Hello everyone,
We ( wife, dog and I ) are very new as of last week. Just moved to Colorado last Sept. 14 from Richmond Virginia. Purchased a home in the Pueblo West area. Found some pans and a Gold Hog Mini at a yard sale and have been hoping for nice weather. Semi retired with time to play. We love to camp. Looking for folks to go out with and help us learn.
Thanks

Welcome to the forums and club. Keep an eye out in the members protected section of the forums also. That's where all the club invites and outing planning is discussed.

Welcome Lanny! I really loved that you moved out here and dove into prospecting head first on your first season. That has to be exciting!

And I think you'll enjoy that Gold Hog Mini. I consider mine the bees knees. Tuned right, these suckers will capture CO fine gold with ease. Since you got yours used, just make sure the matting is in good shape without too many depressions, cuts or the ilk. Their matting is very good and very well designed to capture gold at a solid recovery rate, but it needs to be in good shape to work right or the gold may be thrown right back out. (I only mentioned this because I saw one in use recently where the "Razorback" matting was pretty thrashed and doing the user more disservice than good. He didn't want to hear it, but it doesn't change that its true.)

I think you'll find you came to the right place. Definitely keep a watch in the member's forums.

Hello Yoda,
Hey, thanks for the welcome. All I can tell you is that I love being outside. Digging in the dirt looking for hidden treasures really makes my day. The mine gold hog I bought appears to have only been used a little, everything looks almost untouched. It didn't come with a pump so I need to invest in that. I have been seriously considering, buying a creek sluice that requires no pump or use of fuel. Look forward to meeting. and again thanks.

Thank you, I will check often. Nice to meet you.
Lanny

Sounds like you are in the right hobby. I am much the same way, prospecting is very tough on me physically but I still do it because I love it.

As far as your idea for having a creek sluice, for sure. There are a few areas you might expand to in the future where running motorized equipment is a no-no. There are a bunch of inexpensive options that do "good 'nuff." Keene A52 is always a big crowd favorite, personally I love my Wolf Trap (and not too many others do.) But I do recommend a high-banker maintain a creek sluice... there are always days where something doesn't work right (be it from equipment or even just enough water to run), and with a sluice, it almost always works right.

The flip side to that is that creek sluices don't move a bunch of material. A sluice processes about 20 times more than straight up panning, but a highbanker is probably 20 times more capable of moving material than a sluice.

I'm pretty big on the build up system, rather than "jumping into the middle." I think getting a creek sluice is the right move before attempting to get the pump(s)/hoses/linkages gathered for the Mini-Hog lined up, it will be less expensive and provide capability of moving material sooner. Plus the hands on with the sluice can teach you a few things before tackling 3000 gph being fire-hosed into your box and then down over your riffles. From there, expand capability at will. (I've grown our kit out enough now that I even have everything needed to run the mini-hog on gas OR battery... because again, you never know what issue you might face after hours of driving to some tough places.)

But really, do what makes you happiest, you've got people here who will throw lots of info at you here if you hit a road block with what you want to do. So long as you are out there and do what you love.

Great reply, really appreciate you taking the time to work with a newbie. The mini hog did come with clamps and hoses but I am almost positive I will need more. The man I purchased from had the pump but had sold it only minutes earlier separate. I did however also get a "Blue Bowl" with a 12V pump and a fairly new battery. I have fooled around with this but I'm not real impressed with it so far. I'm really into building a recovery system but also aware it would become heavy and difficult to carry or roll down a trail. Have seen some set ups using a wagon or push cart that has me thinking.
Anyway, as you said, just getting outside and doing what we enjoy.
Thanks again

You're welcome Lanny and it's nice to meet you also.
Blue Bowls are pretty cool I think but can be very touchy it seems. Swizz (Chris) put together a great Blue Bowl Demonstration & Tips thread that you would probably like to read. You can find a link to it on the Plans & Tips page in the tips and techniques section. Very good reading!