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You Nugget Hunt Alone Or With A Friend


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I go away 95% of the time with my father for weeks at a time approx 5 times a year. He took me out enitially and I got gold fever from the first trip we went on.

When we get to the camp site and have set up we both go our own seperate ways each day because of interference between the zeds. We call up each other at certain times on the 2 way radios during each day to make sure everything is ok. 

We go nugget hunting during sum nights together and only take 1 detector.  We tune the 2 WM12s into the one machine so we can both listen for targets together & decifer signals. It's great when you've got your own personal digger?

Its a really different feeling detecting with family ( layed back, take your time, talk about settings on detector, show your gold & where you got it )

When detecting the 5% of the time with my mates I feel there in competition against me to get to the gold before me. They don't talk much about settings, what they got, what creek they went up. But they are more than happy to listen to me and bleed me of all my information.

So yes I prefer to nugget hunt on my own, or with my dad not far away in the next valley.

Cheers ozgold

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I have spent more time without seeing or talking to anyone when prospecting. It interests me how long people have gone without any contact- amongst my work mates most have never truely been alone for more than a day. For me its about 72hours. This also means no tv, computers etc I think it is important for the soul and personal growth to know and embrace this sensation. How longs it been for you?

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I to prefer to hunt alone. I do hunt with a friend most of the time and we wonder out own ways. I like solitude even knowing that humans are supposed to be social by nature. Being alone is the best way to find peace. I also think that alone I find not only peace but pieces to. Yes, I find more when I'm alone. I am in tune much better than when hunt with someone else.

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Both, after thinking about it most often with someone. My wife when she feels like it and /or several friends. Don't mind going alone and have done it many times, then only have a occasional rattlesnake for company.

 

Mike

 

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Oh I have a mate that will go with me if it's a high dollar motel near and be sure it has HBO. She will be right there when I get back from nugget hunting alone. That's the reason I don't take her with me and I'm liking it more as the years go bye.

Chuck 

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11 hours ago, Bada Bing said:

Most people who wander around alone in the bush are NRL supporters ..... can't find a mate?

Don't worry - this real footy supporter would help you out .... under sufferance of course ...

Rain coming - get inside ...

Cheers

BB

 

Rained most of the night, put an end to todays expedition.  

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On 3/21/2017 at 7:22 AM, Giddiup said:

I have spent more time without seeing or talking to anyone when prospecting. It interests me how long people have gone without any contact- amongst my work mates most have never truely been alone for more than a day. For me its about 72hours. This also means no tv, computers etc I think it is important for the soul and personal growth to know and embrace this sensation. How longs it been for you?

Four or five days at a time and frequently over several decades of autumn prospecting trips. I don't mind at all, and do far better hunting alone. My wife joins me in the north country at least once each prospecting season for a week, usually the last full week... I've always suspected this is to ensure I do pack-up and head home before real winter weather sets in. Either way it's all good.

Jim.

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Over the years I've found I can go both ways however my preference is that I have some company back at camp.  In the States going it alone is not a big deal to me *unless I'm down near the border of Mexico* but in Australia its a different story.  My first go down under, in Victoria, I learned the value of having a mate you could get back to and share your experience's with.  It gets lonely out there.  This last season, 2016, I was well and truly on my own for up to two weeks at a time in some remote areas.  My only relief was coming in for supplies and a day or two in the caravan park.  But out bush its a bit of an irritation to worry about your camp, getting injured or just getting lost and not having much in the way of back up except your pick and native ingenuity.  Camping alone also limits, for me, my overall range because of those worries. Granted camping up with friends and mates makes things easier but when I prospect I will move off to be alone often walking for K's in my search.  Seen gold fever to many times to ever be comfortable, with exception of a select few who are immune like me, with group hunts.  If there is more than two people in an area I will move off.  This last season I stood my ground a few times when other prospectors unsuspectingly dropped practically on my camp.  It was friendly but my own native distrust sent alarms off that were hard to calm down.

Having company at camp also helps when your not finding anything.  With good friends and mates we support each other and that's not just for the gold but in practical ways as well.  Someone puts the billie on the fire in the morning, wood for the fire, bit of bacon or butter to help tucker along and stories or just complaining about the flies.... little things that make life enjoyable

That aside there were a lot of very peaceful days and the solitude did me loads of good.  Its a tricky balance.

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I love being alone out here, absolute stress free not having to worry about someone else. My hardest decision in the morning is will I put pants on or not today.

I see people when I do the weekly or 2 weekly trek into town for supplies and even then it's straight in and straight out again.

If I do happen to do myself a mischief, I have no doubt I'll be found sooner or later, just follow the smell.

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For night hunts, I have to go solo because my other prospecting buddies prefer to stay curled up in bed and dream about gold.

During the daytime, it's about 50/50 as to whether I hunt with someone.  Depends on schedules or if we are just exploring different areas.  There are many benefits to having trusted prospecting buddies.  It really helps the learning curve.  You learn hunting styles and different indicators for the different gold areas.   (not to mention that it is safer to have someone there)

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