Im not sure...

[taternut]

So there's a small creek that runs through my town, and during the gold rush it was pretty much mined through with bucket dredges. But there's another small stream that connects to that same creek, and I'm almost positive it's untouched. I've only ever seen homeless people in the area. But I'm sure it's not blm or fs land. So would that be a no go? Or should I check it out? I'm not looking for a fine or anything lol. Any insight on the area would be appreciated

 

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[GrizzlyGremlin]

Go to your town hall and get the town map for this area. The map will show property boundaries and ownership. If theirs homeless in the area the owner usually doesnt care much about recreationalists. If its just panning i dont sweat it. Unless its posted land

 

[B H Prospector]

If possible I would be checking out those tailing piles with a metal detector. Those dredges usually left any gold larger than 1/2".

 

[taternut]

Yea it's a tiny creek and I just remember walking through it a few times as a kid. But I was on a bike ride with my girlfriend, and we rode past it, and to me it looks really good just a lot of blackberry bushes around

 

[KevinInColorado]

Go to your town hall and get the town map for this area. The map will show property boundaries and ownership. If theirs homeless in the area the owner usually doesnt care much about recreationalists. If its just panning i dont sweat it. Unless its posted land

Pretty good chance your county assessor's office has an interactive map online that will show you ownership without leaving the comforts of home

 

[taternut]

Well if it wasn't blm or fs can you still mine it? I mean with the mineral rights and all??

 

[GrizzlyGremlin]

Mining is a dirty word these days lol. I prefer mineral sampling : )

 

[taternut]

Mining is a dirty word these days lol. I prefer mineral sampling : )

That's what I meant

 

[KevinInColorado]

I'm a rock hound and mineral collector who happens to specialize in one type of rock/mineral ;-)

 

[Sample Pan Dan]

I'm just trying to make the world a better place by harvesting dangerous lead and mercury from my local streams. :-)

 

[damiani1]

LOL, classic statements making you come off as some die hard tree hugger :P

 

[KevinInColorado]

I'm both a tree hugged AND a gold digger

...really! What we do is the most environmental way out there to get gold so I see us as environmentalists in our own way.

 

[roadrunner]

Just dress like the natives in that area and do as they do. You will fit right in. Don't take any ids with you either, if anyone does anything, they will kick all of you out.They don't want the hassle of arresting everyone.
Use a small 7 inch sampling pan. Say you don't know what it was used for,you where just brushing your teeth in it.

 

[NuggetN8]

Go for it. Usually homeless people hang around on BLM land from what I've seen in my area... And some of the ones who've been around there for a long time know a thing or two about finding gold in that specific area. I met one who showed me some secret areas that I ended up doing well at.

 

[nuggeteer]

taternut,
If the miners dredged the larger creeks, then they likely checked the tributaries. But if you think it could be good, go over to a BLM office. They have many free maps and some you can buy. I got a really good one for $3 that indicates both BLM and FS land. Be careful; where there's blackberry bushes, there's poison oak.

 

[taternut]

taternut,
If the miners dredged the larger creeks, then they likely checked the tributaries. But if you think it could be good, go over to a BLM office. They have many free maps and some you can buy. I got a really good one for $3 that indicates both BLM and FS land. Be careful; where there's blackberry bushes, there's poison oak.

Maybe ill do that, I think it definitely has potential. I don't know for sure, but that's why it's prospecting right and Ty for the heads up, I don't think I get poison oak(knock on wood) I fish a lot of creeks and my buddy's always get it but I never have )

 

[Alex Burke]

Just dress like the natives in that area and do as they do. You will fit right in. Don't take any ids with you either, if anyone does anything, they will kick all of you out.They don't want the hassle of arresting everyone.
Use a small 7 inch sampling pan. Say you don't know what it was used for,you where just brushing your teeth in it.

This post cracked me up lol, taternut did you ever check it out?

 

[taternut]

No :/ I'm pretty sure it's private property and the weather here has been horrible. I bought a metal detector like a week and a half ago and haven't even taken it out yet because of the heat. (115 today)

 

[Alex Burke]

Awesome what kind? It has been nasty hot this week glad when it cools down 10 degrees

 

[taternut]

I got the gold bug pro, I've talked to a few guys in this area and they said its by far the best especially with the kind of ground we have here. But I've never been metal detecting before so I'm super confused and intimidated lol