Tim Leibel Just one reminder .WE HEAR IN CA AND MANY OTHER AREAS ARE FIGHTING FOR OUR RIGHTS TO MINE .BECAUSE PEOPLE LIKE YOU AND OTHERS WANT TO CALL IT A HOBBY .THAT IS WHERE THE MISCONCEPTION COMES IN FROM PEOPLE THAT CALL IT A HOBBY .IN REALITY IT IS MINING IN A SMALL SCALE .ANY ONE WHO CALLS IT A HOBBY IS HURTING OUR CAUSE TO FIGHT FOR OUR RIGHTS .THERE IS NOTHING IN THE 1872 MINING LAW THAT SAYS ANYTHING ABOUT A HOBBY OR RECREATIONAL MINING. THAT IS WHAT HAS CAUSED US HERE In CA ,OR.and many others the problem in small scale mining .THAT IS SOMETHING YOU SHOULD CHECK INTO .THERE IS NO HOBBY OR RECREATIONAL MINING .IT IS TOO BE REFERRED TO AS SMALL SCALE MINING OR PROSPECTING .NOT A HOBBY OR RECREATIONAL.I HAVE BEEN IN THIS FIGHT FOR TO LONG TO KEEP THE MINING RIGHTS FOR ALL .BEEN IN MINING FOR OVER 50 YEARS.
NEVER SAY HOBBY OR RECREATIONAL IN ANY THING YOU POST .FOR ALMOST 10 YEARS WE HAVE FOUGHT THIS MISCONCEPTION ABOUT MINING.EITHER YOU ARE A MINER OR NOT .I AM A MINER AND PROSPECTOR .WHAT ARE YOU.

Joseph, we are not in CA or the west here. We deal with private land and leases. And if we refer to it as anything but prospecting or a hobby in most east coast states it opens up cans of worms that make you California fruit cakes look normal. The point of my post is we want to grow the east coast membership and try to get more leases. It was not to fight the western states battles with their own elected officials. I support those battles also. If you have an issue e with me feel free to contact me. But I am trying to encourage people to join the organization, not run from all the drama.

Yep, what Tim said for the Southeast...or anywhere east of the big muddy.

Yes Tim I do have to agree with you that CA is full of communist fruitcakes and nuts.