Digging on Government Land

[deedeelou]

Jeff,

We used to have a cabin in Somerset Co. which we sold to some friends. Do you know if it is allowed to detect on the state game lands there?

 

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[Calworks]

A note to diggin on Government land, being as I work and lived on gov land before retiring, my Gov land is active still and in the past was used as a training ground for all sorts of Army/Air Force explosives. UXOs/UXBs (unexploded ordinance) is very prevalent no digging period is permitted without a EOD sweep and Civil Enginering review. MD included...even on the beaches, which are now closed due to the Snowy plover nesting from 1 March to 31 Oct each year...oops I digress on a different subject. Bottom line...military sites are loaded with UXOs/UXBs. As tempting as it is....I won't be the one to as Bill Murry said in stripes when asked; "Where's your drill sergeant son...Blown Up Sir"

 

[TreasureTales]

Except for places like military bases, proving grounds and those types of places, I HATE the words "government land".

Except for the types of places I just mentioned, there is really no such thing as "Government Land". The "government owns nothing - they are the "stewards" of OUR public land, that is their "mission" and their job.

I know, I know, that's not how it actually works, but, that is how it is SUPPOSED to be!!!

Just an extra rant - sorry.

B

Totally and completely agree with you Mrs. O on this point. It really is OUR land, but somewhere along the way the politicians forgot that.

 

[jeff of pa]

"Where's your drill sergeant son...Blown Up Sir"

LOL

I forgot about that one

That should be in the Great Movie Lines post.

 

[ericwt]

I believe you can apply for a Treasure Trove permit on some Government land.

You best have a good attorney.

If you jump through the right hoops and spend some money you might be able to keep 10%.

Of course getting the permit might be nice, but that is no guarantee there is any treasure where you are looking.

It just saves you from getting arrested while you look.

ericwt

 

[tvanwho]

Re: Digging on BLM land for gold and meteorites then?

So, what about looking for minerals on BLM land? Seems to be ok with gold claims or areas set aside for gold hunting like out west. But I just heard, if I were to find a meteorite on BLM land, it would belong to the Smithsonian? Is that right or no? Another reason to keep ones mouth shut I guess unless it was a huge meteorite needing a backhoe to recover.That would be tough to keep quiet.I read about 2 prospectors who found a huge iron meteorite somewheres in California years ago ( weighed over a ton ) and eventually the marines were called in to haul it off with a helicopter.It was stuck in a mountain crevasse and could only be lifted out vertically.The guys were offered 1 million bucks and they turned it down and ended up with zero. I heard they tried to get it classified as a mineral claim for iron in court to retain possession. Almost impossible to fight Uncle Sam, am havin a hard eneough time fighting the gas company.They hit me for triple my Jan charges in Feb even tho my friends say their bills only went up a third?
-Oh well...nuthins ever easy it seems...

--Tom

 

[slowreaper]

Re: Digging on BLM land for gold and meteorites then?

So, what about looking for minerals on BLM land? Seems to be ok with gold claims or areas set aside for gold hunting like out west. But I just heard, if I were to find a meteorite on BLM land, it would belong to the Smithsonian? Is that right or no? Another reason to keep ones mouth shut I guess unless it was a huge meteorite needing a backhoe to recover.That would be tough to keep quiet.I read about 2 prospectors who found a huge iron meteorite somewheres in California years ago ( weighed over a ton ) and eventually the marines were called in to haul it off with a helicopter.It was stuck in a mountain crevasse and could only be lifted out vertically.The guys were offered 1 million bucks and they turned it down and ended up with zero. I heard they tried to get it classified as a mineral claim for iron in court to retain possession. Almost impossible to fight Uncle Sam, am havin a hard eneough time fighting the gas company.They hit me for triple my Jan charges in Feb even tho my friends say their bills only went up a third?
-Oh well...nuthins ever easy it seems...

--Tom

I know that the meteorite hunters and gold prospectors move into the Meadview area of Az in droves every winter, some parts of the desert it is hard to move with out getting hit by a md. And the only thing I have heard about people getting into it with BLM was for staying too long in one spot.

Brad

 

[maverick4440]

I personally wouldn't be able to Concentrate to search
IF I trespassed. I wear Headphones always.
& would be looking over my shoulder Continuously.
Don't think I'd have to worry about Bubba.
The Stroke I'd have if someone Tapped me on the Shoulder
while Trespassing would take care of that.

Unexploded Ordinance Dosn't Scare me. Arrest Or stroke
Scares me

That brought tears to my eyes I laughed so hard this morning!
I needed that!
I went through yellowstone in 1991 after the fire and near The big hotel was a bridge and we got out and walked around.
There was also clearly and old road that was no longer used and had a guardrail in front of it.
The road had burned and it apparently was a campsite at some point as there were coins literally laying everywhere right on the surface.
Anyone who metal detects develops an unusual ability to spot coins in almost any condition.
I also picked up a token that was lying on the ground there that said "Good for 10 cents in trade at Clark's General Store, Yellowstone National Park"
I went to that very store which is right by the hotel and tossed the token on the counter and asked "Do You still honor these?"
The old guy behind the counter asked me where I found it and I told him it was just lying on the ground in a burned area.
He said "I've worked here for 40 years and never seen one of them before"
I still have that token somewhere.
I found about 35 coins just lying on the surface there.
I would have loved to detect that place and I even had a detector in the trunk but I wasn't looking to get in trouble so I didn't attempt to detect there.

 

[elkman13]

Prospecting is the magic word when on federal land. BUT make sure you don’t prospect in the middle of a historical site.

 

[Old Dog]

Prospecting is a nice word for what we do as TH'ers but there are a couple rules of thumb that must be observed.
1, Never in a National park.
2, Never in or on a National monument.

A National Forest is in most cases fair game, as is BLM land. there are usually more rules regarding the use of a vehicle and where you can drive it, than there are rules regarding shovels. But note ... it is never wise to leave a gaping hole or trench, this will get rules changed for the rest of us really quick.

Old Dog

 

[TreasureTales]

Prospecting is a nice word for what we do as TH'ers but there are a couple rules of thumb that must be observed.
1, Never in a National park.
2, Never in or on a National monument.

A National Forest is in most cases fair game, as is BLM land. there are usually more rules regarding the use of a vehicle and where you can drive it, than there are rules regarding shovels. But note ... it is never wise to leave a gaping hole or trench, this will get rules changed for the rest of us really quick.

Old Dog

Although I agree with 90% of what you say, I must shy away from one part of your post. I have a brochure from the USFS that clearly states no holes are to be dug while metal detecting. I will always use a potato rake (4 long tines) rather than a shovel. Better to be safe than sorry, IMHO. The same brochure says nothing over 100 years may be disturbed, removed, damaged, or unearthed. A brochure from the BLM in Nevada states no bottles over 50 years of age may be removed, disturbed, damaged, or unearthed. That means I cannot take bottles from BLM land in Nevada that may be the exact same type of bottles I remember seeing on the kitchen table when I was a child. I'm talking about mustard, mayonnaise, ketchup, vinegar, etc. That is such a laughable rule I just don't get it. Does that mean they are antiques, and by assocationa so am I? LOL (rhetorical question, please do not answer it.)

 

[Old Dog]

TT and B

I am sorry to say I am not too aware of the rules regarding old dumps and the like. I have picked up a few old bottles on the surface where I find them. But have never been inclined to dig for them.

Most of the TH'ing I have done over the last 30+ years has been in and for old mines, mining camps, and cache hunting.
Yup , another one of those Spanish trail nuts. I have run across many Indian burial places and dwellings, Nice to explore but have never wanted the responsibility of taking care of what I took, so I leave the artifacts alone.

I mostly chase the "wild bunch" and associated groups of outlaws that used to hang out where I do. Got started on the Spanish miners when I was about 16 when I found a date and a name chiseled into a rock overhang, in NW Colorado on a hunting trip and have been hooked ever since.

Found a cache once that a fellow had found by accident. He had left his prospecting hammer there by accident back in 1934. He told me about it when he was in his late 80s. I still have that old hand forged hammer as a souvenir. The cache wasn't big but the bug never goes away.

The whole thing about prospecting is getting out and seeing things that other people are too afraid to go out and see. Someone else said it... Hunting is hunting.

Old Dog

 

[Peg Leg]

The rules of searching are different in National Forrest but the GREENIES will still check on you.
You are allowed to remove samples of whatever you find or are looking for.
I have a 130 acres Gold Claim in Oregon and am waiting for permission to start working it in a commercial way but I do not expect to hear from the National Forrest people in this lifetime-maybe my grand kids but they are not into getting their hands dirty-they enjoy spending the money but not working for it.
Peg Leg

 

[Old Dog]

Peg Leg,

You canstill go out and enjoy your claim on a small scale, a kind of "week ender".
Doesn't make sense not to.

OD

 

[Old Dog]

Way to go Mrs O!!!

 

[jefferelli]

HEY PEG LEG, JUST HOPE YOU DON'T HAVE TROUT RUNNING THROUGH YOUR PART OF 130 ACRES, I KNOW HERE IN MICH. THE DEQ, IS VERY PATICULAR ABOUT GOLD - RIVER-STREAMS=TROUTS.. VERY HARD TO GET OKEY DOKEY!

 

[lonesomebob]

I own a patented mine in a National forest in Colorado. I have climbed all over it and removed bits and pieces. I have never seen aNFS person. There was a questin of boundry,a surveyor was hired the corners established. then the forest service checked to see if the taxes were paid, looked at the papers and said ,have a ball. It is mostly almost vertical and swinging a detector would be a pain. The stope has been closed. Bob

 

[Sorroque]

I think something happened on both Dates of August 1st., 1715 and August 1st., 2008,(beside the Siberian eclipse), that changed governments for ever.
Spain gave up on americas cause of loss of fleet. And U.S. gov. actually dissolved,( failure to uphold posterity link to Moral law which makes for government that makes for a nation).
General Eschervez, General Ubilla, and General Washington, are d-e-a-d .
Just ask permission from the local Chief!

 

[Seamuss]

Government land. A contradiction in terms. They inforce all the rules which are worded by the government.

Government land is really publicly owned by the citizens while being in the controle of the BLM, united states forest service,... and so on. They (the government) holds the rule book and interprets that rule book for you and me. I/we have to go by those rules no matter how right or wrong those interpretations are. I have seen people up in superior court over an agencies miss-interpretaion of some rules and these people won the right to go to the agency to have the rules written in a more plain english text so as to get the agencies to follow the rules as they were meant to be followed.