Has anyone claimed free government land in the US?

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I've seen an ad for free government land for claim in the real estate section of Western Horseman, and I finally looked it up(www.infozap.org/Book%204.html). It's a book you can buy that tells you how to claim land(up to 160 acres). Has anyone ever done this or tried to? How long did it take? Is it good land? Also, does anyone know if there is a similar way to aquire land in Canada? I would like to own some land in the future(possibly in BC?), but I'm not in a hurry yet(I'm only 20:>)....I would just like to explore some options. Thank you.

-- Rebekah in Canada (rebekah_swinden@hotmail.com), November 17, 2001

Answers

free land?? sounds too good to be true,,, IF you can get thru the red tape,, the land isnt worth much,,, and I dont beleive you get a clear title from it,, something like squatters rights.

-- stan (sopal@net-port.com), November 17, 2001.

Are you talking about homestead land?

-- Joe (CactusJoe001@AOL.com), November 17, 2001.

I'm talking about any land that's up for claim. All I know about it is that each person is entitled to up to 160 acres of government land in the western states, and can do what they wish with it.....including selling it. I know it sounds too good to be true...that's why I was wondering if anyone has heard anything about it or tried it.

-- Rebekah in Canada (rebekah_swinden@hotmail.com), November 17, 2001.

I read on another web page about somone getting that book and what a rip off it was. He said it told you how to go about it but the land isn't yours its your's to use and that is it. You get it by filing mineral rights to it and then you have to do somthing on the land so that is looks like you are looking for those minrals. You can't use it for a house. You can put a camper on it. But you can't have any livestock. You can't put a well on it or septic or anything. You have to leave it just like it is but you can stay in a camper on it for years just so it looks like you are looking for minerals. LOL What a joke. Oh and you have to do a search of the area and find out what kind of minerals there are in the land you are looking at because if you spend the money on a claim for a mineral that is not on that place you lose your money for filing the claim. He was real dissapointed and said who ever it is that thought up selling the book is the one that is getting the free land because he found a way to sell nothing in a book.

-- Teresa (c3ranch@socket.net), November 17, 2001.

Some one is trying to sell books telling about land that WAS available a long time ago. If such land was available today it would last maybe 2 days before claimed.

-- mitch hearn (moopups@citlink.net), November 17, 2001.


I fi recall correctly, the last "homestead" land was given in 1920 (ish) the property was defaulted so many times,, because of no water,, someone finally got it

-- stan (sopal@net-port.com), November 17, 2001.

Mineral claims, usually 10 to 20 acres, are still available in the West. They are hard to prove up and the gov't now demands proof of minerals. Once it is proved up, pattened, it can be sold to another party. There are lots of old mineral claims for sale in Idaho and some in western Montana (big $$$) for recreational land. (Minerals are rarely found on farmable land.) To get a modern mineral claim you must plan on spending big dollars for lawyers and such to help in the claim. Uranium claims are still made this way in Arizona and the gov't is now fighting a valid claim near Grand Canyon National Park (not in, near). The environmentalists are dead set against this giving away of the peoples land.

The Homestead Law is no more. The last land available for homesteading purposes was in Alaska and that has been stopped for many years. Some states (California comes to mind in the Mojave desert) had their own homestead laws as late as the 1930's and 40's.

Just because you read something published in a book does not make it true. That is the power of the internet, you can do your own research.

-- Joe (CactusJoe001@AOL.com), November 17, 2001.


This is old history. Whoever is selling these books is running a scam. The best scams have an element of truth. Public land never was free, but it was very cheap at one time for those who wanted to settle, or homestead, on it. As the U.S. acquired territories they needed U.S. citizens to occupy them. The Government Land Office (GLO) surveyed the entire nation (except the original 13 colonies, which was already divvied up) in square mile sections. A square mile section is 640 acres and a quarter section is 160 acres. Claimants had to occupy their 160 acres and apply to the state or territorial land office for an official U.S. Patent. Once they met the requirements, they were issued the patent. There was a small fee. As areas became settled, established and territories became states, this system was phased out. Surplus government land is now sold on the open market at fair market value. There simply ain't no more free land in America.

-- Skip in Western WA (sundaycreek@gnrac.net), November 17, 2001.

Probably 20 years ago there was land in Alaska available but it was so far back in, (near the Brooks Range) that you would needed to be flown it just to take a look. It was not free but it was dirt cheap. I had all theinformation from the Dept. of the Interior or whom ever was responsible for it.

-- hendo (redgate@echoweb.net), November 19, 2001.

The thread is right the last homesteads where in Alaska There are other types of claims though.To be honest unless you are allreadey rich most wont do you any good.but just write the Beurau of land managment for details. and I expect Canada has somthing simular.....A BLM employee

-- LEW (pilot_34@hotmail.com), January 06, 2002.


good luck finding a mineral claim you can drive up to let alone live on. Less expense and hassle to just buy land. If you're intent on mineral claims, this place has alot of good info; www.goldprospectors.org

-- Dave (something@somewhere.com), January 06, 2002.

I also read on another web site about that book being a rip-off. Talked about the OLD homesteading laws and getting a mining claim that you have to work each year. The only mining claim the government can't touch is a PATENTED mining claim. These were claimed back in the 1800's. These are usually nice pieces of land (along a stream sometimes). But most are very remote with seasonal or hike-in access only. Sometimes they are tore up pretty bad with a lot of waste rock or tailings or whatever they call it. My friends owns 23 or so of these patented mining claims. Most right in the middle of national forest. The government hates them, and are always trying to buy or trade other land for them, even asking for a donation. Of course he just laughs and say thanks but no thanks. All he has to do is pay taxes of course, but doesn't have to work them. The key word with mining claims is PATENTED. I hope my rambling on helps in any way. Good Luck! Mike

-- Mike (stang73@prodigy.com), January 21, 2002.

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