CLAIMS

[IDdesertman]

The stuff posted in the thread about claim jumping prompted me to ask this. I'm fairly new to nugget shooting and I have to say that I find the concept of claims to be very odd. Obviously some folks are passionate about their right to claim mineral rights, but as someone new to the hobby it's strange to me that a guy can't go on public land and metal detect without being nervous about being on someones claim. I can understand the reason for it 150 years ago, but it seems odd in this day and age. I spend alot of time researching areas to go detecting and alot of gas exploring areas (and using geocommunicator), and most often I find nasty signs telling me to keep out. Why does a weekend recreationist have to try so hard just to go nugget shooting on public land? To me everyone should have equal access to public land, including prospecting, but it sounds like I am probably in the minority. Just my point of view from a guy who is fairly new to prospecting, try not to get to heated in your response.

 

[Wild Boulder Bill]

you can.y blame me for electing them i vote liberterine

 

[mrs.oroblanco]

I've been thinking about this post and the political references.

While the democrats seem to want to do the most damage, I have been very, very surprised about the republican party and their little entourage of anti-mining personnel (people like Larry Craig).

You would think that, especially now - with the energy push - and the "drill, drill, drill" mindset, we'd catch a break. I know minerals are not in the same class as oil leases and the like - but they certainly fall under the same bureaus, and I would think that stopping mining in the US instead of importing thousands of dollars of gold, silver, platinum, rare earths and the like, would/should also be on the table. But, for some reason, it is seen differently.

The 1872 mining law has been attacked on all fronts - republicans, democrats, Sierra Club, Nature's Conservancy and Reader's Digest. And they always tell only one side of the story. Reader's Digest refused to print an article I wrote (quite awhile back), on the basis that I am not a "certified expert" - like 30 years of mining wouldn't carry with it at least SOME weight. Truth be, they didn't want to print "the rest of the story".

Maybe we need to do a "buy American" push for minerals. Heck, it wasn't that long ago that Greenspan was being investigated because he was selling gold that the US didn't own. (he wasn't prosecuted because obviously, it is legal for the US to sell the same reserves 25 times - at his discretion).

S21 passed with both republicans and democrats. So have most other wilderness bills.

As has the wretched Antiquities laws.

Heck, things that I dropped as a kid are not legally retrieved by me now that I'm over 50 years old!!!

I don't know the answer, but I do know that WE, as treasure hunters, will go the way of the dinosaur - we will be extinct.

Of course, with metal detecting, I just cannot, for the life of me, understand a law that would rather leave an historical treasure in the ground, forever unknown, than have you or I wave a md, and bring it to light. Who can or does, benefit from that?

Even a law like the UK might be better - its bought from you, and you get public credit for discovering it.

 

[Hoser John]

THEFT IS THEFT-be it my claim--my home--wtf Mineral tresspass and theft is a FELONY and I'll use any damn bullets in my weapons I choose PPbrain. An idjet claimjumper shot a 1/2 dozen rounds at my 4 year old son and I on MY claim and since I always am armed ,that kg99 pulverized him and his friggn' dredge. Pull out that stinkn' detector on my claims and it's a citizens arrest for you and PLEASE resist John

 

[patches63]

how funny. you see, read this thread at 0630 today, and elected not to comment.then, as we had heavy rain and wind last night,went 1000 feet up my 1inch springline,to my water source.coming back,looking 200 feet down into my 39 acre weaver creek claim,which happens to adjoin my 5 acres,theres a poor shmuck with one of those toy mds calmly walking around julys dredge hole.poor guy was never aware of my presence.as he stood and stared at my witness monument(jar w/location notice,stamped by county and blm) i became more interested.actually, i was nocking a 300 grain broadhead and hoping my morning coffee shake didnt spoil my aim.200 feet downhill kinda tricky bowshot.to my relief, the guy didnt tear the jar off the tree.he just casually mded his way back to his black suv.had it been a minelab,woulda hopped right outta da bushes an innerduced myself.as far as snakeshot is concerned,much prefer 00 buck,3inch mag x8.mountain lions an methheads are not slowed much by snakeshot.in court or out, ignorance with or without snakeshot is no defense.we are all, including claimholders,directly responsible for researching and knowing land status.and i regularly allow panning and sluicing on my claims.but willNOT tolerate thieves or vandals.good luck every1

 

[lostcauses]

An interesting thread.

Fist if you are out there looking for minerals. You are the person responsible to KNOW if there is a claim or not.
Markers are destroyed and so on. Such does not give a right under the law. It is YOUR job to do the research and know were you are.
Folks can get a bit crazy over such.

 

[patches63]

would also like to add,and not sure about other countries, but herein cali, when on SURVEYED public land,you are not required to post the corners and boundaries of placer claims.only one monument is mandated.thats the proverbial jar on the tree.but when locating on surveyed ground, you must describe by ALIQUOT part of a section.i.e. sw1/4 sw1/4 sec.10,t.20e.,R6w. that would be a 40 acre claim.north half of sw1/4 of sw1/4 sec10,t.20e,r6w would be 20 acres, and so on.a square mile=640 acres,=1 section of a township.thus a township has 36 sections.dont forget the meridian of your particular area.such as mount diablo meridian. this indexes your particular area.having said all that,i do like putting up those yellow metal signs,at all likely approaches to the claim.its just good faith,keeps honest folks honest.and curtails any argument with the rest.last,i like geocommunicator,however not all my claims show up there.when they do, are a little off skew,boundary wise.some people may believe whats on this site to be binding.lr2000 searches are more reliable.courthouse searches are the plce to begin,then the regional blm office.i.e. sacramento.

 

[Hoser John]

Amen Patches--I let MANY folks use my claims when they ASK--pure simple and easy. I even train folks on my dredges for charity/fundraisers and LET THEM KEEP ALL THE GOLD they found on my claim this years first day a dredging season. Posted pics on many forums and always help folks out. High donater won this year by 2prospectors outta HB kalif. John

 

[Hoser John]

OOPS--by the by destroying,altering any claim markers is a FELONY and a citizens arrest is 100% legal in any instance of marker destruction-John

 

[BLACKFOOT]

Within a mile of my home there is a meth lab set in the woods i have to drive by it to get to my hunting cabin where the mountain lions roam so to all you stupid idoits i will be armed whenever I leave my home whether going to wally world or the woods i am in serious danger, there have been SEVEN MURDERS within fifty miles of my home in the last three months i live in a rural area of oklahoma, the next county over there were two minor children shot walking down a county road unarmed because the LAW forbids them the RIGHT OF SELF DEFENSE BY NOT LETTING THEM CARRY A GUN UNTIL THEY ARE 18.my children were taught to handle a gun as soon as they could hold the muzzle off the ground.I posted on another post that a L.E.O warned me once down by Arivaca AZ. THAT I WAS UNDER ARMED because i only had a 22. auto pistol with me, the next week there was a shoot out between the dopers an the Border PATROL .HOPEFULLY more of you anti gunners will come up against it maybe if you survive you might change your mind.if not at least you might not be able to pass your stupidy on

 

[Hoser John]

I trained all 4 of my kids in gun control by the age of 5-EXHALE--SQUEEZE EVER SO LIGHTLY--AND PUMP A COUPLE A EXTRA ROUNDS IN'M PLEASE KIDDIES!! John

 

[rginn]

I don't understand still how you can own the land, but I can understand how if you've done some work on a spot that belongs to you, no one should come in and take advantage of your labor. I lived in southeastern Oklahoma and there ain't that many mountain lions to worry about. Or bears, for that matter. I would report the meth labs, which have decreased in recent years, to the authorities. I believe in teaching your kids about guns. I went one step further, and taught my kids that if someone has a gun out and it's within two feet of you, that gun belongs to you. I guess y'all missed that part, or you never really got into a situation involving guns where you had to make a move, instead of just carrying them around.