Question about BLM lands

[potsie]

I'm planning a trip to Arizona this fall/early next year and was wondering if you are allowed to pan/prospect for gold on BLM lands, and if you are what is required of you to be "legal". If anyone could give me some answers or point me in the direction of some answers it would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[Hoser John]

blm.gov as all areas have differing designations and rules vary extremely --tons a au 2 u 2 -John

[spawn00x]

You can prospect on BLM, you just have to make sure you arent on anyones claim...

I'm planning a trip to Arizona this fall/early next year and was wondering if you are allowed to pan/prospect for gold on BLM lands, and if you are what is required of you to be "legal". If anyone could give me some answers or point me in the direction of some answers it would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[mrs.oroblanco]

Spawn00X is right on! Just do your homework and make sure you are not on someone's claim, and go to it!!

Oh, and make sure you know where BLM land leaves off and private land begins. (sometimes, in some areas of AZ, its not marked as well as it could be. They will put a BLM sign at the beginning, and usually at the end is a sign going in the other direction! (so you cannot tell when the BLM land ends - but they are getting better. They do have stakes with numbers on them. Like I said, they are getting much better with their signing, but when we lived there, people kept showing up on our hill (2 miles from BLM land). Once you are on the BLM land, very often there is no signing at all. Bring your maps.

B

[extractor]

Bring your maps, and a good GPS.

[GreyGhost]

Almost all the private land out here thats out in the boonies is ranch land bordered by barbwire fence so its usually not too hard to figure out where you should and shouldn't be.
Just be careful out on that trust land. There's lots of laws about camping on it, hunting, 4-wheel driving etc.
Stay on the roads and get a permit if you want to camp on it (costs around $50 I think). You can hunt on it with a valid AZ hunting license but you can't target shoot on it.

[BLACKFOOT]

B. L.M land is pretty open to use in az ,check with the office in Phoenix i have used all the methods there are metal dector dry washer dredge for getting gold on blm land.
STATE TRUST LAND BE CAREFUL JUST CROSSING IT NOTHING IS IS ALLOWED NOTHING NOTHING.
NO camping fees on blm

[mrs.oroblanco]

I have to add something to what Greyghost said. The state also puts up fence - in many different western states, Arizona included. So, telling
just from a fence is NOT always a good thing to do. Most of the fence you see driving on a highway is state fences. (its supposed to help the animals from jumping on the highways), but, there is mucho free range land (or open range) where you cannot tell what belongs to who).

Just check your maps - a good GPS is a great idea.

There are SOME state trust land where you can prospect - and mine - its not all of one and none of the other. Most of the trust lands will have signs that tell you what you can do and what you cannot do - and some make you sign in and out. It depends on which land you are on, where in the state it is, and a hundred other "ifs" and "buts" - which is what makes trust land a PITA.

Beth

[Doug Watson]

You might want to check out any prospecting clubs in the area you are thinking of going to. They usually aren't too much to join and have claims to work without worry and usually helpfull people in the area. Doug.

[TerryC]

If you live under a rock you may not be aware of certain COMOTIONS at the border.
My suggestion.... go well equiped!, COWBOY......... TTC

[TerryC]

Potsie,
I've re-read my post and I must opologize for the strong language. No harm meant. My only intention was to convey the serious problem on the AZ border. No offense meant to you personally. TTC