New to Prospecting

[Swampbuckster]

Ok, about two weeks ago went out panning with a friend of mine with just some pie plates and wouldn't ya know we found a bit of color. It was only a pepper sized speck but it still was gold. Since then my buddy and I have been heading out numerous times - still with the pie plates. Finding gold 2 of the 4 times we went out. Not much, just flour specks, but remember we are just beginners with pie plates. Well, two 14" pans just came in the mail yesterday and we are planning to head out again. We have since added some home made classifiers to our collection and also built a re circulating sluice box along with a small hand sluice I just finished last night. I am an avid outdoorsman and hunt and fish my butt off. This whole prospecting thing has now added one more priority to my list of hobbies and now am not sure what to do...hunt....fish....or prospect!!!

 

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[TarheelPanner]

I know what you mean swampbuckster, my friend gave me the "fever" and cant get it to go away. We also have some homemade classifiers made out of trash cans. Good luck out there!

 

[Swampbuckster]

I know what you mean swampbuckster, my friend gave me the "fever" and cant get it to go away. We also have some homemade classifiers made out of trash cans. Good luck out there!

Just got back from a little panning session. Cold out there and tough to see any color as the sun dropped lower. Tested out the small sluice today too. No gold collected out of it but did pick up the smallest chunks of lead and buckshot so I must be on the right track. Did end up 3 flour specs classifying and dumping straight into the pan. Came home wet after I found a wader leak. Still letting my middle toe on my right foot thaw out a little. Gonna give it a shot in the am!

 

[highdesertranger]

wow a blast from the past. i panned my first gold with a pie tin as a boy in the 60's. highdesertranger

 

[forhorsmn]

now am not sure what to do...hunt....fish....or prospect!!!

Find the right river and you can fish AND prospect Now that the weather is warming up here a bit, I may go out and try that myself. Gold and catfish here I come LOL

 

[williamsingr]

Check out Pioneer for cheap gold pans I got a 16 inch blue one for 10 bucks with shipping, instead of in the river check up on the banks where you see them large boulders, look for the bedrock in the streams or dig down to the bedrock where you found the flakes and you should find more

 

[TarheelPanner]

Find the right river and you can fish AND prospect Now that the weather is warming up here a bit, I may go out and try that myself. Gold and catfish here I come LOL

Sounds like my kind of trip right there!

 

[Swampbuckster]

Check out Pioneer for cheap gold pans I got a 16 inch blue one for 10 bucks with shipping, instead of in the river check up on the banks where you see them large boulders, look for the bedrock in the streams or dig down to the bedrock where you found the flakes and you should find more

Yeah, like I was sayin, picked up two 14" pans online for $5.50 each. They work out a lot nicer. Not much as far as boulders or bedrock around here. And the creeks we have been pulling gold from are tiny brooks you can jump across. We have had a little success on a small river but seems easier to find color in the little creeks.