Hello,
My name is BigBuck$$. I found gold this last year while hunting. I'm in Colorado, and know nothing abou prospecting but have been thinking about getting into it for about 2/3 years. I want to go prospect this area I found this fall in the summer, but I don't know what I can do as far as permits go. Does anyone know what type of permit I would need and where I would get it? I don't want to break any laws trying to have a little fun. I will probably just take a gold pan and a shovel and a meatal detector,I'd like to have a sluice box but don't know where to get one. If things go well I'd like to buy a high banker. But I don't know what to do. thankz for any help you can provide. oh and does any one know where I could go in colorado springs to buy equiptment?

well bigbucks, first off find out who owns the property! permission is a biggie when it comes to working someones claim!! i assume you know exactly where it is,so go to the county and reserach for land owners, if blm land then go and do a claim search to see if its claimed and by whom! as far as a sluice is concerned there should be several mining supply dealers in your area or close to you.look in the yellow pages of your phone book. we try to support the people that support us!! but if you cant find anyone close, go to www.keeneengineering.com they have supported small scale miners and donated dredges for rallys in the past! good luck in your quest for gold! hope to see you at the rally! you probly will find a sluice and other equipment there for sale also!!

p.s. big bucks. send me some gold!!:):):)

Howdy Bigbuck$$,

Glad to hear your'e becoming a prospector!
Colorado has some wonderful places to explore and prospect.
Using the equipment you have described should be fine(no permit needed), as long as you follow Russ' advice to make sure that the land is open or you will need written permission from the claim holder.
You can purchase equipment locally at Gold-N-Detectors in Golden.
Just click on the home page and check out our "prospecting links", there you will find Gold-N-Detectors, and several more links where you can purchase equipment on line.
Colorado Prospector Home Page
Don't know if there are any shops in the Springs, as I'm a bit north of Denver.

We also have a club for folks just like yourself who are looking for a place to dig.
Our memberships give you access to pre-researched areas that are open to explore and prospect. We have done all the leg work and you can make one phone call to reverify our research prior to your trip.

We hope to meet you at the Colorado rally this year..... :)
Good luck prospecting!

CP