Indiana Gold Prospecting

[Jed]

Yes!! there is gold in Indiana! I am President of Central Indiana Gold Prospectors Association of America.
I have been prospecting in Indiana for 19 years now... and with last summers major flood event {June 7th} new "flood gold" has been released from the banks in quantities not seen here for over 100 years.
You can learn more about our group including meeting dates and outings here... Central_Indiana_GPAA : Gold Prospectors Association of America
Our next meeting is March 21st at Morgan Monroe State forest. There is excellent gold in this area. Normally you need a gold panning permit, but I have applied for and received a group permit from March 20-22nd so its open to the general public... and you won't need your own permit. Equipment will be available for purchase including pans, vials, etc...
Only gold pans, classifiers, and a garden trowel may be used inside the forestry... but I found more gold there with these simple tools than I did running a four inch dredge with Hooka air last year.
If you wish to return and gold pan after the outing you can get your own free panning permit (765) 342-4026 its good for six months... simply tell them where to mail it to.
We are about to have some new rules come into effect from the Natural Resource Commission {they make the DNR rules and regulations} for "Recreational Prospecting" in both navigable and non-navigable rivers and streams. We will go over these new rules at 5pm March 21st at the shelter house in M.M.S.F.
If you have any questions I can be reached at 317-242-9921

 

[smokingman]

I have actually done this with Jed. It is quite a bit of fun.If you love the outdoors and the possibility of finding a some gold it is well worth it. The cost is minimal as well(few dollars for a pan and a few other items). Save ammo one weekend and get outside and possibly earn enough to buy some more ammo Also I would like to thank Jed for all he has done for protecting prospecting rights in Indiana,if it was not for Central Indiana Gold Prospectors Association of America the NRC would have restricted dredge intake size to 2.5 in instead of the reasonable 5in as demonstrated by members of the GPAA.

 

[Flintlock]

Huh, I may show up for this. I don't have to be a member of the group to attend, do I?

 

[csaws]

More info here too please. Can we make it a family outing with two little ones?

 

[Turtle]

I pick my nose alot... ou might say im an experienced prospector...lol but this sounds like a lot of fun too.

 

[mike8170]

I might have to try this. I think my kids would enjoy it, they can't stay out of mud or water anyway.

 

[Chefcook]

I have been studying on this quite a bit....

YouTube - Midwest Prospector

 

[Flintlock]

I even have a gold panning pan somewhere at home. I got it at a gold mine when I was in Alaska. Should we make this an INGO attendence event?

 

[Indy_Guy_77]

Cool. I've forwarded this info along to my step dad...who'll hopefully send it to his brother as I've asked. He's been "into" panning the last year or so. I hope he can attend and learn some more!

-J-

 

[jontheturboguy]

WAY COOL! I used to watch that guy on TV called the Buzzard, and he would talk all the time about the GPAA.

I'd like to join a local chapter and get to prospecting.

Ive found some dust here and there in southern Indiana, but nothing of any measure.

*********NINJA EDIT***********
Just joined the yahoo group.

 

[csaws]

I've tried to watch the gold panning shows on The Outdoor Channel but that guy is corny as hell and I lose interest.

 

[tyler34]

I'm so down for this! I have watched gold fever for years! and yes we need more info like exact time and place and cost of materials etc.

 

[Jed]

All of Central Indiana G.P.A.A. meetings and outings are free and open to the public.
Its a great family activity {but watch the weather our March outing has been very cold with near freezing water in the past... not something you want very young ones playing in...}
I usually wear hip waders or at least a pair of good boots... dry feet become priceless in cold water. Other than that you only need a gold pan {about $12-$14}, a "snuffer bottle" to suck up you gold from your pan {$4}, and a vial to put the gold in {$1}. So all the basics are under $20.
All the above will be for sale at the outing {plus additional equipment} so show up with $20 you'll leave with some gold in a vial by the end of it!
Flintlock asked " Should we make this an INGO attendence event?"... I say the why not the more the merrier!
I have met "Tom Massie" "that guy on TV called the Buzzard" he is the son of the founder of the GPAA George Massie. He does have a certain child like quality that makes it hard for some to watch... having done prospecting for 19 years sometimes it seems as if he is downright "talking down" to the viewers... but he has a good heart.
It doesn't matter if your a grizzly old prospector or wet behind the ears... if you show up I will show you where to find gold in Indiana.
Join the Central_Indiana_GPAA : Gold Prospectors Association of America the photo album has maps and details on Indiana Gold, the file area has the new regulations, and in links are all the major sites about prospecting and Indiana regulations.
I can be reached at 317-242-9921 if you have any questions.

Central Indiana GPAA President

 

[Jed]

The youtube video is Chuck Lassiter he is a member of Central Indiana GPAA and has been at most of our recent outings... his nickname is the "Midwestern Prospector" after his book on the subject....

 

[Scutter01]

How much gold do you generally find in a typical outing?

 

[Jed]

Enough to leave a smile... one made of gold in the bottom of your pan.
Don't plan on getting rich, but its a unique experience to be able to say "I got this gold from the earth with my own hands".
I can't say you get X grams or grains of gold... the results vary even within a few feet {or sometimes even inches of depth} in the end its often about what you put into it. Those who move more material tend to find more gold than those who work less... but sometimes those who appear to have grown roots all day get lucky and find a large piece. {large in Indiana is half a grain of rice}.
Our gold is small but very pure...Glacial processing refined it to a state so pure there are few places on earth like it. We have NO native gold... all gold in Indiana is a result of Glacial processing. WTHR channel 13 did a story with me last year and tested a sample of Indiana gold... it amazed everyone at .999 fine Directly out of the Ground! The crew filmed the entire process from creek removal to electronic testing... {Thanks Jeremy and Steve!} their testing proved what we had believed... Indiana gold is among the most pure gold you can get anywhere on earth. Sometimes its quality not quantity.

 

[fireman1328]

This sounds like a lot of fun. I bought some stuff about 5 yrs ago, a couple of pans, sluice and even some of that "loaded dirt" to practice with. What time will it start on the 20th?

 

[Richard]

How much gold do you generally find in a typical outing?

I found 3 grams this morning.

 

[Jed]

I have rented the "DRAPER CABIN" in M.M.S.F. for the Friday and Saturday of the outing{March 20th and 21st}. If your interested its a primitive cabin as the park site says its a ".. wooden-floored log cabin that takes visitors 100 years back in time to the days before electricity, vehicles and modern plumbing." Its not a "Holiday Inn"
...there is no running water,electricity, or modern plumbing... its a true to life "log cabin".
It has 2 rooms and sleeps up to 14 people... so if interested in stepping back in time and spending the outing weekend in the 130 year old cabin contact me... I forgot to mention the price if you want to stay the weekend... its FREE!!! This one is on me
Jeremy Kolaks {Assistant Property Manager M.M.S.F.} is going to let me into the cabin this Friday to take pictures of the inside and out. Here is the state site DNR: Morgan-Monroe State Forest
I will post photo's of the cabin this weekend for those who want to see it at Central_Indiana_GPAA : Gold Prospectors Association of America
We must stay within the 14 person limit {max # staying overnight} so
please contact me if your interested... 317-242-9921
For those not staying in the cabin we will be entering Deadmans Hollow from the East side at around daybreak to go gold panning March 21st... and having a meeting at the shelter house at 5 pm. to go over new rules from the N.R.C. for recreational prospecting in Indiana. Those spending the night will return to cabin at dusk... and repeat for Sunday! B.Y.O.B. {Bring.Your.Own.Beer!}

Central Indiana GPAA President,
Wayne A. Mercer

 

[rhino]

Even I think this sounds like fun.

Which should suprise everyone who knows me.