Tomah Wisconsin GPAA Chapter – March 2019

Welcome

Welcome to the 2019 GOLD FEVER Newsletter.  Another year, another gold prospecting opportunity.  If you have not tried to find gold, you need to give it a try.  Let us know if you need help to get started, there are many people with experience that the help you.

 Do not forget the Newsletter and pictures can always be found at:

President’s Message

Hi everyone, great weather for our last meeting Mother Nature gave us a small window of good weather so we could have our meeting. Good turnout thou I always want to see more!

  Special thanks to Dean Race who flew in from Seymour Wi to speak to our members, he also brought gold concentrate bags for our members to purchase. I only found out he could attend after I had the email newsletters already out. I hope everyone got to second email that he was coming.  I was able to write a note on the mailed out copies.

  In March I will be bowling in Green bay for the Knights of Columbus state bowling tournament. Gary Morrison will be running the meeting.

 I was contacted by three different prospectors this month. One that was able to make our meeting and one from Canada who will be vacationing with family in Wisconsin this summer. I told him about Nugget Lake but he had already heard about it from someone in Minnesota. His family is in the Lacrosse area and they are looking for an overnight outing. He was able to get a cabin at Nugget for a Monday night. I also told him there was fishing there and he was just as excited about that as the gold. Also had a call from a Minnesota resident looking for gold closer to his home than Arizona I also told him about Nugget and the Facebook link (Gold Prospectors of Minnesota and Wisconsin) site lots of those members go to nugget and he can contact them for help when he goes. It’s nice to hear from fellow prospectors. 

See you in the creeks Mike Fait                                       

Upcoming Events

Tomah Club Meeting - Town of LaGrange Town Hall. 22731 Flint Ave. Tomah WI. 54660 - 1.8 miles west of the 12/21 Hwy intersection in Tomah. – At 1:00 pm on the following dates, speakers will be announced as they are scheduled:

-       March 16, 2019 – Gary Morrison plans on showing a DVD of Quartzite Arizona. and talking about gold he got in Texas

-       April 20, 2019

-       October 19, 2019

Planned Outings:

-       May 15, 2019 -  Tomah metal detecting outing site to be determined

-       June 7-8-9, 2019 -  Upper Michigan outing Wausau chapter to Ontonagon for copper ,Yooperlites and maybe gold

-       June 15, 2019 - Nugget Lake outing –Tomah

-       July 13, 2019 -  weekend Muskellunge Lake Michigan outing - Tomah   gold in black sand, agates, fossils and Yooperlits

-       July 26-27-28, 2019 -  Midstate metal detectors club 23rd annual open hunt

-       August 9-10-11, 2019 - Thermal City North Carolina outing - Wausau – Tomah

-       Sept 6-7-8, 2019 -  Snyder county Park outing – Wausau

-       September 21, 2019 -  Nugget Lake group dig -Tomah

Tomah Wisconsin GPAA Chapter Minutes February, 2019

Club Business:                                                                                                                                                              

   We had a nice meeting in February 23 members and guests were in attendance. Five new or returning members this month.

  We had a late notice that Dean Race could come and talk about his gold mining in Alaska. What a nice program even without the slide show or movie because of the lack of reception for wifi in the area. It lead to more questions and answers, a real good learning experience for the members.

  The weather gave us a break for our meeting date.

 Mike Fait will miss the March 16 meeting for the KC state bowling tournament again this year. Gary Morrison will run the meeting.  Submitted by Mike Fait.

Donations for the raffle were from Mike and Lisa Fait, Larry Bender, Barb Bublitz, Richard Niemyjski, Richard Powell and a special thanks to Dean Race for an gold bag for next month’s raffle.

50/50 winner Eugene Taylor Sr.                                                                                                         Gold nugget Marty Cina                                                                                                                                 Gold Concentrate bag Mike Spencer                                

Remember to bring a dish to pass for lunch!  Thank you.

Gold Price on 02/26/19 was $1,328.40               Silver Price on 02/26/19 was $15.88

Respectfully submitted by Diane North – Newsletter Editor

Tomah Gold Club e-mail:   

 Locations for Recreational Gold Panning in Alaska

Always check to make sure that you are not on private property or on a mining claim before you start any mining activity.

Interior & Northern Alaska

The Steese Highway is highway in the Interior region of the U.S. state of Alaska that extends 161 miles (259 km) from Fairbanks to Circle, a town on the Yukon River about 50 miles (80 km) south of the Arctic Circle. The highway was completed in 1927 and is named for U.S. Army General James G. Steese,  It is paved for about the first 81 miles (130 km) and around the town of Central, it turns to dirt and gravel. Much of it is narrow and winding.

Mile 16.5 Steese Highway: Felix Pedro’s Discovery Claim This site is opposite the monument to Felix Pedro, the man who’s gold discovery put Fairbanks on the map. The claim is owned by an organization called the Pioneers of Alaska; they allow the public to pan there. They ask that you use only pans, no suction dredges or heavy equipment, and keep the area clean. The area was dredged several years ago, but the “fines” were left behind so you may get some color in your pan!

Mile 56 Steese Highway: Nome Creek Take the turnoff to U.S. Creek road, which goes 7 miles up over a ridge to Nome Creek valley. This is part of the White Mtns Rec Area and a two-mile stretch of Nome Creek is designated for recreational gold panning. State geologists say there is a real chance of finding flakes or something bigger. There are two campgrounds in the area: Ophir Creek Campground is just 3 miles upstream. Nome Creek also offers some decent grayling fishing.

Steese Mile 70.5: Gravel Pit Look for a dirt track heading downhill on the right side of the road, marked by a white cross with black numbers (a state “materials site” marker. The gravel pit is at the bottom of the hill near the Chatanika River. Don’t bother panning in the river itself: it isn’t considered a good prospect.

Steese Mile 80: Bachelor Creek If you’re feeling adventurous, there’s a dirt track beginning at the DOT station at Mile 80 Steese. You can hike or take a 4-wheeler about six miles into the hills to Bachelor Creek, where’s there’s an area free of private claims and with good prospects for gold. Pick up our map first, because there are existing claims in the area.

Dalton Highway If you’re heading up the Dalton, the BLM has identified several creeks north of the Yukon River open to recreational panning. Ask for our brochure on “Mineral Collection on the Dalton Highway” for details.

Officers – elected for 2019.

President – Michael Fait (mgfait@charter.net) 715-384-9265   (Cell phone to be used only on meeting days = 715-305-8319)

Vice-President – Gary Morrison 715-316-2555

Secretary – Jeanne Morrison 715-316-2555

Newsletter Editor - Diane North (dbnorth@centurytel.net) 608-635-7031

Treasure – Gayle Fait (mgfait@charter.net) 715-384-9265

Outing Chairman – Jeff Hastings (monkeyhast@frontier.net)  (608) 637-3097

Claims Director – Richard Niemyjski (richnski@frontiernet.net) 608-637-3295

State Director – Mike Flint (mwink12@excite.com) 608-372-0694

APPROVED DEALERS:

Deer field Detectors.  Dealer for Whites, Fisher, Garrett, Minelab, Bounty Hunter, Detector Pro Detector & Pinpointers, Sunray Detector Accessories, & many misc. detecting accessories.  Deerfield Detectors, N3091 CTY Rd. B, Hancock, WI 54943 (715) 572-1845 or e-mail stmill@uniontel.net or http://www.deerfielddetectors.com/

Wisconsin Area Clubs

The Kettle Moraine Prospectors of Wisconsin – We still meet in the Community Center in Plymouth, Wi.  on the second Saturday of the month, providing the church doesn't have something else on their schedule .- 1:00 PM Meetings  Contact: Chuck Riel – 414-328-3194 or visit wisgold.org/index.html

Midstate Metal Detecting Club – meets every 3^rd Wednesday at 7:00 pm at Shooters Bar and Restaurant at the intersection of Hwy 39 and 54, next to the Shell Station.  Contact: Steve Miller 715-572-1845

Wausau Prospectors – meets the 1^st Saturday of the month at 11:00 am at the Village Town Hall in Brokaw Wisconsin. Address is: 218 2^nd St., Brokaw, WI. Take US 51 north of Wausau and take exit 197. Then go east on county road WW. At the 4 way stop in Brokaw take a right. You are there (just past the Credit Union).  Contact:  Kurt Bublitz 715-340-2831 or e-mail lizzy101@charter.net

Wisconsin Michigan Prospectors.GPAA Chapter – holds their meetings on the 3^rd Saturday of every month at 11:00 am, at meeting location for the next few months at Newinghams Supper Club at 722 Main St. Wausaukee, WI 54177. Contact Ron Smith.  

MAY THERE BE GOLD IN EVERY PAN !!!!