Andyy

In southern AZ, my father in law had one (mtn lion) stalking him and was able to scare iit away with a gun. As I've mentioned on this site before, I generally will not prospect without some small gun. Rabies is another concern, as well. As for snakes, I wear guards. Hunting at night, people expect that I would always run into them, but not so. If in boulder areas or especially water areas, this would be different. But I've spent many many night hunts without a strike. I see more in the daytime. ButI purposely make a lot of noise so they know I am coming. And Ido not wear headphones at night.

Scary video. My story happened, last year during a night hunt to an area I had been to before. There was good gold here and I wanted to see what I had missed. Now... I wear a bandana around my neck a lot of times. Sometimes this is for sun guard and other times it is to maybe give me an extra bit of time in case a mountain lion decides to get its jaws around my neck (not that it would help much) But maybe it would give me an extra couple seconds to reach my gun. Anyways, I had hiked back into this spot and it's maybe around 2am. Nobody around. Well, I had just sat down and decided to eat an apple and get some carbs back into my system so I could get more energy before all of the digging I had to do. And the nights are soooo beautiful in Arizona. I like just sitting and listening. Call it my midnight meditation if you will. Well, after my snack and bit of meditation, I started walking down this familiar wash, in search of yellow, when I felt a tickle on my neck. I thought my bandana was rubbing against me. hmmmmm, no wind, tonight. I stopped frozen, and felt the crawling farther along my neck on my hairline. This was no bandana. I quickly tipped my head forward, and savagely brushed both hands to the back of my neck and forward to get whatever it was, off as expeditiously as possible. Well, lo and behold, a scorpion with a body of maybe 3/4 inch, lands in front of me. With no stings on my hands or neck, I felt we both stood there staring at each other for about 10 seconds or so, wondering WTF just happened. But after snapping out of my shock, I let the bugger go with a thank you. Now I have been stung before on the feet and hands, but I am really not sure what would happen if stung on the neck. Probably nothing different. Thankfully, that night, I didn't have to find out. My thought is that it crawled up my backpack when I sat down to have a break. So now, day or night, I shake my pack before putting it back on. I have many more stories like this with spiders, but the scorpion crawling around my neck is still the clearest one on my mind, and one I recall every night hunt I am on. Just a short story to remind everyone to shake out their backpacks and brush off a little after those short breaks.

Nope. Not mine, but yes, both were Bunk's. I love those picks. Thanks, Mike!

I saw the title and thought you found one of my Arizona picks. Even with reflective tape and a gps, I still couldn't find them again. I've lost two. 🤣

I really love the original hip stick. I only wish this was still available in the U.S. Frustrating.

This is why I have had to make modifications to my GM1000. It should be on a telescoping rod (mod#1) and should have a better more stable stand (mod#2 - using pvc pipe). I mean common. But I can run my GPZ and hook my GM1000 on my backpack and hike for miles. In areas with a lot of bedrock, it takes me less than a minute to unhook from the side of my Camelback backpack. Now I don't have to use a blowtube ... which takes for(freak'n)ever. Then again, I am talking the US deserts. Sometimes those little specs let you keep a little manhood when you can say you still found gold. (well, just a little) But, Phrunt, I also have found that when I am digging the larger pieces (well, I mean gram+), there is usually more gold bits in my dirt pile which I find with my GM1000. It was a little eye opening when I started checking my piles.

hey we all start with a dream. It's a learning experience. He will come to the realization. But if he doesn't and you run into him in 6 months, help him along and crush his dream, like a first love on prom night! Gotta help that poor feller.

funny one. I sort of thought the wife would be at the end of that list ....errr....

Wow, that is beautiful. Colorado born or Arizona? ... if you don't mind my asking. Either way, CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Hang on tight to that hip stick. I tried to find them in Arizona and they are unavailable (a must for the GPZ7000 ... unless you are a hulk).

Great pics. Now here is someone who knows how to show off their finds! I go straight to the pics and tend to skip over the words.. (I read those last 😆)

Maybe you have already found your first nugget. But I remember when I was looking for that first elusive nugget. Pictures of grandeur would enter my mind as I walked miles through gullies over cactus and rattlesnakes. I would dig down 2 feet and repeatedly find nails. And then the old bullets so marred up you would swear it had to be gold or some other precious metal. But it wasn't. But the funny thing is, after I found that first nugget I never asked that question again. I forever knew the feel and look of gold. And I never questioned again, whether unicorns existed. Ok.. too much time at the book store.. google prospecting. And Waaaay too much coffee. Good luck out there!!

That is amazing. With all of that volcanic rock, I would never have even taken out my detector. Not because of expected ground noise, but because I typically do not find gold that close to that much volcanic activity. So thank you for sharing this and the setting for quieting down the detector.

That pick has too small of a head to do any good with magnets, in my opinion. I have a pick with a large scoop for the dirt. I have 2x high power neodymium or whatever and the hell that alien magnetic substance is. Gets your fingers in the way of two of them and your finger will be the middle of an oreo cookie. As everyone said, already, the magnets will move on the head. A little JB weld will keep them there much longer. But they will need maintenance every once in a while. To answer your specific question on location, I do not put mine near the tip or you are very likely to chip or lose them. I put mine 2" back, or so. I also put one on the handle. Sometimes this is an easier iron checker, if it seems like shallow iron.

I haven't seen the show, but I see some similarities here... - I *do* still freak out when I get large nuggets, often screaming out to nobody but the local bobcat and mtn lion, which are no doubt wondering why I am in their territory in the middle of the night, with a machine that squeals like a rabbit being attacked. - In order for me to do my night hunts, I am known to drink a couple red bull type drinks and thirst busters, to keep me amped up for the night. I just hope my body can handle the octane in short durations. Maybe if I had news crews following me around, I would seem like an excited clown, too!! LOL. But I PROMISE YOU, you would not see me jumping around in circles because I find an ancient bullet! I find lots and lots.. and lots of bullets.