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Basic Guidelines for Prospecting
Get the landowner's permission - Pretty much all of the land available to
you to prospect on is going to be private. Take the time to get written
permission. That way if you are challenged, you have documentation
proving you may be there. It also makes it easy to turn the tables and ask
the person challenging you for written proof of property access. You'll find
out pretty quickly who is trespassing this way.
Fill Holes - This serves 2 functions. One is we don't need people stepping
in holes and getting injured. It also looks terrible walking down the creek
and seeing holes and tailing piles. It may look like a work of art to us, but it
probably won't to the landowner. The second benefit to you is that it makes
it harder for others to see where you are hitting the motherlode. It takes
hours to dig that hole and a couple minutes to knock down your tailing pile
and spread your rocks around. Just blend the area back in so it looks
natural.
No digging in the bank - This is a big no no. You have found a good spot
and the gold runs right under that tree or into that creek bank. You have to
stop digging when you reach the creek bank. Just wait for the next storm
and maybe that gold will move on down into the creek for you.
Rocks on the bank - This goes along with filling your hole. If you stack
your rocks on the bank, throw them back in the water when you are done.
It's easier just to scatter them in the creek while you are working your hole.
We want to leave the place as good as we found it or better.Rock piles just
don't fit the bill.
Get the landowner's permission - Pretty much all of the land available to
you to prospect on is going to be private. Take the time to get written
permission. That way if you are challenged, you have documentation
proving you may be there. It also makes it easy to turn the tables and ask
the person challenging you for written proof of property access. You'll find
out pretty quickly who is trespassing this way.
Fill Holes - This serves 2 functions. One is we don't need people stepping
in holes and getting injured. It also looks terrible walking down the creek
and seeing holes and tailing piles. It may look like a work of art to us, but it
probably won't to the landowner. The second benefit to you is that it makes
it harder for others to see where you are hitting the motherlode. It takes
hours to dig that hole and a couple minutes to knock down your tailing pile
and spread your rocks around. Just blend the area back in so it looks
natural.
No digging in the bank - This is a big no no. You have found a good spot
and the gold runs right under that tree or into that creek bank. You have to
stop digging when you reach the creek bank. Just wait for the next storm
and maybe that gold will move on down into the creek for you.
Rocks on the bank - This goes along with filling your hole. If you stack
your rocks on the bank, throw them back in the water when you are done.
It's easier just to scatter them in the creek while you are working your hole.
We want to leave the place as good as we found it or better.Rock piles just
don't fit the bill.