I live in Washington and use to make 3 or 4 trips a year to AZ but I'm on hold for a year or so now. Not sure about dry washing at all being all I do is metal Detect. It took me about a half dozen trips south and around 60 hours of metal detecting before I found my first desert gold but after finding that first piece I haven't been skunked on any of my next trips since. I didn't find gold every day or every claim I've tried, but knew it was just a matter of time and patients before I would find my next piece of gold. Confidence is a big part of it and there are lots of information on how to find gold in the desert using a metal detector and where, same with dry washing. Hopefully you will get some helpful suggestions on this post over the next few days that will help you. Good luck and don't give up, the more experience you get the better it gets and hopefully the more gold you'll find.

Thanks for the reply. I know my detecting may need some improvement but finding as many small bbs that I have found I am guessing that I am doing a little bit right as far as hearing small targets. I am hoping I could find someone willing to take me out for an hour or two anywhere in the desert just to learn what to look for. I keep hearing to stay away from the big washes. Hoping to start having a little success soon or I may put it on hold for quite awhile. It’s getting very frustrating not finding even a flake. Much different than Washington.

Where are you located?

Casa grand Arizona about 45 minutes south of Phoenix

I have been working the San Domingo claims. And also the Greaterville claims.

It sounds like your putting in the time and it also sounds like your going through what I went through when I first started. I was finding about 200 trash target every day and hundreds of buckshot BB's too. The old saying, gold is where you find it may be true but after I found a piece I was able to see why it could be there and of course there are many reasons why gold should be in a spot but it doesn't mean gold will be in a similar place somewhere else. I came close many times thinking I should pack it up for awhile and just go back to my city parks and metal detect but I'm glad I didn't, as soon as you find that first piece of gold it will be all worth it. It looks like your metal detecting technics are good and I thought my were good too but when I slowed my coil speed down even slower and really started working the ground I started finding more smaller trash items and then finally more gold, and the real small gold flakes. Using the smaller coil, good headphones, slow sweeping speeds and patients were the keys for me. The GPAA claims have gold on them and finding the technic that works best for you is the key. If you do find someone to go out with you that can confirm your technic is good it can be a big confidence booster, I always wondered if I would have had someone help me when I started desert metal detecting if I would have had a better start at this, stick with it and you won't regret it.

Was up on one of the LSD wash claims last week and still am having trouble finding any amount of gold at all. Tried benches, some small washes, and even dug down near the main wash hoping to find a spect or two. Would still like to purchase a dry washer but without finding any gold on these outings I am not sure a new piece of equipment is really worth the time or money. Would love to have someone to show me a trick or two to get on the right track. Thanks to Anyone that will help.

Stan

I haven't had any luck detecting on Lsd claims personally. Probably in a similar boat as you. Lots of trash and hot rocks. I have definitely found gold panning, dry washing and recirc high banking. Lots of fines to be had with nice flakes and small pickers. Sample lots of areas and return to the better areas.

Thank you for the advice. I have been sampling a lot of different areas and have come up empty. Any suggestions where I should be sampling.

Thanks

Honestly anywhere. Gold is on all these claims. Placer is the majority, atleast for me. Lots of washes have color, it's just how much per volume. Each dig is a little different so you have to learn to read your setup. I just posted in Maricopa Group from today's outing.
Upper right, click the 3 horizontal bars, then Properties.
Select Az (or region), then County, then Recent Activity.
Select Prospecting and read the reviews others post. Good info is here.

You really just have to put in leg work. I 1 bucket sampled multiple claim locations, sluiced each one, and made my choice from that.