New to Wa and the gold game

[DuB TeK]

Hey all first post
I'm greenhorn central over here in the Tacoma area...

New to Washington and the PNW
New to treasurenet
New to the gold gettn thing
I got the bug while on a creek hike in the national forest where I could see gold on the bottom!!!!


Googling got me the Fish&Gold packet as well as Treasurenet!!!

But I'm a bit confused by the packet.....

I'm looking for somewhere the wife and I Could pickup a couple colors in a hand pan
My equipment list is short
1/2 - 1/4" - 1/8th classifiers
2 Hand pans
A Small shovel
And some buckets


But I don't quite understand the where/when in the packet...
It's my understanding
As long as I don't have any power equipment
I can hand pan any of the creeks/rivers on the list at any time of year?
And if yes what changes if I add a small fold up sluice that uses creek water flow?
I should all fall under "without timing restrictions" still correct?


Thanks for reading everyone
Any info would be very much appreciated
Thanks
~Jeff

 

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[mike(swWash)]

With that equipment list you're good to go anywhere.
While working rivers without timing restrictions, make sure you dig your dirt away from the water as illustrated in the G&F pamphlet.
You can gather much info from the main gold forums since there are a lot of Wa. guys posting there.

Gold Prospecting Forum


Good luck and welcome.

 

[DuB TeK]

Hey mike SW
Thanks for the reply

It sounds like my only issue is making sure I'm not on someone else's claim before I start...

With that said I see no claims inside Capitol forest near Olympia
Can I pan waddel and Sherman creeks year round without worry??

I assumed it was a state park so I kept looking elsewhere




I'll post up in the other location with some promising lode locations I found this sumer

 

[Sirbarksalot]

Washingtonprospectors.org might have the information you're looking for.

 

[DuB TeK]

Washingtonprospectors.org might have the information you're looking for.

Sent in for our membership monday of this week

I'm just itchn to hit a creek this weekend

 

[mike(swWash)]

Waddell cr. is state forest and cannot be claimed, it's also open to panning and sluicing year round. The campgrounds are closed in winter but you can walk in year round. Only fine gold and just barely enough to keep me going back.

There's several youtube videos on waddell gold to view but the gold isn't everywhere you dig, but inside corner gravel bars usually have a bit of color to be found.

Also there's a few places on the south coast where there's super fine gold in the black sand deposits. The south end of the Long Beach peninsula is the best, right below North head light house is best, and there's several videos on that also. That's where I usually go in the winter when the rivers are too high and you're good to go a couple hrs before and after low tide.
Much luck, Mike

 

[DuB TeK]

Waddell cr. is state forest and cannot be claimed, it's also open to panning and sluicing year round. The campgrounds are closed in winter but you can walk in year round. Only fine gold and just barely enough to keep me going back.

There's several youtube videos on waddell gold to view but the gold isn't everywhere you dig, but inside corner gravel bars usually have a bit of color to be found.

Thanks again for the info Mike
Heading up today to try our luck
I'll be a happy camper if I see a color or 2

Picked up a small Keene sluice yesterday from the shop in Bremerton
I'm hoping it ups my odds a bit!





As for the beach
The plan is to try it out over winter if the weather lets us...

 

[golddigger14s]

Some other local sources:

http://bedrockprospectors.org/

[url]http://wwgpaa.com/


I[/URL] live close to Waddell, and would be willing to go out there with you.

 

[DuB TeK]

I live close to Waddell, and would be willing to go out there with you.

Wish i would have checked back here sooner!!!


Been down there 3 times now
All near the campground
Brought home lots of con's
Spent days classifying my stash


Built a DIY Miller table with marginal success
https://youtu.be/PiTvJxrKVKs

https://youtu.be/PiTvJxrKVKs