I've been to a few in Oregon learned real quick if there is no gold in my sluce stop digging in that spot.
Gold is ware you find it, I've got 3 grams out of blue bucket but had to run 10 yards of dirt.
If you want easy maybe you should buy gold bags on line.

Come to southern Arizona and I can take you to GPAA claims that have gold. You will however. have to dig, sweat and get filthy. But the gold is there.

 

Claims are different for sure.  I have done good at some and not so good at others.  One example that I was pleased with:  my last trip to LDMA claim (Blue Bucket in Oregon) resulted in four grams for five yards of dirt processed.  I am using Gold Hog mats.

I understand your frustration. Not everybody has the patients, it takes, to fine the elusive. My brother does not enjoy Geocaching, struggles with metal detecting and hide and go seek. The point is, he tried it. Maybe consider asking the locals if you can pan in their back yards. You don't have to mine on GPAA claims. I have found out that there are better places in each stream to mine. Those places get hit the most. May I suggest trying the not so obvious spots. You need to ask yourself. Has getting out and being in the country been enjoyable? Have others things like cows sneaking up on you or seeing deer fighting gone along with your adventure? If you are not happy with this hobby (which is all the more it is) then maybe it is time to sell your stuff and find another. No loss... at least you tried it. We wish you the best with your decision.

As having had a few claims myself, I will tell you they can be as frustrating as the GPAA claims. If it were possible, I would be a full time miner and not working for someone else. For now, I just enjoy the outdoor adventure and the hunt, makes it well worth it. I'm in the process of prospecting and staking a new claim. It took me 8 months, but I now know the process to stake a claim, but this time I'm looking for one with gold in it in that can have potential for more.

I'm not in southern AZ, but I'm in central AZ and I will say the gold at those claims, if dry washing, you can find just enough color to make you come back for more. I'm rarely alone out there at this time of year,.

learn the nature of the beast
I live in Black bear and lion country, always notice their markings and scat and often enough I see the critters themselves, however I know a few folks that live round here never laid eyes on either one. Course I imagine the only sign they know are the ones posted on the roadway, no offense to em they just be busy with a whole nuther category of life is all. If they slowed down and learned how to recognize these critters sign they would then be more aware of their presence and hence start seein em. You'd need to want to take the time to see em in the first place though.

Golds the same way I think. Slow down, then listen to and retain the wisdom offered from the experienced prospectors, study and keep studying everything about gold, and be willing to work,you will then find it. Its hard work, you need to love it, moving yards and yards of rock for some little shiny beautiful specks is no joke.Packing your equipment into remote areas can be dangerous.
For me I achieve a very pure joy, like nirvana, or a pure zen state, just watching material run through a sluice. When you are doing something you love the work part, at its worst, is just a grumpy friend.

Ifn I see a new prospector mired in frustration I will be more than happy,and in fact if asked, I'd be most obliged to help bring them back to the light.

The other side of the feather is to remember that prospecting for gold is not for everyone.

On a side note my favorite bill is my GPAA/LDMA bill, always happy to pay that one.

LOL, as a new member my confidence in a 108 dollars well spent after reading this comment is not improved, but the comments afterward are encouraging for the most part. I know I pretty much found even when I was decades younger and doing this very part time, the results were decent even on the most heavily worked old claims. Even in Oregon where the Chinese had hydrauliced the hillsides to death, you could still find good pockets. By good I mean you were working yourself like crazy all day to get 15 dollars worth of gold. But it was also 75 dollars an ounce back then. So you're not getting rich, but multiply that about 15 times and that shabby 15 dollars a day would be about 225 in gold today. Pretty good return on a healthy hobby in a healthy environment.

I would somewhat find it hard to believe that GPAA claims are so bad that if a person really knew what they were doing they do worse then the heavily worked over areas I would go into. But I guess I will find out first hand. I think the access on these National Clubs is quite cheap if you're paying all membership fees with the return of a few days worth of serious mining.

40 GPAA claims..... 8 LDMA..... 10 years...... no gold, yet paying for the privilege. I would be too embarrassed to say so and just perfect my technique instead. ╦╦Ç

It all comes down to are you doing it right? That many Claims says, you have no clue. Join a chapter and go to a few outings and see if your recovery picks up.

Oh, I have been skunked a lot. But not on 40 Claims straight.

Any body that says they have never been shunked is either lying or what ever.

Michael:  You need to go back to the basics.  Use "GOOGLE" and enter "How to pan for gold?" and how to use a metal

detector properly, and where to use a metal detector.  I have been to GPAA claims in Washington State, Oregon,California and Arizona.  I have found gold in all of these states.  I have also had good luck up in Alaska in May of 2017 near Juneau.

If you have renewed your membership during the past 10 years, you would have received a current Mining GUIDE

and frequent updates in the Gold Prospectors Magazine and the Pick and Shovel Gazette.

Good Luck! 

Captain John

Michael:  You need to go back to the basics.  Use "GOOGLE" and enter "How to pan for gold?" and how to use a metal

detector properly, and where to use a metal detector.  I have been to GPAA claims in Washington State, Oregon,California and Arizona.  I have found gold in all of these states.  I have also had good luck up in Alaska in May of 2017 near Juneau.

If you have renewed your membership during the past 10 years, you would have received a current Mining GUIDE

and frequent updates in the Gold Prospectors Magazine and the Pick and Shovel Gazette.

Good Luck! 

Captain John

Hello sir,
I always get gold everytime on every claim in Idaho and Oregon. I am a member of the GPAA, AMRA and have been a member of a local group. If you ask someone from your area for sure they can help you be successful.
The membership does much more than simply give you access to claims. They are leading (especialy AMRA and the GPAA) the fight to keep our mining rights and opening up new claims and methods of mining (dredging and such) It is important we support these groups so the crazies are kept at bay and fail in their quest to STOP ALL MINING!
Please remember these groups are our only real defense and supporting them we have a voice in the fight and hopfully we can return some of our rights back to the People!
Thanks sir,
Matt

Been detecting for 10 years, first FL beaches at the 1715 Plate Fleet sites then prospecting GA, WY. SD and AZ, almost enough now to fill a tooth. Found lots of things even sub grain staples and other wire. The old timers took the gold and left their garbage. Gold can be found at claims maybe $10 /day if your lucky. Still it's great just to be out there and although miniscule, the posibility for a decent nugget is always there.

Gold is where you find it! Sometimes I do great and other time nothing. That’s why it’s called prospecting. Kind of like hunting. If it was a sure thing,it would be called harvesting, not hunting!
My claim can be frustrating too. Dig a hole that looks good, nothing. Come back a week later, dig 3 feet away and be damned if I don’t find gold!

Gold is where you find it! If you haven't found any then you didn't look where it is!

Mining Guide isonline now.
No need to carry around that big book with the P&S Gazette updates taped into it!

Spent two weeks in Nome at Cripple River Camp, and had a blast. Brought home more tales than gold, but that's the allure of the hunt!

Just like life you get out what you put in. No Miner ever said gold mining was easy it's there you just have to work for it.