MA/VT/NH Panning

dvdtharaldson · Sep 23, 2012

Hi ,

This is the first time I have posted on this website. I live in Western MA and am planning a trip during the last few days of September to Vermont to try my luck panning. I was going to try Buffalo Brook and Five Corners in the Bridgewater area. Does anybody know how far down you ordinarily have to dig to hit black sands in those areas? Any comments on whether you have to dig deep or just stay on the surface? I was thinking Irene probably deposited alot of flood gold on the surface. Does anybody know if some of the small brooks high up in the mts. north of Bridgewater contain gold? All I ever hear is Buffalo Brook and Five Corners. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. As you probably could tell I am new to panning for gold.

Thanks,

David

LostinBolton · Feb 9, 2014

The odds running into someone in VT while working a river might be slim.

mace420 · Feb 10, 2014

I'm looking to pan in MA, CT, and NH, thought about VT. I'm in northeastern CT. Any ideas where to try, I'm new to this and nutmeg is more md than panning.

GrizzlyGremlin · Feb 10, 2014

Your best bet is northern NH and central Vermont If your into metal detecting though you will find much more clad than ever really finding gold. Finding gold in the northeast is about love of seeing the metal. There is no real average values for the dirt up here. There is however THE oldest coins in america up here. Birch and pine tree shillings pop up almost every year here in NH. Finds of a lifetime. Pickers are available but you really gotta work for em.

LostinBolton · Feb 10, 2014

Hey Grizz did you make it to CO? I hope all is well. I would love to make it out there this summer.

GrizzlyGremlin · Feb 11, 2014

Not yet. The move was suposed to be in april but got pushed back because i had to sign a 9 month lease on my appt. Sucks but ill be hitting the northeast very hard this summer with my new keene 4" ultra dredge.
Ill be in colorado at the end of september. Ill be posting dates of my dredging trips starting next month. Im going to start a diary thread in the dredging forum.
Im looking for at least an ounce this season. A 1/4 pound would be more welcome tho!

LostinBolton · Feb 11, 2014

1/4 pound would be great. I am thinking of a 2 inch but my gf would rather have a ring. I told her I would make one out of my own gold. She was not impressed... You can never win... Hope to meet you on a trip this summer.

LostinBolton · Feb 12, 2014

Gizz.i hope someday you could find this... I would like to return. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/51/Kinkakuji_2004-09-21.jpg

E.MassAuMan · Feb 13, 2014

dvdtharaldson said:
According to the director any type of dredge or pump is illegal regardless of power source including the gold n sands. Under that statute you couldn't even suck gold up with a straw. I want to clarify something on classifiers. After many back and forth conversations with the director I found out that you can classify material as long as your classifier is able to be placed completely in your pan. If you are new to the thread I am talking about Vermont regs as I understand them.

If your thinking of getting some sort of hand pump don't let VT regs stop you. They are legal to operate in most neighboring states. You may/may not need permits though, I haven't investigated the issue as of yet. Eventually I will.

David
When this winter is finally over, and the glaciers retreat from the streams and rivers, we will meet up I will take you over the border into Vermont where the only thing that will be observing us will be a few head of dairy cattle and the occasional local driving down the road in their 15 YO Subarus.

You can stretch the Vt laws all you want and then we can cross back into Mass!

Think Spring

GrizzlyGremlin · Feb 13, 2014

Thats the key, go where you wont be bothered. The rules are absolutely ludicrous. No shovels. No classifiers!? I doubt there is a forest ranger up here that would ever say anything to you. All the rangers i talked to and fish and game dont even know what a sluice box is and found it really cool!
Be nice, dont bother anyone and you will be fine,

dvdtharaldson · Feb 14, 2014

E.MassAuMan,

That sounds like a good plan. I am looking forward to it.

As to the rules, yeah they are quite astringent but if nobody complains, then nobody cares. I think what the regs are really meant to do is keep people off private property. If its posted ask permission or just stay off entirely. There are plenty of places where you can recreationally pan and nobody will get bent out of shape. Besides I like cows and old subarus.

To anybody who is interested, the Massachusetts chapter of the gpaa is having a meeting this Sunday (the 16th) at 3:30 in Greenfield. I am going to check it out to see what its about. Its at the masonic lodge

dvdtharaldson · Feb 14, 2014

Hey Grizz,

Hopefully you can post one of your NH/VT trips HERE so some of the folks that contribute to this thread can meet you in person before you leave for Colorado. Maybe even a camping trip to a nearby campground for a couple of days?

dvdtharaldson · Feb 14, 2014

mace420,
I second what grizz stated about prospecting in vt and nh. Sometimes its not convenient to travel that far though. The only color I have ever heard of in CT is leadmine brook in northwest ct .

dvdtharaldson · Mar 9, 2014

Wow! Can you believe it? A day above freezing in New England. All we need now is 60 more to melt down the glaciers.

LostinBolton · Mar 9, 2014

It's still dangerous to hike around here in CT, I took a good hike yesterday but my girl had to double back after a short distance. Only 3 weeks until Red Sox opening day and they are looking for maybe another good snow fall mid week?... Still a foot of hard packed stuff here.

GrizzlyGremlin · Mar 10, 2014

As soon as we get a week of nice warm days the runoff will clear the ice out of the streams but remain fairly low and very workable, with most of the snow pack remaining. There is a 2-4 week window of time when all the rivers have had a primary melt. You may have to climb over 10' ice slabs to get to the river but many bars and bends will be good to go. Some time in april the runnoff really goes heavy and there is at least a week of running just gravel bar material.
Looks like we wont be having an early season kickoff. Last year i was out in mid march. No
way this year. We still have 15' snow piles in manchester.
Another 4-8" up to 18" in places for this thursday... Great.

Ct98023 · Mar 12, 2014

Its doable

Was out in central Vermont (Plymouth/Bridgewater) yesterday. If you do venture, be aware that the ice shelves over and around the rivers/streams are very unstable now. Many winter trails used by snowshoers and skiers appear solid but are just waiting for the slightest of additional weight to give out and this could make for one heck of a bad day. The snowpack also changes during the day, an hour hike out yesterday took 2hrs on the return as the going was slowed by post holeing (falling through top hard pack into thigh high base layer) every three steps. Ended up having to go all Bear Grills and make a fire to warm up my frozen wet feet. Prospecting was limited due to availability of exposed area (beggars can't be choosy) but still nice to get out on an adventure and pull a little shiny Vermont gold out of the river.

KevinInColorado · Mar 12, 2014

Totally impressed! Great job getting out there

mace420 · Mar 12, 2014

Anyone able to recommend a place in MA to try.
I know a few rivers have reports of fine gold but I'm not too familiar with western MA. hoping to get out next week.

thanks in advance.

dvdtharaldson · Mar 12, 2014

Ct98023,

You did pretty well in central Vermont. I expected that the brooks would be completely snowed in, with all the precip we had lately. The areas you mentioned are a good place to be. I try to get up there at least three times a year. I usually find colors and always have a great time. Thanks for posting pictures.

dvdtharaldson · Mar 12, 2014

mace420,
The only place I know in Ma that consistently produces is Couch Brook in Bernardston. I have had very limited success in tribs of the Deerfield. This year I am hell bent on spending more time in VT. Truth is most streams in Western Ma contain some gold, it is just that you have to process so much gravel just to end up with a little color.