gold claim

Thanks for the updates. I am not counting on this as a way to make me rich. i have always wanted to try this hobby out. I am thinking about joining the GPAA and LDMA as i will be traveling quite a bit.

I have been prospecting for gold for over 20 years, strictly as a hobby. This past weekend was very good for me, but the gold value is probably around $150.00 and that is using jewelry prices, not spot value. If I were retired and had a steady source of income, I would not hestiate to head out west and do some prospecting while camping, however, there is no way I would depend on it for my income.

I have a friend in Tucson who uses a metal detector to find small pieces of gold in the desert near there. Not exactly sure where it is but he sure don't make any money. Maybe one or two could be called nuggets but most would fill a cavity in the tooth of mouse - maybe ;)

if you get to Quartzsite AZ, join the Quartzsite metal detecting club. They have 10 claims you can use . All around the Quartzsite area, where the BLM land is available. Its 20.00 to join the club. They have a coin hunt in the town park once a month, coins are planted, and you keep what you find. There is a desert outing once a month also, good hobo stew or chili, and good conversations. The general meetings are the 1st wed. of each month. You will meet lots of prospectors, gain valuable info and have a great time. I would not bother with GPAA or LDMA, unless you will be traveling to other states where they have claims, and they do have lots of Rules! LDMA is pricey,if you can, buy a used membership, if thats still allowed.
Alot of folks use the Gold Bug II, it will find small gold. The new Garrett machines are gaining in popularity as well for small gold. As is the Minelab 3030. People do use the higher priced and heavier Minelabs(5000 ) But , how deep do you want to dig! Go easy on yourself, its not a get rich quick scheme! its only a hobby. Dona

thanks for the comments. i have been looking at all sorts of equipment and prices. i have been searching around reading some of these adds that are selling a claim. looking at some of these locations for sale even without gold they look exactly what and where i consider a nice RV spot with killer views, private, zombie free area (ZFA). lol i will have to base the size of the RV depending on a location i find.

Shep..your answers were exactly what i wanted. i am looking into joining the GPAA an LDMA. I am planing a trip to GA soon. Then from to the SW or to Norcal. I really like AZ though. i have read about goldbugs. with all three of those units i would have some fun. (rope off grid and hit each grid with each of the detectors.)

rollingslow where do you have to travel to?

phil

i have a claim i work about 20/25 hours a week 3 to 4 weeks a year make anough for 2 or 3 tanks of fuel a week..not up to much more than that becouse of my heart but its always there if i need it

Don't know about the workamping or a gold claim, but there's a lot of open BLM land in AZ that has gold on it. There are some good clubs if you don't know what you're doing. Altho not a member yet, the Roadrunner Club has many good claims and friendly members.
Drywashing is a favorite amongst many; I just can't get a shovel to fit my hands. I prefer metal detecting. As for a $500 detector, used maybe and might be the way to start. A good beginner detector for gold might be a Goldbug Pro for around $800 new. Bottom line, buy quality and the best you can afford. A cheap BH or the likes, you'll get discouraged before you find anything worthwhile.
For those Yahoos that know everything and think I'm wrong- I drive from central California foothills to AZ for a week every month thru the winter (for last several years)and pretty much pay for my diesel fuel each time. Some trips make up for the trips that don't. IE, last Feb found a nice 5 oz specimen w/ 2 1/4 oz of gold in it. Nugget was 16" down. No $500 machine would of found that. I use a Minelab 4500 modded, a Goldbug2 and for coins and such a Minelab CTX30-30. All bases covered!
I don't prospect to make a living, it'd be tough now a days. I do it to get away from my regular job, love the history, the beauty of the desert, the comraderie of those who enjoy the same. The gold found is just icing on the cake.
Maybe, I took this off on a different tangent than what you were looking for and if so, sorry. I just am itching for fall to get here sooner!
Take care, Shep

I have been planning trips to lost dutchman, GPAA claims and Happy Camp in CA. I am not thinking of this as a get rich thing. I want to camp at BLM areas, why not at least try an find out if there has been history of gold there too? Some claims that were mined have not been mined since with newer equipment.

If you want to spend about a $1000. to get started
in finding gold (Maybe ) it is hard work.

Metal Dectector ( good one ) $500.
Dirt wash machine $400.
Misc. $100.

Traveling to states with gold, Ariz., Calif, New Mexico,
N./S, Carolina, Alaska, a few.

It can be very expensive for what little you will find.

Lease claim in Ariz. for 2 wks found maybe 1/2 oz gold,
trip cost over value of gold was expensive even as member
of Lost Dutchman club.

Good Luck !!

If you are talking about real gold mining, that is a job, not a part-time workamping gig. Miners work long, hard hours in very harsh conditions. Not a job for the faint of heart. You need either a skill (heavy equipment operator) or the ability to do a whole bunch of grunt work (heavy, dirty lifting and many hours on the business end of a shovel comes to mind).
As for staking a claim and working your own mother lode, just ask yourself what do you know or what can you do that 10,000 people before you hadn't tried? Most successful mining operations just plain overwhelm the obstacles to get gold. They move thousands of tons of dirt to get ounces of gold. They use dangerous chemicals to leach the gold out of hard rock. The blast away entire sides of mountains. The successful companies employ armies of geologists and use high tech equipment costing millions of dollars to just narrow down where to dig. You don't just walk up to any anonymous mountain stream and pan out a few pounds of nuggets. Any stream that had that kind of treasure was found and worked over a hundred years ago.
Not saying it wouldn't be an interesting career choice, but unless you have 30 years of heavy equipment experience and want to take on one more challenge, don't see gold mining as something you do on a whim.