Oregon Dredging - Where can I go thats open?

[NeoTokyo]

Heya everyone;

Now that I have a dredge, its time to start planning some trips to Oregon but I have no clue where to go or how things work up there.

I do know that permits were limited last year but are all streams that Salmon are found in still off limits all year round?
Does that mean that the Rogue River is off limits? How can I tell how many permits are left?

What area's are open land up there that you can freely dredge on with a permit?
How much does a permit cost and is it only filed with BLM? I have a 4" necked down to a 2.5", but would probably run it as a 4" up there.

If you don't want to give away any good open area's publicly on here you can always send me a private message.

I live in Redding Cali so I would prefer to stay in southern Oregon unless the gold is really worth the trip.

Thanks for the info in advance everyone, it is greatly appreciated.

-Eric-

 

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[russau]

If it were me , id contact one of the clubs in Oregan and possibly join one of them if they had claims. unless you do a lot of research yourself. who knows , you may find a friend for life!

 

[Hoser John]

No where--this years permits gone almost a year ago to prior permit holders. Less next year/nothing to newbies only those who returned their reporting information for prior years--if any as that door is closed/closing. Regs posted here just hit the search for past forum threads here. Idaho/AZ/Nevada/WA--trying to close all also currently from what I've been told. Their regs posted here also,not quite a bad as oregon. BAD TIME TO WASTE $$$$$$$$$ ON A DREDGE/HB...sic sic sic.John

 

[NeoTokyo]

I don't see it as a waste, I bought it mainly for the hookah pump as I still need one for some of the area's that I hunt.
I traded less gold at spot for the whole dredge than a new T80 costs.

I was worried that the permits might be gone already.
Now that dredging is about to be killed off everyone new info is slipping out that OH I guess the dredgers were helping, Oh well, F*ck em, lets hire some huge dredging corporation to solve the problem that small dredgers did for free for us.

Now if I understood correctly, the only permits that can be obtained are by those who were already dredging before and can turn in reports?

Thanks for the info guys.

 

[winners58]

Most ESH rivers are closing down so a DSL permit is to late. Wetlands/Waterways Removal-Fill Recreational Placer Mining
in water work timings; http://www.dfw.state.or.us/lands/inwater/Oregon_Guidelines_for_Timing_of_ InWater_Work2008.pdf
you can still dredge in some non-ESH areas like Quartzville Creek is open till Oct 15th and Brice & sharps creek are open till Nov. 30th
with just the DEQ permit its $25 with a $150 surcharge Oregon DEQ: Water Quality Permit Program - Mining
Quartzville is a 7 mile recreationial mining area and brice creek has some open areas. sharps creek is claimed up
but you can join BMOA they have 8 claims Home - Bohemia Mine Owners Association Inc.
P.S. bring a cold water wet suit if you want to dive

 

[NeoTokyo]

Thanks for the great info.

How cold would you say the water is up there? 50-55 degree's?

 

[winners58]

Quartzville is always cold around 47-50
sharps creek has warmed up to 50-52
to get the DEQ permit sooner get it sent off
then when they should have it, call them, (1-800-452-4011)
if its right in front of them they will work on get it right back to ya.

 

[NeoTokyo]

Awesome, thanks for the info.

If the day is pretty warm then I can tolerate those temps for a couple hours before my feet start to go numb. x_x
One of the area's that I snipe is always in the low 50's.

 

[Sticks]

Sharps Creek is cold in the Summer, and BMOA does have 8 or 9 good claims up there. 5 or 6 of them are pretty good ones. Great club too. Long season too. Get a good suit you'll need one.

 

[NeoTokyo]

Ahh ok, thanks for the info.
Can members of the club dredge on their claims or are permits required for individual's?

 

[Sticks]

Ahh ok, thanks for the info.
Can members of the club dredge on their claims or are permits required for individual's?

yes you can dredge, that area allows up to a 6" but I think that the club restricts you to 4". Let me know if you join I will put you on the right claim to get pickers right away. If you research that district you will know that I am not lying. You still need to get the DEQ permit for Oregon but the State Lands permit does not apply, Dredge season goes til Nov.30th brrrr but elevations are typically 1500ft, so no snow till Jan but surrounding peaks are all above 5k and the melt is chilly. No rattlesnakes that is a plus.

 

[winners58]

I went dredging on sharps creek 2 weeks ago played around mostly
tring to make my zodi hot water heater work. ended up just useing it on the bank to warm up with.
. got 2 grams with about 5 hours of work
..

 

[Sticks]

Nice Job, judging from the water color you were there after the rains. The gold gets bigger the higher up you go, but there is a lot of fines on the lower section. Nice machine! I was going to try one of those camp chef water heaters for warm water system. I bought the big one for our camp shower but the wind blows it out all the time. So I put 1/8" punch plate over all the vent holes that helped a bunch but I don't know if it would work out in the open like that. Some other guys in here put them on their dredges this year in the off season but I have yet to hear how they did. Try that with your zodi putting punch plate on it to diffuse the wind. Cold huh, lol. I have the same motor and pump on mine, I left it uncovered and it rained hard one night. Before I started it the next day I checked the oil and it was creamy with water. I had to pull it and pack it back to camp and change out the oil. Took 4 quarts to finally run clean.Now I hang my panning tub on it at night. Tie that off good too if you leave it in, many a miner has been washed out on that creek that thing will end up down at the lake. Not at all trying to be a know it all d@ck head but you should have seen me swimming out at 3AM to tie mine off in Sharps, and I was up by Mineral Camp. Couldn't imagine how bad it got below Martin Cr. Sure to see ya up there if you figure out where I am stop and say Hi.

 

[NeoTokyo]

Awesome finds there!

Thanks for all the great info too!
Sticks I will definitely have to become a member now!
I don't think I will be able to get a chance to go there this year but next year for sure.

When does the season open?

 

[Sticks]

May 15th-Nov.30th One of the longest in the state.

 

[NeoTokyo]

Ooh May, I cant wait.

Thanks Sticks, btw, any idea of how much membership is and who I go through to get it? Also how do I go about getting the DEQ permit and how much is it?
Sorry for all the questions, I am new at dredging.

 

[Sticks]

$30 for individual and $35 for family. The DEQ permit (required) is $150 I think maybe $175 I can't remember. Total BS if you ask me. I love how their funds were reappropriated for other things. They were supposed to use those funds to do a case study and run around and interview the miners. Not that I wanted to run into them, but they never made it up to that district. I wish that they would have interviewed some hard core miners instead of the weekenders. Now I have heard many different views on this and I'm sure that there are lots of posts on here in regards to it. Once you sign those forms you give up your rights granted you in 1872. The 1872 laws apply to miners not recreational miners. See the difference? However the fines are steep and you will spend lots on lawyers. Do your own due diligence, don't take any thing I ever tell you as being sound advice, lol.

 

[jog]

Get your own claim, "DONT PAY THE STATE A DIME" go dredge & stick it to the man. When & if your sited fight like hell & do what others have done in the courts, what we need right now is more people fighting this crap in the courts & getting more wins.

 

[Sticks]

Ooh May, I cant wait.

Thanks Sticks, btw, any idea of how much membership is and who I go through to get it? Also how do I go about getting the DEQ permit and how much is it?
Sorry for all the questions, I am new at dredging.

No need at all to be sorry for having questions, I've never heard an honest dumb question just dumb answers. Contact Bohemia Mine Owners Association, quick search online for their site. President Is Tom P. He is a good guy and their site has all the links to the DEQ and such. Good club they do a lot for the community and Mining in general. There are public areas up there that you can dredge on without being in a club but they are lean and $35 is cheap the club's claims are pretty good. It's likely that if you go to a couple of meetings someone may invite you on their personal claim. I've never been to one of their meetings. I hate the politics involved, besides spend a month at a time up in those mountains and you too will hate going down to the flat lands with all the people. GPAA sent me an email wanting me back, lol lol lol... Never! Hope this helps.

 

[NeoTokyo]

Thanks for all the awesome info.
I did find their site and I am going to get a membership with them for next year.