Santa Barbara & Nearby Gold Panning/Sluicing?

[DiggingDave]

Hey! I'm in Santa Barbara, CA and am trying to find a place to practice panning and sluicing for recreation. I emailed Los Padres Forest and they replied stating that I need to give them all kinds of info before approval can be granted. In short, they said that as long as public domain lands are open to mineral entry (that would not include Wilderness which is not open for mineral entry) one is allowed to gold pan/sluice. But, first, they need the exact location I am planning to pan/sluice, what access road I am going to use, what kind of equipment I'm going to use, and how much material I'm expecting to remove.

All this for a few hours of panning with a garden trowel, a bucket, and an EZ sluice?

 

[Got_4by4]

BE CAREFUL when talking to the forest service! DON'T give them any info. It sounds like they are asking for a POO(plan of operation, not needed for hand panning/sluicing for exploratory work). The more you tell them what you want to do the more they will tell you you can't. Just don't get them started.

Before you do anything research your local prospecting or metal detecting clubs(many of whom are prospectors also). Ask the locals who should already know some accessible places. You might even go out on some organized outings.

Good Luck and be careful.

P.S.
Prospectors never give exact locations until they file a claim. You want others coming in to your favorite honey hole and taking all "your" gold? LOL

 

[DiggingDave]

Thanks for the tips! I advised the FS that I am not a commercial miner and that I'm just looking to have a few hours of fun using the limited equipment listed above. They replied reiterating the fact that I must give them the exact location of where I plan to pan/sluice so that they can verify if they have any specific resources that might be a concern. But, I don't even know where to go in the first place, which is why I originally contacted them! So frustrating... I need to research the laws so that I can gain a better understanding of what I can and can't do. Currently, there doesn't seem to be any local prospecting groups in my area, but I'll keep looking. Hopefully, I can find some like-minded individuals via this forum who live in my vicinity.

 

[have2fish]

Dave - give me a call or pm.

I go up to the Central Coast Gold Prospecting Club, in Paso Robles on the 1st friday of the month. I go up early and hit the GPAA and club claim and then head to the meeting. You are welcome to join, i have some equipment that you can run your dirt through if you want. It is pretty easy to start small and build your own gear, or buy gear. Lots of guys sell their used gear at the meetings too, its a great club and very helpful for new diggers!

EDIT: I see you have an ez sluice, no water up at the claim, so get yourself a mudding pan, a couple buckets, a battery and pump and you are good to go! I can show you how I do it if you want, I have a generator/sump pump/Keene A52 Sluice with a custom fluid bed hopper top...

I am working on having a little get together in SB and having some of those guys come down and show off their gear and show some local peeps what we do.

Marco Farrell
Santa Barbara
455-5362

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Thanks for the tips! I advised the FS that I am not a commercial miner and that I'm just looking to have a few hours of fun using the limited equipment listed above. They replied reiterating the fact that I must give them the exact location of where I plan to pan/sluice so that they can verify if they have any specific resources that might be a concern........

Digging-dave, welcome to the "no one cared .... TILL you asked" club. If I was you, I'd have just gone panning, etc... Maybe only if it involved some sort of gas-powered operation/sluice, would I think there'd be any bruhaha or care. I think you just get desk-bound bureaucurats who are willing to pass out the safe answer of "no", (or give you all sorts of silly hoops to jump through, etc...).

For example: if you'd asked those persons: "Can I stand in the forest, smear peanut butter on my head, and sing the star-spangled banner?", they'd have probably told you that you need a parade permit. Or "no" because it violates "annoyances" statutes, etc...

I mean, seriously, were you going to be out in the middle of nowhere anyhow ?