I can't help directly with your question, but I will be going there in June.  When I get back I'll post on my success.(1oz, 2oz, 10oz)

Pans, shovel and sluice, I believe needs no permits, but high bankers and dredges etc calls for a plan and permit (reclamation bond). The last time I checked I believe it was around $1500.00 per year. One would have to contact the BLM in the area your interested in. As for the husker 1, there is pretty good gold found there. Water can be shy to none in August and September as all the water is from spring thaws. The Mary Ann on Castle Creek is a good spot also. Its usually high water in the spring, but in Sept. it should be normal flow. May your pan be YELLOW!

Floyd,

About the Mary Ann on Castle creek is that a GPAA claim, or do we need to join a nearby club.??

 

The Mary Ann, Rainbow, Husker and Miggs 1-4 are all GPAA claims. The local clubs also have their own claims for which you have to be a member of their club.

i've been to all the claims in south dakota the migg 1-4 are good fine gold some small pickers claims there is a private club claim to the left of the migg from the bend in the river up stream. trick on the claims move down stream from claim maker the gravels around the marker are heavely worked by the not to interested prospectors so go down stream a 100 yrds or so. the rain bow is good but the trees from the road block the claim maker a GPS is helpful here. also no ATV travel on the old railroad bed. the husker is good metal detecting area not much water. all claims NO motorized equipment can be used 12 volt recirculating systems o.k. hope this was some help

member PLP, WMA, WORLD MUSEUM OF MINES, new49ers, GPAA,  V.P. LAST CHANCE MINERS

 

Don't know about the 12V motor being ok. Forest ranger man frowned upon it at Mary Ann last year.

you can use a 12 volt motor with recirculating equipment. the type that has a tub that your tailings go in and you use that same water. if your pump is in a creek or stream to pump water it will be considered motorized. dumb rule but what can i say.the forestry has different rules than the BLM that's why i dropped my 2 claims in the black hills. anyway good luck this year prospecting. remember to fill your holes in and what you pack in pack out

I think the guy was giving me a hard time. I wasn't even using it. It was in the duffle bag I brought up that has pans and classifiers. Now I know why my freind calls them "Ranger Dick"

Posted By DENNIS JANKA on 17 Mar 2015 07:22 AM
dumb rule but what can i say.the forestry has different rules than the BLM that's why i dropped my 2 claims in the black hills.

Ok. Where are those at.... I wouldn't mine getting a hold of them so everyone can have fun there too

the claims where in pennington county just outside of hill city on the upper spring creek in section 25

Dennis I to would be interested in those claims or maybe you can turn the m over to gpaa . please send me info if you dont mind

haven't been to these claims in years so don't know what they are like now. from hill city go south to spring creek road travel about1.4 miles the old claim was on the left side of the road. if you get to a big out crop rock with a gate on the left of it you went to far.

Is there anyone who knows of a club that goes to the claims in south Dakota and when I am a greenhorn and would like information and dates, thank you

elizabeth you can contact the northwood hills chapter in deadwood contact James at BHPROSPECTING@GMAIL.COM there a great group of people i do believe they have a claim also and i'm sure they can help with whatever you need.
2 dogs
member PLP,WMA,GPAA, 49er PROSPECTORS, V.P. LAST CHANCE GOLD MINERS, WORLD MUSEUM OF MINES, fabricator of small scale mining equipment

Hey Christopher, How did your outing to the Hills Claims go? I finally joined the GPAA and am planning a trip out. Any info would be appreciated......my e-mail is Baileyd77@yahoo.com Thanks, Greg Scott

There are certain exceptions that they go case by case, from what I found out, I got a mini recirculating highbanker approved without needing permit and has to be under 18 gallons a min. Not in the creek and must deposit leftover material in a depression and not directly back into the creek. Will need a recirculating unit do to no water or you could pan or use metal detector or whatever you may choose but I contacted the forest service and talked to Eric Holmes about the unit. Best of luck and may your road be filled with gold.

So you can use shovels, picks and prybars on Forrest Service lands that are open to non motorized mining equipment then? Well thats good, I hear many areas around the country are restricted to garden scoops. Can anyone say if the BHPC claims are outside of the FS watch, say just BLM? I note they require $100 upfront for part of their reclamation bond. Must have been reading SD regulations and it was out of reach to do any small motorized process for shovel dug material without an EIS and a big bond.

What a change from just 15 years ago.

I'm heading to the hills in June...
Would like to go to the husker claim, any advise?

Hi Roger, and Byron,
Here is what is allowed for mining in the Black Hills without a permit. You can use a pick and shovel (like a #2), you can use a sluice box in the creeks, a recirculating highbanker powered by a battery. You cannot draw water directly from a creek with a pump, gas motor or electric.
Roger, as of today the Husker is not flowing water and if it does (it hasn't for two years) it will most likely stop flowing by June. There is pretty good gold there so a recirculating outfit would be a good idea.
Byron, the Black Hills is 99% US Forest and private land. BLM has very little land here. When you ask about the BHPC are you referring to the GPAA chapter or the private club. The Northern Hills Prospectors is the GPAA chapter. The BHPC claims are all on Forest Service and they require membership to use them. Forest Service told them in the past year they can not charge a fee to non club members to use their claims. Hope this helps you guys. I am no longer the president of the chapter here in SD but feel free to contact me. I am still down as the contact.

Jim Van Hout