dave wiseman Posted February 24, 2008 Share Posted February 24, 2008 Over 30 years ago I started looking for the yellow by panning the local creeks and came across much yellow.......only it was mica my goal was to find enough to buy a truck in one year,never happened.Was 3-4 years before that goal was acheived,of course back then gold was running in the $120's I believe.Best day that first year was about 6 dwt by panning,20 feet off the main gold highway 49.One piece 3,another 2 dwt,rest small stuff....no shape or character to them.If I knew anything in thise days probably would have found 3-4 ounces in that spot........Dave :hmmmmmm: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grubstake Posted February 24, 2008 Share Posted February 24, 2008 Like any OKIE! I thought when I found my first gold, this is sure easy, I'm gona be sh**ing in tall cotton sooner than I though. 30 year later, I'm still diggin holes to do that in. So much for the get rich dreams. Ha! ha! Grubstake Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike C... Posted February 24, 2008 Share Posted February 24, 2008 :hmmmmmm: I never went into it thinking I was going to get rich--its not about the money-its about the seek and find aspect for me--I started hunting stuff when I was 5 years old--so its always been in my blood to seek something out--be it :innocent0009: ____________ or :innocent0009: ____________ or :innocent0009: ___________ or Gold :icon_mrgreen: -Mike C... :ph34r2: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sawmill Posted February 24, 2008 Share Posted February 24, 2008 Dave My first day started at 4 years old,tagging along with my Dad on the American river while he panned. My greatest hope was to make it through the day without drowning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vini Posted February 24, 2008 Share Posted February 24, 2008 LOL Sawmill This IS my first year, I got hooked on a flake I found in Agua Fria creek in Mariposa last winter, in the pan was one flake of gold and 2 flakes of mica and I wasn't sure which was gold I knew they were different one stuck to the pan more then the other 2 LOL. I just love getting out and getting dirty, I love being in the mountains and I love water so its everything and MORE then I expected. I have detected, dredged, high banked and sluice done it all this year and had a great time not much gold YET and I certainly don't plan on getting rich I can make a good living painting and I enjoy that work . I was getting burned out on fishing and lifting weights so glad I found prospecting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LOOKIN4GOLD Posted February 24, 2008 Share Posted February 24, 2008 As with everyone else, I never started this addiction with the intent of getting rich. It was about the search and just the sight and the feel of the yellow stuff. Of course it sure would be nice to come across that mother lode nuggie but I will not be disappointed if it never finds my poke.....Darren Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diggitdawg Posted February 24, 2008 Share Posted February 24, 2008 i probably should have never started this hobby, being married, working, rain only on weekends... its all driving me crazy cause i cant seem to get out often enough living in long beach ca. doesnt help matters. ive gone without sex for longer periods of time and and never have i been this frustrated :Huh_anim]: but when i do get out, i love every minute of it gold or no gold. still waiting for that 1st one... :headphones: diggitdawg. no expectations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Dorado Posted February 24, 2008 Share Posted February 24, 2008 For me it just sort of just happened. I was living in Norden, CA. The town drunk was Jim Butterfield he was about 70 years old and was from the famous Butterfield & Butterfield stage line family. One day he told me that he could teach me to find gold, if I would keep him supplied with Jim Beam. We both kept our part of the bargin and I have just been looking for gold ever since (1972). Never really had any goals other than finding the yellow stuff, kind of gives me an attachment to our history and heritage. He died the following year.............. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikepanner Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 What were your expectations?, When first getting in the gold search game Very good topic Dave ,Thanks for starting this thread. That looks so easy, so I thought watching the gold prospecting programs on tv (gpaa) back in 1992. So I got a 10 inch pan for 3 or 4 bucks and went a couple miles down to the river out of Auburn, CA. and panned till I got some of what I was sure was gold. It was a very very small rounded piece about one thirty second of an inch or maybe it was a sixteenth inch across and believe it or not I was hooked! Ever since then I've had in the back of my mind what if I could hit the motherload and or find enough I could sell the fines and keep the nuggets and maybe make a living doing what I love to do. another Mike G. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rokdodger Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 grubstake So you're the guy that digs all those holes and leaves those brown nuggets for everyone else! rokdodger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pondmn Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 I got started dredging in 1972 after getting out of the Army. Prior to that it was just panning. My neighbor got into it and I went along. After the first month I splurged on a 2 1/2 Keene dredge and the rest was history. It has always been for the friends I have met along the way. A lot of my early small gold went into salting pans and getting others started or speaking at school or 4H. I would trade all my gold in order to keep the friends I have met along the way. Always continuing to look for the big one is just a means to meet and make new friends such as Grubstake, Shep and a lot of others. I stilll remain good friends with Ed Coogan a prince of a gentleman who started me into dredging. He is in his mid 70's and can still beat us all in detecting gold in quality and quanity. The most important thing I learned from him was that no man is a stranger in the gold fields. Jerry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grubstake Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 Yup, thats me! But I always make sure I put a nickle in the hole first, to make it easyer to locate later! :icon_mrgreen: Grubstake Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.