If you have claim names or numbers, you can search LR2000, that will get you down to a 1/4 section. Then you have to have the BLM state office mining claim dept. send you the exact location and boundaries in that 1/4 section. They can copy and send the particulars of claims to you, along with the forms for filing a claim.

You can also go to the Recorder in the county the claim is in and search the location and name. They can also tell you if it is current, as the county is the last word.

If BLM lists the claim as closed and the county does not have it current either, then you can file on it. It is treated as a new claim.....$165 per 20 acres or protion thereof, up to a maximun of 160 acres. You have to have one person per 20 acres or portion thereof. Also a $40 fee associated with processing a new claim.

Fill out the locatiion notice and record it, then send to BLM state office with the required $$$$. Always send any claim paperwork via certified return reciept, and make copies of it before sending.

Thanks a lot!

I like what's above, but when I record a claim, I send it to the county office first and then once the county files it, I send it to the BLM. The claim does need to be recorded in the (correct) county.

Before you get there, you need to check land status. I look at many claims that are incorrectly filed on other than BLM/FOrest service land where claims are not authorized like state trust land or private property. You'd be surprised how many Wilderness areas and private property are sprinkled over what one may think is BLM land. Then I search county records online for recent filings in the area I'm looking. This results in about 40 hours of searching before I find an area I want to put boots on ground, and then if I like what I see, I stake a claim. The way I remember the fees are $225 for the first 20 acres, and $165 for each 20 acres after that. At least that's what I made my check out for and the BLM did not give me any money.

Remember, the BLM is their to take your money only. If you decide to file over someone else's claim, or on state trust land, or private property, they will not arbitrate the dispute nor will they refund you your money. All the BLM does is take your money and put ou in their database, and boot you out of the database if you don't pay or forget a step in the small miner waiver like filing a notice of intent on the first year, or a notice of labor for each year after that. Once booted out and a claim is closed, you need to refile with $225 for the first 60 acres and $165 for each 20 acres after that. If you can figure out what service the BLM has done over all this money I give them, please tell me.

It would be good if you had someone you could talk to locally to help you out. I did. I would just be careful of taking advice from any one person pnly before filing and also taking advice from someone who has never filed. It took me ten months to learn how to file my first claim.

Thanks Christopher, The issue that has me confused is that the spot I wish to claim isn't clearly identifiable as to which government agency controls it. It's definitely not private property, only because the 1/4 sections I'm interested in are 'government lots' in the LR2000 and not 'aliquot parts'. Yet even though they are definitely 'government lots' they are not color coded as any of the agencies identified by LR2000. So it's not DoE or DoD or anything else that I can determine, but they also seem like they're not BLM, so I'm confused.

I contacted BLM in Sacramento (finally got a reply) and sent them the coordinates. The contact there just said, "It looks like they're claimable" but he didn't really explain and I'm suspicious that his confidence was unfounded. I don't wanna hand over my money and claim something with BLM only to find out it's controlled by the National Weather Service or something.

I'd love to ask the group about the spot but I'd hate to have someone stake it before me. I'm sure 99% wouldn't, but it only takes one.

Guy