Prospector then and now
Nowadays, television takes advantage of any latest craze of fad that has developed. I am currently following Dooms Day Preppers, DIY building off the grid and Bushcraft masters. But in the recent past it was “The Prospector” which aired on the weather channel.
It was about several different people and family’s which struggle to make a living the old fashion way by prospecting or treasure hunting. The sponsors may have abandoned the project, but the prospectors are actively mining for gold, silver, precious gems and missing 1800’s military payroll’s. In some cases, they are making a living doing what they love.
The occupation is fueled by history books and family stories passed down from generation to generation Indians attacking 1600’s Spanish burrow gold trains in Colorado, late 1800’s Confederate soldiers attacking a Union payroll wagon trains in Oklahoma with the surviving party members claiming to have dumped the pay boxes in to fishing holes or burying it along the trail.
Prospectors had hard times
Not much has changed since the first mining’s came across the frontier, the work is cold hard and at times dangerous. The threats are very real with claim jumpers, back stabbing con men, predator animals, and drug cartel activity moving into the national forest. Mother nature throws her bonnet into the ring with fast moving weather changes, dangerous and rugged terrain to be conquered.
If you fall injured or sick medical help is sometimes hundreds of miles away with the miner or backwoodsman bearing the cost of the life flight. You will not get much assistance from the Forest Service because their mission statement conflicts with the Bureau of Land Management and neither of them honor Federal mining laws or support miners unless it suits their interest.
They close off public land trails and make up map boundaries to exclude areas with suspected minerals just to make sure no one gets to it before they do. Clearing an overgrown forest is illegal without paying for a permit but a Forest Service employee can come along and start one of the state’s biggest wild fires under the guise of A; control burn or B; burning a love letter.
What Prospectors and Preppers have in common
You ask what does a prospector have to do with prepping, well pretty much everything the kind of existence your planning for in the future these guys are living no present day. You don’t hike several thousand feet up and plan to go home for dinner, no your there for the weekend, all week and depending on the season tough it out for a whole month just for the one in a million chance of getting lucky. The one gemstone, precious metal or gold coin which will fund your survival for another year.
From the Gortex clothing, camp cook wear and military standard backpacks and sleeping gear these guys are using it on a daily bases. Blazing the trails, breaking the equipment just so you can read about what rises to the challenge before you spend your hard-earned money on it.
And then there’s the Politics
Right know people with other interests are controlling your government aka the fun police and are trying daily to take away your rights. They have the money to control you by trying to hammer a round peg into a square hole make everyone bow to their “System”. More gun control laws, more taxes with wasted spending programs, denying or closing access to public lands, even making prospecting a crime. People are looking just as hard at a person using a shovel as they do a person legally carrying a firearm.
What ever happened to punishing the criminal not the everyday Joe just trying to survive. Passing legislation to govern your every decision and they will do it if we do not band together and support each other’s interests as one large noisy voice.
Freedom is the reason
Be you are a day trekker, avid outdoor adventurer, off roader, life off the grid Prepper, or a old west prospector we all strive for the same thing freedom to live life as we see fit as long as it does not harm or infringe on the rights of another person. The unalienable rights granted by the American Constitution pursuit of Life, Liberty, and Happiness.
We are venturing into new frontier territory wake up get off the computers for a couple of hours go outside and smell the roses before it becomes too late. Everyday wasted is another day gone forever. Make your interests know and your voices heard. As long as your interest does not infringe my constitutional rights I support you. In God we trust all others bring cash.
Be safe and healthy my friends. Be sure to follow our blog for more informative articles.
Ralph Tcat
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