Anybody here ever give it a try? Couple of buddies been at it for couple years and buggin me go with. Looks like it could be boring and frustrating at the same time. Then you get that one moment of hope, little like playing golf. Not sure their making any money but just for fun. When I am out on mules I see lots of guys doing it with all kinds of set ups, but no one is talking about success or failures. Just curious of thoughts, experiences.

 

I did lots of it when I was younger, fun when you find a little gold, but it is hard on your back. good luck

 

Pay attention to the methods they use. No one with a success record will educate you! Why give away your hard earned lessons?

 

We still enjoy it but have never even made fuel costs (not that we ever sell the small abount we get).
Educating ourselves on things that can be found in our area could have paid off about 10 years ago in the Eagle area.
We were pitching out stuff that looked like little pieces of pencil lead.
Turns out it was probably platinum.
We will never know because a big outfit took over the area we were at.
We are low cost fair weather rock hounds and gold panners so its fun for us. Its like gambling in that you never know what you are going to find.
I almost drowned a few years back trying to get to a nugget I could see in what I thought was three feet of water.
Turns out the water was deeper than I thought and the nugget was an undamaged copper jacketed .45 bullet.

 

Tried it a few times and just enjoyed being outdoors and playing with my toys...never got much "color".

Try searching google for the GPAA (Gold Prospectors Association of America) and check out the links for ideas and tips.