How Much is OK for an Afternoon

[goldog]

I don't think I can do a poll but

How much gold do you expect or "hope for" when out sluicing for a day in your "regular" spot? State more or less how many hours and the cost in gas etc... This isn't a "is it worth it?" post. Clearly it's worth it to us because we are here talking about it.

At the stream close to my house (Big Tujunga Wash) on a Sun afternoon I average around a buck worth of gold for about 3 hours work. If I get that I'm happy.

Costs are 20 bucks a year for an adventure pass (parking, split with a friend) and a half gallon of gas each time round trip. My net is minus a couple bucks. As long as I don't hurt myself or let my pan float away it is a pretty cheap thrill.

It's about a 90 min trip to the E Fork SG so gas would be ten or fifteen bucks. I've only been a few times and haven't had much luck there. But I do hope to find a sweet spot sometime.

How about it? What do you need for a good outing?

 

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[okbasspro]

Its all about the hunt for me and the enjoyment being outdoors.I drive 3.5 hrs each way around $150.00 in fuel $10.00 camping.If I am lucky a few dollars worth of dust after 2 days of dredging.I always enjoy myself and meet lots of nice people.

 

[lost]

I say this in all seriousness. If I don't find a single fine or speck I'm happy. Not kidding you. Fortunately there have only been a few days like that.

But, back to your question. I always expect to find at least something. Doubt if I made Gas money most trips. An average day sluicing with my Gold Buddy or Le Trap usually scares up a couple of small pickers and maybe 25-50 darn small fines. Around here without a Dredge, that's considered a good day for 3-6 hours digging. Sounds corny, but just being out there in the water is priceless.

 

[63bkpkr]

Just being out there is why I really go prospecting and if I find some gold then it adds to the adventure. In 2010 I spent about a month working one spot that yielded about a quarter ounce of nice flat gold flakes. I learned so much on those four trips that it was worth all I spent getting back and forth and it was quite an adventure!...........63bkpkr

 

[419GottaMinute]

Well, with gas being $4.60 a gal here, its about $10 in gas, plus $10 parking fees at most the state rec areas...bit I expect to at least make gas money when I go, and I usually do. A good day is between 1 and 3 grams, bit I just sluice. The old timers I see selling gold at the shop know what the @#%$ they're doing, and usually bring in about an ounce a month. The ban really hit my new friends up here hard, makes it tough to put good on the table for these guys. I love this state, but I hate a lot of the people who live here...

 

[omnicron]

For me I always hope for a gram a day, some weekends I pull 3.5 grams with my 2.5 highbanker/dredge combo but on a average sat/sun outing I pull 2.5 grams. I drive 1 hour 45 min each way so it is paying for it's self slowly.

 

[NeoTokyo]

If I was out in a spot for an entire day, I would be happy with a gram or so but I usually only go up for an hour or two at a time and get gas money back in sluicing.
Sniping is where its at!

 

[Hoser John]

Sometimes the gold is the righteous memory of a beautiful day,hopefully with a few pics, out in the boonies doing what ya coveth the most. The older you get the truer this belief is as age robs you of your youth and all your left with is a huge ol'safe deposit fulla great nuggets and a dozen or chock full photo albums,cds and momentos. To have been and done and flown like a eagle in the sun,even for a single day, sure beats plodding along like a duck on the ground for a lifetime---John

 

[kuger]

sometimes its feast,sometimes its famine.Its the feast days you have to remember to offset the famine days.Never expect anything just work as hard as you can,and if your in the right spot you will be rewarded

 

[TerryC]

Make no mistake.... I'm in it for DA GOLD! Being outdoors and enjoying the hunt..... comes in second. If I could work as hard on day 3 as I do on day 1, I could collect a 1/4 ounce a month for sure. The old bones just wont allow it anymore..... and the pain pills wouldn't last all month! TTC

 

[Fullpan]

Years ago i lived in the boonies and tried to get 2 pennyweight a day average. It didnt matter much though, as I would blow 90% in town getting drunk,
shooting pool and generally trying to be obnoxious to the townies. I guess I was a tad anti-social in those days, huh?

 

[TAKODA]

[h=1]How Much is OK for an Afternoon[/h]
15 to 20 ounces ....................... minimum .

 

[TAKODA]

Make no mistake.... I'm in it for DA GOLD! Being outdoors and enjoying the hunt..... comes in second. If I could work as hard on day 3 as I do on day 1, I could collect a 1/4 ounce a month for sure. The old bones just wont allow it anymore..... and the pain pills wouldn't last all month! TTC

 

[KevinInColorado]

For me it is about 0.1 gram in 2-3 hours normally but my expenses are less than a dollar (i drive a little honda so that helps) so I am to the good. Of course I would make more flipping burgers!

 

[419GottaMinute]

Fullpan just described the true modern day prospectors, to be sure!

 

[419GottaMinute]

Plus, if you buy them enough beers, they'll tell you where they been.

 

[freddy williams]

It is all about the hunt how many people out there can say they found gold over the week or weekend. Weither it is a buck or an once. Who cares we are out there doing what we love their has been many times I have been skunked only to find a speck or 2 I don't care the wife might but it is my money not hers out there and I am enjoying myself. As long as you enjoy what you are doing it doesn't matter how much gold you get unless your doing it full time to pay bills and whatever needs paid then I would say about 4 grams a day should net you around 185.00 on the market. Dang I'd love to find 4 grams a day and not 4 for the whole year but who care not me... HH

 

[Fullpan]

I guarantee there are places in ca. that yield 4 grams/day with sluices, sniping, crevicing, and mossing. problem is remoteness.