Tomah Wisconsin GPAA Chapter – August 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

  I was disappointed with the turnout at Muskallonge Lake. Guess we won't do that one again. It was a long trip even leaving from my sister house in Two Rivers its over 5 hours if you don't stop. And you always need to for food and gas in that time.

 I bought a new used truck for the trip as my other one was not starting for me dependably. I got a Ford 350 super duty diesel. It had no problem pulling my camper though I didn't get much of an increase in mileage over my old truck, about 1 more mile per gallon. It has a bigger tank and I can go further before having to fuel up again. But that comes at a cost too. I can now accelerate going up a hill while pulling my camper!

 The weather was warm for northern Michigan the locals were complaining at a cafe we ate at in Paradise. We did the tourist thing on Wednesday and saw Tahquamenon fall northeast of Newberry. We also went into Grand Marais for pizza on Thursday and talked to the agate lady at the glitch gummi agate and history museum. On Saturday it turned colder and we needed flannel shirts and coats on the beach as it was in the 60s, and windy. Woke the next morning to warm temps and drove home, and got out to high temps and humidity and still had to mow my lawn.

Hope see some of you at one of the outings Thermal city- Snyder park in Neillsville ar Nugget Lake in September. Mike Fait                                                                      

Upcoming Events

Planned Outings:

-       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 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:

-       October 19, 2019

Tomah Wisconsin GPAA Chapter Minutes July, 2019

Club Business:                                                                                                                                                              

Last month was an outing to Muskallonge Lake state campground and park in Michigan. Only three members attended. The park still had two thirds of its campsites closed for reconstruction and electrical work, so it could be that members didn't know where else to stay. There were lots of primitive campgrounds in the area (no electrical hookups). I talked to a lady on the beach that was staying at one and she said her and her husband were the only ones in the campground. Dave Ambroes got a hotel room in Newberry 22 miles south of the park.

  There wasn't as big a beach as other times I have been there, the lake is up 12''s and the black sand didn't have as much gold in it as the other times either. I check the beach for a half mile either side of the overlook area and had trouble finding any gold at all.

 The first day in the park I ran into a prospector from Michigan and we worked together on Tuesday in the area he had found. Right at the bottom of the path to the west. He let me use his wagon to bring my gold cube to the beach. Paul (Michigan prospector) worked his own cube which he had installed ribbed matting on the slick plate and gold hog UR matting on the catch plates. The ribbed matting provided a good indicator for weather he was in the gold or not. He was! Not a lot but enough to keep us happy.

 Everyone that came to the beach had to stop and see what we were doing. Had lots of conversations with the rock crowd.

 The lake was calm for three days then rough for a day then calm for one then rough on Saturday. If it was calm it was warm and the flies were bad. Saturday you needed a coat and flannel shirt on the beach, very windy and in the 60s.

 When it was calm I looked for youperlites on the beach at dark, and the first night the mosquitoes chased us out within 10 minutes. The next night I went back alone with my hip boots a head net, coat and rubber gloves. I covered the entire beach from the observation path to the stairs and back in the water didn't find a one. When Dave came Saturday we went from the stairs to the west im guessing at least a mile, over trees sometimes had to go thru the water to get thru. Dave found a good one early and that was it! The lady at the agate shop in Grand Marais said they were too easy to find and there wouldn't be any to find in another year.

 Next month outing to Thermal city NC. With the Wausau group. There will be a $50 charge to be payed to Barb Bublitz to participate. You can pay ahead or when you get there. It is a long trip usually takes me two days to get there, try to get to Kentucky the first day. Then it is still a half day from there. Thermal city gold mine 5240 US-221 Union Mills, NC. Just south of Marion NC off Hwy 40. The participants will meet at the red trommel at 7:15 Wisconsin time to go over the crews for the two trommels and shifts. There is camping available at the mine and some cabins. They are probably all booked already but you could try anyway 828-286-3016. There are hotels in Marion to the north and Rutherfordton to the south. It will be very hot so bring along water or other drinks.

 Gold Price on 07/28/19 was $1,418.30              Silver Price on 7/28/19 was $16.35

Respectfully submitted by Diane North – Newsletter Editor

Thermal City Gold Mine - Information

 Thermal City Gold Mine is the best recreational gold and gem mining facility in the Eastern United States. For great family fun, Gem Mining in North Carolina, Gold Panning NC, Camping Mining North Carolina and much more, Thermal City Gold Mine is the perfect find!

Thermal City Gold Mine offers a unique experience hosted by people who are real prospectors! We are dedicated to keeping the tradition and history of Gold Mining in North Carolina alive. Anyone who wants to pan or prospect for gold is welcome. We enjoy teaching and talking about mining!

Camping Sites
Our Camping Mining North Carolina sites offer riverside camping, hot showers, a place to pan, gold mining NC, sluice, dredge and detect. We also have a complete line of prospecting equipment. You do not need reservations for camping. Sites are available on a first-come-first-serve basis.

Four riverside cabins and one creek side cabin are available for rent, by reservation only. There is a two-night minimum for the cabins with a $50.00 Non-Refundable Deposit for every two(2) nights required to make reservation. Cabin occupants are NOT allowed to have ANIMALS on the premises. No Smoking allowed in the cabins. All cabins have air-conditioning and refrigerator.

RESERVATIONS BY PHONE ONLY.

 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.