Is a claim a pain?

[mcordell]

I want to start buying some claims, but there are so many unclaimed public lands to pan why bother? In Northern California we have some rivers that are not even claimable. Do claims just make us feel like we own something? I have panned some great spots but fear my claim posts would just invite jumpers anyway.

 

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[johnnysau]

Well said:

johnnysau

 

[B H Prospector]

Don't buy a claim if there is open ground. Why give someone else your money. With a claim you at least have legal grounds to throw claim jumpers off your favorite spot. Otherwise you find a good spot and everyone and their cousin can dig in the hole you painstakenly found and developed only to destroy your hard work. Your choice. I have two claims and I guard them.

Good Luck!

BH Prospector

 

[jog]

If you want a mining claim to be a real pain just buy or claim one in Oregon on a salmon or bull trout stream, then when the state says you can't use motorized mining equipment in 2016 you can file a takings lawsuit and sue the crap out of them. Now that's a pain.

 

[MinerFortyNiner1952]

I bought a claim two years ago from eBay and it took a full year to learn how to correctly file all the appropriate paperwork for each year and six months to find the easy way in and out. It's way the hell out there and I've never seen any hint of anyone being on my claim. I have a spot with a job box for my tools and there are buckets, shovels and sluice boxes stacked up next to it. No one has ever touched a thing with the exception of the bear that took a liking to the 2 1/2 pickle bucket that I forgot to wash out.

For me, it's worth owning a claim. I never have to worry about a place to go or whether someone will be digging on my claim.

 

[mellowyellow]

I usually only hit open land areas or club claims that I'm a member of... Found good gold. But.. I do want a claim to possibly increase my operation at some point. Bring in some small equipment and try it on that level.