New to Arizona and Gold Detecting

[AhVwanderers]

Coming from a panning background in New England. Wife and I recently sold everything and bought a Motohome now are traveling the U.S. We are in Arizona for the winter and I have always wanted to metal detect for gold (bought a Garrett ATX). We are in Payson till Thanksgiving then will be spending time in Yuma and Quartzite. I would love to find someone or people that wouldn’t mind taking me under their wing and help me through the learning process hopefully make some new friendships in the process. I am available during the week and on most weekends.

 

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[Terry Soloman]

Welcome to the forum! First, you need to review the gold prospecting clubs in the areas you want to nuggetshoot. There is no detectable gold in or near Payson, or on the Mogollon Rim. Quartzite is mostly claimed, and again there are several clubs in that area. Yuma, is not really a good area. Most of the detectable gold is in the Gold Basin area, Weaver, Bradshaw, and Date Creek mountains in Central, and Northwest Arizona. Do your research and join a club. Best of luck!

 

[Reed Lukens]

Go west Due west. Look up gold prospecting in AZ and go where gold is first. You're not that far from the area, 3 hours from us, we're in Congress, but there is gold an hour or so away from you. Look up az mining claims on mylandmatters.org and plan your trip a bit differently. There's a whole lot to see and do here...

 

[AhVwanderers]

Welcome to the forum! First, you need to review the gold prospecting clubs in the areas you want to nuggetshoot. There is no detectable gold in or near Payson, or on the Mogollon Rim. Quartzite is mostly claimed, and again there are several clubs in that area. Yuma, is not really a good area. Most of the detectable gold is in the Gold Basin area, Weaver, Bradshaw, and Date Creek mountains in Central, and Northwest Arizona. Do your research and join a club. Best of luck!

Thanks, one of the reasons I landed on the forum was I was finding what you are saying true. I have been looking into clubs in the area also.

 

[AhVwanderers]

Go west Due west. Look up gold prospecting in AZ and go where gold is first. You're not that far from the area, 3 hours from us, we're in Congress, but there is gold an hour or so away from you. Look up az mining claims on mylandmatters.org and plan your trip a bit differently. There's a whole lot to see and do here...

The reason we are ending up in Yuma is a longer story. I am looking at clubs to join and some seem very expensive and I am not sure if the higher cost is justified yet for the club I am interested in. Was hoping to get out a little and see the area feet on the ground before making a commitment to any one club.

 

[ArfieBoy]

Welcome to the forum from Oregon! Good luck in your search for gold!

 

[Lanny in AB]

Welcome to the forum, and good luck chasing that sassy Arizona gold; it sure it beautiful!

You're on the money by trying to find someone to take you out that knows the area, best way to learn what's going on in any new area. I hope someone takes you out for a little nugget shooting. If not, the best thing you can do (as others have said) is to join a club, and that way if you go to an outing, you'll get a good chance of finding someone in that club that's passionate about what they're doing and hopefully they'll teach you a trick or two, but if no one mosey's up to you, at least you'll be on better ground than if you just go out and stagger around on your own.

All the best,

Lanny