On prospecting and glut of gold dredges coming on the market.
 

Hi, I looked at the new 49ers site and a few more dredges are on the market and some reduced. My friends and associates up there and alaska in talking have mentioned a lot of dredges will go up for sale this fall and winter, on account that mining isnt easy or easy pickins . I like dredges and have ownd most brands and sizes except a newer keene 8. With the CALIF. dredge permit suction out--laws which may go in effect have any fellow prospectors considered this issue? Ive been wary of owning dredges cause EVENTUALLY it will be outlawed-- almost no doubt.

Thanx--- still looking for that 100 ounce season--- Will.

Re: On prospecting and glut of gold dredges coming on the market.
 

Why would dredges be outlawed?

Re: On prospecting and glut of gold dredges coming on the market.
 

Theres lotsa data out SLV; Im a member of the club-- they put out a warning to get your dredge permit NOW cause the state has a lawsuit that will stop issuance anyday even no law is passed. Plus my buddy is an activist and he says to me the days of dredging in Ca may very well end any day now. Hes selling his claims and looking to the future to set up dredging operations in other places.

Go to the 49ers site , its there.

Pm me and you can join our group , were always looking for resourceful serious gold miners.

Re: On prospecting and glut of gold dredges coming on the market.
 

Let me re-rephrase;
What reasons are being given for outlawing dredges and what actual impetus does the state have for outlawing dredges?
Note that I expect the answer to the 1st half to be about a 180 degree difference from the latter half of the question (per today's Orwellian nature).

I hope your not too put-off that I have no real interest in researching it too much because, AFAIK, dredging would be a complete waste of time in my region of the US. I am just interested in the reasons, real or stated that dredges would be outlawed as I couldn't dream any up on my own.

Re: On prospecting and glut of gold dredges coming on the market.
 

Calif. environmentalists have been pressure the state legislature to prohibit dredges for years. The problem is that without doubt suctioning pulls in and kills some little critters. Anyone want to question this all they have to do is to stick their head underwater near the foot of the box where all the suctioned water, rocks, and lighter materials discharges empties back into the water. Fish will be their scarfing up meals.

Years ago the e-wacko screaming was all about the header box that was designed so that materials coming up the hose smashed into the back. The purpose was to break up chunks of clay, mud, and anything else, and slow the velocity (force) of the water before it enter the sluice box. The problem was that many small critters were also smashed and killed.

To rectify the problem dredge manufacturers redesigned the box so that it had no backside for anything to hit. Rather it spread the water and materials out over a wider area before they got into the box. This new designed worked at significantly reducing the small critter kill so the issue was put to rest by the state, but not by the e-wackos' who have continued to get dredging prohibited.

What dredging does do is environmentally friendly. It loosens and redistributes streambed materials so that foods are made available to fish and at the same time great spawning areas are created. Any materials suctioned in one area are discharged back into the stream a few feet from they originally were located....and the next time a flood occurs (which they do every year) the stream bed materials will be redistributed and no body would be able to tell a dredge was ever used there.

The real issue IMO is the wackos' who want to curtail ALL use of public lands...dredging, hunting, camping, hiking, all mining, all logging, & other forest use, eliminate and prohibit any logging or other roadways into forested areas, etc., etc., etc. What is gained by them in Calif is just a foot hold the wackos' will use to spread their socialist causes accross the nation.

The wackos' are "elitists" left-wingers. They see themselves as smarter and wiser then the rest of us...and believe that we just need to let them have everything their way including giving up access and use of all public lands. Other things that will be "their" way include greater taxes to run mor and bigger government & government programs.

They believe that the rest of us shouldn't have any expendable monies because we don't and won't manage "them appropriately", and that supposedly justifys the wackos' cause.

Re: On prospecting and glut of gold dredges coming on the market.
 

As bad as I hate to quote the Buzzard- "Some people are just jealous if you know how to get gold and they don't so they don't want you too". I know that is an oversimplification but there enough studies out that show "golddredging" actually improves fish habitat now within the (nonspawning) season that there should be no more debate- so lets get to the real cause- "We don't want you to be able to make $$$$ from 'Mother Earth'", or period, keep your a$$ on the sidewalk where you won't step on that blade of grass or wildflower that will come right back "whether you live or die". Its all about control. I have one of them dredges on the 49ers site.
HH all, Mark