East Coast GPAA Orphan looking for "love" or I got the No Claim Blues...

[Woffies]

I'll start off in saying I find humor in everything so if you can't take a joke...ya better stop now. Enough of the PSA.

Hi all, Long time ago I stumbled on to this crazy guy on youtube jumping around all excited and showing all tricks of the Digger's trade. Buckskin Joe aka Jeff Williams sucked me in. My Father and I watched loads of Gold Fever as well however I lived in NJ where there was little if any Gold action. Later on in life I find myself in Florida. No natural gold. No Love.

Been a Member of the GPAA for over 5 years and in that time they have not added anything to their east coast holdings. Yeah, it's a old bone I gnaw on and I bring it up once too many times. In my many years of WANTING and Dreaming I have only actually got to play in the dirt twice. Once at a place the GPAA called The Farm. Great People but after 3 days of sluicing and panning I didn't see a single speck. The Second place was the Alabama Gold Camp. LOVED it! Yeah I spent a bunch of cash but there was gold and fun.

So here I am sitting with the basics of the basics and an itch I can't scratch. I'm driving my wife nuts...well sort of. I just find it hard to believe that a place like Georgia, with so much Gold Rush History (and WWII Closed claims) a big Group like the GPAA can't find a few more to add to the group pool. So- to make a long story short (too late) I'm looking for any suggestions, advice or networking connections to find any smaller groups that might have a membership or something so I can take a weekend now and then. I wanted to start up a small group to research these lost claims Test out some 3d prints changing some sluices into highbanker type things...you know. Playing in the dirt. Now I don't want to restrict just to Georgia, anywhere that is close to 9 hours away from Tampa Bay would be good

 

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[Goldwasher]

GPAA doesn't "look" for claims

People share their claims with GPAA

The gold rush in Georgia pre dates mining law and claims as we know them today. The miners in Georgia worked under a traditional structure of claiming ground they were their own government. Early version of districts.

WW2 has nothing to do with not being able to find places to go in Georgia to dig for gold.

Gold Prospecting in Georgia. Suction Dredging and Panning for Gold

Georgia Gold Mines, Prospecting, Panning, Treasure Hunting,  Rockhounding

Crisson Gold Mine | Best Gold in Dahlonega

7 Rivers in Georgia Where You Can Find Gold - RareGoldNuggets.com

Public Gold & Gem Mines in Georgia

For GPAA to get property for members to go to in Georgia a proprtey owner would have to give permission. There are no claims in Georgia to share with GPAA or anyone else for that matter.

 

[davidhutto]

From all of the videos I watch, and from what I've heard, just starting out, you can pan or sluice a little everywhere but at the national/state parks.

I'm not sure if you need permission yet to just walk creek, and stream beds. I know you can practice in the parks for fun prospecting, but you need a permit.

I'm not sure if you need something like a fishing license to carry the equipment around, while entering through secondary roads.

I live in South Carolina, and was planning a trip to maybe Cane Creek Campgrounds in mid December 2017 to play off of both states...NC, and SC.

I'll be scavenging around for whatever I can find that isn't nailed down, but hope to just have fun learning prospecting.

Anyone in the area during that time just let me know, and I'd be happy to group up if someone knows the rules better.

I hope to gather some GPS tagging of saturation all through out the area to have spots to return to later for potential dredging.

Also, what are the real benefits of being a GPAA member, and what does it cost?

 

[SchoolOfHardRocks]

GPAA doesn't "look" for claims

People share their claims with GPAA

The gold rush in Georgia pre dates mining law and claims as we know them today. The miners in Georgia worked under a traditional structure of claiming ground they were their own government. Early version of districts.

WW2 has nothing to do with not being able to find places to go in Georgia to dig for gold.

Gold Prospecting in Georgia. Suction Dredging and Panning for Gold

Georgia Gold Mines, Prospecting, Panning, Treasure Hunting,* Rockhounding

Crisson Gold Mine | Best Gold in Dahlonega

7 Rivers in Georgia Where You Can Find Gold - RareGoldNuggets.com

Public Gold & Gem Mines in Georgia

For GPAA to get property for members to go to in Georgia a proprtey owner would have to give permission. There are no claims in Georgia to share with GPAA or anyone else for that matter.

We can always count on you to provide the forum with unparalleled positive goldwasher..

 

[Goldwasher]

Just some facts that answer some of the original posters questions.

Some places you can positively go

 

[davidhutto]

Just some facts that answer some of the original posters questions.

Didn't intend to try to hijack the thread, just wanted to see if the original poster was looking to travel in groups, or wanted continuous updates from someone intending to canvas any area they can for more data on sites with yields.

If there isn't an app for it, I'll look into building one myself. The original poster should also scavenge hunt to make the trip more adventuresome.

I intend to look in allowed areas for some of the items available for those shown on Mindat.org for counties.

Right now I'm looking at just Lancaster, and was wondering if the OP wanted to double the search effort.

 

[davidhutto]

You said anywhere near Tampa within 9 hrs. Gusser replied in one of my questions with this:

"Found some nice gold in Franklin NC just last week."

I suggest we scavenge the board for similar questions in the southeastern region on this, and begin to compile a real list of campgrounds(on or off park ground) that are realistic to go to, and what their regulations are there.

These towns should be hobbyist friendly knowing the money passes throughout their counties, so it should be reasonably simple to gather up a good starting point list.

 

[Goldwasher]

Didn't intend to try to hijack the thread, just wanted to see if the original poster was looking to travel in groups, or wanted continuous updates from someone intending to canvas any area they can for more data on sites with yields.

If there isn't an app for it, I'll look into building one myself. The original poster should also scavenge hunt to make the trip more adventuresome.

I intend to look in allowed areas for some of the items available for those shown on Mindat.org for counties.

Right now I'm looking at just Lancaster, and was wondering if the OP wanted to double the search effort.

Not a reply to you. You didn't hijack anything. Good comments actually.

 

[davidhutto]

From a thread on high banking the second broad river in NC.

View attachment 1497776 second broad river goodies

I'll ask what they needed to be able to highbank there.

 

[davidhutto]

It turns out, as usual it seems on the southeast, you need the land owners permission to do things.

Loco oro stated that there is a 4 inch dredge limit though where he was highbanking in NC.

It might take time working an area to get to know people that already have those permissions, or the land owners themselves.

I'm hoping most areas are at least panner friendly that aren't on public, non state park land.

I'll just keep updating people on some spots in this thread, until It's large enough for an easy southeastern guide to get started.

 

[Woffies]

OK...thanks all- been a while with Irma knocking on my door.

I guess I might have rambled a tad so I'll try to be dead on clear on what I was talking about.

There were many mining claims closed during the war that never reopened. They are still on the books as being closed. Land changed hands from time to time. I was going to/am trying to research the conjunction of the two in hopes of buying the land the historical claim was on. Re-open it and then either join a small local group or lease to the GPAA.

As for the GPAA "Looking" for claims...I was told directly on the GPAA boards that they indeed do look for lands to lease adding to the GPAA offerings to it's members. Not to OWN as the GPAA but to LEASE for it's members. As of Feb 2016 they were also working on giving us East Coasters more tools to find opportunities to report back to them to finish the leasing contract legal work. They were talking about a Printable Info Pack THE MEMBERS were to give potential prospects. Sounds like Amway to me.

My ***** (wow really? Ok...how about Gripe?) about the whole thing was why am I paying a membership when I need to do all the leg work to hand off to the GPAA? Why not do the leg work, buy the damn land and then have the GPAA Pay me for a change?

But that's all big projects and dreams of retiring early being a land baron. Right now I'm just glad to start seeing places that don't take the whole weekend to get to that I can get dirty at. Having a full time job AND trying to run a business on the side limits fun time and driving 10+ hours is not fun...Florida Drivers are insane.

 

[loco oro]

Pm me fellas I might have a opportunity for ya love history and prospecting and they go hand in hand if interested hit me up ill fill ya in i am actively securing private land leases or permission. Willing to share with responsible like minded individuals