North Fork of the Yuba River now....................

[Darian]

Hi 2short,..... I understand/share your feelings about firearms used in a reckless or lawless manner and reporting same. Also, admire your thoughtfulness for others.

However, my experience with reporting firearms/trespass incidents to rural, local law enforcement hasn't been overly positive. Most of the time, they side with claim/property owners even when their status is in doubt. Also, the nearest station for law enforcement staff in places like Nevada County are so understaffed and far off that they are next to useless for taking care of anything quickly..... And, I've read too many articles over the years in "The Bee" suggesting that some rural county mounties are less than on the up and up.....

Unless something comes up that requires my assistance or that I can't get out of without a major confrontation, I'll probably just try to get out and not come back. I have no problem assisting anyone else when needed.

[HC]

2short, I appreciate your thoughts and I would like to think all of us would report such behavior. But I have to agree with Darien on this one. The Ranger I talked to said I would have to prove it was intentional for much to come of it. Even then the most it would be was discharging a firearm near a camp ground (his) or reckless behavior or something. I can't remember what as it was a long time ago. Also HE said since no words were exchanged between me and the shooter. Just my screaming what are you shooting at! Would be his word agaist mine and so on. So he could not say why the guy acted that way, unless I did something to provoke this. A really really short version of events. I had driven in on a old rutted out log road til I came to a tributary creek and then fished down to the river. First time there. I never saw the guy until the shots were fired. I dodged down and behind a tree. When the clip was empty I looked around to see him quickly retreating. I followed far enough to see him disappear into a tent. I did not hang around to see if he went in to reload or pray for foregiveness. I still don't carry, but mostly out of laziness. HC

[2short]

HC, Darian,
I'm speachless, what a lousy state of affairs when you can't get law enforcment to address the lunatic fringe. I'm glad this thread got started' it certainly sheds light on an aspect of fishing I hadn't given much thought to. I guess I need to research claim owners rights to have a better understanding of what I might encounter while fishing in this area. Are most miners okay folks or does gold fever make them irratable?
thanks
2short
P.S. Just for reassurance (mine) these are isolated events that have occured durring your long fishing careers, right?

[Darian]

I'd say miner's and land owners are, for the most part, OK, but protective. In remote areas, they experience a lot of vandalism and outright hostility from those who would do the same to them as has happened to me..... So, a meeting always starts out with mistrust. A normal person, on either side, will just ask some questions and make a judgement on the tenor of the answers.... Problems usually occur because neither party to a minor conflict will back down and things begin to escalate. That, and the reasons mentioned earlier, is why I always choose to leave, if allowed....

Of course, like any other group of people, there's always a nut-case or as you put it, "the lunatic fringe", involved somewhere.... The trick is to recognize those types early and avoid any potential problems. A lot of those people are living out there for a reason.... A mining claim could easily be a cover for an armed "farming" operation....

Best advice; be carefull and observant out there...

[Digger]

This reminds me of a recent show I watched about all the 'Herbal farming' now taking place in areas like the Sequoia NF.
Supposedely since 9/11, the smuggling of these controlled substances has been hampered at the border (yeah, right), so now they are growing it here in our national forests. The camps/farms have eroded soil and all the irrigation systems and herbicide to clear vegetation is leeching into the waters. Wandering into these areas can prove to be a health risk.

[Darian]

Hey Digger,.... We had a case of a shooting in Georgetown (just outside of Sacramento) where a father/son were fired upon/injured after stumbling into a "farm" operation. The watchdog was the father of a foreman on a local farm (legitimate). Also, an El Dorado County Supervisor was caught growing on his own berry farm while serving on the council. They were both caught/prosecuted.... I'm sure the farming ops in the foothills continue to thrive......

I'm more concerned about remote meth/speed labs in the foothills, tho....

[JJohnson]

The Navigations code is quite specific regarding those rivers qualifying - and it has nothing at all to do with dams existing or not on these waterways. For the reasons mentioned previously, I always carry a firearm when I fish, and am licensed to do so - and don't be so anxious to blame law enforcement for your difficulties - you DO your part, and law enforcement will do theirs. Walking away does nothing but make the problem worse, and probably tragic for someone else in the future.

[Darian]

Hey JJ,..... Sounds like you know something about the "navigations Code". Why don't you share with us the status of the Yuba River under the Code I'm certainly interested....

Not sure I agree wth packin' a firearm and I'm probably not going to be in the camp of armed fisherman any time soon.. It's a personal preference with me; not that I'm a goody two shoes, I own and use firearms, but on the firing range.

I'm really at a loss to understand your reference to "...be so anxious blame law enforcement for my difficulties...." Actually, I've not had any difficulties with a local law enforcement official. Most of 'em are professional and polite. I have had some discussions with them over where a property or claim boundary was and after the discussion, left. I didn't necessarily agree with their position but felt there was nothing to be gained by staying and furthering a losing point.... So, if I stay and "....DO my part...." as I understand your point, I should continue to argue with the officer and ultimately be arrested for trespass. My difficulties have been with overzelous mining claim and property line defenders....

Sorry if you've taken offense at the point about the past published articles in the Bee concerning some rural law enforcement agencies, I'm standing on my statements about that. I don't see that as anything out of the public domain here. It's your right to disagree, of course.