A season of fear...

[MadMarshall]

This last week has been somewhat troublesome. Though the weather has been forgiving for us prospectors I haven't been able to make any real use of it. My intended work area is to dangerous to get to. The bedrock is frozen and very slippery. And the cliffs to steep. I spent a few day's trying to find alternative routes but with no luck. Anyway soon I will hike out the inflatable Kayak. there is no other way it seems. Anyway we will see how it works out.
Anyway I have also contacted the Auburn State Recreation Area and the Mergen North Fork Preserve.. The ASRA as of now still allows sluicing. But that it.. Only allowed to works gravel bars. and not for profit.. Now the Mergen North Fork Preserve has no tolerance for mining. Mergen North Fork Preserve Now the fact that the ASRA leads one to believe that the whole Lower NF American river is under their management is of great concern. This could not be farther from the truth! I fear that recreational prospecting between Yankee Jims Bridge and Iowa Hill Bridge is on the verge of extinction. Anyway Information/research on this subject is hard to get exspeacialy any real straight answers. Though I can not predict the future but unfortunately I suspect strongly that this spring/summer drastic changes will take place in the area. I fear the worst. Oh well .. More land taken from the people!! Anyway pretty recently I have been under some scrutiny for my videos and my prospecting methods and the fact that I MAY OR MAY NOT prospect for profit. Now I have no idea what is to become of this if anything. I am of the firm belief that my use of hand tools is extremely fair and have no intention on stopping. Unfortunatly I am starting to feel a backlash from my videos. Now let be said my prospecting methods are my own one should fully research what is legal in their area.. Just because you see me engaged in a paticuliar activity in a certain area doesn't mean that it is legal or condoned. I do not encourage any criminal activity. I apologize for any misleading I have done as it is not my intention. Anyway for me this is of some concern. I have yet to know fully the extent I could be pursued because of my videos but I figure time will tell. Crazy days for sure. Anyway I will just continue to do what I do.

The end of May I am going to Alaska and it is quite likely I will stay. I am hoping I can find a compromise here in California but unfortunately things are not getting better but worse. I only wish to make a living doing something I love. Oh well Time has a habit of figuring stuff out.. Anyway
As always I hope everyone is having a good year and finding some good gold.

 

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[Terry Soloman]

Good luck in Alaska!

 

[Oakview2]

If you do not stop referring to your activities and those of others as recreational minning, you will continue to have ZERO rights. The rights bestowed upon you by god and the US Congress only protect small miners, PERIOD

 

[goldenmojo]

MM Glad to hear you remained safe this week. It is dangerous out there..... Alaska sounds like a great place to prospect in......large expanses... I hope everything works out well for you. Be sure to take the cracked pan with you........

GM

 

[ALewis]

I certainly share your concerns ! That stretch, Yankee Jim's through Iowa hill is some of my favorite area. It would be so dissapointing if the changes you fear come to pass. Sadly, I would not be shocked.

Your experience / wisdom will be sorely missed. Crossin my fingers that our paths will cross once before it's too late !
Haven't been out for over a week, got the flu bad after my last trip. Decided I needed to find a winter area that actually get's some sunlight during the day.

 

[wingmaster]

I believe they don't want you doing something you enjoy for a living, someone needs to get rich on the sweat off your back, that's seems to be the American way for the super rich. They can't have people making money on their own money without them getting any work out of you, when is the last time you seen a really really rich person get blisters from swinging a hammer building their mansion.

 

[MadMarshall]

If you do not stop referring to your activities and those of others as recreational minning, you will continue to have ZERO rights. The rights bestowed upon you by god and the US Congress only protect small miners, PERIOD

Well considering that around 80% of my yearly income comes from gold I doubt I qualify as a recreationalist. Maybe if Small scale miners were better represented this would not be an issue.. But when The GPAA and New 49rs and others like them are the one supposedly representing small scale mining one can't help but laugh( most likely cry). The fact that the representation for Small Scale miners are Recreationalist AT BEST!!! Well it no surprise why words like recreation should scare!! The fact is they manipulated the system and ruined it for the actual working man. They have misused mining rights and now we all suffer. Now they are back peddling at the exspense of the Small scale miner. It is funny talk to any real small scale miner and the word recreation doesn't mean squat! say it in the presence of a Gpaa member or like minded recreationalist how defensive they get. Like I said crazy days!!!!

 

[Oakview2]

It is always the policy of the left to divide the opposition, so their enemy is easily conqured. It has worked very well as you are attacking other mining groups instead of those who hope to take your rights. Beaurcratic regulations do no premempt the mining laws passed by the US Congress... Gpaa is a for profit company, as well as the New 49ers and there is nothing recreational about trying to make a profit these days.

If you want to help small mining, these guys can always use a hand, calling cliamholders, ect
http://westernminingalliance.org/

Well considering that around 80% of my yearly income comes from gold I doubt I qualify as a recreationalist. Maybe if Small scale miners were better represented this would not be an issue.. But when The GPAA and New 49rs and others like them are the one supposedly representing small scale mining one can't help but laugh( most likely cry). The fact that the representation for Small Scale miners are Recreationalist AT BEST!!! Well it no surprise why words like recreation should scare!! The fact is they manipulated the system and ruined it for the actual working man. They have misused mining rights and now we all suffer. Now they are back peddling at the exspense of the Small scale miner. It is funny talk to any real small scale miner and the word recreation doesn't mean squat! say it in the presence of a Gpaa member or like minded recreationalist how defensive they get. Like I said crazy days!!!!

 

[mxer47]

I sometimes wonder whatever happened to the tradition of skepticism and keeping your spots and finds secret. Now, I am not perfect about this but I still hold many things close to my vest. My fear is the day my prospecting searches are successful and I find a spot that is worth claiming ill be out with someone I don't trust. This brings the subject of claim associations or clubs. IMO they are subject to current mining laws and rights but people by nature of these associations are associated with strangers, thus their reputations are based on there collective behavior. Now, because of their numbers they are noticed and we are all lumped into the same group by outsiders. I want everyone to understand I don't personally know any other miners. I'm not saying that anyone associated with these groups are doing anything I would disapprove of nor would it be any of my business.
In fact if we were to meet I'm sure there would be a lot we would have in common and might even become friends. However being trusting by nature may tend to have some believing the enviro crazies can listen to reason and maybe even be worked with. Once again IMO they are liars and will never be satisfied with anything, they will always advance there so-called cause.
Please, no one take this as if I'm talking about you (unless you are a enviro nut of course) just an observation and a final point, the enemy needs to be fought not trusted.

 

[goldenmojo]

I sometimes wonder whatever happened to the tradition of skepticism and keeping your spots and finds secret. Now, I am not perfect about this but I still hold many things close to my vest. My fear is the day my prospecting searches are successful and I find a spot that is worth claiming ill be out with someone I don't trust. This brings the subject of claim associations or clubs. IMO they are subject to current mining laws and rights but people by nature of these associations are associated with strangers, thus their reputations are based on there collective behavior. Now, because of their numbers they are noticed and we are all lumped into the same group by outsiders. I want everyone to understand I don't personally know any other miners. I'm not saying that anyone associated with these groups are doing anything I would disapprove of nor would it be any of my business.
In fact if we were to meet I'm sure there would be a lot we would have in common and might even become friends. However being trusting by nature may tend to have some believing the enviro crazies can listen to reason and maybe even be worked with. Once again IMO they are liars and will never be satisfied with anything, they will always advance there so-called cause.
Please, no one take this as if I'm talking about you (unless you are a enviro nut of course) just an observation and a final point, the enemy needs to be fought not trusted.

I have been in California for over 55 years and the place has continually been slipping to the point where it has gone to hell.... Not that I wasn't warned about it as my social studies teacher in 1970 foretold us that it would be just about the way it is now both socially and economically. The future. Add another 20 years to the clock and these will be known as the good days. California is never going to completely meltdown, just wither away to absolute nothingness.......

P.S. I have been posting a lot lately because they had me listed as a green member, Unacceptable!, I have now made it to Junior

 

[mxer47]

Ha ha I had no idea we had rankings.

 

[AlaskaGold]

Do you know where in Alaska your headed?

 

[Clay Diggins]

I've tried to explain this to you before Marshall but it seems you are still confused. The ASRA is not a good source of information and can not tell you the status of the private lands there.

I know this hurts your prospecting adventures. I have enjoyed them as much as others here. Thanks for sharing. The awful truth though is that nearly all of Shirttail Canyon and nearly all of the North Fork South from Shirttail to Ponderosa Canyon is PRIVATE PROPERTY. It has been since long before you or I were born. The Shirttail since 1879 and the North Fork since 1920. It has never been open to prospecting in our lifetimes. Most of the little acreage that is not private property there has been under valid claim for years.

The Mergen Group owns much of that private land. No matter whether you or I agree with what they do with their private property matters little. It is not and never has been legally prospectable. That has nothing to do with the ASRA or government regulation.

There are huge amounts of prospectable land still left in the North Fork drainage. Some of the best historical tertiary deposits are open to prospecting on Iowa Hill. Historically and factually you have a better chance of getting good gold from those many open deposits than you ever did on the river.

I'd like to see you keep prospecting the North Fork but you really need to move on from trespassing the private property and claims along the river if you expect to be successful. It's a bad business model. It's really hard to get any appreciable gold when you are busy in court defending trespassing charges. Eventually those private landowners, including the Mergen Group, are going to take action against the prospectors trespassing on their property and I'm really hoping you will find other ways to find good gold before that happens.

 

[VERDE]

Hey Marsh!! Thanks very much for the GORGEOUS GOLD, MUSIC and WATER!! Beautiful Country!! We have a Great Deal of Water down here in Louisiana, but certainly not that beautiful!! Wish you the very best on your future endeavors!! Thanks again for sharing!! GOOD LUCK and GOOD HUNTING!! VERDE!!

 

[MadMarshall]

Claydiggens Unfortunatly from time to time I am afflicted by "Man Disease" I only hear what I want too! All my activities are now considerably well away from the Lower NF American River. I am up in Wild and Scenic as of now.. Now for a long time I have been trying to get out of the river but easier said then done.. Winter has always been difficult.. My spring and summer must pay for the winter months as more often then not winter proves difficult to make money from prospecting. On top of this all extra earning are spent in the pursuit of getting out of the river. Having learned the hard way that not all Gold claims are practical to work for profit whether it be for lack of payable gold or water sources or not enough capital to exploit the claim profitably and the list goes on and on. And also one must take in the account the rules and regulations and the trends of the state. I wish it was easier but for me this has been a most trying and a costly pursuit and so far with no results only failed attempts. Anyway The ASRA has to long misinformed/misled people about the lands they control. the fact is they nothing about their land or the surrounding areas is UNACCEPTABLE! I will admit my knowledge of the Lower NF River is probably better then most and that I was always aware that Sore Finger Point Below Yankee Jims Bridge is privately owned. It was not until last September Did I become aware That the majority of the river from Yankee Jims bridge to Iowa Hill is privately owned! Shirttail I have always been aware of the status. Though I am fully aware that it is ultimately my responsibility to make sure of land status ect ect it still does not excuse the extreme negligence of the ASRA... How many people take THE ASRA at Face Value? Every map they have of their state park is misrepresented! And if that is not enough they will even tell you it is ok to Prospect/hike and enjoy the area (as long as you pay the parking fee) even though you will be trespassing and have no rights to do so! . I am not familiar with any Active Claims on the NF American River. I would be very interested in knowing where these claims are if any.
As always your thoughts and opinions and advice is valued. I thank you.

AlaskaGold

Well my brother and I are headed most likely to Chicken Alaska for about 2 weeks. I am of the mind that I will be better able to pursue my chosen lifestyle in Alaska and have a better chance of succeeding.. California I can't seem to get ahead only get by.

Oakview2
Often I find myself overwhelmed. It can be exhausting. Not only do I have to constantly work at actually finding gold it seems that a lot of my free time is spent trying to keep up with all the laws regulations and whatever other bull crap seems to present itself. And quite honestly you and some others here on T-net have been a valuable resource not to mention that your diligence and true concern is something I admire. Honestly I am just tired. So many different advocates for my rights.. All pretty much the same thing PROTECT YOUR RIGHTS SEND US MONEY. I am so freaking tired of having to pay for my rights to be defended. I shouldn't have to pay dues to see my rights maintained. Anyways I sometimes find myself playing the blame game.. I will work on that.

 

[Oakview2]

MM

Freedom has never been or never will be free. I am not a member of WMA but that does not stop me from volunteering to help defeat our enemies. PM Fullpan or Fowledup, as they are looking for volunteers for the WMA watershed program, won't cost you a dime, but you find some solace in protecting your watershed.

 

[Lanny in AB]

Good luck Marshall, and I hope you're able to find your golden dream in Alaska--it's a beautiful state with much to offer.

All the best,

Lanny

 

[Jeff95531]

I understand and feel your pain Victor. My first year of prospecting here mostly taught me where I could not go, what I could not do and where there is no gold. This year will be better for me but to make a living? Never ever will that happen within the perimeters I am "given".

Good luck in AK. Maybe I could come up and do a trip with you sometime. I haven't been in AK since 1999.

BTW, I have not been posting videos because TN makes me go thru YouTube (or similar). I DO NOT like that. I wish I could send from my computer, like pics. The problem with Social Media is just that. Social!!! It's the same reason I will never have a Facebook account. Rant completed

 

[Fullpan]

MM, - you know that I am a huge fan of yours. But the reality is Americans have paid dues to protect their rights forever. Think - Ranchers pay dues to the cattleman's associations. carpenters pay dues to their unions. schoolteachers pay dues to the NEA. The list goes on for miles. Do you really think the NAACP
asks for no money ? Do you think the gay and lesbian community got as far as they have without asking for financial sacrifice ? What if churches asked for no money - where would they be ? Ok, you don't want to pay, I get it, - what letters to the editor have you sent ? What legislator have you talked to lately? Have
you ever attended a Board of Supervisor meeting in el dorado or placer county ? There is a meeting taking place right now to protect your right to mine in the NFAR area, being attended by WMA members, who are miners just like you. You think they want to be there ? Just sayin.

 

[mellowyellow]

MM... Not what happened.. I love your vids. Seems like people have way to much time on there hands huh!

Being born and raised in CA.. I am truly saddened by the implosion of this state. What a corrupt, false, and shameless state this has turned into.. Only thing here in ca is the weather.. And a lot of beautiful gold, lol. Other than that.. This place is doomed.

I hope u find what your looking for, where ever you end up brother.. We all are searching with u..

Pass to the left..
And always take a break on 4-2-0..