Hi all. (Otago region)
I know its probably been asked before but im looking for a claim/land owner that would be happy for me to come and pan/sluice on their land.
Happy to make detailed notes and plot gps coordinates of the finds.
I am looking to get a claim myself at some stage but have only ever been fossicking in the public areas so would like some experience on other ground before donating my 1st born blind.
Interested in information about hobby claims also.
Thank a lot.
Joe
hi joe. if you get no takers you can pan in restricted areas on the claim by the danseys pass motor camp for a small fee. you wont get rich but its good experience, easy access and the owner is a really nice guy to deal with. you pay at the motor camp.
Hi Joe
Danny Walker here I have a permit on the Waikaia river not quite Otago but close permit number 53394 you are welcome to pan and sluice on there but no motorised equipment allowed also permits on the upper Clutha numbers 60593, 60299, 60515, these permits are not in my name but Cold Gold Clutha. I control them again no motorised equipment is permitted and you have to get land owners permission if you need to cross private land to get to the river but there are a many public access points to the river.
Hi Danny, do you still allow non motorised prospecting on your other claims, Top of the South
Regards
Stephen
Yes allow and encourage just no motorised equipment and like to know how you do.
Cheers for the info Guss, ill definitely give it a go when im in the area.
Thanks Danny thats really appreciated. I will let you know how it goes.
Would i be right in assuming a metal detector would not be allowed?
Thanks again for the replies
Joe
Awesome thanks Dan look forward to getting out in wilderness.
Hey there Dan, will come out for a bit of a play over the next day or 2 around your Murch claims, will update on how we do, first time visiting an actual claim so I’m all excited, happy to take the 2 hr drive out for an adventure 
(from blenheim) much appreciate the open offer
Hello,
I too am looking for somewhere to pan, have tried public areas to no real joy. Was talking to a chap who said there could be someone on here who may be able to accommodate. Timaru based but travel easily. Happy to pay a fee and tidy/respectful of others property. New to it but keen so if you can help it would be greatly appreciated.
Cheers
Dan
Another one looking for a casual panning experience with the kids somewhere Ranfurly/Naseby area or elsewhere if the opportunity arises, thanks for any info!
Hay Danny
Darcy here just a growing older local from the area ,
Curious as the wether you ever made any dredging action or progress from the Canton down…
Walked the area a lot . Impressive landscape
Hi Team,
I am a newbie who has the bug now since visiting the mighty West coast and trying my luck at panning and sluicing at goldsborough and Nelson creek.
I would also like to know if Me and a friend could pan or sluice on somebody’s claim if at all possible?.
This gold bug is definitely hard to shake off lol
Thanks
Glenn
Hi danny do you still allow this im semi new to the gold scene and would love to go up there with my pan and homemade sluice
Hello Mongolminer, i have been panning gold from public fossicking spots and i was wondering if i could get permission to try around Beaumont, my dad has talked about going there as a kid and as i am currently unemployed and looking for work I have been having a try at panning. I only use my pan, classifier and spade.
Go for it and good luck but do stick with only non-motorised equipment.
Hi mongolminer do ya still have the permits ya speak of here, and is a gravity dredge allowed on these areas at all no motor just long joint together pvc pipes, natural suction, can offer ya couple lbs whitebait for a access type fee if ya intersted thnx
Highwayman not keen on this way of mining as these claims are for me to suction dredge on. Giving people permission to use non-motorised gives people somewhere to prospect on my permits without affecting what I can get out of them. But what you are talking about doing would be taking gold that I can get with a suction dredge.
So answer is NO!
No worries dude,total understand, I’m new to this game amazed at how good people are to each other here, come from possum trapping background and most advice from others doing same thing are generally more of a set up to fail lol worst thing it takes a week or more failing to click, ie molasses as bait first couple days traps full as u think they love it, but any possum eats the shit leaves the area immediately ,after taste must stuff em up big time
I was a possum hunter as well long ago. A great way to make a living 40-50 years ago got $10 average for skins and that was when the average wage was $150-200 a week on a good poison line you could pick up 50-100 possums. I have had gold fever all my life and it’s not been a bad illness to have.
I always used a peppermint essence laced flour as my lure for poison and traps
Oh mate I was a builder if I put the hrs into building like I did into possums I would of retired ages ago but once went back into that bush at covid time I weren’t ever building again. 1982 and 83 I was 12 and 13 getting $45 for big pelt blacks and Grey’s ns Grey’s rare back then. On boards stretch dried. Bloody good money as kid bought motorbike. Dunno wat happened in 84 but bang nothing hardly for em. Grew up in fairlie so real cold back then frost lasted all winter in dark faces and gullies.possums were starving all there food frozen, beer bottle cap on tree for bait ya was doing em a favor they that skinny but wikid big long fur on em.
They way smart nowadays wikid evolve, shine light on em at night in rape an kale paddock, 1st swing spotlight ya see 30 or 40 ,2nd swing back if u see 5 I be surprised they hiding and won’t move for ages. Fire 1 shot 22 watch fenceline they hopping thru fence and away military precision any army be proud of gone 2 nights at least. Walk that paddock in morning not 1 shit in that paddock from possums,they devious an not hungry just bored these days. Lol wtf that spiel, just love it out there, wasted 30 yrs drinking piss and getting fat