Klamath River with an 8"

[Jeff Bucher]

Hello All,

Just a note to Woodcutter. I hear what you are saying about spending a lot of money on gear. Having the right equipment is important but no amount gear will work unless you put it to work. I don't know you so I may be wrong in thinking you have not spent much time in the firld. If so I will say, sorry up front...

Now to what I do know. I have worked for Dave on Group Dredge Projects for four years now. He takes the responsibility very seriously. First, to keep everyone safe as they work through the week and next to get into high grade gold so everyone takes home a nice share.

Unlike the 49ers some Clubs take the gold into the back room and come back out with the gold all split into equal amount. Dave take a different approach. He wants the group to learn how to find the gold and the best ways to handle it after it is found. He always has the members actually help throughout the clean-up process.

I use this as an example of what type of guy Dave is. Sure he is in business it make a living but in doing so he is providing a great service to all of us. Good gold bearing claims are hard to find. I live in Southern Califorina. I beat myself up for years hunting gold on worked out clains held by other Clubs.

I joined the 49ers when I saw how many miles of river claims the Club had. l have spent my vacations on the Klamath every summer since. I don't agree with the earlier post that said virgin pack is hard to find. All it takes is the developement of a sound sampling plan and then working the plan. You will find gold. Will you get rich? Most likely not... but it is fun to try.

I think Blues_Dad is just like the rest of us and is looking for a great adventure.

Good Luck, Jeff

[blues_dad]

damn, everyone beat me to what I was gonna say to respond to woodcutter.

Yes, I am looking for teh adventure part of it. I can easily afford to take 4 months off work to pursue this. The way I look at it is, even if I don't find much god, I will have spent a great summer outdoors metting new people.

I am not really invested in this financially, all told I have spent perhaps $400 total for the wetsuit and all that so I can get underwater, plus the bus ticket. Other than that, I have not spent a dime. No memberships bought, no equipment other than a gold pan. Everything else is being provided to me to use, highbankers, sluices, dredges, detectors, everything. So All the tools are already there for me to find the gold with. So I see it as an "I can't afford to pass this up opportunity."

[FlakMagnet]

Jeff,

Good information and I think it points out the value of people like Dave McC.

Most people starting out haven't a clue where to go or how to go about finding out.

If they waited around for, as oakwoodcutter posted above: "ive got allthe stuff now..iam just waiting for someone to take me to there favorite spot with lotsa gold in it"...

Well guess what?

THAT ain't gonna happen.

Dave and others like him serve as intermediaries for newcomers and other people

who are willing to do more than dream in front of a computer or a book.

Flak

Some thoughts on being a newbie:

Everyone who reads this thread can probably remember

the first thing that turned you on to prospecting.

What is hard to remember sometimes is the intensity

of that flash of inspiration and the enthusiasm it produces.

Some might call it a blinding flash - it makes all things seem possible;

lots of gold, living in the great the outdoors, the sky is the limit, God it's great.

I think it has to be this way.

It's pretty much what got the original 49'ers to California in the first place.

In our initial revelation, if we could see the bone crushingly hard work (dredging),

the mind-numbing hours listening to a tone somewhere on foot, miles from nowhere

in the brightness and the heat of the desert (detecting),

and the hours and hours spent reading, talking, and thinking about all there is to learn,

I wonder sometimes if anyone in their right mind would decide to take it up.

That first fantastic naive enthusiasm, opens a door.

The road that stretches beyond that doorway is a never-ending

process with many choices and many possibilities.

But you have to open the door, and imho,

everything has to look possible when you peek out.

fwiw,

[Jeff Bucher]

Thanks Flak,

I remember the day the Gold Bug set the hook in me. It was in the summer of 1984. I was standing in the Merced River at Bagby. I was panning the sand, not finding a thing, when a 12 year old kid came along. He stood on the bank for awhile and watched me work. After a few minutes he said, your not doing that right. I said ok, how should I do it? He took the pan and filled it with roots and dirt from the bank. After panning it down he showed me three little flakes in the bottom of the pan. Well that was it. I have been prospecting ever since. Oh, I forgot to mention the kid keep the flakes

Jeff

[oakwoodcutter]

no offense woodcutter, but you need to stop being so negative about this entire thing. You need to get some facts straight. I'm not quitting my job, I'm taking the summer off. Also, I'm not purchasing any memberships to anything. I'm going out there to learn how to dredge, plain and simple. That's it.

on your first post said iam quiting my job

Jeff,

Good information and I think it points out the value of people like Dave McC.

Most people starting out haven't a clue where to go or how to go about finding out.

If they waited around for, as oakwoodcutter posted above: "ive got allthe stuff now..iam just waiting for someone to take me to there favorite spot with lotsa gold in it"...

Well guess what?

THAT ain't gonna happen.

Dave and others like him serve as intermediaries for newcomers and other people

who are willing to do more than dream in front of a computer or a book.

Flak

Some thoughts on being a newbie:

Everyone who reads this thread can probably remember

the first thing that turned you on to prospecting.

What is hard to remember sometimes is the intensity

of that flash of inspiration and the enthusiasm it produces.

Some might call it a blinding flash - it makes all things seem possible;

lots of gold, living in the great the outdoors, the sky is the limit, God it's great.

I think it has to be this way.

It's pretty much what got the original 49'ers to California in the first place.

In our initial revelation, if we could see the bone crushingly hard work (dredging),

the mind-numbing hours listening to a tone somewhere on foot, miles from nowhere

in the brightness and the heat of the desert (detecting),

and the hours and hours spent reading, talking, and thinking about all there is to learn,

I wonder sometimes if anyone in their right mind would decide to take it up.

That first fantastic naive enthusiasm, opens a door.

The road that stretches beyond that doorway is a never-ending

process with many choices and many possibilities.

But you have to open the door, and imho,

everything has to look possible when you peek out.

fwiw,

it can happen if someone will just take me to it

[fredm]

Flac are you a preacher or a motivational speaker?...I always enjoy the text and spirit of your posts............

Oak...it took me years on my own to detect my first nugget...why... because I would not stick to gold-detecting until I had success...why lack of true belief that nuggets could be found with a detector...the solution, I decided to stay out in the desert until I had a nugget...fortunately, with the attitudinal change and some luck I found a little rice sized nugget. You could hear me celebrating from Bard to San Diego....what is the point? You don't need an escort and no one is likely to adopt you so just go do it. PPP and you will succeed

Fred

[blues_dad]

ok woodcutter, you were right, i worded it wrong, so now I changed it to read leaving for a few months(VACATION), lol.

[FlakMagnet]

Fred,

If this thread lurches off into finding a first nugget with a metal detector

there will, for sure, be some great stories.

And I'll bet almost all of them involve some level

of an insane kind of patience.

Without that and a belief in yourself,

most of the gold is going to stay hidden.

Just like most good things...

Let's see who comes up with another tale.

All the best,

Flak, with a k

[blues_dad]

damnit man, I knew you guys would hijack my thread, you bastards!!

[Ridge Runner]

blues dad

You have been the star of the show for to long.Did you ever think you would get so many replys and hits on a new kid on the block question?

This just shows you if you come on here and not be a smart ass people will bend over backwards to help you.Now not only you are waiting for the summer but we are waiting when you get back to report how it went.

Chuck Anders

[whats4supper]

bah humbug!

[fredm]

"Bastard"? would you know who my Dad is??? Really Blues there are lessons for any who have an open mind in most of my rambling missives...you did mention metal detecting, ya know...

anyway, I was hoping to encourage Mr Oak to help his self...or stay on the couch waiting...it is his choice, as learning to pan correctly is yours.

Flak...I flunked speling....

Fred

[blues_dad]

ya i know, i'm glad this thread has gotten as much attention as it has. Everyone has been real nice, and real helpful with all the tips and whatnot. Now just to get out there and put to use my expanding base of knowledge

[Ridge Runner]

whats4supper

I hear you on the fall apart.At one time when something was said about a root canal they were talking about working on your teeth but now it could mean anything.

Chuck Anders

[FlakMagnet]

Whats4supper,

I hear you on the lament for physical completeness,

but I have found that just getting 'out there' and walking

around, leads to a much better feeling about the whole

process we're going through, than if I sit and worry about it at home.

I know you have had your share of physical ailments lately

and hope you are feeling much better.

It would be great to get to meet you one day,

you have an abundance of hard-won knowledge and a sensible outlook,

both of which (current posters aside), are in short supply these days.

I hope you continue to get stronger and one day you are able to

return to the places in the wild that you obviously love so much.

Flak