in the hole, and it was clear that the dig was not abandoned. Not three feet from my shovel was a hole where an MDer dug up a pop can I knew I covered the day before. Now, suppose those same MDers dug up a nice nugget I was about to reach in the hole. (Who knows, maybe they did.) Do you think they would have thrown it back My point is that some people don't give a hoot about rules even if they are with a group event. They just smile and swing their detectors like no-one else matters. TKC

 

[63bkpkr]

HI TKC,
I've made some bad choices in my life but at some point I woke up to the potential trouble I was headed for and corrected myself. There are those folks that do not understand what they are doing to themselves when they do something like they did at your dig as stupid stuff can lead to some harsh circumstances and that is what I want to stay clear of if at all possible. A person carries their law with them out and away from town and when folks choose to break the law well, things can go very wrong.......63bkpkr

 

[Goodyguy]

Monday I checked the price on a can of pepper spray for Bears, so a big can of pepper spray at a cost of $40 plus tax. I really do not want to count on deadly force so I'm looking at alternatives to any need for self defense in the outback where The Law will be the integrity people have inside them wherever they go, or the lack thereof. Your thoughts on any other deterents would be useful.........63bkpkr

Wasp Spray is more effective and way cheaper

*NOTE I was misinformed about using wasp spray on anything other than wasps.
Pepper spray is legal to use on a human attacker... wasp spray is federally regulated against such use.

 

[calisdad]

Wasp Spray is more effective and way cheaper

plus 1 on the wasp spray. Its got great range too. Never know, you might even need it for its intended purpose. careful out there 63.

 

[barber]

What if you are detecting for artifacts or coins? Where the gold is too small [fine} to be detected?

 

[TimC]

I hear ya 63. May only the best path be under your feet, and the clearest sky above you. TKC

 

[TerryC]

One's reputation is only as good as the last time you screw up. TTC

 

[63bkpkr]

GoodGuy, have you used it for selfdefense against another person?

TimC & TerryC, I try my best to be a descent person with high integrity but with the laws of the state of CA it seems like they are blurred in favor of the bad guys. Reputation versus 'screw up', there are some close calls there. Reminds me of some comments in the movie "Hamburger Hill", something to do with clusters.

Barber, I'm sorry as I do not seem to follow the drift of your question. Artifacts/coins and such in Gold Country are FORBIDDEN to hunt for unless of course you are a Forest Ranger and are doing it for the U.S. Gov. and then it is perfectly legal

 

[Goodyguy]

GoodGuy, have you used it for selfdefense against another person?

No I haven't and it's probably a bad idea for two reasons.

(1) the warning on the label clearly states that "it is a violation of Federal law to use in a manner inconsistent with it's labeling"
(2) potential for lawsuit!

Instead I recommend: Fox Labs International Pepper spray.

 

[drewan29]

If they are carrying 45's I wouldn't put much faith in pepper spray. Some one see you drawing it not good JMO.

 

[Lanny in AB]

Herb,

The problems you're describing with claim jumpers, thieves, and vandalism to mining camps is widespread. We've had lots of troubles up our way as well. It appears to be a societal ill, with fewer people respecting the rights and property of others. Moreover, some of the robberies have a professional touch now, and I'm sure I'll agree that if the price of gold stays high, it will only get worse.

All the best,

Lanny