"closed" placier claims - open?

[G-bone]

Hello all!
I'm ready to use my new xmas gifts (panning gear)
I want to take the boys and due a little local panning/sluicing.

But my biggest fear is treading on an existing claim.
I downloaded "Gold maps on line" for California.
It shows Active Placer Claims as well as closed Placer claims.

SO my questions is, if a Placer claims is listed as "closed" and is within the National Forest or BLM, does that mean it is open for free panning?
When labeled "closed" does that mean it is no longer a claim and re-open land basically?

I'll do some searchin on BLM site for the answer as well, but just so impatient that I'm hoping to find an answer here

I will be looking into local clubs as well as I get deeper into this new hobby.
but so much in our local mountains to explore on our own as well.
But I just want to do it fairly.

Thanks all.

G

 

[Desertphile]

The Angeles has never been closed to prospecting anywhere until the National Monument was decreed.

Why does the United States Forest Service state that the area is closed, and has been, for decades?

 

[rodoconnor]

The EFSG has been withdrawn from Mineral Entry. Not to prospecting. A big difference. Otherwise those poor hardworking, understaffed FS personell would have had thousands of prospectors arrested. A big win for American citizens ? More restrictions on our freedoms is never a win.

 

[Desertphile]

The EFSG has been withdrawn from Mineral Entry. Not to prospecting. A big difference. Otherwise those poor hardworking, understaffed FS personell would have had thousands of prospectors arrested. A big win for American citizens ? More restrictions on our freedoms is never a win.

USFS staff do not arrest miners of illegal mining; they haul away what ever equipment is found, and if the illegal miners want it back they have to talk to a judge, pay a fine for the crime, and then stop committing the crime.

As for your "restrictions on our freedoms," do people have the right to safe water? How does your "freedom" to foul the water hundreds of thousands of people need to drink trump their freedom to have clean water?

 

[goldenIrishman]

Indeed Rod! Just because an area is closed to mineral entry does NOT mean you can't prospect it. One of my favorite areas here in Arizona is closed to mineral entry but we are still allowed to prospect it. We just can't file a claim there is all.

Just because someone with the forest service told you that you couldn't dig on the EFSG does NOT mean that it is against the law! Unless they can show you a law they're doing nothing more than over stepping their authority. I don't know how many times I've heard tales of people being written up and when the actual charge is deciphered it had NOTHING to do with mining laws at all. Rangers are like any other law enforcement people, you have good ones and bad ones with a chip on their shoulder. We have to learn how to tell them apart and to stand up to the bullies that would take our rights away from us for their own satisfaction or to further some agenda.

I still want to know what this area is now a monument to! Websters defines a MONUMENT as: 1: A structure such as a building, tower or sculpture erected as a memorial. 2: An inscribed stone or other marker placed at a grave or tomb. 3: A site or building of special historical or archaeological importance preserved by the government. 4: a written legal document 5: An outstanding and enduring achievement viewed as a model for later generation worthy of lasting fame. They give several other examples but none of them would fit in this context.

Now I can see a monument to the history of the area or maybe even some of the archaeology of the area as being fitting to SOME areas of the mountains. It's the SIZE of that monument that really bothers me the most. We have monuments to important individuals from the history of our country that don't even cover half an acre and this thing is 350,000 acres!?!?!?! Excessive doesn't even come close to describing it!

As I understand it now I would have to go with the second definition in that it's a monument to how the rights of the people are being stripped away one piece at a time!

 

[goldog]

Rangers are not taking equipment. Prospector are not being cited, paying fines or talking to judges.

I know of some who would welcome these actions. Well at least getting in front of a judge. It might just clear up some of the mis-information.

Problem is when you write someone a ticket it is necessary to put down in writing what LAW is being broken. Because there is no law it makes it difficult to give a citation.

 

[G-bone]

Wow, this thread seems to have "taken a right turn at Albuquerque"

The SGM monument thing is definitely an interesting subject with many opinions indeed.

I've always had a bad taste in my mouth when they forced us to buy "adventure Passes" to park in OUR forests too.
Didn't our taxes and forefathers build these roads in these national forests? so now we pay again (being taxed) to go in these forests?
Another way to get more money - cuz the "powers that be" cannot manage the monies they already get from us.

PLEASE DON'T GET ME WRONG - I HAVE NO PROBLEM PAYING MY TAXES!! that's how our GREAT country got built.
And I pay my share without complaint.

A few years back - the government here in CA took 9 mil from our Green sticker fund (OHV taxes that we pay so we can ride).
Then closed all our riding areas due to lack of funds.

It is indeed getting crazy out there.

 

[Desertphile]

Rangers are not taking equipment. Prospector are not being cited, paying fines or talking to judges.

I know of some who would welcome these actions. Well at least getting in front of a judge. It might just clear up some of the mis-information.

Problem is when you write someone a ticket it is necessary to put down in writing what LAW is being broken. Because there is no law it makes it difficult to give a citation.

Golly, you mean all those illegal mining camps along East Fork, which the USFS stated they removed, were not really removed? The photographs were faked? Er.... did they use chemtrails to make us all believe it happened?

 

[Prospector70]

Why don't you send your brother down there to kick them out of his monument Desertphile?
That should satiate your inflated sense of self satisfaction for a little while at least. Amirite?

On topic:
Check out mylandmatters.org maps for current land status.

 

[Desertphile]

Why don't you send your brother down there to kick them out of his monument Desertphile?

Huh? It doesn't matter to me at all that they are mining the area illegally; I don't have to drink the water--- I live elsewhere.

If you believe it is not against the law to mine along East Fork, tell the USFS.

 

[rodoconnor]

He seems to be reading right from the Sierra Club's handbook.Never once did he give an example how the small scale miners are poisoning the water for millions." If you repeat a lie often enough it will be believed" \J Goebberls

 

[goldog]

Golly, you mean all those illegal mining camps along East Fork, which the USFS stated they removed, were not really removed? The photographs were faked? Er.... did they use chemtrails to make us all believe it happened?

Photographs? Chemtrails? I'm thinking the tinfoil hat's a lil tight on YOUR head. I'm not saying they haven't ever done any of those things. I'm sure there are people who have been removed for doing illegal things. On the other hand if you have photographic evidence of these illegal takings by the USFS I'm sure we'd like to see them. I'm hoping we can get this thread back to helping fellow gold prospectors to pursue their passion (Is it OK to call it a passion?) and fortune legally.

By the way Desertphile, What's your reason for giving us a hard time. I hope you understand the people on this forum aren't law breakers. We want to assert our right to mine legally, responsibly and we resent Federal agencies that make up things that just aren't true. Some people may mine illegally/irresponsibly but for the most part they are not here.

I'd go on but I am tired and its time for the thread to get back on track. Where can we mine in So Cal? I'm sorry if you don't like it but the San Gabriels are a big part of the answer.

Los Padres Too. G-bone is in Ventura and I Would guess some of his closed claim question resides there.

 

[fowledup]

If it keeps getting fed it won't leave the table!

 

[rodoconnor]

Q-Bone , do some research on Sespe and Piru Creeks. Also Lockwood Valley. Talk to Pat at Keene Eng. I'm sure he would gladly help you out. I believe he is the head of the San Fernando chapter of the GPAA as well.

 

[rodoconnor]

G-Bone sorry about the typo !

 

[beekbuster]

getting back on the subject... i have spent hours looking up blm boundries, researching active claims on mylandmatters.org google earth with the miners cache app, and the lr2000. all showed only 2 active claims in my area of intrest, and google earth showed exactly where they were. then i go to the spot i picked out and the whole damn creek is posted with claims all ten miles of it.
A TRIP TO THE COUNTY RECORDER IS THE ONLY SURE WAY TO KNOW.

 

[KevinInColorado]

...keeping in mind that folks don't feel compelled to remove their posts when they let a claim lapse and become "closed".

 

[goldog]

Ten miles is a lot. What general area are you in beekbuster?

I use thediggins.com and Keene.