I have often pondered the same questions, just in case... I can't figure out any land in this country that doesn't belong to either a person, a business or a government entity of some kind. Therefore, I would think if you discover a wonderful treasure it would automatically belong to someone else. The government would be the worst. It doesn't ever seem to matter that you buy the equipment- you spend time and money researching- you spend time and money traveling to search- you risk your life and finally find something and then they claim it as theirs
Therefore, I would tend to agree with you all regarding keeping your mouth shut and being very careful. Sometimes it is difficult to move bars of gold from remote areas without creating a stir of some kind, especially if you are working alone.
Depending on who owns the land and what you have found, if it is an individual owner, you might wait until after the fact and approach them with a written contract offering them a percentage of your find for permission to hunt on their property. If they say no, it won't matter because it's already done. If they OK it and sign an agreement, containing a confidentiality clause that they won't divulge any info to anyone then you can give them some of your find, or better yet cash - this is just good Karma, plus it can offer you a very good reference for the next piece of private property you may want to hunt. BUT IT IS ALSO
A RISK.
At least in the UK if you discover a treasure trove, even though the government has first rights to it, they will pay retail value for it - half to the finder and half to the land owner.
In the US, the government wants it all, if they know you have it.
My Dad always told me, just keep your mouth shut if you find anything (and he was a lawyer and a judge)!
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