Claim Jumper!!

Bonaro

Hero Member
Aug 9, 2004
977
2,213
Olympia WA
Detector(s) used
Minelab Xterra 70, Minelab SD 2200d, 2.5", 3", 4"and several Keene 5" production dredges, Knelson Centrifuge, Gold screw automatic panner
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
I did some maintenance on my claim last weekend and met a guy looking for a secluded place to camp. I directed him to the camp site on my claim, asked him to not leave a mess and have a great time. That evening I had a heated voice mail from the claim owner north of mine. The neighboring claim owner had also met the camper who told him about meeting me earlier. His voice mail was a angry rant about how we have a huge problem because I lapsed my filing and he filed over my claim and now he owns both. <insert Yosemite Sam attitude>

A quick check (thanks to The Diggins) confirmed my suspicions. I called him and explained how my filings were actually current and he filed an unknown claim on worthless dirt on a steep ridge about a half mile from any water...oh yeah, it is also in the next section over...oopsie :dontknow:. He even used the same name as my claim. He told me about how the lady at BLM assured him at length that my claim was lapsed and open and happily took his rent money. I said sorry, the BLM is not supposed to advise people in this way but his mistake was common because the claim process is not an intuitive or easy one. Even if invalid and their mistake, the BLM will take the money and he wont get it back...have a great day.

Two days later he emailed me, apologized for his mistake, told me I was right about the BLM and the claim, then thanked me for the helpful info I gave him.
As it sits he is friendly and appreciative and offered to buy my claim if I ever decide to sell.

Problem solved...no attorney or internet rant required :hello2:
 

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Wow what a pecker head and a nice guy lol, seems pretty shady, wonder how long he thought he owned your claim....
 

You should have change your Treasure Net name to The Hatfields and then invite him to join as The McCoys!
 

Misunderstandings can cause havoc anywhere and glad to see this resolved by your cool level headed approach and even his follow through and acceptance of the new information.

Congratulations on a thorough job well done.
 

Don't you just love stories with Happy Endings? Well Done on keeping your cool over this hot head.
 

Don't you just love stories with Happy Endings? Well Done on keeping your cool over this hot head.

It took many years of hard knocks and frequent losses for me to learn that when in a confrontation, no matter the subject or the stakes, whoever loses control of their emotions will lose...
 

Wow what a pecker head and a nice guy lol, seems pretty shady, wonder how long he thought he owned your claim....

He isnt a bad guy just unfamiliar with mining claims and inappropriately possessive. He filed on what he thought was my claim last November, before my due date. He bungled the Section number and actually claimed something a half mile away. He never even took down my signs or put up his own. Could have saved himself a lot of headache and about $500 if he just called the number on my signs.
I have held the claim for 7 years
 

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