Advice On Where To Begin. Join Gpaa? Pay For Some Training Or Just Read Everything Here

[Skate]

After all these years of detecting I'm considering adding gold prospecting to my game. I've never started just because my location did not make it seem like a fruitful thing to do given the beach and parks are always close by. It also hurt because the wife refused to allow me to put a wash plant in the backyard so I could pretend I was a miner. So that being said where to begin? I have my Manticore and Equinox but beyond that I have no clue how to read the ground or tell if something is going to be gold bearing. If you were advising someone just starting out what would the path be? Would you advise them to join and organization like GPAA? Pay someone like Gerry to take you into the goldfields and get a crash course in prospecting or take a more cerebral approach and digest as much of this forum and books as possible? 

I have time and in no hurry at the moment. The current economy has put a damper on some of my pursuits so funds are not unlimited. I gotta be smart as to how I get going on this and I figured this was the place and the group to ask.

I'm located in Ventura County and I know at one time there was gold in our hills but maybe not so much anymore. Thanks in advance!

Skate

[GotAU?]

31 minutes ago, Skate said:

After all these years of detecting I'm considering adding gold prospecting to my game. I've never started just because my location did not make it seem like a fruitful thing to do given the beach and parks are always close by. It also hurt because the wife refused to allow me to put a wash plant in the backyard so I could pretend I was a miner. So that being said where to begin? I have my Manticore and Equinox but beyond that I have no clue how to read the ground or tell if something is going to be gold bearing. If you were advising someone just starting out what would the path be? Would you advise them to join and organization like GPAA? Pay someone like Gerry to take you into the goldfields and get a crash course in prospecting or take a more cerebral approach and digest as much of this forum and books as possible? 

I have time and in no hurry at the moment. The current economy has put a damper on some of my pursuits so funds are not unlimited. I gotta be smart as to how I get going on this and I figured this was the place and the group to ask.

I'm located in Ventura County and I know at one time there was gold in our hills but maybe not so much anymore. Thanks in advance!

Skate

Hi Skate!

I would take a class and also read a lot. Also join a local club then you can network with people and perhaps go out to detect and prospect with. Also you have been here longer than I - it’s a great place to meet local members who will help - I did just through meeting up with some who I either sold stuff to or bought something from.
-Anthony

[GB_Amateur]

As someone who has done all three:

1) Gold clubs (GPAA being one, but where you live I suspect there are local/regional versions as well) are good in that they provide places to detect (claim access) as part of their membership.  Getting advice on how to use a detector, though, while possible from the right person (such as Kevin Hoagland of GPAA) is not always that easy.  Oh, you'll get plenty of people who think they know what they are doing, both in this regard and reading the land, etc.  Cost:  $50 to $100 per year (ballpark) which in the case of GPAA includes a subscription to the bi-monthly Gold Prospector magazine.

2) Getting face-to-face instruction from an experienced person (such as Gerry and his crew) has a lot to be said for it.  Not only will they get you off on the right track but give you the confidence that you are going about it the right way.  And since the classes are (in Gerry's case anyway) taught in a location where gold has been found you have a good chance of finding your first nugget.  (I did.)  Cost:  several hundred dollars but can be discounted if you buy a detector from the teacher.

3) Books such as Chris Ralph's Fists Full of Gold are also helpful, particularly when you get to the point where you want to find promising spots on your own, but also when you are on a claim and want to find the spots to give you the best chance of finding gold.  Cost:  $30 (for Chris's book, and that puts you in the ballpark for others as well).

Bottom line is that 1) and 3) are of quite reasonable expense and 2) is worth it, IMO, to get you off and running.  You mention you aren't in a hurry, so you can probably get away without personal instruction, but I tried that for half a dozen trips West before I took Gerry's class.  I don't regret paying for any of the three as I think they are worth it to me personally (I've been a GPAA member for 10 years now) but if given a do-over I wouldn't have waited so long to get the personal instruction.

 

[GotAU?]

40 minutes ago, Skate said:

After all these years of detecting I'm considering adding gold prospecting to my game. I've never started just because my location did not make it seem like a fruitful thing to do given the beach and parks are always close by. It also hurt because the wife refused to allow me to put a wash plant in the backyard so I could pretend I was a miner. So that being said where to begin? I have my Manticore and Equinox but beyond that I have no clue how to read the ground or tell if something is going to be gold bearing. If you were advising someone just starting out what would the path be? Would you advise them to join and organization like GPAA? Pay someone like Gerry to take you into the goldfields and get a crash course in prospecting or take a more cerebral approach and digest as much of this forum and books as possible? 

I have time and in no hurry at the moment. The current economy has put a damper on some of my pursuits so funds are not unlimited. I gotta be smart as to how I get going on this and I figured this was the place and the group to ask.

I'm located in Ventura County and I know at one time there was gold in our hills but maybe not so much anymore. Thanks in advance!

Skate

You’re about two hours from some really good gold areas in the El Paso mountains, look up PCSC, Taft and OC49ers, all three have good club claims in that area.

Also get a small coil like the Coiltek 10x5 or the little Minelab 6” coil for your Equinox.  Those will help you find some gold.

[Nedkelly]

All 3 will definitely shorten the the learning curve, by years.😄

[Skate]

Excellent advice and I thank you all for helping out. Looks like I'll be joining GPAA, buying Chris's book and getting some one on one training. 

Best to all

[Lost Scout]

I am also going to give dittos to all three directions. Flatten the learning curve. It will give you confidence and make it much more enjoyable. 

And when you find that first piece of gold you are hooked. Just a heads up.😀😱

[matt]

The first thing I would do is one on one training and that would put you way ahead (or a group training). Gerry gets rave reviews for his training but if it's too far North, I'm pretty sure Doc does training out of Las Vegas too.

The read and research, and join a club to access claims.

[GotAU?]

Reese Townes published a great book as well:

https://goldseekeradventures.com/

[mn90403]

If you want to meet up some time in May ... after May 8th, hit me up and we'll set something up for a swing.  I've found that when you are helping someone find some gold, I happen upon some gold myself!  We are in the 'same' area based upon detectable gold is concerned.

This is the best thing you can do in early April.  Kevin Hoagland will be there.  I'm going to be in Texas for the eclipse.

Placer Petes (placerpetesgoldcamp.com) 

http://placerpetesgoldcamp.com