New to panning (NC)

[cook1100]

Great web site I just found it about 10 mins ago. I have lived in NC my whole life and live just out side of Asheboro. I have two creeks that run the property. I am new to panning and have no idea where to start panning and unsure if the two creeks on the property are worth panning. Any help would be great.
Thanks

 

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[Jeffro]

Check out the videos all over youtube about how to pan. Try a few pans full of dirt and throw in a couple BB's or lead shot fishing weights. Once you get the hang of it without losing you BB's, head on down to the creek and do some test panning. You should take your samples from areas where there is a lot of river rock, not that loose, loamy soil. If there's gold in your creeks, you'll find it

 

[B H Prospector]

Hi Cook,
welcome to the forum. As you read through the threads you will find everyone is more than willing to help and you will learn alot. You didn't say how deep or wide the creeks are but this info will work for most creeks if they aren't too deep.
Look for sand bars on the inside of bends in the creek. Gold is 19+ times heavier than water and twice as heavy as lead. So it isn't going to be sitting on top. You will need to do alot of digging. Also look for exposed bedrock in and out of the creek and clean out the cracks and depressions of all the dirt you can get. Exposed bedrock out of the creek will capture gold during flood stage. bedrock in a live creek needs more specialized equipment. Also dig around large boulders, especially on the downstream side. Roots and moss will also catch gold. Clean it very good.
Look for what is called benches. This is gravel that is deposited away from the live creek along side of the creek. It could be a few feet up on the bank or it can be an ancient channel where the creek use to flow. I have a claim where I am working a bench that is 60 ft above the creek and about 80 yds away from it. The claim next to me is working a bench about 100ft above the creek and 50 ft away from the creek. Another claim I know of the bench is 1/4 mile from the creek and 3/4 of the way up a 4600 ft mountain.
The idea of working a bench is to dig down to the ancient bedrock to get to the bigger deposits and larger gold. The top gravel can very from just a few inches above bedrock to several feet. Some time the biggest drawback for working benches is water supply. If possible highbankers work great.
I have two claims in the Black Hills of South Dakota. One has water (the one I first mentioned) the other is dry most of the year so I use a drywasher there.
Also follow the old addage to look for gold where gold has been found before. If you are in an area known for gold then look for the areas I mentioned.
Hope this helps. Any question just ask and someone will help.

Good luck!
BH Prospector

 

[Astrobouncer]

You are very lucky in that you live in a good area, since you are fairly close to Uwharrie Nat. Forest. Go buy the permit, then check the maps to see which streams they allow panning/sluicing on. Some great gold has been found there in the past and no doubt there are plenty of fines still waiting to be found. Good luck!

 

[cook1100]

Thanks for the info. About the creeks one is about 30' wide and 1 to 10' deep in the winter and 1 to 3' in the summer, the other is 15 to 20' wide and 1 to not to sure how deep. I have done the bb test in my pan. Uwharrie river is about 1/2 mile from the house going to try there later. I was just not sure where to look for the gold. There is a water fall on one of the creeks and looking to try there.

 

[russau]

you need to find a club close to you or someone thatll teach you about prospecting/mining and dredgeing! once someone shows you how to do these in person,youll be set and make a lot of friends quickly!

 

[Jeffro]

Thanks for the info. About the creeks Caraway is about 30' wide and 1 to 10' deep in the winter and 1 to 3' in the summer, Taylors is about 15 to 20' wide and 1 to not to sure how deep. I have done the bb test in my pan. Uwharrie river is about 1/2 mile from the house going to try there later. I was just not sure where to look for the gold. There is a water fall on one of the creeks and looking to try there.

You should test anywhere there's gravel to find the best spots. Other than that, there's plenty of posts right here in this forum for lots of good leads.

 

[enamel7]

You are very lucky in that you live in a good area, since you are fairly close to Uwharrie Nat. Forest. Go buy the permit, then check the maps to see which streams they allow panning/sluicing on. Some great gold has been found there in the past and no doubt there are plenty of fines still waiting to be found. Good luck!

Just so you know, no permit is necessary to pan at Uwharrie.

 

[cook1100]

Looking at going to the creek today even if nothing is found I will enjoy just being out. Any info on Uwharrie would help also. Some say go to Eldorado but I'm about 40mins away from there and about 2min away from Uwharrie here at the house and have permission to access it from private property off Hwy 49. Should it be just as good up here then it is there? Thanks for all the info so far it has helped

 

[cook1100]

Just got in from the creek no luck but I did enjoy it. Water is up due to rain. In on eof the pics there is a rock wall that is about 50' long on one side of the creek , would this be a good place to look come summer. Also add some more pics of the creek for any ideas on where to look.

Thanks

 

[warw1zard]

Caraway and Uwharrie carry placer gold. The closer you are to Caraway mt. the better results. I'm also in Asheboro and would suggest building a sluice box to cut down on the work. Most of what I'm finding in the creeks and streams are deep. Some areas I've had to dig 4 foot or more to start finding the pickers and most above has been bird shot size or smaller. Areas around the water falls normally beat the gold to dust but it's always worth a try. Level Cross is a good area along with locations close to the Davidson line. There is a company just shy of the Davidson line from Canada that started mining last year on old hwy 49 which has pulled over 200oz since starting. Lots of good videos on youtube and great people here... good luck

 

[turbo741]

Do you guys know if since they allow panning in Uwharrie forest area will they allow a person to metal detect in that area on the banks?

 

[enamel7]

Do you guys know if since they allow panning in Uwharrie forest area will they allow a person to metal detect in that area on the banks?

No. You can get a permit to detect in the forest, but it is only where they say you can go. To do otherwise is to risk having your detector taken.

 

[turbo741]

You say in the forests...but what if I wanted to detect on the dried river banks in the bends of the river?

 

[warw1zard]

5 Grams in the pan. 30 Min. work. Good day.

 

[Hoshnasi]

5 Grams in the pan. 30 Min. work. Good day.

Good day indeed!

 

[turbo741]

5 Grams in the pan. 30 Min. work. Good day.

Was this is uwharrie?

 

[enamel7]

You say in the forests...but what if I wanted to detect on the dried river banks in the bends of the river?

Again, you can only detect in certain areas, and those areas are designated by the rangers. I've been told this doesn't include creek areas.

 

[warw1zard]

No, not Uwharrie but I'm living on the edge of the forrest which is 1/2 mile away. Currently i'm in Asheboro, NC panning on family property. The first time I started panning around 11 years old I never found anything in this stream. Now 47, panning the same location again and finding gold. This location was once a small mine operation in the 1800's with the only thing left being a rock wall that spans 1/2 mile long and a old model t car in the middle of the woods.