Seeking insight if more likely to find a camp at a creek's source

[American Geode]

Hello,
I found another small and shallow creek in a valley of the North Georgia mountains. It's shallow, no fish, but should one think that camps might have stopped at the source of a creek? Is that likely, or unlikely? It's got hills on both sides, so low ground, not high ground.

Does anyone have insight on how to search a creek at the source? Does that make any difference traditionally?

This is in North Georgia though, so the other alternative is using sluice box for gold. Thank you for any insight.

[Kentucky point]

Honestly, though there might not have been an actual "camp" there, look anyway, because with over 10,000 years of prehistory, someone had to drop something at some point.

[fldwlkr]

I have had some luck in the little "cricks" up here in Ohio. There is a small run on my property that is just a few puddles this time of year. I have two brokes from its gravel. I also pulled a nice axe out of a run that is a few inches deep and two foot wide. If you have water... you probably have artifacts somewhere nearby. If the creek you are describing has gravel, I would check it out.

[tomclark]

check closest high spot to the source and go through any accumulated gravel bars in that little creek, snorkel/screen, not just walk it. those little creeks meandered like a snake between the hill/high spots. A LOT of points may have been lost hunting that bottom land so test pit for the ancient courses if possible too. I'd rather hunt ancient lost points than broken funkies and chips LOL

[Hal Gorges]

It’s a slam dunk,,,Do both,,,sluice awhile, hunt points awhile,.Lol..Keep lookin till you find something.... it’ll happen

[Mattern]

Hi AMGeode. So let's say you were in the wilderness. Your thirsty. Would you rather drink from creek or river or would you find a nice cold spring or cold run? The Natives too liked cold, clear water to drink and cook with. Thats why so many spring heads and cold runs have Native sites near them! One time when I was visiting my brother in Huntsville Ala. He took me to a cave with a stream coming out of it. Within the opening of the cave, I could see very shell flakes in the dirt fill. So I got down on my knees and started rakeing the silt and small rocks in the stream coming out of the cave. Sure enough I came home with quite a nice collection. As I remember, about 15 Artifacts in about 30 yards. Kim

[Mailman]

Agree with all the above. I'd also add, when I start finding a good concentration of "nuttin stones" I consider that an indication of a camp. Then you know your getting hot. At least in my corner of KY. I assume it's true, elsewhere

[Fat]

Sounds like really good spot. Has it been gold mined in the past. I know one of the first gold fever episodes in the USA happened in Georgia.
If its anything like todays t.v, Stuff could be scattered and covered up with overburden, neckdeep.

[CMD]

I was taught, and have seen it born out, that where one stream/river joins another will be a hot spot. Some friends and I were walking a drawn down pond that was created by drowning two rivers. As we came to the confluence, I said “we’ll start seeing flakes now”. Sure enough, we did.

[kayakaddict]

It seems a trend that archaic sites are more common at stream heads than Woodland sites. Has anyone else seen this pattern?

[American Geode]

Thank you all for the insight. I keep looking. Once I have something to share, I will be celebrating here for sure! Thanks again for the insight.