Holes

[trinityau]

Hey all, I have sounded off on this topic before on these forums. This message is primarily intended for people detecting on the Swasey Critical Area of Concern in Redding, Ca. I am going to let the cat out of the bag as far as a place to go detecting and still have a decent chance of finding a real nice piece or two. Swasey is it, some very nice gold left if you stay with it. The only glitch is you may not have too much time left. We seem to have a few people that just dont get it as far as large leg breaking holes and eyesores. There are just a few of them but they continue to leave holes unfilled. I am not talking about small holes but large eyesores that can be seen by the bike riders, the horseriders, the walkers, landowners and the BLM. This information is for those very few, all these groups have banded together and are watching you and the holes you dig and dont refill. Complaints are going into BLM all the time and they are making a case against all gold prospectors that are detecting, and the way they are doing it is going to set a precedent that is going to go everywhere. It is going to have far reaching effects to all miners in all states. I know some will say that is what the mining law says you can do on a small surface area. Times have changed and if you think some of these agencies really give damn about your legal rights then you are dumber than I thought. The Swasey area is a public area that has a great many numbers of people that use it and most of these people would be happy to see mining go away. Again, to the chosen few, take some time and refill some of the holes from the last two years in this area. My name is RAY MILLS and I dont give a damn who you are or how long I have known you I will make it a point to have Blm on your ass just as soon as I see you in the area. Make sure your vehicles are legal as there will be more law enforcement watching them. There are other people that will do the same. Harrassment? Yes harrassment. Act like the big men you are and quit thinking about just yourselves and a piece of gold. And yes BLM is going to have a hard time trying to catch you in the act and prosecute you individually, however , remember that you are the ones continuing to fuel the case against all gold prospectors. This message is meant just for those chosen few, the elite, that found one nice piece of gold and have lost all sense in doing so. TRINITYAU/RAYMILLS

[Hawkeye]

Ray

Ya I don't know what is so hard about filling your holes back in, takes only seconds. Same thing in my neck of the woods, loosing areas to detect because of lazy A-holes.

Take care, Wes.

[Mystic Dolphin]

I totally agree I see ABSOLUTELY no problem in refilling your holes. Or if you go somewhere and find holes when you get there make an attempt to fill at least one hole outside of your own more would be better but one filled in hole can make a difference. Is it fair to have to clean up after full grown people absolutely not, BUT just remember you are possibly saving your own privileges in the long run. I hate having to clean up after others just like the next person but I also like being able to have and keep privileges and land use for future outings. You have to take the bad with the good sometimes. If everyone would just fill in their own holes no one would have to clean up after anybody!!! BUT unfortunately in a realistic world that does not happen so we must do it for the ones who won't. Just my two cents...

[NuggetHead]

Even in the desert and boonies holes must be filled or else it gets noticed by leave no trace people and or rangers and for all their good intentions these people who have money and time to spare are going to start a fight and take away our rights to be in and or use our lands. We need not give them any more ammo to use against us.

[FlakMagnet]

Ray,

My hat is off to you.

That is as plain as you can say it.

If someone is so self-involved they can't be bothered to fill in their dig holes

they should be turned in.

Their selfishness ruins it for everyone else

and they should be held accountable by us;

the everyone else.

It's that simple.

Flak

[Dig-it George]

The issue of leaving holes after digging for gold is a real issue here in Redding at the very popular Swasey Recreation area. Some of the holes are enormous and very deep (2-3 or more feet deep). Many are near trails that accommodate hikers, horse back riders, and mountain bicyclists. There are even clubs that use this area for bicycling and archery. Many users of this area are unhappy with the holes and are complaining. There definitely is a risk of injury to someone or their kids or animals from these holes.

I have spoken to a representative of the Bureau of Land Management and they are aware of the holes. These holes are being photographed. When a change of designation status for this area occurs the photographs of the holes and the complaints will be used against the miners and there is a a strong risk that we will lose access to metal detecting in this wonderful area.

What the hole diggers don't get is that they will also lose access to this area. They also don't seem to understand that they are playing into the hands of those that want to end mining in this country and that this abuse will be used against all miners wherever we live.

To those leaving the holes I hope that you wise-up and stop fueling the end of metal detecting on the public lands at the Swasey Recreation area.

In the meantime I urge conscientious miners to fill in any holes that these non-caring people are leaving behind.

George

Redding, Ca

[nuggethunting]

Hey Ray,

Glad you're back posting again on the forum. I must say, I have left holes before, so I'm going going to tell everyone I've never done it. However, the places I have left holes were not along trails or anywhere someone would probably ever see them, mostly in small washes and such. It only takes a few seconds to fill back in small dig holes, so please re-fill your holes.

That being said, I cover all my holes now. We don't want to give anyone any ammo against small miners/recreational mining in general. The Greenies, Tree Huggers & Anti-Mining people love to use stuff like this again us.

Just my thoughts.

Rob Allison

[onion gold]

Also, I believe there are a lot of Jem and Rock Hounds that are leaving some craters as well. I was recently in Rye Patch and saw several diggings made by people recovering Crystals. When I say craters, that is pretty accurate. I believe there are some cattle using that area as range and could fall and get trapped in those very large holes. Some have steep sides and cattle wouldn't be able to get out.

[Miner49]

Just a thought - Do you think that it is possible the tree-huggers, horse riding or other anti-mining folks might

be digging the holes? Easy way to get rid of people you don't want around. If your watching people you might want to keep and eye out for them as well.

Just a thought-

[bill welch]

ray us local hunters want to thank you for opening up pandoras box...you know darn well you and your cohorts have raped and pilfered that entire area along with clear creek..and left many dig holes behind..you are no angel...just because youve got a bone to pick is no reason to tell 10,000 people about this area...if your so concerned about them dig holes i suggest you round up all of your followers and go fill them in..or stay away from there period....same goes for clear creek...that would be like putting gps cord,s of your house and property so everyone and their brother would show up at your place

[trinityau]

BILL WELCH.................I have a bone to pick with anyone that that is trying to take more of my rights away and that is exactly what is going to happen with the stupid actions that some people continue to do.

BILL WELCH.................If you were out at Swasey today, (sunday) you would have seen one of my (cohorts) filling in holes for several hours.

BILL WELCH.................If you were out at Swasey almost any day last week you would have seen more of my (cohorts) filling in holes.

BILL WELCH.................I dont know that I even know you and I dont know what you even think you know about me. I have been hunting this area for almost

15 years. The first 8 or 9 pretty well by myself. I have been on many private properties in the area and all of the landowners

will attest to shape I left or I am still leaving the ground in.

BILL WELCH.................I have hunted every piece of public land in the gold bearing areas of Shasta County. Just about 95 percent of the people that

detect for gold in this area whether they know it or not are hunting areas that I have long since forgot. There is no way I

can even remember how many people I have helped over the years, showing them how to hunt, where to hunt, nor can I determine

how much gold I have gone without because of showing and helping other people and letting them get the gold.

BILL WELCH.................Most of the above mentioned people have continued to be friends with me for many years, so, if you like to use the word cohorts

as loosely as you do then you are insulting a great many people on all these forums. I have had many people from many forums

come up to the Redding area to hunt, and if you think you have something no else knows about, you are wrong.

BILL WELCH.................If you are worried about giving away sites, locations, gps coordinates and such you are a little late. This has been done by

several people over the years already. Check any of the forum archives and you might even find a few new places you did not

know about.

BILL WELCH.................I am actually a pretty good guy as many of my friends on the forum will tell you too, I do get irritated when somebody that

does not know me personally, or a person that believes anything that they may hear without investigating things first trashes

my name.

BILL WELCH.................And if you really are worried about locations, sites, and coordinates of the over 400 or so sites where there is a chance to

find a nice nugget at then you are really going to love my book about the Redding area. I will even try and get a copy to you

first......

TRINITYAU/RAYMILLS

[Dig-it George]

Hi Miner 49,

I don't think that tree huggers and other anti-mining persons are digging the holes. About six months ago I found several deep holes near a heavily used trail at the Swasey Recreation area. I filled them in. I stayed in the area until it got too dark to work. The next morning I went back to the same spot and found a guy digging a deep hole surrounded by several deep holes. I challenged him about the holes and he said that he didn't dig them. He was using a pulse induction detector.

George

[trinityau]

Hey all, Well it is still raining as of monday morning, however I should be able to get out on tuesday. In reply to some of the many who have voiced their opinions on this topic.

These holes are not the results of turtles or tortoises or any other burrowing creature. These holes being left have been dug by two legged people carrying metal detectors, of which at times they also leave drink cans, soda bottles, wrappers and butts.

Someone else mentioned that maybe the greenies were trying to sabotage the area. As much as I would even like to believe that I just cant. These people have been seen by horseback riders and hikers. On their return trips they are seeing where the person was digging at originally, only to find a large gaping hole.

Someone else made a comment about gem, rock collectors in the area. Again same as above, these people appear, are seen, dig, leave and you are left with large holes visible from all over. The biggest problem that is causing concern with the BLM is that they can be seen. Almost all the trails are along the gullys and draws so when you go by either direction you are going to see them. Along the roads the same thing is happening.

Private property owners have seen this pattern of selflessness and are at the point of not letting anyone on their land. I have been told by many property owners that myself and others have treated their land fine, however they are afraid someone else will see others hunting and trespass to trash the area. So we have been told that we cannot hunt their land anymore. Because of this it is getting very harder to approach new opportunities.

It comes down to just a few people that do not care about anything, whether it be legal/illegal, moral/unmoral, right/wrong, they are out for what they are after. I almost wish gold spot would drop back to $300.00 as most of this is just the old greed factor.

TRINITYAU/RAYMILLS

[onion gold]

ray us local hunters want to thank you for opening up pandoras box...you know darn well you and your cohorts have raped and pilfered that entire area along with clear creek..and left many dig holes behind..you are no angel...just because youve got a bone to pick is no reason to tell 10,000 people about this area...if your so concerned about them dig holes i suggest you round up all of your followers and go fill them in..or stay away from there period....same goes for clear creek...that would be like putting gps cord,s of your house and property so everyone and their brother would show up at your place

Mr. Welch,

I believe Ray was being quite the gentleman about this, hoping to get cooperation in this matter regarding holes left unfilled. I think he is worried that the areas in question would be closed to detecting if the problem isn't corrected. These areas are open to everyone presently but for how long. It seems however that he has touched a nerve. If no one steps forward to help resolve the issue then we all loose.

I wonder if anyone else will come forward to defend themselves or just help resolve the issue.

[bill welch]

Mr. Welch,

I believe Ray was being quite the gentleman about this, hoping to get cooperation in this matter regarding holes left unfilled. I think he is worried that the areas in question would be closed to detecting if the problem isn't corrected. These areas are open to everyone presently but for how long. It seems however that he has touched a nerve. If no one steps forward to help resolve the issue then we all loose.

I wonder if anyone else will come forward to defend themselves or just help resolve the issue.

onion gold..this was a good thought..problem is now that 1000,s of people now have a lead on a gold finding area..ive seen this before someone getting ticked of at someone and post gps cords to the area,s..and whala dozen upon dozens of prospectors start trickling in..iam sure you see my point..i personaly know 1/2 dozen gold hunters that trash these locals..and they could care less..so this post that is direcly aimed at them is a total waste....whats funny is a few of these people are well respected on the forums.....

[FlakMagnet]

Bill W.

You are going to have a hard time convincing most of the people on this forum

that what Ray is doing is wrong.

When someone with the kind of reputation Ray has, cares enough to bring a subject like this up

it helps clarify how obvious it is that this is an important topic and that it is time to actually do something about it

and not just talk.

And by the way you don't have to be an angel to speak up about difficult topics

or nobody would be able to talk about anything important would they...

Flak

[FlakMagnet]

dbl

[trinityau]

Hey Onion Gold, How are you doing ? I was sitting here thinking that we should all have a big get together here in the future. We could get a hold of Mike and his friends. We could also get a hold of Shep, Matt and Grubstake and his family. We probably would have to get a hold of JoefortheGold and his buddies and have them up also. Oh shoot, I forgot that I have invited Uncle Ron and Montana up for a hunt sometime. That sure would be a lot of people though, but then again there are a lot of people that know about this area, thousands and thousands. Did you know that there are two different persons that have made discs of this area and its placer potential, and they sell them to the public. They even have all the grids /locations on them, sure makes it easy nowadays. I wish I had something like that long ago. I had to walk all over this area to find places, and for years. And did you know that several people have even put the actual coordinates of locations and patches on all the mining forums. I am flabbergasted. I have been a little lucky I guess with family background in the area. I think I remember telling you about that. My great , great grandfathers were mining in Weaver Basin long before the 49 Gold Rush. And one of them travelled all over this country with Major Reading, and I think they even found some gold. You know about my Uncle Tom that worked at the La Grange Hydraulic Mine in Weaverville. He worked there until the war effort shut it down in 1942. My other Uncle Sam was a well known pocket hunter in the area around the depression era. You know Doug, I think that makes me a native to the area or at least a local, six generations in this area.

You know I forgot that I have an open invitation to Rob Allison and his cousin, Chris Gholson, to come up and hunt with us sometime. Chris would probably bring his dad and some friends. That is ok though as there are so many people that know about the area. You know Doug, I understand that there are some people that think nobody does any research, reading, or gets on the internet or goes to Historical Meetings to gain knowledge about a particular area. I am really baffled at this as I thought we were in the information age of technology. I had to glean a lot of what I learned from the local library. I spent a lot of hours in the courthouse finding old claims and running them down against the old San Francisco Mint records to find some of the better patches that I have found over the years. Well Doug, I think we should get together and plan this trip before another round of several thousand people come through. That has happened every time we have had a spike in the price of gold. I can remember this happening quite a few times over the last twenty years and everyone of them thinking that they just found a place that no one else knows about.

I have just been going over some of my books , new and old, and do you know that there is a mention in over sixty of them of the Redding area. I sure hope no one has read those books along with all the other information that has been given out by people over the years. We could have millions up here instead of thousands, oh god.......good night Doug. TRINITYAU/RAYMILLS

[bill welch]

Flak you are 100% correct about making a point as to the problem...the word swazie rec area is my concern..its just going to open a flood gate this summer and next winter...i find it fine to tell some friends in privy..but to broadcast it live on the forum is just dumping fuel on the fire..this kind of shit is going all all along ca.nv.az etc etc...the less its talked about the better we are all off

[trinityau]

BILL WELCH,

[trinityau]

Bill Welch, dont you get it? , thousands and thousands of people know about Swasey, Iron Mtn, Clear Creek and the gold belt in Redding ,Ca. Probably as many that know about Ryepatch, Nv. TRINITYAU/RAYMILLS

[bill welch]

....ray your post has just drawn more att..plain and simple..iam thinking neither of us needs to talk about this again...good day...dig deep