Getting Started in Recreational Prospecting and Treasure Hunting

Recreational prospecting is described as a hobby because most of us have a regular job and only get to enjoy treasure hunting on the weekends or on vacation. I've met a lot of educators, teachers who can sometimes spend weeks of their summer vacation having a great time with their family while they pan for gold or hunt relics with metal detectors. You have to enjoy being outdoors or you won't stick with this kind of hobby.

Many of us were scouts as a kid and have a little basic camping experience from way back when or maybe we started out by doing a little geocaching. The places you'll probably want to go may not always have well paved roads so it really limits your opportunities if you haul along a camper or a lot of extra comfort equipment. Learn to go basic and you'll get to go much farther off the beaten path in your searches.

Your clothing needs to be comfortable, from the socks and boots to your hat or helmet. The rules are simple: use common sense in choosing your clothing for roughing it. It is great to shop around as long as you are checking out more than just the prices because the cheapest gear is not always the best value. If you are going to depend on those boots in rough and rocky terrain, in the sun and rain be sure that you get the features you need and skip over the style to get to good, long lasting comfortable footwear.

Clothing made of cotton or wool will breathe with your body, let your perspiration wick away and cool you off. Microfibers are a good choice for outerwear that is lightweight and works hard at keeping you comfortable. Look for brands that are consistently good values from the prospector's perspective.

What do you need to take along? Depends on where you're going and for how long. Some general guidelines: Getting lost in wild country can be a life threatening situation so carry a dependable compass at least. A reliable GPS depends on positioning signals - something you may find is not available everywhere. Especially in rugged country, don't depend on always having cell phone service. If you can't live without a phone, think about buying or renting a satellite phone. For under $10 a day you can rent for the extra security. Satellite phones don't depend on local phone services, they work anywhere, anytime.

Check the weather forecast for where you plan to be. A lot of our best days are spent along waterways, so heavy rain in surrounding elevations can bring suddenly higher water levels. A local radio station may be the best way to keep up with localized conditions, bring along a dependable radio with plenty of good batteries.

A canvas or plastic tarp can be used in so many ways and packs flat for storage. It's protection from damp rough ground and can become a quick short term shelter. Towels don't need to be big and fluffy, kitchen towels pack smaller and soak up lots of water, they dry by the fire and double as head covering under your hat to give you shade.

A campfire is fine for cooking most anything but you can't make coffee in a skillet, bring at least one pot suitable for tea or coffee along with your other camp kitchen gear and utensils; use paper plates you can burn in the campfire.

If an infant or toddler is coming along, be sure to bring a baby carrier besides the regular car safety seat. You won't want to haul that safety car seat around with your hands full and you will want your baby right with you. There are sturdy, lightweight carriers that keep baby comfortable and safe and leave your hands free.

It is handy to have camping chairs, but a log or rock makes a good seat too. A friend packs all his gear in plastic "milk crates" and uses those for his chair and table. With a backpack, this man carries everything he needs for a weekend. I prefer big 5 gallon paint buckets because they double up to take samples home in and I found a great way to label them!

I've got a camp table I wouldn't do without, and my sleeping bag is as necessary as my clothes. Don't forget to bring along any supplies you'll need for the kids, especially if they aren't old enough to plan ahead for themselves. This is not intended to be a checklist of what to bring, your equipment like screens and picks and brushes - you need to decide for yourself what is important to have with you because it depends on where you are going and your own preferences for hauling vs. having.

I am camping to be close to nature, close to my hobby and my family and friends. We do without a lot of home comforts but it's made up with time well spent and an appreciation of nature's bounty.

Tips and Advice for a weekend of camping: We've created A Checklist of Basic Camping Supplies and there's a version you can download as a .pdf file. We hope you will find it useful!

Before your first foray into panning, learn About Gold Pans: Learn the Why and How of Panning Equipment