The Ranger (J 5) occurrence is located on Hart Ridge, approximately 3.5 kilometres northwest of the junction of Maiden Creek and the Bonaparte River.

Regionally, the area is underlain by marine sedimentary and volcanic rocks of the Pennsylvanian to Lower Jurassic Cache Creek Complex.

Locally, a northwest-trending carbonate-silica–altered zone in dacitic tuff hosts quartz-calcite veins and fractures with pyrite and minor copper (chalcopyrite?) mineralization. Minor mariposite along with oxidization and carbonate alteration are reported in the area of the adit and shaft to the southeast.

In 1973, a percussion drill hole (PH73-3) averaged 1.014 gram per tonne gold over its entire length, including 15 grams per tonne gold over 3.05 metres from 42.70 to 45.75 metres (Assessment Reports 5238 and 13772).

In 1985, diamond drilling yielded up to 0.43 gram per tonne gold over 2.43 metres in hole 85-1 (Assessment Report 14207). Core recovery was reportedly low (35 per cent) during the mineralized intercept.

The area has been explored since the late 1800s or early 1900s, with an adit and a shaft of unknown age being reported along the northern valley slope of Maiden Creek to the southeast.

During 1971 through 1974, Peyto Oils Ltd. completed programs of prospecting, geological mapping, soil sampling, ground geophysical surveys and 19 percussion drill holes on the area as the Ranger and Paw claims.

In 1983, the area was prospected and rock sampled as the J 1-5 claims. In 1985, Esso Minerals Canada completed a ground electromagnetic survey and three diamond drill holes, totalling 186.5 metres, on the J claims.

In 1992, a 14.0 line-kilometre ground magnetic survey was completed on the J 5 claim. During 1995 through 2001, M.S. Morrison completed programs of biogeochemical sampling and 18.7-line-kilometres of electromagnetic surveys on the area as the L 1-14 claims.