"Where is the Gold?"

[FiresEye]

"Where is the Gold?"

Those greedy folks who horde information are missing the point of the hobby( and life )
Since, none of us are really getting rich, and very few are even covering the COST OF TIME AND MATERIALS, I tend to strongly dislike those people who try to hide and cover up what they are doing.

So, when Asked by a true soul " Where is the Gold? " I am inclined to help them.
Because in the end, they will realize that they won't get rich, but can enjoy themselves.

Constantly out on the river I am approached by people asking me " didja find 'anything'? " and most of the time I tell them "not yet. "
Because that's not a lie.. I didn't find "anything", but I may have found something

However, when I see a true prospector on the river, who needs a little help, I always direct them to a spot where they can pan out a little color. I show them some old holes I've worked that always fill up with at least one flake of gold when it floods.. I explain to them I do this for fun, not money.

And, when I come back the next week and find them digging in the same hole I was last week, I don't dislike them, because I know 10 other holes, and I know they will eventually learn the gold way too. And also, because I once did the same, dug in a hole someone else started, and dug on in places that were "forbidden" .. So If one can learn and lead by example, it will be greater for all.

But, then I see these dredgers roll up in their 4x4 trucks, and steam roll suction the banks during the flood season leaving fallen trees and a bad name to the little guy, and well, it gets me all worked up. I see non prospectors and boaters trashing up the place with debree and etc, and well, it's a bad wrap for all.

Luckily for me, I've learned what is what, and who is who. So that makes a difference in dealing with strangers. However, when approached by some greedy ask dredge guy trying to push all the little guys out, who threatens me with " his buddies in the ranger department" and tells me not to tell anyone there is gold here, I just sort of glow at the truth, that what goes around surely comes around.

And so now, I just do my thing.. I may not find anything, but I am doing the work of the river, and the true passion of the hobby.. FUN.... not greed. And I won't lie, I was bit by the greed bug once, but it's long passed, and I am trying to teach new people how to not destroy the land and prospect positively, to create a new community of adventurists.

Because there's tons of gold for all, and I don't mean those shiny little flakes at the bottom of the pan, I mean the experience in getting there.

So, if one happens to see another on the river and you ask them " Where's the Gold " .. don't always expect a true answer

So, what do YOU tell people....

 

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[Chug And Red]

Re: "Where is the Gold?"

Let me think about this I will get back to you!!! Chug

I'm tired and Have had a few and do not want to be Miss understood on my answer!!! Chug !!!! I will check in the AM like I always do on previous posts!!!!

 

[FiresEye]

Re: "Where is the Gold?"

No worries, I have edited the post a few times just to fix spelling and etc.. but the core topic remains the same.
I know this post won't change much in such a large world, but if I can even make a small difference, and give back some of what I know, I can make a difference.
Also, it's after midnight here, but luckily my boss at my first job won't have me in till 10am tomorrow and my second job won't start till 4pm..
So, I'm like, GOLDEN


Not to mention, I make wayyyy more money in the "real world" than I do on some adventure in a dangerous river area.
That's part of what I mean by the "gold way" in the original post.

 

[strickman]

Re: "Where is the Gold?"

I always try to help , as I was a newbie one day a long time ago myself . I would even show some one more than i should ,sometimes . I would never put them on my honey hole .......... not out of greed , because anyone that knows me knows I have given away more than a lot of people ever find ............ I have some spots that I will never go to -by myself or any other . unless I am with a certain person ..... If me and a friend have a special hole -it's out of respect that I would never take another ... not greed... I have some spots that I could share -but others I could not .you see I am very old school , If I give my word - that's it . no discussion . I honor my word - hope and pray my kids do as well !!!!!!!!! A lot of old school prospectors are that way . so you see it's not always greed -sometimes it's a mans word , honor or commitment . none of us are getting rich , some find a little - the ones who find more than average -are above average themselves .... meaning they have put in years of research ,homework -legwork -gas money ,time - lost time with the wife and kids.... etc............. you can't blame no one for not giving that out to freely . I wouldn't .. if some one found a pound of gold -would you congratulate them ? or would you ask them where ,when ,how ? if your answer is the later ,then who is really the greedy one I have learned more from research -good friends -time spent in the field . if they make a good find I wish them the best , hope they find more ...and one day I'll have a good day in return . kind of like planting good karma ....... even a blind squirrel finds a nut every now and then !!!!! I have found one or two . as have many others on here. most of the time the one who finds the most don't talk about it ... that is the nature of the beast . it's not always greed but could be any number of reasons . but one day some one will throw you a bone , what you do with that bone tells a lot about you . that's why it's good to throw someone a bone every now and then . every thing comes around full circle . that's why they always say GOLD IS WHERE YOU FIND IT !!!!!!

 

[FiresEye]

Re: "Where is the Gold?"

Hey Strictman.... That's why I have a lot of respect for you and some of the other guys posts I read here on the forum.
As far as your posts goes, that's a very solid answer and I gotta give it a huge

I think you said it best with "GOld's where you find it" !

I wasn't even going to post this topic but I had a few beers last night and wanted to rant, so yeah. But it's how I feel, really. And especially since along the way I've been thrown many bones, by men, beast, and the good lord too!

So yeah, thanks again for all the information you've posted and all the people you've helped.

About the main honey hole.. I totally agree, word is bond, and you can only build trust by keeping it.. SO mad props

It's like this one day this guy helped me rip up this huge chunk of bedrock( will leave him un-named ) and he told me how I could scrub the rock into a bucket to get a lot of fine gold off of it. So instead of doing it himself he taught me a technique I would have never known. So yeah, I hope it comes back around eventually!

And yes, some of us make a few dollars, but really, once the gold fever has passed and reality sets in, a prospector get's a new outlook on life, and the hobby.

Later!

PS- thanks for not pointing out the wrongs of others, like I did.. it's easy to point fingers, when in fact I would be a huge hypocrit to say I hadn't once been destructive to the environment, or thrown trash on the ground.. So cheers! ANd RIDE ON!

 

[Chug And Red]

Re: "Where is the Gold?"

Sorry for the delay It has been a busy day!!!!

I do not prospect for Gold But i do find it Usually in rings and other Items!!!

Yes People do Protect the areas they are Hunting!!!

Sometimes for A good reason!!

They may have found a good area that is producing and may not want to share it ever or yet!!!

As for me I have a park that has produced for me this Year!!!

This park has given up 6 gold rings and the 30.6 gram Medallion the is in our avatar pis!!! 18k With gold topping at 1348.10 today the last time i checked!!! It makes people nervous to even mention what they are pulling up!!! all of my finds are safe in a deposit box now If gold keeps Going up I might have to Sweet talk My gold Keeper into selling!!!!!

If you live near Me and want to Help me grid of a 30 acre park only half way done !!! Pm me I now of several other parks I would not go to with out back up!!!!

 

[FiresEye]

Re: "Where is the Gold?"

Very interesting.. even though I have a decent metal detector, I live in the SE U.S, and have only used it to find war relics from the civil war... Those civil war battle grounds are pretty sweet.. The fox holes and trenches still there, and I even found a confederate bullet stuck in a tree, where the bark was growing around it, and had almost covered it in a large lump.. Amoung other relics cannon ball fragments are quite common.
However, with my treasure hobbies mostly focused on gold prospecting because of the ourdoor nature and also old penny collecting, because of the value, I haven't searched any parks.. Yet.

In contrast, I live in an extremely historical city, one once named " Old Providence " a route on the way from Atlanta to the city of Dahlonega, a first settlement during that 1800's boom. So, when I do go metal detecting, I hit the wide woods and those old farms. When I finally get around to visiting city hall to view the old maps, I will probably get a better insight about who's door to go knocking on for permission to hunt.

 

[Hoser John]

Re: "Where is the Gold?"

Sniveling and whining about dredgers- insipid stupidity--John

 

[bakergeol]

Re: "Where is the Gold?"

I also did not like this quote either.

"But, then I see these dredgers roll up in their 4x4 trucks, and steam roll suction the banks during the flood season leaving fallen trees and a bad name to the little guy, and well, it gets me all worked up. I see non prospectors and boaters trashing up the place with debree and etc, and well, it's a bad wrap for all."

Dredgers are the little guys too. Panners, high bankers and dredgers are in the same boat with the Green Police trying to get us off of public lands.

I have more than once seen folks digging in the large area I created. No big deal. It is just a natural tendency for newbies to dig where someone else thought was a good spot.

I have no problems with helping people who are truely interested in our hobby. Made some new friends that way. However, unruly tourists who expect me to stop and entertain them are another story.
As I used to work right off the highway with a good tourist crowd it did get to be a problem. For the really bad ones I would show them a large copper nugget I kept in my pants. After that they were too busy prying the hub caps off of their cars to go panning to give me any more grief.

George

 

[strickman]

Re: "Where is the Gold?"

panners ,dredgers and highbankers are definitely the little guys in the same boat . any non-commercial operation as well . I am all for keeping our rivers clean , but the green police have alterior motives . we have to watch our backs before we lose all our rights - the socialist is the real enemy !!!!!!!!!! they say they are protecting the environment but we do more for the environment than they ever will.

 

[AU Seeker]

Re: "Where is the Gold?"

Most who are real gold dredgers go for the deeper places in the rivers that no one panning could ever get down too, we remove many pound of pollutants that would remain in the water otherwise.

I just had to make that point clear that "all" dredgers aren't "destroyers" and most of us don't dredge into banks or harm any vegetation, we would rather get the areas that haven't/can't be prospected any other way, yes there are some that do, but the majority don't, the ones who do so are only in it for the riches and don't really care for anyone but themselves, I also have seen many panners and highbankers digging into banks creating just as big a problem.

I also will share a spot with someone that seems genuinely interested and seems to be sincere in learning to do it the right way, I will even put them on my dredge and let them keep any gold found.

I also love nothing better than giving someone GOLD FEVER, any newbie that comes my way is surely to get infected.

FiresEye,

I'm curious, have you ever dredged?

It's sorta a religion experience and everyone whom I have put on my dredge fell in love with the experience and seeing gold in situ (situated in the original, natural, or existing place or position) is something that you will never forget or get tried of seeing, it's worth more the gold found by far!!!


Skip

 

[strickman]

Re: "Where is the Gold?"

Most who are real gold dredgers go for the deeper places in the rivers that no one panning could ever get down too, we remove many pound of pollutants that would remain in the water otherwise.

I just had to make that point clear that "all" dredgers aren't "destroyers" and most of us don't dredge into banks or harm any vegetation, we would rather get the areas that haven't/can't be prospected any other way, yes there are some that do, but the majority don't, the ones who do so are only in it for the riches and don't really care for anyone but themselves, I also have seen many panners and highbankers digging into banks creating just as big a problem.

I also will share a spot with someone that seems genuinely interested and seems to be sincere in learning to do it the right way, I will even put them on my dredge and let them keep any gold found.

I also love nothing better than giving someone GOLD FEVER, any newbie that comes my way is surely to get infected. well said au, all the dredgers I know are the most giving that you will find . I have run a dredge all day ,took two days to go thru the cons - then give a vial full away . to another member of t-net . I believe in pay it forward , as do a lot here on t-net . it's not about the money ,it cost me $45.00 in gas - plus lunch -and a LOT of time .as high as gold is - not to many people would have done that .... I am proud to be a dredger and I have removed more mercury and lead than most leaf lickers have seen ...........I create good spawning beds for the fish ,give them deeper holes to keep then cool {for trout} help keep the silt down ,provide a lot of food for an easy meal . I have had trout swim into my sluice box with the dredge running ,eating nymphs and various other insects that they would not have gotten with out my help . been to an area with no visible life ,dredged and went back the following day .there were numerous fish feeding in the hole ,crayfish abounded ,several turtles .I am no rocket scientist ,but seemed to me I helped ..................it was better for the creatures after I left . than it was before.......I don't leave trash [in fact I pick it up on a regular occasion ] and I don't dredge the bank . when the water is high ,early spring I have been in the shallows [nothing wrong with that ] long arming ,as I do not have air on my dredge . but when the water recedes so do I . I go where most panners don't . I don't get rich , none of us do . I feel lucky if I pay for my gas [that is my personal goal] .I have had a good day or two .BUT I HAVE ALWAYS GIVEN WAY MORE THAN I TAKE.........AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO !!!!!!!!!!! I have bought tools of the trade and given to newbies ,just to plant a seed . and the best thrill of all was giving a nugget to a child [seeded it in there pan ] just so there mom or dad would feel there trip was not wasted . hell I am proud to be a dredger ,hope my boys are too !!!!! I just hope they are never on the socialist side of the fence !!!! we need these freedoms , stand up and fight for them . people have given there life to make sure we have them .we need to honor them and all there efforts ............. thank God for the armed forces . and thank God for dredgers like us !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[TAKODA]

Re: "Where is the Gold?"

If a man put's in the time and effort to find a place that yeilds a little gold ...... I don't think it's "greedy" for that man to keep it quite . Besides , people learn more by doing for themselves . Helping somebody out is one thing ............. putting it in the pan for them is another .

Same as fishing as far as I'm concerned . You don't give away your best spot or exactly how your catching them . It's not " GREED " .............. it's just a secret .

 

[FiresEye]

Re: "Where is the Gold?"

FiresEye,

I'm curious, have you ever dredged?



Skip

Yes, I have.

And it's just the way things work that when someone leads by a bad example, others will follow. Which is why it is extremely respectable for people to come outright and say what they wanna say. This is the good part of voicing ones opinion on the topic.
My old employer used to say you're only as good as your last mistake.. Well, daily I remind him that I'm better than my last win. That I am a win'win. Most people see this in me, which is why I am still alive today to keep going on my merry way.

 

[FiresEye]

Re: "Where is the Gold?"

I don't dredge the bank . when the water is high ,early spring I have been in the shallows long arming ,as I do not have air on my dredge . but when the water recedes so do I . I go where most panners don't . I don't get rich , none of us do . I feel lucky if I pay for my gas [that is my .I have had a good day or two . I have bought tools of the trade and given to newbies ,just to plant a seed .. hell I am proud to be a dredger ,hope my boys are too !!!!! I just hope they are never on the socialist side of the fence !!!! we need these freedoms , stand up and fight for them . people have given there life to make sure we have them .we need to honor them and all there efforts .thank God for the armed forces . and thank God for dredgers like us !

This is the most solid advice I've had yet in relation to the topic.

 

[FiresEye]

Re: "Where is the Gold?"

Sniveling and whining about dredgers- insipid stupidity--John

Not sure i like your connotation. Inseminate attacks like this are just blind ignorance.

Be well, and lots of gold to you.