Gold folks

[gold tramp]

I noticed that not many gold folks are on the forum last few years, was wondering what caused people to leave, was it the political environment ?
Or just that prospecting has lost it's shine and no one's doing it ?
Maybe we can get some honest answers here.
I would hope that it was lack of prospectors and not mining folks being divided by politics, we are already so few in numbers, I feel some days I'm the only one left ...
Anyways just something I'm wondering about.....
Gt......

 

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[oneguy]

I doubt one could find a spot that hasn't been visited by miners from the early days,
We have it made today compared to days of old it's just harder to find the yeller stuff.
Gt....

The old timers did the hard work of finding the gold areas for us so that part is already taken care of. Our job is to pick up the crumbs and any side pay they missed. The old timers were everywhere and as far as placer goes they were pretty thorough imo.

I only detect and my gold has more than covered my detectors, gas, tools, etc. In fact detecting is my only hobby that has given me a positive monetary return, not to mention enjoyment.
As far as not posting pics, etc., I had to learn the hard way that it's probably best to keep the trap shut about your finds so I'm trying hard to keep any pics/info to myself and also no longer hunt with others. Unfortunate but gold does funny things to some.....

 

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[Gold4Mike]

My wife and I have still been going out mining, but we have been babysitting our daughters beagle for the past 10 months which has really eaten into our free time. This winter has not been great in Western Washington so maybe we haven't missed too much. Beagle goes back to her rightful owner in about a month and then we have plans to get out as much as we can! I also sometimes feel when we were getting out more, the pictures I could post would look like the previous pictures posted, and so on, so was waiting for a new record for us or something good to share. Hopefully that will come this summer!

 

[Ohiogoldfever]

The time is coming when we ALL will have the time to get out prospecting.......A resesion is here and the DEPRESION is on it's foot steps. We might not have the $$$ to do what we like BUT we will have the time for it !

This is the very reason I went out of my way to buy decent equipment now. I figure if things get really bad I’ll either be able to go mining or sell the stuff for a decent bit to a fella who will.

Anyone wanna buy a dredge for 75 million social credits? Lol

 

[delnorter]

I ended up moving to AZ last year... then put my back out moving, been recovering for 6 months... I'm doing great today, but it's been a long haul. Running my own mining business and having it destroyed by the low life state California has left me far away from the left coast. Never again wil my 2- 8" dredges be able to run there.
I do love Arizona ❤ 😍 💖
I'm still mining here, and involved with the local mining association here, just not much lately being that I'm still recovering. But.. I'm just about ready, moving good again, swimming & getting built back up to go out.
I've been teaching people on the net for over 20 years and so many people know my old answers by heart these days, that I've been able to read posts and not have to answer them myself, while watching other "Far Younger Miners" give excellent advice.
Advice that puts a huge smile on my face 😀😃🙂
I fought the good fight and I've been loving my retirement. No more politics for me

Good for you Reed. Yes, you’ve been a great help to all with questions about prospecting and mining for a long time. Thank you.
Mike

 

[N-Lionberger]

I have been busy building my business, I haven’t been out mining as much as I like, my main spot burned last year so I wasn’t able to go work. I understand the Fever, I have it very bad, I caught it when I was 12. I agree many who claim they have the Fever are humoring themselves, if they can put it down it’s not the Fever.

 

[Oregon Viking]

The over reaching regulations, the "mining" destroys the earth narrative does not help!

 

[gold tramp]

The old timers did the hard work of finding the gold areas for us so that part is already taken care of. Our job is to pick up the crumbs and any side pay they missed. The old timers were everywhere and as far as placer goes they were pretty thorough imo.

I only detect and my gold has more than covered my detectors, gas, tools, etc. In fact detecting is my only hobby that has given me a positive monetary return, not to mention enjoyment.
As far as not posting pics, etc., I had to learn the hard way that it's probably best to keep the trap shut about your finds so I'm trying hard to keep any pics/info to myself and also no longer hunt with others. Unfortunate but gold does funny things to some.....

I to no longer hunt with others, everytime I've taken someone to a spot I come back find that they went back and cleaned me out, even though it was private claim they didn't care.
Worse is they lie about it, sad thing is they probably didn't even get that much, but it was worth loosing a friend over, probably weren't much of a friend to begin with.
Gold does do funny things to some folks.....
Hope you are still finding those big slugs.....
Gt....

 

[russau]

GT I think this maybe true in some cases BUT NOT all ! It's a shame that people/ friends act in this way BUT there again a lot of people don't do their own leg work in looking for the "X" on their own and get real lazy and go to the EZ spot that someone else has found "their own X ! These people have NO CHARACTOR ! Character is what you'll do when nobody is looking ! It seems to me that if you leave any sign that someone camped there ( claim or no claim ) someone will snoop around their looking for a EZ spot ! And then they have the gaul to leave their trash !

 

[gold tramp]

GT I think this maybe true in some cases BUT NOT all ! It's a shame that people/ friends act in this way BUT there again a lot of people don't do their own leg work in looking for the "X" on their own and get real lazy and go to the EZ spot that someone else has found "their own X ! These people have NO CHARACTOR ! Character is what you'll do when nobody is looking ! It seems to me that if you leave any sign that someone camped there ( claim or no claim ) someone will snoop around their looking for a EZ spot ! And then they have the gaul to leave their trash !

Yes Russ, finding a trustworthy friend or for that matter just a person is like scoring a 1 oz. nugget it's a rare occurrence. I'm 60 years old only ones I had have passed over the divide God bless em..
I have a few friends but none I would trust knowing my gold spots ..
Gt ..

 

[russau]

Yup I know the feeling ! I'm 75

 

[flyadive]

I think since TNET keeps changing their web site, makes it very difficult to navigate!
(Bring back the TNET App!)
Since I’ve been on this site I believe they changed formats at least 4-5 times since 2012. For the worst. I’m pretty sure it’s $$$$ related. That’s why post about anything are down in my opinion.

 

[oneguy]

Yes Russ, finding a trustworthy friend or for that matter just a person is like scoring a 1 oz. nugget it's a rare occurrence. I'm 60 years old only ones I had have passed over the divide God bless em..
I have a few friends but none I would trust knowing my gold spots ..
Gt ..

My only best bud also pulled the pin recently. I tried several times to drag him up on the mtn and rig him up but he had no interest in gold what so ever. 68 here and starting to feel it some but still getting out there, just a tad slower.
No "big slugs" (lol) last season but piece count was thru the roof so tons of fun! Biggest was 7 grammer. Can't quite get out yet (snow) but soon. Have high hopes and a couple new spots to hit with one of them giving up a few on a prospect last season. Hopefully a "slug" or two next season?
good luck out there guys......

 

[et1955]

I noticed that not many gold folks are on the forum last few years, was wondering what caused people to leave, was it the political environment ?
Or just that prospecting has lost it's shine and no one's doing it ?
Maybe we can get some honest answers here.
I would hope that it was lack of prospectors and not mining folks being divided by politics, we are already so few in numbers, I feel some days I'm the only one left ...
Anyways just something I'm wondering about.....
Gt......

Things have changed, the price of gold being at today 1976$ per troy ounce. I have shared many places to mine here in western washington on the T.N., sadly not one of those I shared places to mine here on the T.N. gave me info on a place I could mine based on there experience. I am out there still mining just not sharing any more.

 

[bc5391]

My only best bud also pulled the pin recently. I tried several times to drag him up on the mtn and rig him up but he had no interest in gold what so ever. 68 here and starting to feel it some but still getting out there, just a tad slower.
No "big slugs" (lol) last season but piece count was thru the roof so tons of fun! Biggest was 7 grammer. Can't quite get out yet (snow) but soon. Have high hopes and a couple new spots to hit with one of them giving up a few on a prospect last season. Hopefully a "slug" or two next season?
good luck out there guys......

Yep, 68 myself, do quite a bit of walking even with a bad back, will be having surgery soon to fix a herniated disk and have another fused, I do know if I sneeze wrong I'm screwed, last month was walking up a steep hill following bedrock, when I looked down, I thought what the hell am I doing.

The younger generation are too lazy to follow, and I do not want them with me whining all the way, they want the drive to spots loaded with the Tony Beets gold.

 

[605dano]

The biggest problem around here is that corporations have blanket claimed almost all of the mineralized ground. They have no intention of mining it but might want to look at it in 50 yrs. With the rules changed where assessment work isn't needed they can pay there fees and just hold onto it. What is to keep other organizations from doing the same, such as the Sierra Club. Probably cost less than the lawsuits they pursue.

 

[gold tramp]

The biggest problem around here is that corporations have blanket claimed almost all of the mineralized ground. They have no intention of mining it but might want to look at it in 50 yrs. With the rules changed where assessment work isn't needed they can pay there fees and just hold onto it. What is to keep other organizations from doing the same, such as the Sierra Club. Probably cost less than the lawsuits they pursue.

Do like I did go meet the claim owners talk with them you would be surprised how easy it is to get areas that they would let you work.
They arent monsters, just big company what little bit you could get off them doesn't really matter to them anyways, most of them are just looking to make a buck from investors, Or they are looking for another mineral other than gold....
As for the Sierra club I doubt they are interested in claiming land I might be wrong, but I doubt it ..
Gt....

 

[Bonaro]

I ended up moving to AZ last year... then put my back out moving, been recovering for 6 months... I'm doing great today, but it's been a long haul. Running my own mining business and having it destroyed by the low life state California has left me far away from the left coast. Never again wil my 2- 8" dredges be able to run there.
I do love Arizona ❤ 😍 💖
I'm still mining here, and involved with the local mining association here, just not much lately being that I'm still recovering. But.. I'm just about ready, moving good again, swimming & getting built back up to go out.
I've been teaching people on the net for over 20 years and so many people know my old answers by heart these days, that I've been able to read posts and not have to answer them myself, while watching other "Far Younger Miners" give excellent advice.
Advice that puts a huge smile on my face 😀😃🙂
I fought the good fight and I've been loving my retirement. No more politics for me

Actually, Reed... that's not true.
I have been learning from you for for more like 30 years

 

[Bluegrassriver]

I noticed that not many gold folks are on the forum last few years, was wondering what caused people to leave, was it the political environment ?
Or just that prospecting has lost it's shine and no one's doing it ?
Maybe we can get some honest answers here.
I would hope that it was lack of prospectors and not mining folks being divided by politics, we are already so few in numbers, I feel some days I'm the only one left ...
Anyways just something I'm wondering about.....
Gt......

Perhaps they went to another site because there are quite a few? But, there is no need for politics on hobby sites. I wish the moderators would delete all comments with politics. Go to a political site if you want the propaganda and one-sided and biased accusations.

 

[gold tramp]

Perhaps they went to another site because there are quite a few? But, there is no need for politics on hobby sites. I wish the moderators would delete all comments with politics. Go to a political site if you want the propaganda and one-sided and biased accusations.

Unfortunately in minin one has much politics as our hobby we are kinda forced to deal with government agencies, for some it seems to cause much distress, I just kinda ignore it, suck it up and try not bitch about it..
It's like payin taxes something one has to do, life goes on, if you want to mine bad enough you find a way if not run away....

All good answers to my question but it's looking like mining is kinda dying off, as the ground she isnt giving it up anymore, there will always be the 1 percent club but they don't seem last long, I think the glory days are gone....
Gt.....

 

[Reed Lukens]

There's a lot of people out mining still & doing well at it, but being that dredging isn't legal in the coastal states anymore and with the new water use restrictions, whose going to take a chance posting something online, just to find out that they were breaking laws when they come to arrest you? Unfortunately, these days & depending on your location, miners need to keep to themselves... especially in states like California.
Back in the day, I made hundreds of movies and wrote thousands of articles on our mining adventures in California... None of what we did back then is even legal there anymore.
So, yea, you're going to be involved in politics if your involved in mining of any type here in the 2020's. If you live in California, Oregon, Washington or Idaho and you loved to dredge, there's plenty of states where mining is still legal.
I lived in California, they passed laws banning mining, so I moved to Oregon, then Oregon followed California's laws banning mining a few years later, so I moved to Arizona... and this is where I will stay.
Reed