I had an acquaintance who would look for gold in Dahlonega, GA (where I think you are looking). He would look for gold in the streams in the early summer especially after a snowy (for Georgia, anyway) winter. It is (or was) OK for hobbyists to look for gold on Federal land, and he was finding with his (just under the “hobby” limit) equipment an ounce a weekend in the 90’s. I thought that this was a great, healthy (outdoor) and amazingly profitable hobby!
I wanted to get into this hobby and I was going to buy his old equipment but he moved.
When the California gold was found, everyone moved from Dahlonega, and the city almost became a ghost town. The congressman there pleased for them to stay, “There’s gold in them thar hills!”. There still is.
Yes, it is an amazing hobby. I prospect with Doctors, retired military, Ph.d.”s etc. It’s been a wonderful experience. Actually I pan near Allatoona. Dahlonega is difficult to find access. There’s nothing that stirs the imagination more than a gleaming “picker” at the bottom of your pan. You have your history right. The 1st gold Rush was in North Ga. The Cherokees were deprived of their tribal homelands because of it.
They say only about 10% of the Dahlonego gold has ever been mined. The problem with it is its micron gold. Hard to mine on a small basis.
Mr. GG2’s friend knows a guy who is getting 3 ozs a month out of secret place he has discovered on Duke’s Creek. At $1,200 per oz thats a heck of a supplemental income.
What’s the hobby limit?