garock
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since February 2006
Posts: 1,168
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Post by garock on Jun 23, 2013 9:45:22 GMT -5
My wife's cousin had some land passed down to her. I am wondering if there is any rock collecting possibilites of rock collecting in or near that area. I noticed on Google map that the land is mostly dessert or nearly. Just wondering !! Would appreciate any information !
Still Digging Rocks in the Humid Georgia Dirt, Frankie
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,487
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Post by Sabre52 on Jun 23, 2013 10:15:35 GMT -5
Culberson County, where Van Horn, is borders Reeves County which has Lake Balmorhea ( Balmorheas Blue Agate) and Toyah for roadside agate nodules. Most of Culberson county is pegmatite and mining country, good for minerals and crystals etc but not agate country. And unfortunately, like much of Texas, it's mostly all private big ranches with no access except for roadsides. I do know Culberson County is famous for arrowhead hunting and there have been trespass issues in the past so ranchers are touchy in that area. It's pretty around Balmorhea and some of the area is park/campground so you can hunt rocks there. Toyah has miles of roads through agate country but roadside collecting is hit or miss as there is no access to private land along the road, and of course Texans take trespass super seriously......Mel
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Post by sheltie on Jun 23, 2013 10:40:56 GMT -5
You could feel like you spent one year in a day in Van Horn! The best thing about the location is that it isn't all that far from the Woodward, Stilwell, and Walker Ranches, as least in Texas terms. Other than that, not much there.
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garock
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since February 2006
Posts: 1,168
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Post by garock on Jun 24, 2013 13:13:30 GMT -5
Thanks Mel, Sheltie and Geoff for the information ! ! !
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,557
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Post by jamesp on Jun 24, 2013 23:24:53 GMT -5
Hi Frankie,you are 85 miles from Alpine Texas as the bird flies.Marfa Texas,Woodward ranch,countless agate within 100 miles if-if you can get on property.A lady in Alpine took folks regular at one time.But the big ranchers own the land,the roads and the sheriff in west Texas.Never been anywhere that people had such a red ass about all property,greedy lot.South Texas is just like Georgia,plenty of land to hunt on like the huge impoundments on the Rio Grande. Lots of great agate close by in west side,just access problems.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
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Post by Deleted on Jun 24, 2013 23:51:26 GMT -5
But the big ranchers own the land,the roads and the sheriff in west Texas.Never been anywhere that people had such a red ass about all property I always thought "redass" was a sign of a female baboon being receptive. But in baseball umpires with no time for BS on the field are considered redass too. Never heard it used outside for this purpose outside of baseball! lol Frankie, good luck with your quest. You will love Texas! I'll buy a big hunk of that Van Horn plume from you! This is Jim eating a fruit while the Tejas rancher oversees his trespassing.
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Post by beefjello on Jun 25, 2013 8:45:31 GMT -5
Don't forget to stop and try their world famous diesel fried chicken
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,487
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Post by Sabre52 on Jun 25, 2013 9:38:07 GMT -5
*L* In defense of Texans, Texas has specific and strict rules about trespass. The law requires you have "written permission" for trespass which creates more of a liability situation for the rancher than does just saying "go ahead and go on in and hunt". And most Texas ranches are large which means you are not subject to direct oversight by the owner. With a letter in your hand, there is no plausible deniability for the rancher if you go in and hurt yourself doing something stupid and then try to sue him. We actually used to have to get and carry a letter from the Woodwards to go hunt another ranch out at Marfa. Ranchers now days fear litigation more than almost anything else and lets face it, there are a lot of dumbasses out there that are not careful with other folk's property. When things get tough access wise, you can be dang sure it's not the ranchers greed as much as it's due to past issues they've had with folks who have trespassed legally or illegally. This issue is even starting to affect hunting leases around here. I work out at the same gym with an actor who has a big ranch down south of us and he was telling me he had to stop leasing out hunting leases because the hunters were causing him too much trouble. Lets face it, if you don't have to, why put yourself in the situation where you even have to deal with outsiders coming onto your property. We sure don't......Mel
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Post by johnjsgems on Jun 25, 2013 9:58:42 GMT -5
Right on Mel! I would not even have a yard sale here.
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Post by sheltie on Jun 25, 2013 10:30:19 GMT -5
Mel,
Most frequently I find that those who complain most about Texas are those who have never been here. Too bad because they are missing a wonderful experience.
Denny
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Jun 25, 2013 11:24:21 GMT -5
*L* In defense of Texans, Texas has specific and strict rules about trespass. The law requires you have "written permission" for trespass which creates more of a liability situation for the rancher than does just saying "go ahead and go on in and hunt". And most Texas ranches are large which means you are not subject to direct oversight by the owner. With a letter in your hand, there is no plausible deniability for the rancher if you go in and hurt yourself doing something stupid and then try to sue him. We actually used to have to get and carry a letter from the Woodwards to go hunt another ranch out at Marfa. Ranchers now days fear litigation more than almost anything else and lets face it, there are a lot of dumbasses out there that are not careful with other folk's property. When things get tough access wise, you can be dang sure it's not the ranchers greed as much as it's due to past issues they've had with folks who have trespassed legally or illegally. This issue is even starting to affect hunting leases around here. I work out at the same gym with an actor who has a big ranch down south of us and he was telling me he had to stop leasing out hunting leases because the hunters were causing him too much trouble. Lets face it, if you don't have to, why put yourself in the situation where you even have to deal with outsiders coming onto your property. We sure don't......Mel Interesting. That is the same way California does it. There must be written permission to hunt. If I go on private land to hunt I must have some sort of written permission in hand. Usually Always, this includes a release of liability and an oath the hunter will be 100% legal. The landowner cannot know the hunting laws but the hunter is expected to. Perhaps it is dumbasses suing the landowners when they themselves assumed liability by trespassing in the first place.
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,487
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Post by Sabre52 on Jun 25, 2013 12:02:33 GMT -5
Scott: Yeah, we use liability waivers for the horseback program here but in actuality, anyone can sue anyone for anything. The problem is that even with a waiver, if they can prove negligence, for instance, you know there was a dangerous hole in the ground and they fall into it, then the waiver is no longer in effect. Most Texas ranches have many hazards, natural and otherwise. For example, we have two private lakes that we constantly have to police and throw folks out of.
Not so funny story about the lakes. Some folks took one of our aluminum boat the other day and went out on the lake when it was windy. Wind blew them down to the far end of the lake and they were too damn feeble to row back. So they took their truck down to the lake, tied it to the boat and dragged it back to the launch site along the road ( God Knows why). Of course the dragging wore holes through the boat and destroyed it and could have drowned anyone stupid enough to later go out in the holed boat. And folks wonder why we do not allow trespass *L*....Mel
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