Closed area on Ark.? Options

[traddoerr]

I was just talking to a gentleman about the Ark. river North of Beuna vista and they said that is has been closed by the BLM for any prospecting from the GPAA claims down to jump rock, has any one else heard this as well, I haven't had the chance to call the local office yet to confirm. I have fished spots along that stretch but was going to try a little prospecting there this year as well.

[traddoerr]

CP, thanks for that info.
Here is what we have for the facts, the roadless areas are areas that curently have no roads and they are to be managed that way (and all of this is still in the works of planning and public input) meaning that they(USFS) will try to keep from any new roads from being built, but, what roads are in that were never designated as a USFS road (old mining rds, logging rds,ect.) will be closed and reclaimed, not sure if this could effect the mining laws until it probably gets challenged by some one wanting to put a road in for a claim in one of these areas.

As for the new primitive areas these are areas that have been in the works (managment plan) sence old slickwillies era in office but some are just now going into effect, but in no way are exempt from the mining laws as far as we can read.

So in reality nothing has changed for the laws of mining/prospecting, but does make a difference for those of us who hunt/fish in these areas, should make the hunting better.

What I did find after a few phone call is that a few of the FS agents were not fully versed in the new plans and some even thought that they were one in the same and they are not, guess we will have to trian them on this as well.

So here is a question for you all, the USC for archological artifacts it says 100yrs and older and the CFR says 50yrs and older (USFS follows this rule), so which would you follow? and why?