Any one here sluice or pan for gold?

I have tried some panning. VERY little color for a lot of work.

Yeah. But agree that if you don't consider the work it's own reward, it's not monetarily worth it.... Unless you got a spot.

I use to pack a pan when I would do hike in fly fishing and when I use to go to my moose cabin.

If the fish were not biting or I tagged out early it was a great way to pass the time.

Largest amount I ever panned was around $50 10 years ago.

Is it normal to end up with black magnetic sand in the pan and no gold?

Yup.  It's normal.  Black magnetic sands and gold have similar densities.

I was pretty into it a few years ago.  My dad and i even built our own dredge with diving air.

We haven't prospected in about 3 years though.  

We did find a place that we'd like to claim.  Right now you can't run powered equipment in the area unless you have a claim.  

Here's what we found there in a single day with a simple river sluice.  Probably about 10 buckets full of 1/4" screened material.



And here's my dad dredging out on the Arkansas River a few years ago with our 4" dredge

I intend too one day when I have time.

I'm 20 minutes from the first gold rush in America