Claim information

[infotraker]

I am looking for information concerning the American house primitive camping area on slate creek near la Porte ca. We have been going to slate creek for many years and the understanding is that the area has been open for prospecting with no claims. Now there are claim signs all along the camping area. We and others were told from a person who knows the claim owner that panning was ok . We would like to know the real status of the area and who in the blm or forest service to contact.

 

[goldenIrishman]

The claim markers SHOULD have the claim owners information on them. Claim number as registered with BLM, claim name etc. Not everyone marks their claims correctly for a number of different reasons. There should also be a Monument of Discovery posted somewhere on the claim. While corners should match up with the claim boundries, the MOD can be located pretty much anywhere on the claim. A proper MOD will have the contact info for the claim holder as well as a map of the claim, date it was posted etc.

Now.... If you can't find any of the markers or they are not filled in correctly your next option would be to go to the county recorders office and try looking it up there. This will at least give you contact info, when it was filed and what the actual boundries of the claim are SUPPOSED to be. (These don't always match up with the markers for a number of reasons) The county recorders office will only be able to tell you when it was filed on and by who. They can not tell you if the claim is current. For that information you will need to contact the BLM or use the LM2000 on line. LM2000 is not always up to date so contacting the office is usually the best way to get the most current information on the claim(s) in question.

Once you've gotten the information, you should contact the claim owner to make sure that they have no problem with panning. That you're at least attempting to find out the status is commendable. So many people would just go for it without asking.

 

[NeoTokyo]

Ya, sorry, just claimed all those about 15 minutes after your post, I back dated them about 12 years too, soooo sorry.




but in all seriousness, GoldenIrishMan hit the nail on the head perfectly.

 

[Goldwasher]

If its the first year of the claim the county recorder info will be current. After that you will see if there has been a maintenance fee or assessment has been recorded I just check on a claim next to ours today(damn he kept it) You can call the blm with the area and ask they can tell you or go to the state office on Cottage Way in Sacramento. You don't need corner markers for Placer Claims in Ca. btw you will be looking for the discovery monument.

 

[goldenIrishman]

LOL. Guess there's a bunch of lazy placer miners in California. Here in Arid-zona markers are required for all claims.

The more I think about this, the more I wonder. Since claims on Federal Land are controlled by the BLM, shouldn't there be a federal requirement that says a claim has be marked? State land I could see having different requirements that change from state to state but the federal lands SHOULD all be handled the same. Just one of those things that make ya go "HUUUMMMMMM".

Even if your state doesn't require that markers be posted, it's still a good thing to do for several reasons.
1. It lets people know that they're on claimed land and no prospecting is allowed.
2. It defines your claim boundries when filled out correctly so others know what's yours.
3. It will give other miners a way to contact you should the need arise. This could be to ask permission to work the claim or to report people highgrading (spell that STEALING FROM YOU).
4. It helps honest miners stay that way. If your claim isn't marked, how are they supposed to know it's even there?

I for one always make a strong effort to get to know the other claim owners in my area. I've met some nice people by doing so and all of us know that the others are watching out for their claim.

 

[Goldwasher]

Our location monument has all of our paperwork and contacts and clearly defines the boundries...... still hasn't prevented a small amount of hi-grading and loss of some cheap gear due to theft and destruction....... IF YOU ARE READING THIS AND HAPPENED TO TAKE A 55GAL DRUM AND BREAK MY CLASSIFIER I HOPE YOU FALL OFF A CLIFF!!!! and I think you are pointing out one thing of importance.....you are in arid Arizona. One of our corners would actually be near impossible to physically mark. Due to terrain and the buck brush. there is line of site from our monument and we don't legally have to set a corner so I am not gonna cut a trail to it. The fella I know above us on the ridge has a lode claim. He does have to set corners he stayed within the bounds you are allowed and put his markers where he could get to them. If I file a claim that can't follow the plss survey lines I will set the boundries by foot and put in the required physical corners and it will accurately match the map to be filed. I am not lazy just efficient at using the system in place. It is the prospectors duty to know if he is on unclaimed land. It is not my duty to have a sign up every 100 feet so some wannabe accidental trespasser AKA Higrader can find out if he can dig there or not. (most likely doesn't care anyway) We have put up signs with the name and camc number at the point you cross onto our claim at the upper and lower end of the creek as it cuts the claim, as they are the main points of entry without bushwacking. If you don't know don't dig

 

[jog]

I think the first thing would be to check & see if that area or spot is even open for mineral entry. Someone a few years back put up signs on a BLM rec site just so no one would mine the spot they wanted to.

 

[infotraker]

Sounds familiar. That may be what is happening. For many years the area was closed to claiming , open for everyone along the camping area. Now claim signs everywhere and no information as to boundaries. No monument signs that We could find. Will do some contacting blm etc.

 

[Hoser John]

When a claim corner is up a cliff side you post a "witness marker" stating that that corner is(example) 100 yards N/NE thusly you have satisfied all requirements. I have a few of them staked. Biggest problem is having signs,monuments torn down or shot up. Hunting season turns'm into targets,even though a felony-John