Gerry in Idaho

Yes those roads did produce some amazing gold finds.

Steve B and another gentleman from ID that I know of, both found good gold there.  Funny as Idaho is my home, I've yet to wander that far North.

If possible try to swing another GPZ-7000 in same Settings on the same day and location?  If same results, then the answer is probably not a bad unit, but more to do with the conditions.  It's so hard to tell as we are not there in you're shoes.  We here in the USA can most certainly say with confidence, the GPZ-7000 in many of our soils can find smaller gold than our older SD/GP and even GPX-series detectors (minus the new GPX-6000).

Keep us updated

Lundy,  You are spot on for the conditions in much of Northern Nevada in Oct. and even Nov. if the weather holds out.  It's not the cold that messes things up.  It's actually the rains and the soil moisture as those affect a detectors performance.  Great to see some nice NNV gold and hear of new ground being broken. 

Glad to know the wife is getting around a little better.

Thanks for sharing and sorry we did not cross paths while I was just down there.

BTW, I did have Condor sneak up behind me at Rye Patch proper.

Someone said you scored a nice one out there?

Our good buddy Lunk has a gold nugget ring but he only shows it for special occasions. 

Lunk, give us the story of that hog and most certainly do not take it in the ocean.

Speaking of gold jewelry, the only piece I wear on a rare occasion is on a necklace. 

It was my 1st nugget over a 1/4 ozt.

On 11/7/2023 at 4:59 PM, Dutchman4 said:

My wedding ring was a Nugget Ring.  I lost it in the surf near Ocean Beach pier.  Some cold water and it slid right off my hand.

Sorry to hear of your misfortune but with all those machines on your Profile were you able to recover it?  I love water hunting and feel the bigger the ring the faster it falls off.  Funny, as I have yet to find a gold nugget ring though.

On 11/4/2023 at 9:43 PM, Drellim said:

Gerry wow it tells the story pretty clean  I always have my gold master  / old one  that I use to find the patch then work from there  with the PI   It’s amazing what one can hear and another nothing but man your stories and pics make me think I need a lesson or two  to get out of my righteous  mindset    Thanks for opening up my vision  hell we are always learning right   Thanks  

I just returned from my last 3 Days Field Training at Rye Patch NV.  Funny you mentioned about "always learning".  I spent 2 weeks in NV and was able to hunt for 10 days.  3 times was me alone in the field with different detectors, coils and settings, trying to teach myself to become even better.  I would find a potential nugget and then spend the next hour learning/listening to which the different detectors/coils and what their response/feedback to me was.  It keeps me on my toes and tuned at a level above most others, in my opinion.  I'll be posting a read for everyone when I get caught up.

Knowledge is Golden my friend.

Appreciate the kind words and glad my Staff and I have been a big influence of you/Sally's golden success and smiles. 

32 minutes ago, billdean said:

Hey Gerry….I found a guy in Quartzsite with a 6000 and my machine power up just fine with his battery. So it was the battery. I noticed a little green corrosion on the battery itself. Phunt and Jeff helped me out with how to clean it, all though it took about 3 good cleanings to get it working again. I ended up scraping the contacts a little bit, cleaned with alcohol, and used a pencil eraser. I had stored the battery separate from the machine and some how it must of got moisture in it. I took the 6000 out yesterday for a test run and it worked great the 2 hours I was out there. 

Great to hear that and glad you're up and running. DP members helping others is always a great 👍 

Billy, What did you find out about the detector battery or detector failure? If battery is dead,  it should be under warranty.  Keep me updated and sorry to hear of your issues. 

Amazing piece of gold and his loss for words is priceless. The guy has been doing pretty well with the Axiom.  Certainly in a great location. 

Very nice size solid chunky gold.  When you get a chance go back over the area with a bigger coil on the GPX-6000 and listen for weaker signals.  You're certainly doing quite well. Keep it up. 

On 10/19/2023 at 12:04 AM, Glenn in CO said:

 

Gerry you are one of the very few dealers left that have the knowledge and offer training anyone that wants learn gold prospecting. Hopefully you are still young enough to provide this service and education for many years to come. I know when I started detecting for gold nuggets and know there was something at the time of what you had to offer, I would gladly invested the time and money to make the learning curve less frustrating and being more productive out in the field.

This is the second time in the past 30+ years in hunting the same area for gold specimens that I and my wife did not go. My wife had a hip replacement two years ago and turning 70 she has decided the almost vertical tailing piles are not the place for her to be. We have been detecting ghost towns this past summer and enjoying finding coins and relics that they have to offer. We will have to see how 2024 shakes out for gold prospecting.

Here's another wiregold specimen that I recently cleaned with some host rock left intact:

 

Well Glenn I'm starting to get up in age/aches/pains myself and the back/feet are mostly worn out.  I'll keep training as long as my Field Staff will put up with me and we are having fun.  Onces the fun runs out, it becomes really tough to want to continue.  Sorry you didn't make the hill to collect a few more beauties, but glad you were able to swing a few old sites for Coins/Relics.  Thats another passion of mine, trying to find the tools/trash/trades left behind from the old-timers.

Enjoy your winter and lets hope for a nice early warmer Spring/Summer.  Keep in touch my friend.  Those wire pieces are just amazing.

38 minutes ago, MSC said:

This poor woman is learning some bad habits from someone, perhaps putting teeth marks in a nice gold nugget. 

Well it wasn't her husband who taught her such bad habits.  Although, I don't get to see all his finds so maybe he has scored a nice chunky one.

Making memories and having fun is half of why we do it.  Pics to last a lifetime for the grandkids to share on their social media.

2 minutes ago, Gold Catcher said:

I would be glad just to have a new M11 skid plate for Christmas.....Perhaps I am dreaming too big

GC

You and I both.  I actually sold my 1st Manticore because of the peach fuzz thickness of a cover.  If they don't come soon, my coil itself will go bad. Then they'll have to send me a new coil. Oh well..they've got deep pockets. 

One of my most successful customers is a lady and actually gets on here on occasion.  She can usually find more than most of the guys and she certainly doesn't mind a little dirt under her nails.  I actually think is very cool to see a lady swinger who has mastered this hobby.

18 hours ago, YubaJ said:

Gerry,

            What frequency(s) were you using with the Nox 800 for the tailings piles?

Multi

Very informative video on finding small and really dink gold with the Manticore.  I noticed your machine does the same chatter each time you put it on the ground.  It's not the ground per say but the loose coil cord which Manticore easily detects.  Try cleaning up some of the excess cable near the coil and it will help.  Yes I realize it's good to have some flex as we are always adjusting angle when in use.

Mentioning the other detectors in the comments but never did say how you would rank them for small gold hunting?  If you don't want to, that totally fine as I know sometimes testing unreleased coils and or detectors, pointers, there's certain things you can't do or say. 

You're quite becoming very good at the natural gold my friend and I appreciate you sharing your thoughts on the update and coil.  Keep it up.

My Staff/I will be around Rye Patch the 1st week of Nov. getting ready for students eager to learn.. if you're in the area swing by. 

Again as expected from you, well done.

I have a couple cancelations for this upcoming class, so if you want to get up to speed with your gold capable detector, call me at 208-345-8898.  My Field Staff Experts and I are eager to get some more 1 on 1 with you.  With us offering 3 days and the knowledge really sinks in.

Pics are of my customers at Rye Patch.  Mike came to take the class on a new gold detector and Sally was a tag along using her GPZ-7000.  She was above camp while the group was training and she pops this solid slug.  Guess the ride home for Mike was an ear full.  No worries, I'd be proud of my wife if she could do the same.

22 hours ago, strick said:

"- In mold tailing piles, the mineralized dirt has been removed and performance of VLF vs PI is not as big a difference."

Love that first picture...Ive never heard this term and I'd like to learn that a "mold Tailing pile" is ? 

great write up gerry

strick 

Strick, Thanks for keeping me on my toes and I did do a correction "many Tailing piles".

As for tailings/hand workings, I know you have some there in CA.  After you and your lady took our class, did you ever go back to any of those with the VLF's?  Yes I realize you could go hours and on occasionally days without a speck of gold, but at the same time, I've seen world class specimens come from a few of such style workings in the "Golden State".

On a side note, I could have said "moss tailing piles".  I've actually recovered gold in such piles and I even own a couple moss covered gold pieces (sun bakers).  I have found a few in NV and Oregon.

Below is a pic of one piece still showing moss type material on the top side.  If you view the throw out piles of rocks in the background, you'll see they all have the moss type growth on the tops.  This particular treasure with ounces of gold in it, will not detect on an older SD/GP machines.  It was literally laying on top of the pile and the improved Sensitivity of the Garrett Axiom help me make the find.  Interestingly, a quality VLF sees this particular find at about the same distance.

14 hours ago, Glenn in CO said:

This is so true in the area I and my wife prospect for gold specimens on tailing piles here in Colorado. We have tried many different types of PI detectors in the past on none will detect the gold specimens we find with a VLF detector. We were hoping the Garrett Axiom would be able to detect this type of gold and this last spring met with Rusty Curry with Garrett to see if the Axiom offered some promise. Unfortunately the Axiom wasn't able to detect the gold specimens, even using the different types of coils they had to offer. We are hoping someday a PI detector will be produced by somebody that can detect these type of gold specimens, as there are certain areas where we are plagued with hot rocks and minerialzation and a VLF detector is basically useless.

Here is a .67 Gram wiregold specimen that a PI detector will not detect:

 

Thanks for agreeing with me and showing proof Glenn.  It takes a lot of time in the field with many detectors to learn these things and most folks will not do that.  Yes I agree with you, the Axiom does not see/hear some invisible gold, but at the same time it also will find more of the invisible types than many of the older PI's.

As for a PI being able to do as well as a VLF for such gold?  I really don't see how they can do it as the technologies used are so different.  Maybe if a manufacture were to build a VLF within a PI so you can switch back and forth.  Wonder how much that detector would cost us?  Well f it was Minelab selling it, I recon $10K.  If it's someone else, say like Garrett, I would expect them to be more reasonable. $5000.

Love seeing your finds my friend and sorry I never made it up there this year, maybe 2024?

Yes it's a hard pill to swallow when someone with a sub $1000 detector can find a $1000+ piece of gold and a $5000 or $8500 machine can't even make a peep on it.  I've pissed off a few folks in the 3 days training sessions we offer, by showing such.  They just assume the more money you spend the more gold you find.  We Staff and I provide Knowledge and some of it is stuff many dealers don't even know about or have seen.  What you do with the knowledge (being pissed or happy you learned that about your detector) is up to you.  My training shows and explains what kind of gold your detector is best at and I also want you to know the kinds of gold and hunts it's not so good at.  That way you are not wasting time in the field with a detector that is not good for the task.

Why so many folks don't research out a good reputable dealer who's actually in the field showing success, to help them make a detector purchase, instead just order on Amazon and then wonder why they have not found any gold....is beyond me. 

You're one of the wise ones my friend.

16 hours ago, dig4gold said:

Hi Gerry. You have truly found some stunning pieces. It is a credit to you. I must have missed the ones stuck in your gob.😂

Would you still rate the MXT 300 for detecting bucket dredge tailings. Or would the Nox 800 be a better bet with the larger coil?

Cheers

D4G

MXT 300 helped me find quite a bit of nice size gold back in the day.  When compared to an EQ-800/EQ-900, I'll take the newer technology detector. Multi IQ, 100% waterproof, lighter weight and better at certain specimens/invisible gold...vs MXT.  But boy, was the MXT back in the day, a true gold grabber for those of us who learned how to use it.  Actually quite an easy detector and much so more than a GMT along with better depth on bigger gold than GMT.  Not true on small picker nuggets, the GMT shines through and also on invisible gold vs MXT.

11 hours ago, oldmancoyote1 said:

Very nice!  

Do you prefer a standard coil (say a 9" elliptical coil) or a larger coil (say a  13" x 15" double D) on your VLF when detecting dredging piles?

Thanks for asking a very important question.  As you view some of the pics, you'll see my coil size and selection varies based on the detector used.  When running the older GP and GPX series with some Iron Identification, one must have a DD coil and the detector set up accordingly.  I really like the 10" Ellip DD in some of the rough terrain areas and also the lighter coil on those bigger heavy machines is more manageable.

When running VLF detectors in such sites I'm swinging the stock size coils as I'm not really interested in tiny bits and pickers.  Back in the day on a Fisher GB-2, Tesoro LST, White's Gold Master series, I used stock 10" Ellip and larger 14" Ellip.  With MXT series the 950 coils and or even 12" round.  When newer Fisher GB came out and after some testing, I liked the 11" Semi Ellip. spoked coil.  Then came the X-Terra series by Minelab and my testing provided me best results with the stock 9" round Concentric coil in the 18 kHz and if really rough terrain the 10" Ellip DD in same 18kHz.  After that was the Equinox series and boy did the EQ-800 with stock 11" round coil and extreme light weight really get it done.  I even used the larger 12x15 in a couple areas that had produced a few bigger pieces and managed to squeeze out one more sandwich of gold.

Below for my big mouth fans...

Below pic was found with NOX-800 and 12x15" coil.

The Manticore and coil size.  No option yet, just a bunch of BS teasing us.  Yes, I have used Manti with success and the 11" round DD is fine and will be more preferred coil.  Eventually, I'll step up a size for a select few areas...but at the rate things are going, it will probably be next year before I get to swing one as winter is setting in around my closer sites in ID, NV and Eastern OR.

As for the GPZ-7000, I used the stock 14x13" coil but only in a few select sites as there is no Iron ID.  Same with the newer GPX-6000, the stock 11" round is just fine.

With the newest of the big boy detectors, the Pulse Induction Garrett Axiom and it's variable capabilities and coil options is ideal for a variety of such style of detecting tailings/diggings.  It has Iron ID capabilities the 6000 and 7000 do not.  Plus, the Axiom's advanced PI technology does better on many kinds of specimens and invisible gold many other PI's miss.  My own style of detecting and the size of gold I'm chasing with the Axiom at such sites, I've been swinging the 12x13" MONO coil.

One piece of advice for those who prefer to use a big deep detector, be sure to have a good VLF with target identification capabilities nearby.  Doing so will save you so much time and energy.

Realize what is different about me than most.  I don't really like chasing small gold, unless that's the only gold remaining in the area.  When you have dug up a couple trophies, it's tough to step back to small again.  Yes, I know there's more small gold than big and that's exactly why when my Field Staff and I do training, we teach most to use smaller coils as they provide better results for the majority of what's left.

Always varying scenarios and choices out there and not 1 way, 1 machine or 1 coil is best for everything.  Options in different detectors and coil selections allows me to find more heavy metal.

Sorry to hear there are such stupid idiots in Australia as we have here in the USA.

The majority of my bigger gold finds have come from tailing piles.  I've detected dredge and hand placer digging piles in Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Montana and Nevada with success.  If I were to hunt California, Arizona and Wyoming tailing piles, I'd do what I've learned in the 30 years of chasing bigger gold and do what I usually do, I'd run Discriminating VLF's and find even more.  Yes I have used PI's and even ZED with Success at such locations, but I run out of energy much sooner, as shovel heads at 3 1/2 feet are Ball Breakers, grease buckets over 4' are heart attaches.  Here's the funny thing about the bigger machines. I've yet to actually find a bigger chunk of gold beyond the depths of my VLF's capabilities.  I'm sure it has been done by someone, but my Success speaks for itself.

I run into folks in the field on occasion and they swear up and down, those said sites can be PI'd.  OK, then why is my VLF Success 10X of theirs????  Sometimes a little Success with a PI in tailing does not mean that's the best way to do it.  Problem is, some folks are happy with a little bit of Success and too hard headed to learn and or teach themselves a new style.  OK with me, as I'll keep doing what works for me and they can keep doing what works for them.

Not all tailing piles are the same and many are not even in good size gold nugget/specimen country.  Many folks forget this fact.  In many of the tailing I detect, the highly mineralized soils have already been removed, so the VLF's capabilities are optimal which = a closer performance comparison of said VLF vs PI.  Again, different parts of the country in the US, the piles vary.  It's just that in the regions and states I've detected tailing piles, I've been able to get best results with the Discriminating VLFs.

- A lighter and faster VLF detector can be used for longer periods of time

- The Iron ID VLF's save time in identifying ferrous and non ferrous targets.

- Today's newer discriminating VLF's with target Identification can be taken a step above and helps me separate the nonferrous targets and saves me more time not having to dig certain non ferrous targets.

- In mold tailing piles, the mineralized dirt has been removed and performance of VLF vs PI is not as big a difference.

- Very important and not mentioned by most.  Invisible gold - It's out there in way more places than most realize, but you don't know as your detector can't see it.  Many older PI detectors and even a couple current models can not see or will respond to such gold.  I have numerous multi ounces pieces a VLF responds to and bigger detectors can't or do it but not as well at a depth as the VLF.

I love detecting tailing & hand work placer piles.  I highly recommend to those who have not done so to try it and be open minded when doing so.  There is no right or wrong way, but do what seems to work for you.

If you have a bigger PI or ZED and don't own a VLF, I know you're missing gold and in some areas, you could be missing the best gold.  No sales pitch, just what I have learned from being in the field for many years.  Heck I couldn't believe my own eyes when I 1st witnessed this 25+ yrs ago.  Now I take a big machine and VLF everywhere I go

Here's some pics of finds with a variety of detectors that I have been successful with.