[Rockhounds] Speaking of garnets...

[DonH]

Lanny wrote:


> Even though we tend to say that BLM and FS land is open to rockhounding 
> activities, one should really check specific areas before doing any 
> digging, and any sort of mineral removal, even if just picking it up off 
> the surface. That's what we should do, but old habits are hard to 
> break... .


For what it's worth, the FS is very sensitive about the Emerald Creek 
area, and disturbing the stream bed.  As far as the more remote areas, 
one or two phone calls to the office have yielded no clear results.  I 
haven't thought much about it since all my collecting is done for 
research or school trips, and all that is from either float, road cuts, 
or outcrops.  I've never had to dig a hole out here.  In fact, they just 
tore up the roads in the Moses Butte/Goat Mtn/Boehls Butte area, filling 
in holes, and widening the sides, thus scattering large rocks everywhere 
and making it easier to collect.

Any time one of those pea-green FS trucks drives by, we just wave at 
each other, and they never stop to ask what I'm doing.  Frankly I think 
they have far more important things to do, like deal with forest fires, 
ATVs, campers, hunters, tree management, counting wolves, and closing 
roads.

I realize this doesn't offer any more official info than before, but at 
least I can offer my experiences in the matter.


Good luck,
Don