Panning/Detecting on Gamelands in NC.....

[Zeke]

.....owned by The United States of America=you and me

Got a Garrett gold pan kit for Christmas and was wondering about the legalities of detecting and panning on Gamelands. I've been looking on my countys GIS site and have found several access areas that are within 10 miles of me. There are several creeks and streams running thru the acrerage and would like to mess around in them.

Seems like Ive saw/heard where you can pan but no dredging.

Have tried a few spots....wet weather creek on my land and a running creek on moms land with no luck. Im finding some black sand and some shotgun pellets but no color. I guess Im not getting deep enough

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Upgraded Night Vision Monocular Digital Infrared Monocular Telescope for 100% Darkness with 8X Zoom - Grab it through Amazon!

[Lookin]

Zeke,

When you say "Gamelands," do you mean National Wildlife Refuges? They might be NC gamelands - owned and managed by the State, rather than federal lands. Either way, although they might belong to "you and me," we (you and me) have elected politicians who have enacted certain rules and regulations to "protect" our lands from ourselves.

Just like going onto anyone else's land, find out who the owner is and what the rules are. It might save you a trip to Leavenworth!

Good luck getting permission and finding lots of color!

Lookin

 

[Zeke]

These are Gamelands you can hunt on....as in deer,turkey,doves,etc. They are at the top of the Uhwarrie Natl Forest. Im assuming tho that they are NC Gamelands but the GIS site lists the USA as being the owner.

 

[Zeke]

I found the # for the district ranger.....they informed me that panning is allowed but.....you can only use the pan or your hands to dig.....no shovels....even a small one. Oh well....guess I'll stick to the creeks and streams close by. Dont want to walk miles back in the woods and not be able to get deep.

 

[mlayers]

try using a flat rock or a stick to do a little digging with.....mlayers

 

[Bumpstick]

Did you ask about a sluice box?

Buy a spare metal pan to scoop with, a 5gal. bucket and classifier screen.

 

[Zeke]

Very well said

 

[Lookin]

Actually, it would be a misdemeanor offense, heard by a magistrate court - no jury, hire your own lawyer, or avoid court all together and pay the petty fine - which could be up to $5000, but would probably be $100 to $200. If you choose to go to court, take a day off work - I consider a day off of work priceless and sure don't want to spend it down at the federal building! If you hire a lawyer, how much would that cost? Represent yourself - are you a lawyer?

Don't pay the fine/don't appear in court - a federal warrent for your arrest will be issued.

Or abide by the laws of the land, whoever has jurisdiction, and work to support whatever candidate who is running next time that might listen to your concerns/plight to change those laws more to your liking.

The suggestion of a rock or stick sounds like a good alternative as to spending that nice warm sunny day down at the courthouse!

Good luck in whatever you do!

 

[Lookin]

Not up to one year of imprisonment - up to $5000 or up to 6 months imprisonment, or both. Basic federal Title 36 forfeiture, UNLESS it is a US Fish and Wildlife Service Refuge, then it can be up to $10,000. If it is state laws being violated, then each state has their own punishments determined. In some cases, depending on the violation, both state (or local) and federal laws/rules might apply and you could be cited under both jurisdictions.

I don't encourage anyone to break the laws of our country, but I do encourage everyone to KNOW what the laws are. Then, a personal risk/reward determination can be made prior to heading out, regardless of what ever others might be doing. With my luck, even when everyone else is doing something and I decide to "go for it," inevitably, I'm the one singled out and made an example of when it is an illegal activity.

Golf?? You do realize all the rules the clubs make at their courses, don't you Heh, heh. You'll probably be running a dry washer in the sand traps at night, right?

Best of luck to all!