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Posted by: ScottKS Mar 24 2008, 03:00 PM

Here is some pictures of my Good Friday......i went out to Nettleton on the Arkansas River....first time with the dredge on a river in Kansas.....spent about 6 hours out there and came away with about 50 colors..mostly specks and flour but there was some that could be classified as a fleck....NOT FLAKE...fleck is a bit bigger then a speck but not a flake lol....my grandparents showed up to watch me and take some pics...i'll post there pics once i get them...the sheriff showed up across the river and asked grandpa what i was doing and grandpa said he is looking for gold...he has found some out here (panning).....i guess the sheriff only looked at my operation for awhile and then said good luck and left.... . It was a fun day and i am figureing i sucked up about close to 2 yards of material.....this material was mostly sand and was really easy to suck up...hec there was times it sunk down fast and gave me expressions lol......this first pic is my camp

Posted by: ScottKS Mar 24 2008, 03:02 PM

ME.....

Posted by: ScottKS Mar 24 2008, 03:03 PM

After math....tailings....there was alot of river rock tailings...i was surprised

Posted by: ScottKS Mar 24 2008, 03:04 PM

My hole........

Posted by: ScottKS Mar 24 2008, 03:04 PM

bottom of hole.......this hole came up to my hips...had to change from hip waders to chest waders..

Posted by: russau Mar 25 2008, 04:59 AM

ive found fine gold in the Kansas river in outside of Wamego KS. with my grandchildren.

Posted by: russau Mar 25 2008, 05:00 AM

Scott, how in the heck did the sheriff even know you were there??????

Posted by: jim Mar 25 2008, 09:59 AM

very cool scott. i'm happy to see you be able to get out and play.

Posted by: faaus Mar 25 2008, 10:05 AM

Thanks for the great pictures Scott!

You beat me starting your season. Hope you have a great year houndin rocks and gold.

faaus

Posted by: ScottKS Mar 25 2008, 02:32 PM

Thanks all....Russ that's what happens when you live in such a small area....can't even take a pee without someone knowing about it.....as far as the sheriff knowing was probably cuz the people that live just off the highway down the road probably heard my motor and called it in........sometime i'll post a pic of the road going into the river witch makes this area easy acess .....yes the river goes right over the road and the road goes under the river.....no bridge..there use to be one there and some of the remains are still there and when panning right in the middle of the intersection you have to keep watch.....i would know this for a fact lol because people still cross the river and some get stuck right in the middle of the river when it's up...my friends got stuck and water came in the truck...but now it up and don't think no one has got stuck yet....there has been many people cross and i watched them just barely make it......good thing cuz i don't want to have to pull them out ......and all have stopped and asked me what i was doing and i told them...it shocked most people knowing that there is gold in Kansas......

P.S. there is signs down the road warning of high waters and usally the river has been dry there makeing it easy to cross but the river is up now

Posted by: russau Mar 26 2008, 10:05 AM

small towns! yep, i know what your talking about!

Posted by: ScottKS Apr 6 2008, 01:56 PM

Grandparents got there pics of the outting.....here is two

Posted by: ScottKS Apr 6 2008, 01:57 PM

The other pic

Posted by: russau Apr 6 2008, 06:46 PM

Scott, i like your placeing the engine in the tub! thatll keep it from sinking in the sand/mud while running.plus you never know if/when that itll leak some oill/gas out into the enviroment and cause polution.you ought to get the award for your civic enviromental awareness!:) but really it is a good idea!

Posted by: Howard Apr 6 2008, 09:08 PM

Scott, great job getting out there. Your getting our left overs. Robin and I have been digging on our new claim with our highbanker and we did our first clean up of the cons and it looks pretty good. We do know about those micros, specks, flecks, flakes and thats what we are up to now. We aren't in the river though, we are up on bench gravels. So what we are losing you can get after our reported record runoffs this year (supposable 3x the normal), great snowpack this year as D & D will probably attest too. Good luck out there and may you fill the poke. Howard and Robin

Posted by: ScottKS Apr 7 2008, 02:42 PM

Thanks guys......yuppers that tub helped...at first i didn't do that and the motor sank but the tub did the trick.....also the sluice sank alot and had to readjust alot....i'm going to do the same with the legs just add my clear tub to one side and the lid to the other......that should do the trick. That sand out there is like quick sand

Posted by: ScottKS Apr 22 2008, 03:25 PM

I went out again Saturday the 19th and found about 70 more specks to add to the collection and i also found something interesting...it was like some kind of metal like copper chunk kinda rolled up but one side has a gold look on the edges and the back is mostly gold... if it is gold or something else....will have to bring it to the outting and have people tell me if they think it's gold or not..... This time i had a good sized group of about 7 of us... the wildlife and game guy came out and asked what i was doing and i told him, he said he never saw something like this operation or prospecting in general in this area..he said good luck and went across the river...a guy from work came out and did some panning and i think he found a few specks upriver. It was a fun day and dad dredge tended ........i will post pics once grandparents get the prints back. I also made the same hole bigger....i also got to a point where i hit a ledge of some kind...think it's asphalt...i sucked most of the surface and under it as far as the nozzle could go...i think it was part of the bridge at one time. I gave two creatures a water park ride down the suction hose .... a crawdad and a tadpole.... i don't think they survived but they could of made it maybe it just gave them a comma.....all in all it was a really fun day.

Posted by: russau Apr 23 2008, 04:59 AM

Scott the next time this fish and wildlife guy comes by offer him a drink and show him what your doing with a explaination of how itll help the stream/fish health. maybe explian to him how a dredge is the only enviromentaly safe way to remove any mercury and itll remove the lead bullits from the stream .make sure you have a clean and orderly camp. this will help all down the road.ands thanks for your report.

Posted by: ScottKS May 15 2008, 06:32 PM

Ok pics time......grandparents got there prints back

Posted by: ScottKS May 15 2008, 06:33 PM

Cleanup time

Posted by: ScottKS May 15 2008, 06:34 PM

Panning time

Here is a link to the rest of the pics of the same outting

http://www.coloradoprospector.com/forums/index.php?act=ST&f=1&t=2178&st=0#entry14578

Posted by: mystic mining May 15 2008, 07:49 PM

cool pics Scott keep up the good work

Posted by: ScottKS Jun 22 2008, 02:05 PM

Yesturday i went back out to Nettleton like i have been doing atlest once a month now but this time was different....the boy scouts came out and i showed them how to pan...this first pic was me with the group of 6 kids that was out there


P.S. that is me in the chest waders in the middle

Posted by: ScottKS Jun 22 2008, 02:11 PM

I took this pic looking down the road.....as you can see the river does go over the road and before i showed the kids how to pan someone went over the river and almost hit one of the kids and splashed most of the kids with a wave of water don't ask me why people think they have to cross.....i know i wouldn't even try...i would find another way.....DANG PEOPLE....sigh

Posted by: ScottKS Jun 22 2008, 02:21 PM

Here is me showing the kids how to pan.....The first pan i panned into the tub but the water got too nasty so i took another pan and panned it into the creek and that's where the kids panned....i found out it was easyer to get a pan of material and pan right beside them so they could see how it's done while they are doing it.....it was a fun day and i think most of the kids learned something about panning....all of the kids did a good job...like i told them it takes alot of practice and it took me about 8 years to master it and i'm still learning.....

Posted by: ScottKS Jun 22 2008, 02:31 PM

Today i panned the cons from yesturday..... did the pan look good but i decided that all the bigger stuff i got was probably Fairplay gold still stuck in the miners moss....i made a mistake i should of recleaned the mats when i got home because when i cleaned up in Colorado the mats were kinda cold and frozen even though i thought i cleaned them up really good at the dig .....sigh so what i may have to do is take out the bigger specks and put them into the Fairplay vial and keep all the lil specks and add them to the Kansas vial.....i didn't even think about recleaning the mats and i should of....so even the lil specks could still be Colorado gold but wait all of the Kansas gold i have found is probably Colorado gold anyways soooo.... ......oh well we will just have to see how many specks i can get out of it....i only worked on the dredge for like 4 hours so if i can get over 50 specks then i did ok. ........no gold in this pic is mostly all the lead i took out yesturday classified down and i take out about that much everytime i go out...mostly bee bee's

Posted by: Mike B. Jun 23 2008, 08:04 PM

Good job Scott!!!

You make me proud to be a Kansan! :)

Posted by: ScottKS Jul 13 2008, 12:09 PM

Friday night grandpa told me that i made the local paper.......i was surprised but i also didn't know that the scout leader's wife wrote in the local paper either......here is the clip of the article from the paper.

Posted by: Mrs.CP Jul 14 2008, 05:38 AM

You did great Scott!
Thats something those kids are going to remember forever.

Posted by: ScottKS Jul 21 2008, 02:46 PM

Went back out Saturday 19th.......this time it was just me and dad out enjoying the outdoors...haven't been able to clean the cons yet......my dredge hole is much bigger now and i got threw alot of material this time and only worked like 5 hours...running out of spots to keep dredgeing but there is only going to be like one maybe two more outtings.......i also uncovered a log that is so far about 15 feet long or longer...sometime i'm going to hook up a come-a-long or hook it up to my truck and drag it out of there .....what i'm wanting to do is cut it up and burn it with some metal sheeting under the fire pit and then pan the ashes....might be surprised how much gold is hideing in the grains and crevises of the wood ...here is a pic of what the area looks now...it has changed some....alot greener and this is about the way it looked last month

Posted by: ScottKS Jul 27 2008, 11:06 AM

Cleaned up the cons yesturday and here is the take from last weekend....there is some chunkers in there

Posted by: Bill-SD Jul 27 2008, 09:55 PM

Way to go Scott.
Really nice to see ya workin with the kids and the locals.
Even gettin some color in yer pan.

Carry on

Posted by: faaus Jul 29 2008, 02:30 PM

Hey Scott,

I'm proud of you Buddy! It was really great of you to work with the scouts!

Heavy Pans,
faaus

Posted by: ScottKS Aug 24 2008, 01:10 PM

Welp i went out again yesturday.....this is a new spot farther downstream on private land...this spot was much nicer then the last and much cleaner water ....grandparents really enjoyed this spot more then Nettleton......i only used the highbanker this time and dug on the bank to the right and if you look hard enough you can see the handle of the shovel....i haven't cleaned the cons yet but i will post a pic.......as of right now i'm thinking this was my last Kansas Prospecting outting with the operation...i might go out and mess around panning but i'm going to take it easy...i probably shoveled about 50 buckets and made a nice sized hole in the bank and that wore me out and got a nice sunburn...there was cloud cover at times but that sun was hot down in that valley ...so i'm going to just take it easy and wait for the bigger stuff in AZ because this small stuff just isn't really worth the work anymore.

Posted by: ScottKS Mar 29 2009, 10:17 AM

Kansas Gold Up-To-Date......now your probably wondering how many colors are in there......idk.....but if i had to guess.....around 500 or so and remember that this picture is zoomed in alittle..... lol

Posted by: Mike B. Mar 29 2009, 07:20 PM

Nice!

And that's Kansas gold...right?

Posted by: ScottKS Mar 30 2009, 09:39 AM

Yuppers most all of that is Kansas.......there might be a speck or too from Fairplay's May outting because i may of not got all the gold out of the miner's moss when i cleaned up at Fairplay....the mats were frozen at the time and may of not dropped all the gold......but i bet all this Kansas gold came from Colorado anyways.....lol......i figure glacial drift before the John Martin Reservoir Dam was built west of Lamar...that's my perdictions....or maybe that dutch oven treasure spilled into the river...that gold was from the CA Gold Rush....hec i'm not for sure....all i know is gold is gold....no matter where it comes from....

Posted by: Mike B. Mar 31 2009, 11:34 AM

Hey ScottKS,

Can you tell me more about that "dutch oven"?

Posted by: Lloyd Apr 1 2009, 07:13 PM

Posted by: Lloyd Apr 1 2009, 07:17 PM

Posted by: ScottKS Apr 1 2009, 08:17 PM

In 1851 a party of returning California gold miners and their families was attacked by Indians just across the Arkansas River from what later became Taylor Ranch two miles southwest of Offerle. $90,000 worth of gold dust was buried in a Dutch oven at the site, and the only survivor was a eight year old girl who was taken captive by the Indians. She survived to pass on the story to her descendants. In 1918 a woman who claimed to be related to a survivor of the massacre (none outside of the eight year old girl was known to exist) turned up in Kinsley with a map indicating that the treasure was hidden somewhere southwest of town, but she was unable to find it.


http://www.legendsofamerica.com/OZ-KansasTreasures7.html (Look under Offerle)

Posted by: mystic mining Apr 7 2009, 10:22 PM

hi
Scott

Posted by: ScottKS Oct 1 2009, 11:46 PM

Here is Nettleton as of last Saturday.....really sad....it has gone downhill alot....mostly because of beaver dams...sigh


Here is a better looking spot...this spot is just south of the little town of Garfield (down stream from Nettleton...hec the last outting i posted (Aug 24 2008, 02:10 PM) is down stream about a mile or two from here....lol).....just under the bridge....if you look hard enough you can find a floor sweeper..sigh people just don't respect our lands anymore...they think they are junk yards...sigh......well anyways..lol


In some of these pictures you can see where the beavers have dammed up the river.....that's why it's a smaller down to a stream right under the bridge.


Here is the spot i dug (right by the fallen branches in the river)....found a fleck....yes a fleck...bigger then a speck but smaller then a flake...In the first pan of 3...the last two was zip...lol.........if the weather looks good enough i might get a wild hair and take out the dredge this Saturday ....that will make it the first time this season...oh my oh my...hec might even go out the next weekend...better getter done before cold strikes .....hey Mike B. or any other peeps near by....let me know if you could make it over this weekend (If i even go out) or any other weekend....would like to see some other prospectors out with me if anyone can make it ......lol

Posted by: ScottKS Oct 3 2009, 11:13 PM

See what a week can do ......lol...oh well i probably wasn't going to go out anyways ....here is the after math pics....and also a pic of the other side of the river at Nettleton...

Can see the sweeper better in this pic....it's now takeing a bath....lol he he he

Maybe that beaver dam gave way...maybe it was one farther upstream and made a chain reaction...i don't really know...lol

Nettleton west side

Posted by: ScottKS Jan 23 2010, 09:53 PM

Made my river run today.....started at Nettleton followed the river road to Garfield bridge......did about 2 hours of gold panning and found two specks.......then went to the other side of Nettleton. Click on this link to see the rest of this trip......Geocaching.....

http://www.coloradoprospector.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=2299&st=0&gopid=18185&#entry18185

Posted by: Coalbunny Jan 23 2010, 10:08 PM

What is the bedrock out there?

Posted by: ScottKS Jan 23 2010, 11:59 PM

It's really deep......50+ feet deep (i have been told anyways).....haven't found a place yet that it's exposed......lots of free flowing sand in the way....BUT....there's gold in it...only dig like two shovels in each spot to sample and find color......usally it's like a speck every 3 or so pans.....lol.......every lil bit counts

P.S. And with my combo it adds up much faster.....average around 100 specks in a 5 hour day

Posted by: ScottKS Apr 17 2010, 10:56 PM

2010 Dreding Season has offically started

Last Saturday i took samples...once again my last post is still right....i found 3 specks in 6 pans

Before

Before



After Math: Today was Dredging (no pics with the dredge but i posted a video on facebook....idk if it will work from here or not)(I know it will work if i had everyone on here listed as friends on facebook) lol http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=lf#!/video/video.php?v=383128612098&ref=mf (Let me know if it works for ya!!!)

After


After



Looks like i must of moved alot of material...i made a sand gravel bar...lol....it's not that much wider but it's much deeper

Posted by: ScottKS May 29 2010, 10:18 PM

It's been over a month since i have been out (with the dredge) but the river has been flooding...so i have been takeing samples in non flooded areas instead (flooded spot...pic below). P.S. this pic was taken last Saturday.

Here is the setup for today....beaver dam has a chunck gone...it made me have to rethink how to setup...will post the results when i go threw the cons. :)

Most everything (for the dredge itself...except the engine and gas) goes on that backpack frame and i had problems getting up with it on my back...so i'm going to have to try and build something...like something like them garden wagons with the big floatation wheels.

Posted by: ScottKS Jun 9 2010, 05:50 PM

Wagon all loaded :)

Link to the store i got it from while i was in Longmont CO (Saturday)

http://www.lowes.com/pd_214397-52314-TC4205F_0_?productId=1060059&Ntt=garden

Posted by: Boogie Jun 9 2010, 08:55 PM

Hi Scott! Nice set of wheels you got there. We got one just like it except it's green. I like your yellow metal gold colored one. Ours has gardening junk in it and I'm not allowed to play with it.

Are you still in my neck of the woods?

Boogie

Posted by: MtDew Jun 9 2010, 10:17 PM

I had a green1 scott and sold it at a yard sale lastweekend for 25.00 lol

Posted by: ScottKS Jun 10 2010, 09:45 AM

If anyone knows me by now my colors are Yellow and Black because i am a prospector (and don't forget GOLD...Scott..lol)....so green wouldn't of worked anyways...lmao...Boogie...sorry man dad and i left Monday morning..it was a quick trip to Longmont for my niece's 4th birthday. OMG Jeff (Mt Dew) your posting again....lol..it's good to see your still kicking ...Jeff i bet even at $25 it would of still costed more to go get that wagon you have (with the price of gas) and seeings i was in Longmont anyways..it all worked out

Hey Jeff i ate at the NEW Jack in the Box in Longmont...you should go visit sometime...it's not as far to go for your favorite fast food place ...just don't forget to let mom and mike know your in town...i bet they would love to see you guys again

Posted by: Boogie Jun 10 2010, 10:09 AM

Next time your up this way to do some prospecting, maybe we can meet somewhere and get that dredge of yours all plugged up with some heavy materials.

Posted by: ScottKS Jun 26 2010, 10:12 PM

Here is the setup for today...right under the bridge...was good to have shade all day (for a change...lol).....made it to clay in spots so will be interesting to see the results (cons)...my chest waders must of had a hole (or cracks because they are everywhere) in the right leg or boot because my right boot got full of water...so i trashed them and kept the suspenders just in case...you never know......lol (they lasted like 8 years so it's time for new ones i guess...someday) may just put on my swimming suit with booties (i have that goes with my wetsuit that no longer fits me..lol) and go swimming and dredging for the rest of the season...might as well..i was about at that point today...lol

The wagon worked good...made some wood ramps for the truck...had a time trying to push it up so i had to get in the bed and pull it up...much easyer that way

Aftermath...tailings

Posted by: russau Jun 27 2010, 05:14 AM

Scott can you point me in the correct direction to get the dredgeing regulations for Kansas? i may want to head over there sometime! but ill be leaving for Wyoming tommorrow afternoon and ill be gone for two weeks.

Posted by: ScottKS Jun 27 2010, 10:13 AM

As far as i know Kansas doesn't have any regulations...i have had a sheriff and fish & game come by while i was at Nettleton and see my operation...only asking what i was doing...nun of them have said anything about regulations or kicked me out. I really think thats because people really don't think there is GOLD in Kansas...lol ...now if you had like a 4inch or bigger dredge then they may make laws for Kansas but with my operation they haven't said much...that's the perks of being out here in the boonies..lol.

Russ...if you get to go on Highway 50 and make it my neck of the woods (Arkansas along 50 has all the gold in the state...there isn't really anything else in the state as far as gold in the river..lol...and that's because Colorado feeds this river)....let me know...i'll IM you my cell phone # if you have a cell phone to get a hold of me or you can drive right here in Lewis and ask about anyone here in town where Scott & Terry Galyardt lives...most people here in town know me (if not me then they know my dad Terry)...lol...but calling me leaving a message if i don't answer would be the best way......just let me know Russ...would love to go prospecting with ya...may not take out the dredge BUT you never know (might get that wild hair...i usally only take out the dredge once a month and i just went out..but you never know...lol)

P.S. i have heard stories about Lakin Ks (that's right by the state line on 50)....right under the bridge but i haven't ever checked out that area.

Posted by: ScottKS Jun 27 2010, 02:03 PM

So the cleanup showed about 80 specks..best so far this season (only panned it once..will probably find more)...here is a pic of the 2010 Season so far (3 outtings...around 200 specks i figure) Yes i know the pic is crappy but my scanner works better then my phone does...would look better with glass vial..not plastic.

Posted by: russau Jun 28 2010, 06:06 AM

thanks Scott! im only speckulating what im going to do at this point! nothing is firm!

Posted by: ScottKS Jul 17 2010, 11:35 PM

Flood aftermath....this shows how dredging doesn't hurt the environment...if you remember from past pics there use to be a ditch where i dredged in the past but mother nature filled it all in with sand...can still see some of my tailings but more flooding will sweep that all away :)

Before

Aftermath



P.S. The plan is to take the dredge out either this comming Sat. 24th or the next (31st) because them are the last two Sat. for the month of July (weather permitting)....because the heat has been a factor...i have been dredging in the shade right under the bridge...lol

Posted by: Coalbunny Jul 19 2010, 07:37 PM

Yeah I see your problem right there in #2. You havn't been digging deep enough.

Posted by: ScottKS Jul 28 2010, 07:35 PM

Gold Dredge Operation Outting....Place: Garfield Bridge (right under Bridge...parking is follow trail road south and west of bridge)....Time: This Saturday July 31st from Noon - 5p.m. (everything is subject to change...will post if anything changes) :) remember if you miss this outting there will be more but the season is getting near the end ;)...................... This outting will be a bit of a change...the water level has dropped alot so i won't be dealing with higher water....that can be a good thing just as long as i can keep water flowing threw the motor foot valve...lol

Posted by: Boogie Jul 28 2010, 09:08 PM

Good luck Scott! I hope you find lots of color. Have you ever tried to locate the ancient riverbed? The Arkansas has surely meandered over the eons and their might be some good deposits away from the present day river bed. A metal detector might help locate those old concentrations of heavies.

Posted by: ScottKS Jul 29 2010, 11:14 AM

Boogie...i think a past post can answer that ? because ancient riverbed would be getting to bedrock around here.

?

Answer


And with all this free flowing sand i won't ever be able to make it down to that ancient riverbed unless i bring in a back hoe

Posted by: Boogie Jul 29 2010, 11:38 AM

Not necessarily, you could have a false bedrock (such as caliche or hardpan) that may be much closer to the surface than the actual granite bedrock.

Just a thought.

Posted by: ScottKS Jul 29 2010, 03:04 PM

Usally what i do Boogie is go down about 2+ feet...down past all the dang free flowing sand and go right on top of the clay layer...thats when i hit paydirt...lol....haven't seen any caliche around here...only false bedrock is cement slabs from left over bridges and what people leave behind...also river rock could carry it.

Posted by: ScottKS Jul 31 2010, 09:53 PM

Todays Aftermath.....Tailings...moved alot of sand...lol

Hole dredged...got kinda deep...lol :)


As you can see the water level has really dropped since the last time the dredge was out.

Results: Cleanup showed around 50 specks...and i know i lost some panning (the gold was wanting to float on me even with jetdry in the water) :)

Also i would like to add on a shorter note...i felt a lump on my shoulder last night...took my shirt off to find out it was a TICK crawling around on me...YUCK (lol..i have him in a container watching him slowly die...lol)...that's the first tick i have found on me after prospecting for the day (that i know of...lol).

Posted by: Coalbunny Aug 3 2010, 11:37 PM

I would find some way to drill down at least 20-30' and find out what the sedimentation is.

Posted by: ScottKS Aug 28 2010, 08:30 PM

Welp here is some pics of the river...i thought this time i would be brave and take some pics from the bridge I know that is kinda dangerous but i was looking for traffic the whole time...garfield road can be busy sometimes but other times it's dead...lol...this pic is looking to the east (downstream).

This pic is looking to the west (upstream)



Here is another pic looking to the east....right to the east of that tree is my old spot...will be interesting to see what happens in the aftermath. :)



Here is the current spot.....the reason i couldn't go dredgein today. :(...But once the water goes back down...hopeing that will be before the weekend (like by Wed. when i go check on it...then i can dredge next Sat.)...it will be interesting to see what's left of the hole and tailings i made. :)...I know fishermen.....you all like it when it's flooded but you had your chance to have fun this weekend.....now it's my turn....lol



Last pic....upstream from the current dredge spot looking downstream to the current dredge spot.

Posted by: russau Aug 28 2010, 08:50 PM

very good report Scott! persistance is the name of the game!

Posted by: ScottKS Sep 4 2010, 09:25 PM

Setup for the day...as you can see this recent flood changed this area...the sand bar got ALOT bigger so i setup on it...also the hole that i spent the last two outtings makeing is long gone...once again this shows that dredeing dosen't hurt the environment.

Closeup of operation....Yellow Arrow points to the hole (close anyways...just to the top right of the head of the arrow is a stick (can just barely see the top of it..the stick is also going at a angle) hooked on to the nozzle..but the way i had it didn't work out like planned so will have to think of something else.

Posted by: ScottKS Sep 5 2010, 10:13 PM

Results: Cleanup (only panned once) showed 50 specks but there is two almost picker sized objects that is gold colored but looks almost like thin metal shaveings...idk...kept them in a different vial.

Posted by: ScottKS Oct 3 2010, 01:25 AM

I decided to not run the dredge because the weather didn't impress me much...here is a pic of the last hole i dredged...i panned in it to help fill it in. :)

Pic of the area...as you can see the water level has gone down more...not much water left.



I decided to try something new...i used Chuck's Gold Trapper instead of a shovel (with all the free flowing sand it sucked up really easy and digs like a core sample) and you know i really think the Trapper is more efficient then a shovel...just think about it with a shovel the gold has a better chance to escape seeings the shovel is always in motion the gold can go with the water with the force of uplifting....with the Trapper it's trapped inside the PVC pipe (and i wait like 15-20 sec. to let the gold settle in the pipe before putting the plunger back down to fill the pipe more with gravel)....just a thought. ;)


I found 3 specks in 6 pans but what makes it weird is all 3 specks was in 3 pans in a row...with a shovel it's more spaced out...hummmm interesting.

I think it was a good season and i had fun with the 5 outtings i did take with the dredge....."We will be together again next season dredge...Until we meet again."

Posted by: ScottKS Oct 16 2010, 09:00 PM

Ok today i decided to take out the dredge to end the 2010 dredging season....was in the mid 80's and i just wasn't going to pass this up.

Setup for the day and the last outting of the season

The Hole...i thought this was a good pic with the nozzle in the hole



The Aftermath

Posted by: russau Oct 17 2010, 05:15 AM

maybe one more shot at this hole?? pump water from the stream into the hole and suck it out with your nozzel. it looks like theres a lot of blacksand on the bottom. it would be a good comparison between what you did on two weekends.

Posted by: ScottKS Oct 17 2010, 05:55 PM

Here is the Gold Take for the 2010 Dredging Season!!! Also one side of the two lil nuggets i'm not sure about. :)

Cleanup showed around 50 specks...alil more should show up repanning the cons. :)

Other side of the two lil nuggets i'm not sure about. That tiny one almost looks red in this pic and in person it almost looks copper..but both of these stayed in the pan with the gold and black sands and there is no doubt in my mind that bigger one is gold (it's gold colored..but it would be nice to get a gold testing kit and find out for sure).


You know after this last outting i really think i should move to a new location...this location has death everywhere...i used my shovel to throw a skull (maybe deer) from the location i was going to be dredging...i always find bones and furs all around this area. Guess that's what you get for being in a hunters area but i really think it could be something feeding (Mt. Lion maybe...idk).
I really would rather go back to Nettleton but ever since they regraveled the road the river looks worse...maybe i should find somewhere closer to Kinsley..have already been to the south bridge and last i knew there wasn't much water in it...will have to do some research this winter and also keep my eyes looking around.


Hey Russ if your talking about that dry hole in the last pic...it's probably black sands because them are my tailings...

Posted by: swizz Oct 17 2010, 07:54 PM

Looks good Scott, keep up the good work!
Probably a good idea to do the winter research and scout out some new areas too.
I suspect that some of the dead critter remains in that area are results of roadkill, I've seen it a lot around bridges.

Posted by: MtDew Oct 21 2010, 06:24 PM

Hey Scott, I've got a new peice of equipment for prospecting............ Went to a funeral Monday and at the house the reception was being held....... found this and the woman told me to take it lol. I offered her 50.00 bucks but she just wanted it gone. Has a hand brake for going down hills and instead of a bike tire it has a motorcycle wheel & tire, really heavy duty and yet light weight.

Posted by: Coalbunny Oct 21 2010, 10:43 PM

That looks so cool, MtDew!

Posted by: russau Oct 22 2010, 05:58 AM

what a excellent find!

Posted by: swizz Oct 22 2010, 07:27 AM

Agreed!
I'm not sure if I would push it like a wheel barrow or pull it like a rickshaw?
Either way, this old boy would crash and burn with only one wheel!
I reckon I'd have to throw an axle and another wheel on it... or buy a helmet and upgrade health insurance.
Cool find!

Posted by: Coalbunny Oct 23 2010, 05:21 AM

Great idea!
Replace the tire with a geared MC rim.
Get a chain saw hooked up to it.

You may not be able to ride it, but it'll help you with going up hill!

Posted by: ScottKS Oct 26 2010, 09:56 AM

Hey Jeff...cool lil setup but i agree with everyone....that one wheel would have to become 2 before i would use it...but i'm sure you might of been thinking the same thing...right??

Posted by: ScottKS Jan 8 2011, 10:11 PM

River Run 01-08-10

The 1st pic is of Nettleton...all the work the county did to regravel the road across the river is a muddy mess and looks worse then before...they really need to act on putting a culvert in..i think the county has been talking about putting in a 6 foot one in. If they do that then my prospecting will be so easy...the culvert will concentrate gold and black sands in the ribs..all i have to do is suck out the ribs...it's like a big sluice box.


Just saw this on my local news (not really too shocked tho...i already knew not to eat any fish that comes out of the Arkansas River...not with the looks of around here)lol
http://www.ksn.com/news/local/story/State-says-many-fish-in-Kansas-are-unsafe-to-eat/qVNLNBgg-UWFQJjwErJUuQ.cspx
I would say not to eat any fish that come out of the Arkansas River...most places look really bad...especally around here. One thing people need to understand is if we don't respect the land then it can all be takein away from us...Pollution might be one reason why some of the land will be takein from us all (that and Land Ownership...it might end up that you have to know someone to do any recreation)....then people (mostly the ones that did the pollution)...will wine and wonder why they did that to us. Here's your sign...lol...i try and clean up as much as i can but it won't ever be enough...someone will come along and put it back...that's the really sad thing about all of this. (I think pollution in this area will be the main reason why land maybe closed off and this news story shows that they are looking into it...this area seems to be the main sorce but i know there is more areas that might be worse and if they trace it upstream to here then this area could be closed down..i'm affraid...will just have to see what happens) But i will enjoy what i do as long as it's here for the takeing.

Posted by: russau Jan 9 2011, 07:17 AM

Scott i agree 100% with respecting the land and the owners! SALUTE to you!

Posted by: jonesy Jan 22 2011, 10:27 PM

scottks ..! im in great bend .if you wanna shoot the sh$# hit me back

Posted by: h20prospector Jan 23 2011, 01:00 PM

That's way better than the garden wagon I got from Lowe's!

Posted by: ScottKS Jan 23 2011, 01:09 PM

Hey jonesy i sent you a IM with info.

Hey now h20prospector i have one of them garden wagons from Lowe's and it works just fine for me
Look on page 4 and beyond

Posted by: ScottKS Jan 25 2011, 01:06 AM

Gold Dredge Operation (April 17 2010) 1st outting of season....this video shows really well how my operation works.

http://www.facebook.com/v/383128612098

Posted by: ScottKS Mar 8 2011, 01:37 AM

It's getting closer to that time of year....time to get the equipment roundup and get new if need be.....This backpack kit http://www.store.sluicemagnet.net/GOLD-FEVER-Prospector-Backpack-Kit-24BK.htm;jsessionid=60FD3CFC63D9AD87394B54C023856597.qscstrfrnt02 will be one new thing that will help me take a good sample in between dredge operation (once a month) outtings. I'm also looking to get that gold-n-sand too. http://gold-n-sand.com/

I think this season (well early season anyways...will take samples first) i may go west of the bridge and more in the banks. I have been looking into a dry land way to dredge in the banks instead of highbank it (that i don't like to do much...wet mess) but the special nozzles are kinda expensive http://www.midwestprospector.com/hydroforce.html so i am figureing out a way to make a add on one out of PVC for my nozzle...will see if and how that works out.

Hydro Force Nozzle PART 1 of 4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mvd2l1_iTbw&playnext=1&list=PLEF0AC8095B236132

Posted by: ScottKS Mar 12 2011, 08:35 PM

River Run 03-12-11

Found 2 specks out of 3 pans in Spot #1 and didn't find anything at Spot #2. That's why i really need to find a way to get my dredge to dry land dredge (Hydro Force setup)...then i can dig in the banks.

Here soon i'm going to order my new kits

http://www.store.sluicemagnet.net/GOLD-FEVER-Prospector-Backpack-Kit-24BK.htm;jsessionid=60FD3CFC63D9AD87394B54C023856597.qscstrfrnt02

http://gold-n-sand.com/

Posted by: ScottKS Mar 31 2011, 09:21 PM

YAHOO!!! I got my Backpack Kit....Here is a video i just made.
http://www.store.sluicemagnet.net/GOLD-FEVER-Prospector-Backpack-Kit-24BK.htm;jsessionid=60FD3CFC63D9AD87394B54C023856597.qscstrfrnt02

The Video I Made
http://www.facebook.com/v/10150129221142099

Posted by: ScottKS Apr 2 2011, 08:51 PM

Backpack Sluice with Gold-N-Sand
http://www.facebook.com/v/10150131055997099
Yes i know you can't hear me (because of the wind) so i guess i was talking to myself...lol

Gold-N-Sand with Bucket
http://www.facebook.com/v/10150131061142099
Yes i know you can't hear me (because of the wind) so i guess i was talking to myself again...lol
I See London...I See France.....I See Scotty's Underpants & Gut...lol (dang wind trying to take my shirt off ..lol)

A stand will help with the setup and everything but really i think it also depends on the motion of the river...if the river isn't flowing fast enough then it can't go threw the sluice with best flow and this river doesn't flow as fast as it should mostly because of the beaver dams upstream but there is riffles in the river so it's not moveing that slow...idk......but the only thing i can do is to get a stand i guess and hope that fixes it because i'm running out of options unless i put a pump on it like Red did in this video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n602JB-6nlc

Does anyone have a Used Sluice Box Stand that they would like to sell me for cheaper then this one??
http://www.keeneeng.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=HBCKF&Category_Code=SCP

Posted by: ScottKS Apr 10 2011, 09:40 PM

Backpack Sluice Box Stand

The white PVC pipe protecting the threaded rod legs will be mostly dug into the sand in the river. Will find out if it works

Posted by: ScottKS Apr 15 2011, 12:06 AM

The Dredge Nozzle Buddy "Tired of long-arming the dredge nozzle...only to get water in your hipwaders or up your shirt sleve or climbing in and out of the hole you dredged?" Well if the Nozzle Buddy works then you can stand like a gondola person and guide your nozzle!!! Hopefully (if this works..lol) But this will work better with sand mostly with just few river rocks like here in Kansas.

Here is a idea that has been floating in my head for a long time...the last pic was the original idea but it broke right off the bat...so i was looking for a broom handle bracket like this one http://www.lewiscontractorsales.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=14364&Category_Code=HANDLESADAPT&Product_Count=9

But i found a flag bracket instead http://www.valleyforgeflag.com/Prod-18-1-2193/1_Inch_White_Nylon_Bracket_-_Retail_Packaging.htm ...i think this will work much better and because this is nylon it may not last but then i will have to find a metal one (that would probably rust eventually) BUT this one "might" work...only thing is the whole thing might move around on the nozzle (i'm hopeing that the clear tubeing on the clamps will grip..fingers crossed). Will see how this works...trial~error and upgrades if needed

Posted by: ScottKS Apr 19 2011, 12:36 AM

START OF 2011 SEASON!!! Gold Dredge Operation Outting....Place: Garfield Bridge (right under Bridge and to the west side on sand bar...parking is follow trail road south and west of bridge)....Time: This Saturday April 23rd from Noon - 4p.m. (everything is subject to change..depends on weather mostly...will post if anything changes)
P.S. This "might" be the last season in Kansas so if you haven't seen the operation then come on down.


P.S. to russau: Because i "might" be moveing to AZ...i will try again anyways...still don't know if i will find work this time there...but hope to stay longer then last time (1 month).

Posted by: russau Apr 19 2011, 05:49 AM

Scott, why would this "might" be the last season in Kansas?

Posted by: ScottKS Apr 23 2011, 08:44 PM

Start Of 2011 Season 04-23-11

The Dredge Nozzle Buddy 04-23-11


Worked good so far...hasn't broke yet

Video of the whole operation today (Might want to turn down the volume almost all the way down...i talk loud enough mostly because the last two you couldn't hear me because of the wind).
http://www.facebook.com/v/10150166448182099

Posted by: kalenmcdonald Apr 25 2011, 10:56 AM

just a question kind of off topic. But would anybody know if there is any gold in the arickaree river? just was kind of curious. cause i live in yuma county. it would be kind of cool if there was. it goes into northern kansas.

Posted by: Coalbunny Apr 27 2011, 01:44 AM

Asking about the history of an area is always good. But asking IF there is gold there, you're better of going yourself and finding out. Some folks can pan and some can't. If you ask a guy that can't pan, he may tell you only what he knows- ain't none there. Because he found none. So you're really better off going and finding out yourself.

Posted by: kalenmcdonald Apr 27 2011, 02:45 PM

Just was kindof curious if anybody has tried to pan/sluice/dredge/highbank, the Arickeree River, and if they have found color?

Posted by: Coalbunny Apr 30 2011, 02:34 AM

Nothing wrong with that.

Might be better to start a new thread though. I dunno.

Ya know, I'm itching to try a new area sometime. Hmmm.

Posted by: ScottKS May 15 2011, 11:09 PM

Gold Dredge Operation Outting #2....Place: Garfield Bridge (right under Bridge and to the west side on sand bar...parking is follow trail road south and west of bridge)....Time: This Saturday May 21st from Noon - 4p.m. (everything is subject to change..depends on weather mostly...will post if anything changes) P.S. This "might" be the last season in Kansas so if you haven't seen the operation then come on down.

I'm going to try and make the outtings around the 20's on Saturday of each month but some months may not work out that way.

Posted by: ScottKS Jun 25 2011, 09:34 PM

06-25-2011 Setup for the day (might be for the season) And Abandoned Baby Bird (barn swallow)

Video: http://www.facebook.com/v/10150220654512099

Reason i say this might be the last outting of the season is because the dredge motor over heated and locked up after only 3 hours of operation...even with the board (shown in video) giveing the motor shade didn't cool it down...it was a hot day but last season was just as bad at this time and it did fine...idk dad and i might take apart the motor but it doesn't look good and i can't afford a different one (a bigger 5.5HP would be much better)...so this outting might of been the last one.

But i will still go out and pan around and maybe sluice (even tho the river isn't moving that much so a sluice probably won't work that well). idk will have to see

P.S. With some figureing i put about 100 hours total on the motor....don't know if that is good or not....i think not but i'm no expert.

Posted by: russau Jun 26 2011, 05:56 AM

Scott take the shroud off the engine to see if theres any debris collecting around the engine thats blocking the air movement. blow it off real good,change your oil. sometimes you can free the seized engine and get it going again.

Posted by: Coalbunny Jun 29 2011, 05:16 AM

Off topic-
I think there is a chance, but it is very unlikely. I looked over the topos of the area and it doesn't look promising. So unless there are any Pleistocene glaciation the Arickaree drains, I'd have to say no. Sorry about that.

Posted by: Woody Jun 29 2011, 11:47 AM

Great Postings Scott. You are doing an excellent job at introducing the younger population to the Great Outdoors. I believe that if they build a respect and kinship towards the land at an early age it only gets better with time. And what better method to use to do it than Gold Panning. Ummm.... Just one note, I don't think that little feller in the front has the right technique just yet. lol. Woody.

Posted by: ScottKS May 6 2012, 08:20 PM

Ok that motor is still locked so i traded Jeff that motor for this one...It's not 5.5HP but this one is 4HP

New To Me (USED) Honda 4HP Dredge Engine that replaces the 2.5HP one that locked up.




Bring On The New Season

Posted by: ScottKS May 7 2012, 06:42 PM

The person i traded my old motor +$100 for this one took the pump apart and found this out...The pump was full of rocks and really tore up the intake housing on the impeller but it does run...all it needs is a new impeller....soooooo the motor didn't lock up.....sigh. I told dad and uncle tom to check it out and find the problem but they didn't because they told me the motor locked up but it wasn't ....oh well this motor is much better...heavier and bigger but better lol.

The old motor just didn't seem to have enough power to run the dredge at times...it's ok to run the highbanker but not the dredge part...Keene needs to make these with a 3HP or bigger standard with this operation. This 4HP won't have to be at full throttle (only about 3/4) so one tank of gas should last me all day.

Posted by: h20prospector May 8 2012, 07:58 AM

I like the housing (whatever it's called) that attaches to the engine/pump assembly. I've got the gx160, 5.5 hp, but without the housing. Makes it difficult to carry (right CP and swizz) Know where I can obtain so as to make my engine/pump easier to carry?

h20

Posted by: russau May 9 2012, 06:25 AM

Pat just put wheels under it and pull it! my brother bought a almost brand new 3 inch pump at a auction that was "locked up" for almost free. he brought it home and it also had a rock jamming the impellor. no damge to anything. now it runs just fine.

Posted by: ScottKS Jun 23 2012, 07:28 PM

START OF 2012 SEASON!!! Gold Dredge Outting Garfield Bridge
Problem with the motor...Leak...See Video...I Just Can't Seem To Get A Break...SIGH!!! But i put a cloth bandage with a bungee to hold it and i ran for the rest of the day...will pan threw the cons tomorrow and post the results.

Video
http://www.facebook.com/v/10150919567197099

Cleanup showed about 50-60 specks

Posted by: MtDew Jun 23 2012, 08:26 PM

Hey Scott, good to see you out there, Don't know why it's leaking now but it should be a cheap fix, just go to your farm store and get a seal kit, that's probably all it needs. Hey it looks like its running real good for you. Nice setup is that the same setup you had in colorado last time we dredged down on clear creek ? You don't have a 2 inch suction nozzle you want to sell do you ? ok well we'll be waiting for your next video........... ps sorry about the leak, wished it had done it here cause I would have fixed it before handing it over you U. I ran it for about 5 seconds here, just long enough to pump out a drum to make sure it worked.

Posted by: ScottKS Jan 5 2013, 11:18 PM

Hey all......it's been awhile since my last post....Didn't do any prospecting what so ever after that motor leaked....i have done alot of thinking and am thinking my old dredge operation just isn't worth the time and money anymore with the motor problems...the small amounts of gold found here only covers maybe the gas used to find it....really sad if you ask me....too many disadvantages haveing a gas motor....i have been looking around and found something this is not gas motor but electric power (meaning....no gas.....not as noisy and no air polution-I usally seem to work in the line where i breathe in the motor exhaust making me feel sick after the day is done-)....here is what i have been looking at making me more excited to get back out and dredge making it more fun for me.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/3-Inch-Electric-Gold-Dredge-3-NEW-prospecting-mining-/160922682338?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2577bd43e2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuvhP8Y07IY

I asked him about the battery life: I am wondering.....How long can this run on the two deep cycle batteries?? Thanks!!!

He Said: We use 2 group 24, 101 amp hour deep cycle Everstart marine batteries (available at walmart) used it repeatedly all day and have yet to kill the batteries. Dredge is stopped when we need to remove big rocks, clean up (couple times a day) and lunch but is often used for hours at a time. If it was left running nonstop it should last about 6 hours.

I can't afford it but i need to figure out something different...my dredge was fun for the 11 years i used it but i need to think more green and less noise/gas....idk!!!

Posted by: russau Jan 6 2013, 09:33 AM

nice design useing currently sold items! but the pumps are marginal for dredgeing at much depth!just not enough GPM to do much unless your working shallow streams. but i like it for what its worth and intended use.

Posted by: ScottKS Dec 16 2013, 01:02 AM

I just sold my highbanker/dredge combo last week...i have had it for almost 13 years (i said 11 years Jan 5 2013, 11:18 PM but my 1st outting was 3/4/2001 and i had if for awhile before then)..found some gold with it but mostly i have had good memories but some bad ones too (like motor problems). Time to move on and get something else...hopefully have better luck with a Dry Washer (12v Keene) in Arizona by this time next year.

Posted by: ScottKS Jan 22 2014, 03:00 AM

Got My Keene Dry Washer!!!
The other side is where the 12V motor is at with a belt gear

This Video Is The Same Exact Setup As Mine...This one is of it running...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORlA7O3ReaY