To claim or not to claim

[arthos]

Hey guys I recently went nugget shooting with my metal detector in an open area (unclaimed) National Forrest in Southern California. I found 2 nuggets on a small stretch of creek bed exposed bedrock crevices and strongly suspect there are more where they came from. My wife suggested I look into making a claim on the site (there are a few others in the area) but I'm wondering if its even worth it? What are the benefits of staking a claim other than putting up markers which may deter or attract others to the site? I plan on more thoroughly detecting this section of the bed, and move over burden to detect and check the underlying bedrock crevices. Perhaps vacuuming out the cracks in search of small stuff.

Just looking for some input. Do people just not stake claims for small scale stuff?

Anyhow here's the money shot.

 

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[Assembler]

Don't know if this will help with your decision or not however one can "Prospect" in many areas say up to a yard a day. Surface management can be a issue with vegetation, roots etc. when one is digging in some areas. Just this one's thoughts.
Like your post of the picture looks good.

 

[IMAUDIGGER]

You may find that the particular area has been withdrawn from mineral entry.
Have you checked the LR2000 for past claims on this section of creek?
A new claim entry every year or so is a good indication that it has been withdrawn.

If you live in an area where there is very strong competition for places to prospect, you might consider filing just to have a place to go without having to worry about other people filing on it.

You do not need to put up signs or claim corner markers in California if you want to keep it discrete.
The benefit is the ability to ask someone to leave if you find that they have jumped in your hole and started mining where you left off.

I would go to the county recorder and view the claim location notices to see exactly where the adjacent claims start and stop. Many include a nice sketch on a USGS map to make it easy to figure out.

By the way - nice chunky gold you found there.

 

[Assembler]

It may be a good idea to read a little about the following if the area is not open to "Mineral entry":

FOREST SERVICE MINERALS PROGRAM POLICY
The Federal Government's policy for minerals resource management is expressed in the Mining and Minerals Policy Act of 1970, "foster and encourage private enterprise in the development of economically sound and stable industries, and in the orderly and economic development of domestic resources to help assure satisfaction of industrial, security, and environmental needs." Within this context, the National Forests and Grasslands have an essential role in contributing to an adequate and stable supply of mineral and energy resources while continuing to sustain the land's productivity for other uses and it's capability to support biodiversity goals.

 

[Reed Lukens]

The more people you tell or talk with in the area of your spot, the more people there will be trying to find it. Personally, if it has good access and a camping area, then I would claim it because pulling nuggets get harder with more and more people finding out about your spot. We had a guy ask this question some years ago and he had given out just enough information for people to put 2&2 together. Within a month the news cameras were down there filming the new goldrush in his spot...

 

[bug]

You can always draw up your discovery paperwork and just stake the claim on the ground, which will give you 90 days to decide if its worth recording with blm and county.
You should know by then if it will be a continuous producer for dig and detecting, or was just some spotty gold. I find the best way with detectors is to just work fast while the gold is hot, put the pressure on and digg it out.

 

[Assembler]

You can always draw up your discovery paperwork and just stake the claim on the ground, which will give you 90 days to decide if its worth recording with blm and county.
You should know by then if it will be a continuous producer for dig and detecting, or was just some spotty gold. I find the best way with detectors is to just work fast while the gold is hot, put the pressure on and digg it out.

A lot of old timers did this. Great point and thanks for posting Bug.

 

[arthos]

Within a month the news cameras were down there filming the new goldrush in his spot...

haha thats terrible.

 

[mytimetoshine]

Could go either way. If you could reasonably expect to spend enough time at the claim to ward off high graders then yes. If you have other obligations, no. That piece of land for whatever reason has survived 3 gold rush's and nobody is looking at it. It can survive a little longer...If you claim it, people might look at it. Its a catch 22. I would do everything i could to spend a week at the spot and really go over it good to know exactly what you have.lf only large gold then you could reasonable clean it out with your md in short order but i think the main consideration is how much time will you be able to spend there.

 

[winners58]

If someone knows where you were at and claimed it you could no longer go there
make sure whatever photo's you post on the web that the GPS info is removed.

 

[arthos]

Could go either way. If you could reasonably expect to spend enough time at the claim to ward off high graders then yes. If you have other obligations, no. That piece of land for whatever reason has survived 3 gold rush's and nobody is looking at it. It can survive a little longer...If you claim it, people might look at it. Its a catch 22. I would do everything i could to spend a week at the spot and really go over it good to know exactly what you have.lf only large gold then you could reasonable clean it out with your md in short order but i think the main consideration is how much time will you be able to spend there.

This hits home with me. I'm unable to spend more than a couple days a month out there most likely. So a claim with markers is a catch 22.

 

[Kray Gelder]

Nice nuggets!

 

[arthos]

You may find that the particular area has been withdrawn from mineral entry.
Have you checked the LR2000 for past claims on this section of creek?
A new claim entry every year or so is a good indication that it has been withdrawn.

If you live in an area where there is very strong competition for places to prospect, you might consider filing just to have a place to go without having to worry about other people filing on it.

You do not need to put up signs or claim corner markers in California if you want to keep it discrete.
The benefit is the ability to ask someone to leave if you find that they have jumped in your hole and started mining where you left off.

I would go to the county recorder and view the claim location notices to see exactly where the adjacent claims start and stop. Many include a nice sketch on a USGS map to make it easy to figure out.

By the way - nice chunky gold you found there.

I cant figure out how to use that damn site. I do know there are other claims in the Township and Range.

 

[KevinInColorado]

I cant figure out how to use that damn site. I do know there are other claims in the Township and Range.

Don’t try. Use www.mylandmatters.org instead. Choose maps up in the header, then mining claims on the right, then your state.

To see master title plats that will show you mineral withdrawals, do the same maps up top, then land status on the right...

 

[Obsessive]

Those are some nice nuggets and its awesome that you found them with a detector!

Send me the coords and I'll check it out and let you know if you should file a claim or not.

 

[Bonaro]

I would claim it. If you dont its only a matter of time until someone sees you out there. They will figure out why and claim it for themselves and then you will be out. A claim doesn't change what you can do on the property but it gives you ownership of the minerals there.

 

[Reed Lukens]

And to keep a claim, you only need to go mine on it once every 3 months. And it would give you a place of your own to keep going back too. But many detectorists just hit it once and move on and that's fine too, but the decision is up to you. Is it worth claiming to you? Does it have water? Swimming? Family access? Camping areas? Privacy? If yes then go claim it. My friends and family use my claims all year, they weed eat, pick up garbage, repair trails and gold mine to help me do all of the maintenance needed all year to keep it on the up and up when I file my small miners waver each year. If you do file on it, you will need to keep the area clean, so it does add some work also... But with the right criteria, it can be a family investment that will provide many years of enjoyment. I raised my kids at our claims and now our grand kids are doing the same.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?t=1s&v=739o6Hp_BYU

 

[arthos]

Don’t try. Use Welcome to Land Matters instead. Choose maps up in the header, then mining claims on the right, then your state.

To see master title plats that will show you mineral withdrawals, do 5e same maps up top, then land status on the right...

Thanks Kevin I use the claims map and and historic claims functions often. Now i know how to check withdraws!

 

[arthos]

And to keep a claim, you only need to go mine on it once every 3 months. And it would give you a place of your own to keep going back too. But many detectorists just hit it once and move on and that's fine too, but the decision is up to you. Is it worth claiming to you? Does it have water? Swimming? Family access? Camping areas? Privacy? If yes then go claim it. My friends and family use my claims all year, they weed eat, pick up garbage, repair trails and gold mine to help me do all of the maintenance needed all year to keep it on the up and up when I file my small miners waver each year. If you do file on it, you will need to keep the area clean, so it does add some work also... But with the right criteria, it can be a family investment that will provide many years of enjoyment. I raised my kids at our claims and now our grand kids are doing the same.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?t=1s&v=739o6Hp_BYU

What a great family video, and a fantastic location to be sure! Thanks for sharing.

 

[IMAUDIGGER]

I cant figure out how to use that damn site. I do know there are other claims in the Township and Range.

At any rate, the Lands Matter's website will get you started as far as determining where the mining claims are in your area.
I think you will still have to do some research at the county courthouse to figure out the actual description.

Remember the shaded areas shown on the Landsmatter's website is only a graphical representation of areas of ground that contain either withdrawn ground or claims...it doesn't mean the entire shaded area is withdrawn or claimed.