Carry while prospecting

[Ben Cartwright SASS]

ccm75
As I type this at my desk I can look up and see a small vial of gold flakes that were taken out of a stream in Western Mass, it is not much but it is gold.
A friend of mine has a very expensive bass boat that sucks down gas and he goes fishing, it would be cheaper for him to buy the fish at the market, another friend goes hunting every year, most years he doesn't get a deer and even when he does what is the cost per pound of that meat?

It is not about making money or even catching a fish or getting a deer, it is about relaxing and enjoying a hobby. I shoot in the Cast Bullet Association Organization Postal Shoots in the military division, I never win and even if I did it costs $4 for the match, the cost of 30 rounds of 30.06 and $2 to mail the target back, I can win $5 for first prize and $4 for second, oh and don't forget the gas to get to the range. I would be better off not doing the matches as even if you win you lose money.

I also do metal detecting, one year I calculated how much I made per hour doing that, it came out to 35 cents an hour!
BUT that being said I will ask the members of the forum -
If any of you have an older house that you would let me metal detect around I would be more than grateful.

It is about the hunt.

 

[Scarecrow]

I don't remember a whole lot about my high school time, but I grew up in California, right on the side of Mt Baldy, and there was gold in them hills. Had a buddy with a nugget the size of a baby's fist that he pulled out of a cavern he found and was never able to relocate. As I recall, if you find quartz, chances of finding gold is drastically better. Gonna have to confirm that independently, but it might help you.

Also, the only way a 9mm would harm a dragon is if the 9mm was an incendiary round used to ignite the boosters on a large ICBM aimed at the dragon's chest
...unless the 9mm was wearing a pt belt.

 

[Ben Cartwright SASS]

I heard an unconfirmed rumor that Dragons are wearing suicide vests having been recruited by a group that lives somewhere to the east of us, so it is possible that a 9mm could get them.
I found the last time I ran into a dragon I had a S&W .500 but every time I shot the bullets curved around it, some type of dragon force field... but then I woke up .

 

[Fixxah]

9mm, duh.....

Obviously.

 

[BOBKATT]

I think your odds of seeing a bear or rattle snake in western mass or finding gold are all about the same. Slim to none.......

Actually, you might be suprised. They're frequently reported on the AT in Connecticut and MA. Thru hikers often report seeing more Rattlesnakes in CT than any other part of the trail. Mt. Tom is another spot. They're out there. Gold on the other hand, is much more rare.

 

[ccm75]

ccm75
As I type this at my desk I can look up and see a small vial of gold flakes that were taken out of a stream in Western Mass, it is not much but it is gold.
A friend of mine has a very expensive bass boat that sucks down gas and he goes fishing, it would be cheaper for him to buy the fish at the market, another friend goes hunting every year, most years he doesn't get a deer and even when he does what is the cost per pound of that meat?

It is not about making money or even catching a fish or getting a deer, it is about relaxing and enjoying a hobby. I shoot in the Cast Bullet Association Organization Postal Shoots in the military division, I never win and even if I did it costs $4 for the match, the cost of 30 rounds of 30.06 and $2 to mail the target back, I can win $5 for first prize and $4 for second, oh and don't forget the gas to get to the range. I would be better off not doing the matches as even if you win you lose money.

I also do metal detecting, one year I calculated how much I made per hour doing that, it came out to 35 cents an hour!
BUT that being said I will ask the members of the forum -
If any of you have an older house that you would let me metal detect around I would be more than grateful.

It is about the hunt.

I hear you. It all sounds fun to me...!

 

[Ben Cartwright SASS]

Believe it or not but Blue Hills in Milton/Quincy is a huge rattlesnake area

 

[ARV]

ARV
I will try to PM you before I go, I would like to get out there this fall just to check the areas out.

I will carry my Grizzley killing BIG S&W 22A with 10 rounds of bear killing .22's, they will work if I dip them in some headhunter poison and then wait for it to take effect.

I'll bring a 9mm just in case. My friends have found a few small flakes in one of the streams. Ive seen guys up there with gravity dredges working over some spots, and they keep going back, so there must be a little something there. I have no idea where the thread is, but I posted a picture here of a gold nugget that came out of VT someplace. Some guy traded it to my grandfather for a 10/22 back when he still had his FFL. Theres also a guy just outside Keene NH that sells gold supplies. Hes a crusty grumpy and somewhat unpleasant person, that will just as soon tell you to F-off as sell you something. Guy keeps probably $10K in gold in his desk, some from around here, some from around the world. If you just let him ramble, you can pick up some good bits of info. Just like gold, you have to sift out the good stuff. He'll start to like you more and more the less you speak. LOL

 

[Cerfur]

I used to live in western MA and I am a backpacker a hiker and a hunter... First off I really wouldent worry about timber rattlesnakes. Only time I ever saw one was when there was a good sized brush fire on a mountain pushing a few out saw one crossing a road! They are know for being super UNagressive you basicly need to step on one to get it to bite. There are a good amout of black bear in western MA. I have even shot one there are two black bear seasons in ma one in September and one in November. They are very timid as well more like deer then the bears you see from hollywood! Make a noise and there gone they are hard to hunt never mind being attacked buy one...They also don't get very big a 300 pound bear is a massive bear in MA I shot my bear with a 30 30 and he maybe took two steps and was down.. Focus on your gold panning sound like alot of fun something I always wanted to try carry canceled if you like I always do...Mostly because I fear humans on a trail far more then bears or rattlesnakes

 

[Ben Cartwright SASS]

No one really answered the original post.

I have some 9mm's (semi's) and some .357 revolvers and 3 1911 45 acp's I would assume a .357 would stop a black bear, would a 45? and I would think the 9 would be for scaring them off.

also open carrying in a stream where the revolver or pistol will probably get wet or get sand it it, would a revolver be my best choice?

I was also thinking maybe getting a new Smith 44 magnum with a 5 inch barrel could be justified this way as it would certainly stop about anything.

 

[fencer]

If you're worried about the rattlers, how about a .22 with shot shells? Heck, they might work double duty for scaring off the bears.

44 magnum might scare off the bear too. And it could do double duty on the rattlers or any two legged snakes that might want to take any gold you pan from that thar stream.

Rule #1 - Always bring enough gun. You run a greater risk of running into some heroin addict that would kill you for that $35 in gold flake you found that being mauled by a bear

 

[fencer]

No one really answered the original post.

I have some 9mm's (semi's) and some .357 revolvers and 3 1911 45 acp's I would assume a .357 would stop a black bear, would a 45? and I would think the 9 would be for scaring them off.

also open carrying in a stream where the revolver or pistol will probably get wet or get sand it it, would a revolver be my best choice?

I was also thinking maybe getting a new Smith 44 magnum with a 5 inch barrel could be justified this way as it would certainly stop about anything.

I would think that the 357 revolver would be just fine. Any gun can malfunction, but I think a good revolver would be best suited for the task.

You should get the S&W 44. You don't need it for this exercise, but you should buy it anyway

 

[Ben Cartwright SASS]

Maybe I can convince my wife that the .44 is a bear gun!

I would probably not take my M28 .357, it is a N frame and a big gun, I would take one of my smaller .357's the M581 or the M19 with personal defense rounds, the more damage the better I would think.

 

[fencer]

I have always heard solid bullets for bear, never hollow points

 

[ARV]

Personally I prefer an auto when I'm doing something that might get the gun wet/dirty. Easier to do a full tear-down.

 

[PappyM3]

I have always heard solid bullets for bear, never hollow points

Yes, you want penetration.

Honestly, unless you're going to be carrying a shotgun with slugs or a rifle, then you're probably better off with bear spray. Apparently it is quite effective and you don't end up with the legal hassle of killing the bear. Now, there's no harm in carrying a pistol for the bipedal predators. The pistol can act as a backup if the bear spray doesn't do its job.

For rattle snakes, as others have said, just avoid them. If you don't see them in time and they strike you, well you probably wouldn't have been able to shoot them anyway.

 

[Mountain]

Rather than start a new thread, thought I'd necro-post in this one.

Anyone doing any gold prospecting / panning in New England lately? Sometime soon I'll spend a couple days sluicing and panning on the Wild Ammonoosuc in NH. I spent a couple hours panning it one evening on the way back from a trip and found a few small flakes of gold that are typical of the area. Glacial till gold is very fine. I'll hit it harder on an upcoming personal trip. If I carry it will be because I normally carry. Probably will be something I don't mind getting dunked in case I slip in the river.

Next spring I'll try to get up to Maine where there have been nuggets found. I'll definitely use the metal detector on that trip. Probably not necessary in NH.

My wife loves W Mass, so I'll probably have a chance to check that out as well. In the meantime I might sample a few spots in N Central Mass that are not all locked up by the damn DCR.

 

[Rick O'Shea]

If you find yourself carrying everyday, then questions like these never seem to come up.

 

[rogersmithiii]

I ran into a rattle snake in western Mass hiking a few years back, it was very small, I took a picture of it because I couldn't believe it and wanted proof. I had to get down pretty close to get the picture. Like I said it was small, about 14". If you can shoot one of those before you can step away I would be impressed! Kind of like a cop stepping in front of a car and then shooting? Just dont step in fron of it? I pan for gold in ME and ALWAYS have my .40

Last I checked, the only locales for endangered rattle snakes were the Blue Hills and Mt Tom. There was talk of introducing them at Quabbin, but the local Karens went nuts and they shelved the plan.

 

[Sf Becket]

I have never seen a rattlesnake in Western Ma but Bears I see all the time…..Never heard of anyone prospecting for gold either

 

[greencobra]

Also if you have to shoot a black bear to save yourself are you going to be in the deep stuff?

if a bear gets shot in the woods and nobody hears it...is it still dead?

makes a good case for a revolver, doesn't it, you don't have to search for the brass before you leave the area...evidence don't you know.

 

[Woodstock]

CT just passed a law allowing the killing of a bear in self defense, but nixed a general hunting season because animal rights rule.

CT Approved A Bear Self-Defense Law. A Hunting Season Would Be More Effective

townhall.com

 

[Mountain]

I have never seen a rattlesnake in Western Ma but Bears I see all the time…..Never heard of anyone prospecting for gold either

The Deerfield and some tributaries will carry some gold, though only enough to entertain hobbyists. Any gold in MA is what was carried along with glacial till and will be fine flakes and powder.

 

[Buck F]

Yes, you want penetration.

 

[Len-2A Training]

The Deerfield and some tributaries will carry some gold, though only enough to entertain hobbyists. Any gold in MA is what was carried along with glacial till and will be fine flakes and powder.

Well, if you pan the Assabet River in Maynard near the Mill, you could find some gold. DEC had a gold plating line there and there were numerous holes in the floors of those buildings that drained into the Assabet. I was told that a fair amount of gold from the plating line hit the floor there.

 

[MisterHappy]

Well, if you pan the Assabet River in Maynard near the Mill, you could find some gold. DEC had a gold plating line there and there were numerous holes in the floors of those buildings that drained into the Assabet. I was told that a fair amount of gold from the plating line hit the floor there.

Probably more chrome plating from the shopping carts.

 

[Mountain]

Giving this thread a bump since the topic came up in the bushcraft knife thread:

There are popular spots in New England that really are not secrets. The crazy-ass flooding we have had lately plus the spring thaw will probably drop some more gold in the spots that hold it, so even areas with a lot of traffic are worth checking out. In New England states, one is mostly restricted to prospecting within the banks of rivers and brooks and must not touch the banks. That's really not a bad thing, as nearly all the gold here comes from glacial till and you need to look in spots that concentrate it. In nearly all cases that's going to be within the banks of a river or brook.

The Wild Ammonoosuc River is a popular spot in NH. You can even run small dredges w/ a permit and permission from property holders. $7 day pass for Twin Rivers Campground near Bath or free if you stay there. They have rights to about a mile of the river. Coos Canyon in Maine or the Carrabassett River near the Wire Bridge are also decent spots. You will definitely find gold, though per day it will likely be only enough to rattle around the bottom of a small vial.

There are other spots mentioned on the web for NH, ME, and VT. There are some spots in the White Mtns Natl Forest, though you will need to stop at a ranger station first to get the free permit. VT has a lot of restrictions but is do-able with some research. ME and NH have some restrictions but they are reasonable. MA is really muddy about any restrictions if they do even exist, though most if not all DCR controlled watersheds will be off limits. That makes central Mass a pretty tough place to prospect.

Again, you won't find much more than enough to have a few flakes to show so you have to enjoy doing something outdoors. If you do carry while prospecting, just give up the gold to the robbers because it will be worth less than the ammo you might use to protect your loot.

 

[Mountain]

Here's a link to panning in the Whites:

White Mountain National Forest - Rocks & Minerals:Gold Panning

 

[mothybee]

Just run over and pet her cubs so she knows your friendly.