The new regulations made official last year FORBID any non claim owners picking up petrified woods. I have precious opalized wood unpatented claims starting at 200$ for the “sales seminar” and then you do all the work. Ive been here 30 years and know whats what.
AND https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/eclipses/2023/oct-14-annular/where-when/
I will be allowing free rockhounding (wood is the big game here & opal is the exception in/on it) as always where Im not mining. ie normal land use laws.