There ain’t many TV shows about gold prospecting out there, we can thank the Outdoor Channel for the few that exists! Here’s three shows that’ll keep you occupied for some time:
The Shows
Gold Fever
This is the biggest show on gold prospecting, it has been running for thirteen years and is likely to run for many years ahead. Here’s Outdoor Channel’s description of the show:
Gold Fever is currently one of the highest rated shows on the Outdoor Channel, taking viewers on adventures all over the United States, and soon the world.
The show is shot in high definition, and has captivated hundreds of thousands of people with its visually stunning photography. The success of Gold Fever has derived from two core principles: education and entertainment. We work hard to teach the fundamentals of finding gold while at the same time making the show exciting for all viewers.
Gold fever is not your typical travel show, it is much larger than that. We take viewers in to some of the most remote locations in this country, showcasing the vast beauty of mother nature, and one of the gifts she provides… gold.
You can watch some episodes of Gold Fever online for free here and here and buy single episodes or boxed sets on DVD over at GPAA.
There’s an old discussion over at TreasureNet about the show and the Massie brothers. There are some mixed feelings about the shows and the hosts Tom and Perry. Some people love it, some think it’s the same thing over and over in every show. Here’s a viewer’s description of the hosts:
Perry does more of showing what the other people do, where as Tom does it first hand, from jumpin in a river to walking a cave, seen Perry pan but not dredge. you won’t see Perry with holes in the knees of his pants.
Prospecting America
Host Perry Massie travels the US, sharing his knowledge on gold prospecting. The series features tours of prospecting facilities, historical landmarks, people, places and exhibits related to gold prospecting.
You’ll never know who you’ll meet and what you’ll learn on every episode of “Prospecting America”.
Watch shows of Prospecting America here and buy single DVD-episodes here.
Gold Prospecting
This show is mainly hosted by George “Buzzard” Massie, founder of the Gold Prospectors Association of America. As far as I know 28 episodes were made before George passed away in 1993. In the show you’ll get to follow him dredging in the far north, metal detecting in the desert, recover gold from the beaches of Alaska, and much more.
Join the team on an exciting Alaska Expedition or on an adventure to the Mother Lode.
Watch shows of Gold Prospecting here and buy single DVD-episodes here.
The Hosts
George “Buzzard” Massie
Tom Massie
George Massie is the founder of both the Gold Prospectors Association of America and the Outdoor Channel. It was George’s goal to develop a club where members could get access to claims all over the United States to go prospecting.
It started with an idea to share his expertise in mining with others and television was the way to go back then. That was the beginning of the “Buzzard’s” prospecting adventures, where he filmed together with his son Tom, who is the host of Gold Fever. Instead of buying time on other networks a natural step was to start their own channel, which they did in 1993 under the name of the Outdoor Channel. Unfortunately George “Buzzard” Massie died the same year, leaving both the Gold Prospectors Association of America and the Outdoor Channel to his sons, Tom and Perry Massie.
Tom Massie
Tom is the current president of the GPAA and is also a Vice Chairman on the board of the Outdoor Channel. Several gold prospecting shows has been produced on the Outdoor Channel throughout the years, including: “Buzzardite Classics”, “Prospecting America”, “LDMA Specials”, and “Alaska Expedition” specials. In 1996, Gold Fever was created and quickly established as the head stone of both the GPAA and the Outdoor Channel. Tom has been described by some viewers as “having the heart of a warrior” and being “the goofy cousin nobody wants around them at the family reunions”. He also falls down a lot.
Today “Gold Fever” sits in its thirteenth year with 129 complete episodes and another forty episodes under contract. With such an established history, the name Gold Fever and Tom Massie stand as an icon for Outdoor Channel and Prospectors alike.
Perry Massie
Perry Massie is the current host of Prospecting America and has been a director of Outdoor Channel Holdings, Inc. since 1984. Perry has a B.S. degree in Mining Engineering from the University of Alaska, Fairbanks.
Related Links
Gold Panning 101 – Introduction to Easy and Effective Gold Panning To be sure not to miss any of all the great guides and articles on gold prospecting and panning that I'm working on, subscribe to future articles for free by Email or RSS. If you have Twitter you can also follow @OperationGold.
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