First the garble goop I?m talking about is the ? ? ? Inserted throughout my message that I didn?t type so don?t take offense.
Second the pocket miners grabbed the easy pockets (usually thin veins) till they pinched off and the rock got hard enough they needed to start spending gold to find gold.
Areas where there are numerous small 1-10 yard holes?there is more lying just beyond their reach. Nobody really takes the effort to explore underground any more?at least that?s my observation. The diggings here are located in steep inaccessible terrain. LOTS left in the ground and if you don?t believe that, I wouldn?t argue to try and change your mind. Them hills are loaded with gold still. It?s just sporadic and in pockets. Our country could be wealthy beyond belief if we applied modern technology to gold mining in our public lands.
Every draw I?ve dug to bedrock in that was located below diggings has produced cornflakes or nuggets. It?s just hard work digging trenches 3-4 feet deep in rocky root bound ground.
Your talking gold detecting in Shasta county I think….kind of like the reefs down under really.
I’m talking gold mining using whatever means accomplishes the goal. I’m getting ready to start tunneling into overburden deposits…is that new territory…and yes I’ll be using a detector as well as a trommel.
Not quite on my 50th ounce yet

far from it.
Funny thing…I was chatting with a fairly well known nugget shooter in the Redding area and he admitted that he really had not found much gold chasing the hard rock deposits and spoils in that area. Made me realize gold country varies tremendously out west.
By the looks of it, South Fork is got a little system going. I know there’s more he hasn’t shared. Every rake of the pile is new territory.