Panning in MA

scott3165

scott3165

Jr. Member
Mar 7, 2011
39
4
Massachusetts
Detector(s) used
Garrett AT Gold
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
Hello All First Time Posting in the Forum,

I live in Massachusetts and just starting panning for gold last summer in VT. I have done a lot of research and looking at TOPO graphs and trying to understand what I am looking at and for.

My question is: Is there a chance to find gold wherever I can find bedrock?

The problem I am running into in the streams I am panning is mica, alot of it. There are alot of huge chunks of quartz rocks which I'm hoping is another sign there might be gold in the streams.

I've been looking where people have already found gold close to me and most of it is 5+hours which makes it hard to go every weekend, especially when gas is climbing well over 3.50 a gallon. So I'm trying to do more research on how and if I can find gold closer to me where it has never been found. I go out and take samples and bring them back to my house to pan out when I have the chance but no luck so far. I just found some bedrock here in MA about 20 mins away and will be going to take some samples once the snow clears up some more.

Any tips would be great for my searching!

Scott
 

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are there any good rivers in n.h. were i can get some dirt to bring home.heading up sat.morning with my 2 brothers.any help would be greatley appriciated.
 

The Baker River on Route 118 in Warren, NH. There is a public parking area on the side of the road as well as public access to the River at the following coordinates: 43 degrees, 56.438 minutes North, 71 degrees, 52.327 minutes West (try these on Google Earth which will show the exact spot). Water is likely still quite high (and COLD) as the snow in the White Mountains is still melting. You will be able to access some decent gravel on the road side of the river. Good luck, nuggets and coarse gold in this river.
 

hey all say I was wondering have any of you guys ever been questioned by mass dep for panning, only reason I ask is I sent them an e mail they said I cannot ?? unless they were thinking I was gonna do it with big equipment. not sure
but i am reading postings and want to drive up there but im somewhat concerned about potentially getting in trouble
can u just use a pan and nothing more can I use a sluice ? in CT i was told pans only personally i think im gonna take a 3-4 day weekend and goto VT or NH
Thanks everyone
John
 

DEP probably doesn't know and if they get too many questions they will make regulations to keep you from having any fun, seen it before, made up of people at desk jobs making up rules for everyone else. "Sometimes it's easier to beg for forgiveness than to get permission" just saying.
 

I have had the same problem with the DEEP in CT. I have tryed to get info on prospecting in CT with no luck. The only laws that I have found have to do with large scale rock minning. I have a 2.5" Angus Mackirk highbanker, I have yet to be stopped by the DEEP.
 

just wondering how everyone's prospecting been doing on around here, haven't had time to get out myself but am hoping to this weekend.
 

hi all, I live in ma also and have Tried my hand at panning some material I grabbed from blandford at a few spots but no luck except a couple tiny sand grain sized pieces (I think). if anyone knows any other spots they'd like to share thatd be cool. I want to try a brook off rt 23 in Russell. it's all bedrock and waterfalls and all that. if anyone has tried it lemme know how it was !!! thanks everyone !
 

Hello everyone. I am also new to this and live in southeastern MA near RI. Does anyone know about spots in RI? Are there any prospecting clubs in my area? Any other prospectors in my area that want to give it a go?
 

Hey fellow citizens of taxachusetts, live south of Boston south on Rt 95 halfway between 128 and 295., I just found this forum, my kids have been after me to take them panning. have been metal detecting off and on for years until bad arthiritis in my knees slowed me down and I took up rifle shooting and Cowboy Shooting (SASS) and also collect Boston Police Guns. Also I hunt for rolls off and on.

We have a couple Garrett pans and have been wondering where to try our luck, reading this thread gives me hope that there is stuff out there. I have to tell the kids! Now that my wife has retired we should have the time to see what we can do.

OH by the way, I mentioned to a friend at work about wanting to gold pan and he said about a half hour north of his family cabin up at Rangley is the Swift (?) River and he said he heard it has gold.
 

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as far as i know,anything west of the berkshires has some specs of gold,iv heard even the westfield river has some in it.im sure someone will respond with some more exact locations.
 

I have done some research and have seen some locations listed, one person mentioned to watch out for black bears so I posted on Northeastshooter.com what the law is regarding shooting a bear out of season if you life is in danger.
Of course in Massachusetts they would rather have you eaten than hurt a poor teddy bear :headbang:
 

Total newb and I got some pans for an Xmas present, havent had a chance to use em. I have a book im gonna do some reading on, and going to try and hit the westfield river this week. I have absolutely no clue what I am doing itll be my first time, but just looking to have fun. If anyone has any good tips for a newbie like me, ill take em! thanks folks and good diggin
 

placertogo said:
The Baker River on Route 118 in Warren, NH. There is a public parking area on the side of the road as well as public access to the River at the following coordinates: 43 degrees, 56.438 minutes North, 71 degrees, 52.327 minutes West (try these on Google Earth which will show the exact spot). Water is likely still quite high (and COLD) as the snow in the White Mountains is still melting. You will be able to access some decent gravel on the road side of the river. Good luck, nuggets and coarse gold in this river.
Click to expand...

I went to google earth and had trouible trying to put in the coordinates, first ended up in Uzbekistan. I went to Warren in GE and dragged the cursor until I got to your coordinates and ended up in the woods about a mile west of the river. Looking at the river and road though I see a wide sandy part along the road right by the river and wonder if that is the public parking.
 

Hey Guys,
A new GPAA chapter just formed in Western Mass. It is in Greenfield. Started by Tim English.
Meetings are the 3rd sunday of the month at 3:30. We meet at the Masonic lodge on Munson Rd.
All are welcome. We are a newly formed group that likes to detect and prospect.

We have a small group going out on Labor day. We are headed up to Couch Brook. anyone interested- post here. or e-mail me. [email protected]

I posted this in another thread, but I thought I might get more views posting here too.

Big MIke
 

If you are interested and you have Labor day free, Join us. We are going up to Couch Brook, north of greenfield, just off rte 5
 

How did you do at Couch Brook?

I have been bit bad by the Gold Fever, I am sitting here at work trying to plan my next trip up north. Whether to go for an overnight or just a day trip. There is only a couple months of good weather left and I only have 3 weekends open but may take a vacation day to go on a weekday..
I want to hit the river, even though I have yet to find anything!
 

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