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First Steps


Skate

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I've been coin and jewelry hunting for years but had never considered hunting for nuggets until the past two weeks that I found Steve's forum. This place is like a breath of fresh air compared to the other "popular" detecting forums out there. I've chatted with Steve a bit about starting prospecting and he's been great. My question is after you decide on a detector where do you go from there?

Do you join GPAA? I just learned about this organization last night and I have one claim near me that gets 3 stars. 

How do you go about finding the places to hunt? I'm coming from the perspective that I hunt on land 90% on permssions and 10% on parks as well as driving to one of my beaches in Ventura and going from there. Is it more of who you know (in terms of getting good hunting grounds) or what you know (where to go) or a combo of each? 

What would be the first steps to take besides the right detector?(I'm currently in negotiations with my better half on why I need another detector)

Thanks

Skate

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Welcome to the Forum Skate,

Here's is my opinion on someone considering hunting for nuggets for the first time. First nugget hunting with a detector is probably the hardest and most frustrating thing a person will experience when you compare it to coin, jewelry or relic hunting. Once you found your first nugget with your detector the confidence, ability and skills in using your detector will continue to grow. The way I was successful was learning to operate my detector correctly, using the correct type of detector for the area I'm searching in and knowing the geology and type of gold that will be found in the area that has promising ground. For me to be successful did not happen overnight. It took years, with different models and types of gold detectors and searching in a area that was and still is productive. I was a metal detector dealer for over twenty-five years, so the learning curve on using a gold detector wasn't hard, but learning the geology and type of gold to be found was a long process and continues to this day. I have gone to other states to search for nuggets and with limited knowledge on the geology and where gold can be found, it brings me back to my first day of nugget hunting and to prepare for the same long process if I'm to be successful again. I have seen individuals that are very experienced with a detector on productive ground and but still can't find gold. The more knowledge and information you can obtain from books and fellow nugget hunters that offer advice in the area you are hunting in, the greater success you will have.

Today if I was newbie would I follow my own advice, probably not. I would though find a dealer that provides training in areas that are productive and training on how to use my detector correctly. That knowledge and experience that one would gain in a short amount of time would be invaluable.

 

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Great advice. My main goal is to become a better detectorist and increase my skills. My previous experience with gold prospecting involved watching Todd Hoffman make one stupid decision after another, never considering that I too could be just like him LOL. 

Seriously though I understand its a commitment that takes on a whole other level of research and study. Finding gold in a park is more about how many pull tabs you're willing to dig as opposed to anything else. 

Rather than join any group I'll just stick to reading here, I imagine there's more experts and teachers here than anywhere else. 

Best,

Skate

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 Skate

 There is very good information here on this forum on just about every topic that you have a question about. Having said that, joining the GPAA is one of the best ways to put yourself in gold areas. They have claims in just about every area that has gold and maps that show you how to get there. 

  I am not an activist, but the GPAA represents my views as a prospector and part of the dues are spent to defend them.

                                                                               Norm

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Norm 

GPAA is a poor mans gold club and I have been with them for years. I’ve belonged to other clubs from time to time but keep it going all the time.

Chuck

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Joining the club's is a good place to start. It's where I started. I learned where people "look" for gold, and next where people "find" gold. As well as how people "look and find" gold. I stayed a member for 2 years, then I went on my own. I still keep a GPAA membership just in case I travelto a place I am not familiar with. It gives me a place to start. And yes by all means, learn as much as you can from this forum.

Best of luck. 

Chris

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Tis difficult to give general advice on how to find gold, when I started out there was no info out there, no internet and there was just a very negative "consensus" that you just can`t expect to find gold with a box of electronics, but in saying that the gold was out there almost just "laying around". 

Now we have the internet, DP and know that those electronic boxes do indeed find gold. Just after 40 years it is not "laying around" like it was. I guess the most important approach hasn`t changed, be positive and have faith in yourself, your detector and the Goddess of Gold will come across but no doubt she`s an outright tease. No thrill comes close to digging up your first nugget except the thrill of your 2nd, 3rd etc etc.

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Skate,

Being a former citizen of Ventura County, I used to go to the East Fork of the San Gabriel mountains....I detected the gullies and gulches that fed the East Fork, I had some success finding nuggets, none larger than a pennyweight or so. The next place to research is the Goler Gulch area around  Mojave , all the way down to Baker area. You may want to visit Pat Keene at his shop and ask some questions also.To shorten you learning curve..join a good club like the Orange county 49ers, they have some good claims  . Like some have mentioned its extremely difficult to find gold with a detector....very few places have sizable gold. Good luck out there...hope you find your first nugget very soon.

 

 

 

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