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I made a call to BLM in Canon City Colorado to see what it took to dredge on  the Arkansas River. In years past the permit was free but then it cost to get the same permit.

I talk with this Lady at BLM and told her what I wanted. I told her that is was a member to GPAA and Gold Prospectors of Colorado. The first thing she told me I could get a dredging permit from the GPOC and that is because they have a bond covering the members. When she said that I knew that is why the club charge extra for dredging.  Now at the same time she said that GPAA hadn't done the same so I couldn't get a permit to dredge on GPAA claims.

They do have a Public access called point bar I can get a permit for 25 dollars and it's good for two years.( I think that's right )

I've dredge for a long time over the years on the Arkansas River and even wrote story that ran in GPAA  mag. years back about it. I've also been working on a dredge that can collect that fine gold and get it all. I say all because of test I've done here at home. Oh well!

Right now I checking into the club on the west side of Colorado to see what they have to offer.

 Just like to hear from someone on here that does dredge in Colorado. I know it is other clubs in Colorado and that's another thing I'd like to know more about each.

I'll take any and all help I can get.

Chuck

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Yeah they started requiring a bond and NOI (mining plan) to operate a dredge in that field office, not in small part due to the irresponsibility of the GPAA and it's inability to police it's claims or members or educate them on basic mining law or respect to other users of the resources.

I had claims up there and I also owned claims in Western Colorado and it's the same thing where a different chapter of the GPAA dug a bunch of holes into the bank despite the BLM warning them multiple times not to do it over a period of years. Then I physically witnessed their members doing the same thing in a well known withdrawn area which the BLM kindly allowed prospectors to dredge with a free permit, destroying the area and even dredging all the way into a parking lot.

So the BLM got tired of it and as a result of the GPAA came down hard on all claim owners in the district and now we all suffer the consequences. And as usual, they blame the BLM instead of blaming themselves for their own actions. But no way Jose, I was there for years, I watched it and I multiple times walked up to the members and told them to stop and got either head shaking or middle fingers responses and one time a guy operating a blue 4" Proline told me the BLM "has no authority to regulate mining" and laughed at me. 

So you can probably guess my opinion on clubs there. And the GPAA in general. Clubs which do not educate their members, or police them, end up ruining things for all people. And that was how I made my living at the time so I'm not shy at all to call them out and hold them accountable in public. There were other guys like me making a living there and the GPAA ruined all of our jobs.

Then a 3rd time, they got the only other decent public area in Western Colorado shut down too on the Gunnison. Look at their old newsletters, they did club outings there and abused the heck out of it, they'd do outings to go get paydirt for raffles, and it just ended up being too much and the BLM shut it all down there too. Not to mention the non-stop coyote holing, then someone got hurt or died in one from a club too despite many warnings to stop.

It was a big reason I decided to move out of Colorado entirely, the GPAA killed all my favorite areas, and they just sit and blame it on the BLM instead of fixing their own problems and they just keep spreading like a cancer there making all small scale miners look bad, while at the same time trying to represent themselves to the public and the BLM as the representatives of small scale mining.

If you join a club there, I highly recommend to look at some of the local ones that educate their members, show how to mine responsibly, or have patented land where if they mess up they don't ruin the entire thing for everyone else in the state. 

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Hi Jasong

 I have but one rule and that's is follow the rules plus stay within the lines of it. I know the Colorado club has a class on dredging and this will cut your cost on a permit by 50%.. The time when they have it and the distance cause trouble for me attending it.

I've been up your way and it's lots of gold to be found if could get access but that is another story.

Thanks for your reply.

Chuck

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