About Us

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OUR MEETINGS ARE HELD AT 121 S. TUDOR ST. VICTOR, MT We hold General Meetings once a month on the second Thursday of each month from March through September starting at 6:30 p.m. and during the winter months between October and February, we hold our meetings on the second Saturday at 2:00 p.m. Guests and visitors are welcome at any meeting or function. P.S. The Junior Club meetings are 30 minutes prior to the regular meetings. They study specimens and work on earning badges. Anyone can join in the fun at anytime! All ages are encouraged to attend.

Board Members

President	Pam Chulick
Treasurer	Deb Strickland
Secretary	Pam Chulick
Field Trip Chair	James Hudspeth
Editor	Deb Strickland
Show Chairman	Faith Farley
Webmaster	James Hudspeth

Club History

The Bitterroot Gem and Mineral Society is a non-profit organization who serves the Ravalli County. Our purpose is to promote interest and education in various Earth sciences, including geology, mineralogy, paleontology, and the lapidary and faceting arts. We also support promoting and ensuring the right of amateur hobby collecting, recreational rock hunting, and the use of public and private lands for educational and recreational purposes related to the earth sciences. We enjoy hunting for specimens with friends who share our interests and have fun doing so. We invite anyone interested to check us out. We are affiliated with the Montana Council of Rock and Mineral Clubs, the Northwest Federation of Mineralogical Societies (NFMS) http://www.amfed.org/nfms and the American Federation of Mineralogical Societies (AFMS) http://www.amfed.org.

Code of Ethics

I will respect both private and public property and will do no collecting on privately owned land without permission from the owner. I will keep informed on all laws, regulations or rules governing collecting on public lands and will observe them. I will, to the best of my ability, ascertain the boundary lines of property on which I plan to collect. I will use no firearms or blasting material in collecting areas. I will cause no willful damage to property of any kind such as fences, signs, buildings, etc. I will leave all gates as found. I will build fires only in designated or safe places and will be certain they are completely extinguished before leaving the area. I will discard no burning material - matches, cigarettes, etc. I will fill all excavation holes which may be dangerous to livestock. I will not contaminate wells, creeks, or other water supplies. I will cause no willful damage to collecting material and will take home only what I can reasonably use. I will practice conservation and undertake to utilize fully and well the materials I have collected and will recycle my surplus for the pleasure and benefit of others. I will support the rockhound project H.E.L.P. (Help Eliminate Litter Please) and will leave all collecting areas devoid of litter, regardless of how found. I will cooperate with field-trip leaders and those in designated authority in all collecting areas. I will report to my club or federation officers, Bureau of Land Management or other authorities, any deposit of petrified wood or other materials on public lands which should be protected for the enjoyment of future generations for public educational and scientific purposes. I will appreciate and protect our heritage of natural resources. I will observe the "Golden Rule", will use Good Outdoor Manners and will at all times conduct myself in a manner which will add to the stature and Public Image of Rockhounds everywhere.