[meteorite-list] Cold hunting question

From: joseph_town_at_att.net <joseph_town_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 10:29:54 2004
Message-ID: <20030913033210.8BF3653577_at_pairlist.net>

David,

Your ethics are beyond reproach but in an one hour old strewn field it would
be such a waste to delay recovery waiting for permission to look in a K-Mart
parking lot. I know I would never get a reply. This is a pretty unique
situation. I doubt if anyone walked away from a fresh rock because they were
concerned about ownership. Don't forget about the rule of public domain as
well.

Bill Kieskowski
> Dear Bill, Marcia, List;
> I would like to add to the thread a bit more. I found my meteorite on
> public land. It was on a checkerboard mixed with Anadarko (company that
> owns the land that the Union Pacific Railroad was granted to them in
> 1865 to encourage RR development), there are also private land parcels
> very near by, and a great big old interstate system which the federal
> government owns but the state of Wyoming maintains the surface of the
> ground on. All of this is with in 1/2 mile of my find. My GPS and map
> skills led me to believe it was located on one property, the maps were
> in error by a hundred yards, it was truly on BLM lands, and the long
> story made short is that the integrity of the finder is truly the big
> question. I could have SAID that I found it about anywhere, including
> my own back yard 10 miles away from the real location and no one would
> know the difference. I have integrity, and would "do the right thing"
> right down to inniating contact four years ago with all of the major
> land owners asking advance permission to hunt. One very major private
> land owner asked for 10% of any profits from my searching, and I have
> unlimited access to about a million acres, sealed with a good old
> fashioned hand shake. The second private land owner says hunt his lands
> for free, keep all that I find, and remember him if I find a Mars, or
> Moon rock. Other parties have eluded to hunt all that I want and
> contact them if I find a million dollar rock but not to bother them with
> "ordinary meteorites"; the paperwork would cost the company a number of
> thousand of dollars to get started.
> I can not stress enough the importance of contacting the land owner
> early, in a very polite and honest way, share information, offer your
> wisdom, honesty, sincerity, and the road to hunting meteorites is very
> rewarding, especially knowing that you are genuinely welcomed to
> trespass because you were honest and on the front end...instead of the
> wrong end of a boot due to not contacting the land owner. Law
> enforcement frowns out here when they have to come out and arrest
> trespassers. Fines for trespass locally can be a few hundred dollars
> and forfeiture of any finds, or future ability to hunt those properties
> or friends of the property owners that hear about that "no good low down
> scoundrel trespasser". Such is the West.
> Hope I have offered some "western" insight.
> Best,
> Dave Freeman
> Successful meteorite hunter, and honest story teller.
>
>
> joseph_town_at_att.net wrote:
>
> >Hi Marcia,
> >
> >Property varies so much from one juristiction to another. Public domain has
> >been outlined by the Supreme Court in cases of lost or discarded artifacts.
> >The FBI felt the need to set these precidents so they could dig through trash
> >on parkways for evidence in court. I read an old thread that said if I find
> >it, it's going in my pocket and that's all the validation I need. I think
> >that's the general rule although it may not sound appropriate.
> >
> >Bill Kieskowski
> >
> >>Hello Warren and List,
> >>Warren your question about property locale ownership, brought to mind a
> >>question of my own that I would appreciate an answer to, on or off-list,
> >>by yourself or other list members.
> >>I understand that when hunting on private property, you are supposed to
> >>get (written?) permission. I know that different Countries have
> >>different rules on whether or not a meteorite is property of finder or
> >>confiscated by government, or percentage of it taken for identification
> >>and record and display at museum, ect.
> >>My questions are regarding meteorites found in USA. What EXACTLY are
> >>the rules to guarentee that if you find one, say on public land ( State
> >>Park, lakeshore, river-bed, dry-lake, abandoned gravil pit, ect.) you
> >>can claim it without fear of confiscation, by State or Local
> >>authorities? I know this was an issue with the F.P. that supposedly
> >>"bounced" off the public sidewalk before hitting a home and was
> >>confiscated by local authorities ( Sorry to bring that unfortunate issue
> >>
> >
> >>up), and there have been other instances. Is it the amount of money (
> >>it's worth) that determimes whether or not a counter-claim is laid on it
> >>by local, state, or is it the classification of the fall or find that
> >>again,makes it confiscatable? To be classed, especially if it were
> >>something really significant, you do have to say where it was found
> >>right ?
> >>How does this work? When something is found on private property, after
> >>having been given permission to look, what is the obligation of the
> >>collector in regards to payment to land- owner, should a possible
> >>meteorite, or a meteorite be found, or land owners right to
> >>counterclaim pwnership rights? I would truly appreciate guideline
> >>answers on some of these questions please, or reference reading
> >>material? Thank-you and Best Regards, Marcie
> >>
> >
> >
> >______________________________________________
> >Meteorite-list mailing list
> >Meteorite-list_at_meteoritecentral.com
> >http://www.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
> >
> >
>
>
>
> ______________________________________________
> Meteorite-list mailing list
> Meteorite-list_at_meteoritecentral.com
> http://www.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
Received on Fri 12 Sep 2003 11:32:07 PM PDT