Tourist wants to visit america to do some gold prospecting - what area?

[oliver]

Hi there people across the pond. I'm a British 17 year old male, and hopefully, when i'm 19 i want to visit America for 2 months, to do some gold prospecting. I'm wondering which areas are the best? I'd ideally need an area with good public transport, and ideally people who aren't xenophobic. What's the laws in America regarding prospecting? I presume i'd need permission? Does wildlife pose a threat to gold prospectors e.g. Snakes - (The most dangerous animal in Britain is probably a bull) Where would i be able to get a sluice box + relevant supplies, would i be able to order them, and pick them up at a postal office? And finally, would it be dangerous for a 19 year old, to go gold prospecting on his own? - I've not got preconceived ideas, however, i know most Americans have guns and believe is protecting their property.

Would be great if you could answer some questions for me!

Thanks,

 

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[H-2 CHARLIE]

fly to san Francisco rent a mini van at the airport then head to the motherload area .

 

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[Hoser John]

Just fly into Sacramento and there are 1,000s a miles of open grounds for you to have a ball in. Rent a small truck and have a ball. You DO NOT need to be a citizen to hunt the massive Auburn Recreation area ,or Bear River rec area,SF Yuba BLM recreation area and on and on. Do not come in winter--when we have one that is and the summers are BLAZING in comparison to jolly ol'England. I have plenty of property up here in shasta/trinity county and literally 100s a pieces a detecting,sluicing and other forms of mining gear. I do Make A Wish foundation events in the summer and more than welcome as just gold. Get a pan and practice panning with some bbs to get ready as no matter what ya want to do---you end up panning-John

 

[kazcoro]

I know it's expensive, and i very much doubt i'd break even or make a profit. The logistics of getting to America from Britain, cost about £1500 - as i'd be going in peak time. I've probably got about £6500 to spend - roughly 10,000 usd . I really want to visit the "land of the free" and i'd prefer if i didn't go to the tourist hotspots. I'd like to absorb the American culture and have a go at finding some gold.
---good plan!

Would it be safe to travel around America with public transport and then rely on hitching a lift or walking?
---Public transport is fine, hitching is generally illegal and can be dangerous. My rule is you are almost always safe asking someone for help but don't trust those who approach you, they may have dastardly intentions. True in the US just as elsewhere (I've lived in Belgium and Germany...and visited the UK about a dozen times)

I wouldn't have a gun for protection, but are rural Americans really that dangerous?
---no, of course not...just like folks in rural England but with guns in most houses. I have NEVER had anyone pull out a gun, ever.

Is it a good idea to contact a gold panning club, and find a member or two who wouldn't mind putting me up and showing me around?
---yes!

---Also, there's lots of prospecting spots in metro Denver which you CAN get to by public bus so you really could fly into Denver International Airport (direct on BA in fact!), take a bus into town, to a prospecting store and to some prospecting spots. If you reached out to prospecting clubs well in advance, I am sure you could get some special prospecting adventures planned too. Gold Prospectors Of The Rockies is the biggest club in town and a good one to reach out to. They do a thing with a group of Japanese exchange students every summer for example.

---Oh and you can prospect freely as a visitor all over metro Denver, not federal land but rather city, county and metro district so do your non-motorized thing all day, clean up after yourself and keep ALL the gold :-)
Full disclosure: you'll find very small gold flakes/specks adding up to well less than a gram per day but you WILL find gold.

This is a viable plan.