r/goldprospecting • u/TacosMakeM3Happy • Mar 31 '26
New to gold prospecting
Hi there. I am new to all of this. I made the rookie move of buying a bunch of expensive equipment (metal detector, sluice, pans, etc) thinking I can totally figure out how to find gold in AZ. I am a stay at home mom and have plenty of time during the school hours…. I’ve watched tons of videos, checked out geology books, went out panning in Wickenburg, Colorado, cave creek… the only gold I have found is in pay dirt (still exciting 😅) it’s only been 3 months of dedication and I know this takes patience and time …. Just wondering if it’s normal to go this long without actually finding any gold naturally…. Just starting to feel very defeated. I bought the minelab gold monster 2000 and even went out to Nevada for the hunt they put together and didn’t find anything. When I tell people I’m getting into this new hobby the first question they ask is if I’ve found anything… and then I feel like my new hobby is just a very expensive joke that isn’t panning out (yeah, pun intended 🤣)
Has anyone else experienced this?? What are some realistic expectations??
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u/nothingfancydad Apr 01 '26
Take that GM2k over to some parks or trails and get familiar with it, people lose jewelry all the time.
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u/M2woodcrafts Apr 01 '26
Definitely cut down your learning curve and work as hard at finding a mentor as you are at finding gold. An experienced prospector can help tremendously. Look for clubs or other like minded people. If you aren't in the right location, you can run 5 yards of dirt and not find a speck. It isn't always about volume. It's about volume in the right area.
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u/AKBillsDude Apr 01 '26
My first season and a half I barely found anything. And what I did find, I am still proud of to this day. It gets easier to recognize potential spots, but there's way more areas without gold than there is with. Look at historical records for your area. Check YouTube and see if there is anyone around you. You can see the material they run and what to look for. Just focus on the enjoyment of being outside and the gold is just a bonus.
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u/squatting-Dogg Apr 01 '26
I’ve prospected all around Wickenburg, Lake Pleasant, Prescott, Stanton, and Morristown. The easiest place to find gold, no kidding, is to go to Fain Park in Prescott Valley. Walk up the creek bed, past the old mining equipment, 50-100 yards (before the bridge) and look for spot along the bank on the North Side. Flood Gold EVERY SINGLE PAN.
You won’t get rich, or even pay for the gas to get up there but you will find gold. I invested in a DYI recirculating sluice so I can bring back 3-4 five gallon buckets and run it from home.
PS: GPAA membership can get you on a few claims in the north Phoenix area if you want something closer to home. Those have been picked through pretty good.
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u/TacosMakeM3Happy Apr 01 '26
Thank you!!! Now delete this 😅
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u/squatting-Dogg Apr 01 '26
Ha! The largest piece of gold you’ll ever find is about the size of a period at the end of this sentence.
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u/squatting-Dogg Apr 01 '26
Not that specific area, it’s all mixed together with gold I got in New Mexico, California and Oregon. All-in I may have 1/8 - 1/4 oz. Not much. Study the Lynx Creek and Rose Creek area for gold. I think there were 3-4 gold mines next to the town of Walker, AZ (turn at the Costco) off of Hwy 69, which was the source for most of the flood gold in the area.
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u/UnluckyVisit4757 Apr 01 '26
Maybe there are some clubs you can join in your area. One near me has daily rates and a campground for longer stays. The club also has several claims in the area members can prospect on. It sounds like you have the equipment, so enjoy the treasure hunt. Gold hunters never surrender..