wyoming panning

Lookin

Hero Member
Feb 15, 2008
573
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Kentucky
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When I lived in Wy, I never made it over to the Bighorns for prospecting, but as they say, gold is where it is at! I used to prospect in the Wyoming Range (Western Wy) which was not known for gold. Guess what, I found gold in nearly every shovel full! I'd suggest that you sample around whatever creeks are convenient (and don't have staked claims) and go from there. When you find some color, work that creek.

Of course, there is always Douglas Creek near Douglas and the area around South Pass City in the Winds that are known for gold!

Good luck!
 

jewelerdave

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Aug 29, 2007
848
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Fort Collins, Colorado
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I just follow my nose!...where the silver and gold goes!
Minelab 5000, Goldmaster, and a few others
XRF spectrometer, Common sense.
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Prospecting
Prospecting is about looking for gold in new places. Hence the word Prospector!

Wyoming has been virtually ignored for the wealth it contains. Most think of it as a cattle state and a vast barren wasteland of nothingness...witch most of it is, But.

There are many areas I have found in Co and Wy where there is gold where "its not supposed to be"
Keep in mind only about 20% of Wyoming's mineral deposits have been explored, New stuff is found all the time, Just in the last 30 years have been Diamonds and a new gold district, in the last 8 have been Iolite, Ruby/sapphire, peridot, new uranium deposits, Just in last 3 years has been opal, more gold deposits, including one area where a guy with a metal detector managed to pull out over 400 nuggets in a copper district!!! The place is also known for jade, coal, oil iron Tungstun, I can go on and on and on.

So, word of advice on Wyoming. Gold is where you find it, as well as a lot of other weird things and where that may be...who knows until you prospect and look.
Basically, Wyoming is filled with Billions of Dollars in Mineral wealth. And in a stat with fewer people per square mile than Alaska, There are good chances of finding things.
I venture up there all the time to look for fun and new things, And I find em!
 

DanB

Hero Member
Oct 23, 2007
624
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great info.... sounds like a road trip.....I need to check this out, I have a free week or two this summer..

db
 

shadowwalker

Jr. Member
Feb 19, 2006
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In the bighorns I found gold in Crazy Woman creek on the eastern side, and the creeks north of the highway above Bald Mountain on the western side. If you find your way into the winter feed grounds,west of Sheridan. Look for a creek on the northeast side of exactly where they feed. It is about 1/2 to 3/4 of a mile away. I found good gold. But I was horn hunting and in march in wyoming. Could only use my 9 inch. "Snitch Pan" as I call it. Alittle while because of the cold water. And was really finding horns. Mostly small flour and very small flake gold. But did find it in almost every pan. Watch out where your at on Crazy Woman. Some land creek runs in is private. I once met a guy that showed me nuggets(1/8 of an inch flat) he said he found below the Toungue River in a dry creek bed. But wanted $350.00 to tell me where. I just couldn't take the word of a stranger like that.
 

nebraskadad

Sr. Member
Jan 8, 2005
287
9
There is a history of claims in the Big Horns, up between Buffalo and Ten Sleep. Don't recall exact location No reports of finds I can pass along.

There are many areas through out Wyoming where there is gold

Medicine Bow NF particularly on Douglas Creek
Out Around Atlantic City - on Rock, Strawberry, Dickey Springs, and other locations (LOT OF CLAIMS, you have to be careful where you step.) Don't even know if there are any GPAA claims, I do know there are WPA Claims if you join the club.

Up around Cook City is another location, outside the east entrance of Jellystone.

Go the the WYGS website for further info.


http://www.wsgs.uwyo.edu

check out this doc for particulars.
http://www.wsgs.uwyo.edu/metals/IP-9.pdf
 

Bum Luck

Silver Member
May 24, 2008
3,482
1,282
Wisconsin
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Teknetics T2SE, GARRETT GTI 2500, Garrett Infinium
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Get a copy of the Roadside Geology of Wyoming.

It is full of tips on where to hunt for lots of interesting rocks, as well as a general geological history of the areas you're going through.

Very helpful
 

mrs.oroblanco

Silver Member
Jan 2, 2008
4,356
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Black Hills of South Dakota
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Officially, no.

In actuality, the real Wyoming Lost Cabin Mine is supposedly there somewhere.

In truth, we have gotten gold from up in the Bighorns. Not the prettiest you ever saw, but there ARE places.

Geologically, it is almost identical to the Black Hills. (though the state "experts" publicly say no).


I absolutely LOVE Ten Sleep - it is one of my favorite places - but, then again, some of the best fishing I have ever done in Wyoming is there, and some of the BEST elk hunting. (along with gold, just different time of year - always something to ).

By the way - if you rent a rustic cabin - bring many many blankets. By rustic, they mean you can see the "great outdoors" from the great indoors. And there is ony a couple of really good places to eat - and they share a phone on alternate days.

So, bring your supplies with you.

Also, Sheridan has grown tremendously over the last 15 years, and prices have gone up. But there are some really good "sporting" shops in Sheridan. For some reason, some of the hunting and fishing places sell mining supplies - I wonder why?

B
 

perkins

Newbie
Feb 22, 2013
2
0
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
my dad and i used to go up by half ounce creek by bald mtn there was a pile of trailing s we went through and found a little gold havent been up there in a while though
 

perkins

Newbie
Feb 22, 2013
2
0
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
i also worked with a gal whose husband was a rancher in bighorn wy. he found a letter his dad wrote telling of the swedes who built the lost cabin , they had a tin can full of gold .the letter actually tells were the cabin is but everything was measured in horseback rides from different forts and creeks were named different . it is a pretty amazing letter though,which i got a copy of , one of the swedes was killed by indians on the way to his house . pretty cool
 

JP gold guy

Tenderfoot
Jan 6, 2014
5
1
Buffalo Wy
Detector(s) used
Fisher
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I am very interested in the letter you are talking about... My brother and I have been on the search for the lost cabin for 15yrs now... I have seen some local pictures and letters also... We have been everywhere on the bighorns. Do you still have a copy of that letter? If so would you be willing to share??
 

JP gold guy

Tenderfoot
Jan 6, 2014
5
1
Buffalo Wy
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Fisher
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All Treasure Hunting
Well russau, I just now realized i am posting in a year old forum, thanks....Isnt it funny though how everyone has a different version of the Lost Cabin:unhappysmiley:
 

Treeline

Newbie
Apr 26, 2016
2
1
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Being born and raise at the foot of the Bighorn Mountains, I thought everyone knew where Lost Cabin is.. LOL. I guess not. It's on private land, and permission should be granted before anyone goes "prospecting". Good luck!
 

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