A large part of our hobby is collecting specimens in the field. Sure, there’s lots of buying and trading, especially at shows or over the Internet–but those specimens, too, eventually come from someone scrabbling through the dirt and pulling them out.

In order to promote honest, fair, and ethical collection of specimens, and to promote and protect the environment and the interests of our hobby…

I WILL: 

• respect both private and public property and will do no collecting on privately owned land without the owner’s permission.
• keep informed of all laws, regulations, or rules governing collecting on public lands and will observe them.
• to the best of my ability, ascertain the boundary lines of property on which I collect.
• use no firearms or blasting material in collecting areas.
• leave all gates as found.
• build fires in designated or safe places only and will be certain they are completely extinguished before leaving the area.
• discard no burning material – matches, cigarettes, and so forth.
  fill all excavation holes which may be dangerous to livestock or human passing through.
• not contaminate wells, creeks, or other water supplies.
  cause no willful damage to collecting material and will take home only what I can use.
• support the Rockhound project H.E.L.P. (Help Eliminate Litter, Please) and will leave all collecting areas devoid of litter, regardless of how I find them.
• report to my club or Federation officers, Bureau of Land Management, or other proper authorities, any deposit of petrified wood or other material on public lands which should be protected for the enjoyment of future generations and for public educational and scientific purposes.
• appreciate and protect our heritage of natural resources.
• observe the Golden Rule, use good outdoor manners, and conduct myself in a way that benefits the stature and public image of Rockhounds everywhere.