For Those Who Go Out Prospecting I Have A Few Questions

[bigtim1973]

Hey everyone, I hope all is well. Prospecting for gold is something I have always wanted to do. However, I do not think I will ever get the chance to go out west and try it out.

 

So with that said, I have a few questions about electronic prospecting with a detector.

 

how much does it supplement your income?

 

What about chiggers and ticks, do you have to deal with those pesky critters too out in dry climates?

 

Other than your machine and digging stuff, what else does one take along while prospecting for those just in case you need it scenarios?

 

Do you hunt mostly on a claim or public land?

 

Sorry if this is downright boring for some of you but it is something I have wondered about.

[AU_Solitude]

How much does it supplement your income? It doesn't. Even if you were to prospect full time, I highly doubt anyone is making a fortune in the U.S. prospecting full time - I know a few people that do OK. Most can make far more money with their day jobs. Large nuggets are far more rare than most realize. Those I do find I keep as "Trophies". In a pinch I'd sell my nuggets off, they are like a savings account.

What about chiggers and ticks, do you have to deal with those pesky critters too out in dry climates? Ticks, yes, I dig a few out of my skin every year

Other than your machine and digging stuff, what else does one take along while prospecting for those just in case you need it scenarios? Water, small first aid kit, fire starter, Emergency blanket, etc., - I keep things light, generally under 15-20lbs. equipment total.

Do you hunt mostly on a claim or public land? Public lands.

 

[Jim in Idaho]

I look at what you call prospecting from two different perspectives. IMHO nugget hunting, and using a highbanker, sluice, etc., isn't prospecting. I define prospecting as trying to find unknown deposits of marketable metals (a prospect). Real prospecting involves, at least most of the time, going to places where the odds of finding anything are low, but there is the chance of a big payoff, in the event you do find something. They are separate disciplines of the same overall activity, and to some extent, they use some of the same tools. I'm sure not everyone would agree.

Jim

[AllenJ]

How much does it supplement your income?

Not even a little.  When you include the cost of metal detectors I'm in thousands of dollars deep and to date (this is my third year of prospecting) I've only had a few days that paid for gas and food for that day lol.

 

What about chiggers and ticks, do you have to deal with those pesky critters too out in dry climates?

Ticks are terrible in the spring so yes, I have to deal with them.  I use spray and try to be careful but I did get bit last year.

 

Other than your machine and digging stuff, what else does one take along while prospecting for those just in case you need it scenarios?

If I'm going a ways from the truck I take two smaller sized gold pans, multiple digging tools for cracks and crevices, loop, rock hammer, small chisel and sample bags in a couple of sizes along with water and sunscreen.

 

Do you hunt mostly on a claim or public land?

I've hunted both but mostly I freelance on Forest Service property.

[AU_Solitude]

16 minutes ago, Jim in Idaho said:

I look at what you call prospecting from two different perspectives. IMHO nugget hunting, and using a highbanker, sluice, etc., isn't prospecting. I define prospecting as trying to find unknown deposits of marketable metals (a prospect). Real prospecting involves, at least most of the time, going to places where the odds of finding anything are low, but there is the chance of a big payoff, in the event you do find something. They are separate disciplines of the same overall activity, and to some extent, they use some of the same tools. I'm sure not everyone would agree.

Jim

Really good point. 

[GB_Amateur]

59 minutes ago, AU_Solitude said:

Other than your machine and digging stuff, what else does one take along while prospecting for those just in case you need it scenarios? Water, small first aid kit, fire starter, Emergency blanket, etc., - I keep things light, generally under 15-20lbs. equipment total.

Good so far.  Here are a few others: 

sun blocking hat that covers your face and neck,

rare earth magnet (better if attached to either end of your pick),

GPS device (I guess some cellphones work, but instead or in addition, the handhelds can be found for ~$100 on sale),

maps and/or aerial photos (even as simple as printing off images from Google Maps & Earth -- mark terrestrial coordinates of key landmarks for use with GPS),

whistle,

trail bars (food),

day pack (light backpack) -- you can take it off when you get to where you're going, i.e. when you start detecting.

There's a show on Weather Channel (erratically scheduled) called SOS, How to Survive which recreates stories of people (usually in Western USA) who got into life threatening situations and almost didn't make it.  Two consisent errors made are:  (in warm/hot weather) running out of water; (in cold weather) having insufficient clothing to keep warm and dry.  Often the claim was "I was only going out for the day and weather was nice..."  My advice -- take at least twice what you think you might need.

Most of this assumes you won't be within easy access of your vehicle (although vehicles break down), but if you are, often that means you won't be finding gold, either.  The easier the access, the more likely it's been hammered.

[bigtim1973]

1 hour ago, Jim in Idaho said:

I look at what you call prospecting from two different perspectives. IMHO nugget hunting, and using a highbanker, sluice, etc., isn't prospecting. I define prospecting as trying to find unknown deposits of marketable metals (a prospect). Real prospecting involves, at least most of the time, going to places where the odds of finding anything are low, but there is the chance of a big payoff, in the event you do find something. They are separate disciplines of the same overall activity, and to some extent, they use some of the same tools. I'm sure not everyone would agree.

Jim

I never considered the term before. Interesting perspective you have brought up. 

[bigtim1973]

Wow tough Conditions I have never encountered before or had to prepare for. 

I see why now it is so tough. The neat side of it though at least to me anyway is the fact that there are some interesting rocks and minerals you could come across as well while out there. I am a rock hound somewhat too. I think that would be very neat.

 

And meteorites...,any of you come across them??

[Steve Herschbach]

3 hours ago, bigtim1973 said:

Other than your machine and digging stuff, what else does one take along while prospecting for those just in case you need it scenarios?

https://www.detectorprospector.com/forums/topic/1220-my-nugget-detecting-kit/

 

[Jim in Idaho]

2 hours ago, GB_Amateur said:

Good so far.  Here are a few others: 

sun blocking hat that covers your face and neck,

rare earth magnet (better if attached to either end of your pick),

GPS device (I guess some cellphones work, but instead or in addition, the handhelds can be found for ~$100 on sale),

maps and/or aerial photos (even as simple as printing off images from Google Maps & Earth -- mark terrestrial coordinates of key landmarks for use with GPS),

whistle,

trail bars (food),

day pack (light backpack) -- you can take it off when you get to where you're going, i.e. when you start detecting.

There's a show on Weather Channel (erratically scheduled) called SOS, How to Survive which recreates stories of people (usually in Western USA) who got into life threatening situations and almost didn't make it.  Two consisent errors made are:  (in warm/hot weather) running out of water; (in cold weather) having insufficient clothing to keep warm and dry.  Often the claim was "I was only going out for the day and weather was nice..."  My advice -- take at least twice what you think you might need.

Most of this assumes you won't be within easy access of your vehicle (although vehicles break down), but if you are, often that means you won't be finding gold, either.  The easier the access, the more likely it's been hammered.

I've often thought that we are, more often then we think,  on the ragged edge of serious trouble. I've spent a really large part of my life in the outdoors, and usually alone. I've called in mountain lions, alone. many, many coyotes, bobcats, and other predators.Been stuck in snow in high mountain passes. Waded raging rivers while fly fishing. A large number of those situations could easily haven turned from good stories to tell, to tragedies. All it would have taken was one small misstep, or piece of bad luck. And we've all BTDT, and have the T-shirts, and the hats.

Jim