black hills gold claim

[Edge2sharp]

I know this a redundant question since I have read alot of your very informative threads in here. I am looking to get a gold claim in south Dakota black hills region and I guess one of my questions would be is if anyone knows a trustworthy small claims seller. I know these can be very risky of what I have seen doing it this way. My whole problem is I done have time to go scout it out that often and what I have read is the paperwork can be a real headache. Or is joining a club like GPAA worth it. I done know how many claims they have going on up there to work on. I would like to own a small family parcel just to go to 3-4 times a year since i am about 8 hours away. Just wondering if anyone is familiar with the area and any suggestions on reputable companies that sell these kind of claims there

 

[KevinInColorado]

You are not likely to get good value for your money trying to buy a claim you only use 3-5 times a year as a hobby. I suggest you look into the GPAA and local clubs. Less trouble (remember, with a claim you still have annual paperwork or you lose it!) and other prospectors to guide you a bit. Enjoy and good luck!

 

[Edge2sharp]

Thanks Kevin...I kinda knew that I would be told that. I guess its more of a family thing that we could just go to. Something I could give to my son as well. Money really isn't the issue...I have experience in some prospecting here and there...just kinda wanted wanted a home base somewhat...just dont know much about the reputation of some of the sellers out there

 

[B H Prospector]

Hi Sharp and welcome to the net.
I have two claims in the Black Hills. There is still some pretty good spots to claim however like Kevin said it may not be worth it for 3 or 4 times a year. The GPAA is well worth the money for membership and includes the whole family. They have four claims in the Hills at prese4nt and I have heard there may be more coming. There is the Migg claims, Rainbow claim, the Husker claim, and the Maryann which boarders one of my claims. Then there is also the Black Hills Prospecting Club and they have 7 claims I think. They are more expensive to join at first but a little cheeper to keep up the membership each year. It also includes the whole family. Unless you plan to get serious about mining I would forget about getting a claim. You can camp on most of the club claims for free. Hope this is helpful.

Good Luck!

B H Prospector

 

[B H Prospector]

For got to mention, I have a partner who may know of some spots open to claim or maybe even know someone who is an honest miner with a claim to sell. If you want I can check with him after the holiday. I sure wouldn't buy from a company there is one from Minnesota selling cross filed claims and claims on closed areas. Let me know.

B H Prospector

 

[Edge2sharp]

Thank you very much for the info BH...yes I would be interested in some claims contacts..if it doesn't work out then I will go the club route...I guess to clarify when I mean 3-4 Times a year it would be 1-2 weeks at a time...are the GPAA sites very big claims? Are there very many people working them that you know of? And sometimes I bring up close friends of mine to help out but that would be more memberships to buy.

Thank you,
Edge

 

[B H Prospector]

The Migg claims I think are 3- 20 acre claims that boarder each other. The rainbow, probably the poorest claim is a 20 acre claim as is the Husker and Maryann. The Husker, Maryann, and Miggs are used pretty steady but not over crowded. On GPAA claims you can bring a guest but they are only allowed to use your equipment. They can not use their own. The BHPC allows you to bring one guest one time then they expect your guest to join the club. I will get ahold of my partner this weekend and see if he knows of any claims. They will go for $2500 to $5000 for a 20 acre claim. I know of 3 that went for $5000 and one for $2500 in the vacinity of my claim. They were all proven claims though. May go cheeper for unproven. Talk to ya later, happy thanks giving.

B H Prospector

 

[Edge2sharp]

Ok thanks for the info...very helpful. Not to make this thread any longer but do you mine fulltime up there? Or just live close by as a hobby? I love the black hills...have already spent alot of time up there but I could go up and just do nothing as well

Happy Thanksgiving to you sir

 

[B H Prospector]

I live in Rapid City. I will generally get to one of my two claims at least 2 or 3 times a month as soon as snow melts off until ice up. I will usually spend one week on one of the claims. Had a heart attack in march so it slowed me down a bit this year. Was just out last weekend with daughter's family and she found about a gram out of 1/8th a yard of material. It is a little more than a hobby but not full time. Wish it could be I love the mountains. Hope you and yours had a great Thanksgiving.

BH Prospector

 

[BrianMaruska]

Joined this forum just to post in here.. I would be interested in some information as well if anyone is willing to share. Just moved to Rapid in June and wanting to get out of the "city" and do some panning in the gentle creeks out in the hills.

 

[B H Prospector]

Brian, I sent you a message, Edge I'm still trying to get ahold of my parnter hope to have some info for you soon.

B H Prospector

 

[Edge2sharp]

No problem BH....trying to do some research on my own...not much info out there in that area that I can find so far....when do you usually shut down out there? And when do you usually start back up?

 

[B H Prospector]

Up at my Mystic claim I am shut down now. Usually around mid November up there. I gets down to single digit temps at night and the creeks get ice on them. On my Rockerville claim I can still go since it is a dry claim. We have worked up there all year long. we just need to bring the material home to proccess it and then take the waste back to the claim for reclimation. That is as long as the snow isn't too deep. We usually can get started back up about the end of March if the weather gets good. Spring blizzards can change all that though. By mid April we are pretty much going full steam. I was up to Rockerville last Sunday with my daughters family. Got about a gram out of 5- 5 gallon buckets of material.

B H Prospector

 

[Edge2sharp]

How do you like your dry claim compared to the wet? I bet thats considerably more work taking material back home to process it eh?

 

[B H Prospector]

Hi Edge,
I prefer wet as recovery is better but when it is a dry claim it is either haul water, haul dirt, or run dry. I have done all three. Either way it is hard work. Talked to my partner today finally. As of right now he doesn't know of any claims for sale or areas open right now. If you are up to some winter research time you can use the BLM LR2000.com to find open land or there is a site called minecache.com to find open and claimed areas. I have heard that this site has been improved from when I tried it. It was trash before. It will cost a fee after a trial period. I haven't used LR2000 since they changed it but have heard it is more complicated now. Area you might check is boulder canyon up by Sturgis. With the increase of fees by the BLM alot of claims are being let go. I have heard there may be some there. My partner also said there may be some around Canyon City. He told me he wouldn't probably hear to much more until spring about open claims or any for sale. Hope this helps. Need any thing else feel free to ask, I'll help any way I can. Keep me posted if you like.

Good Luck


B H Prospector

 

[Edge2sharp]

Thank you very much BH..very helpful...I will look into it. I kinda thought more would open up by spring so will do some winter research and bulk up some of my equipment. Just cant wait to get out there next year. Not looking forward to this winter tho

Thank you so much for the info..will definitely keep in touch.

Edge

 

[BrianMaruska]

Nothing but good people and useful information here in this thread/the hills.

 

[camocreek]

I've gotten hooked on the Black Hills as well, went out there a few times last summer to a few of the GPAA claims. I can relate to what Edge is saying, it'd be nice to have a claim of my own that I can go to, even if it's only a handful of times per year. I went to the Husker early in the summer, found a spot that produced decent gold, went back a few months later and it was all dug up and everything was changed. Don't get me wrong, the GPAA claims are a great place to get a start and we met some really nice people there, but I'd like to have a place that I have a little more control over.
It's like comparing going to the community swimming pool and having your own private pool. The community pool is cheap and easy to get to, but who knows how many people have peed in it!

 

[B H Prospector]

Always willing to help fellas.

B H Prospector

 

[BrianMaruska]

I think I am going to just have to start with a GPAA claim because I clearly do not know what I am doing.