Welcome, Friend!
Bring Along Your Pick and Pan
Bob West here, my wife Nancy and I got into recreational prospecting a few years ago and have really enjoyed the adventure. Nancy does a little rock tumbling and jewelry making and I'm more into the hunt for big game: gold! Since retiring we finally have the free time to go further from home, not every weekend but enough to keep expanding on our knowledge and experience.
Pick and Pan is our place to share all the aspects of our favorite hobby and share the stories of friends we've met while getting out to enjoy the hunt. Since we do a little of each of these great hobbies, we've come to truly appreciate the sharing that others have done in passing on tips and secrets of the hunt. Come along with us to the mountains, hills and rivers across America to meet some of the dedicated people who love this stuff as much as we do. Via panning and prospecting, looking for the nuggets left behind, missed or washed down from old strikes and there's more out there than you might think.
Treasure hunting ranges from combing a beach with a sieve to gridding off and reading every inch of a plot with the latest metal detectors. People have found everything from old buttons to 22 lb. gold nuggets and more folks are joining in the fun every day. We want to introduce some of the techniques they use so you can get in on the new gold rush too! If spending a day beside a mountain stream or poking through caverns to find the color excites your interest, please join us here to learn and share.
Looking for gold and other minerals is getting to be a popular hobby today for people across the spectrum of age and education. It's a great way to get out and enjoy nature while using our skills and knowhow to extract valuable minerals from the earth's bounty. Wherever water runs in streams you have a chance of finding color - gold in your pan with only a minimal investment and all the chance in the world to come home with much more than your hobby costs. It's just a great way to combine work and recreation!
Rockhounds come in all flavors - some enjoy the hike as much as the finds, others seek out particular rocks for collecting or tumbling and polishing into nature's gems for jewelry and accessories that are truly unique and all natural. Rock collecting is its own reward and a great way to enjoy the out of doors. Rock and mineral hunting clubs can be found across the country and help you to complete your collection with specimens not found in your locale. Learn more about rock identification, rock tumbling and jewelry making.
image with permission of rdwestmoreland
Treasure Hunting
Treasure hunting encompasses many specialties and people who hunt for all kinds of treasure. Recreational prospecting is seeking nature's treasures, your own interests may center on geology or lapidary or even history because all of these fields play a role in this hobby. It is all about the thrill of the find and even urban bound hobbyists are enjoying treasure hunting. If finding treasure excites your soul you can read more...
Gold
The price of gold has been hovering well over $1000 per oz and that makes the search for it more worthwhile than ever. With equipment as simple as a pick and a pan you can make enough in an afternoon to help pay off some bills. Believe it or not, many finds are made by families enjoying the hobby of recreational prospecting!
Under $100
The cost of outfitting two adults with the necessary equipment to find and identify gold, silver, platinum and other minerals. If you enjoy other outdoor activities, it's a natural way to enjoy the outdoors with your family and earn instead of spend! Find out how to get started in recreational prospecting
“This is the most fun I've had earning money in my life!”
-Bob
Share your stories with us, we'd love to feature your own adventures and finds! Have a story to share? Add Your Story!