Gerry in Idaho

He decided to hunt the more expensive Au rocks but I know he has found Meteorites in times past and is well versed at it. He was my mentor on previous trip and taught me alot.

So many Hot Rocks in the area it's just faster to use a PI unit. Yes I've probably tossed a few in my early days with the bath water.

www.gerrysdetectors.com is a great website to order gold rings. You end up with a detector every time.

I didn't even attempt to chase a nugget on this trip. Set your mind to it and go.

What's interesting about the D mint mark for those coins. It is not for DENVER. Back in the 90's one of our local club members found a beautiful gold coin here in Boise, Idaho. Anyone finding a gold coin makes big news around here and when he told me the year and mint mark, I could not figure out why, as Denver mint was not known back then. It was not until I was able to see the coin in person and realize yes it was a D mint mark and more research revealed the rare mint from Georgia (Dahlonega). I tried to purchase it back then, but it was his best coin find ever so I totally understand why he wanted to keep it. Thanks for bringing back memories.

Sorry I have not been posting for a while, but you know I get the itch to swing and just do it. I just returned from a nice short and warm weather trip down South in Arizona. Tried my luck again at Meteorite Hunting with a metal detector. As a veteran detectorist with near 50 yrs, I can assure you this. I know how hard it is to find gold, but swinging a detector across the desert floor while trying to find space rocks, put my body to a real test. In fact, I'll have to admit, chasing meteorites is harder than hunting gold nuggets. Yes I found a few and walked/hiked more miles than I care to talk about. I didn't take a pick of my pack, but loaded it with drinks, my typical survival gear, a days worth of food and off I was. Found out really fast, I am only getting about 7 to 8 hrs of actual use on 1 battery of my GPX-6000, but luckily I took a spare. The pics are of some Black Gold Arizona meteorites and no I couldn't fit the big one in my mouth. Has anyone else tried hunting meteorites before and do you agree how hard it is? Maybe it was because this was my 1st trip for 2022 and my body has not been tuned yet.

Very nice gold indeed and keep us posted of the nuggets Condor sniffs out with the GPX-6000.

Very nice looking nuggets for sure. Bearing the cold chill is rough until you dig a nice piece of heavy yellow metal. You warms up real quick like when those are rattling in the ol bottle. Well done.

and no lead was scattered across the land...not yet anyway.

Nothing wrong with using a little muscle to get things handled.

Gary is a great guy for the MD'ing industry and really is a very skilled Beach Hunter. I tip my hat off to him for everything he's done. We were in the same TV commercial for Minelab back in 2013. It was the 1st US Commercial for television on select channels. I was the experienced Minelab dealer, Gary Drayton was the professional Beach Hunter (this was before he became famous) and Stu Auerbach (since passed) the founder of Kellyco Metal Detectors and they are largest retailer of metal detectors in the world. The commercial used to be on Minelabs website but it looks like they took it down. But Gary...yea he's worth some good stories and a few beers. I'd detect with him again in a heartbeat.

I've known Gary for at least 15 yrs. and have detected beaches with him. Yes he's a King on the beach in FL. He's getting better at hunting Relics. He would not be the guy to get for hunting gold nuggets as we use different detectors.

You being on this forum with your claims and knowledge of mining could be a win win for a group of people. If you are serious about getting some experienced nugget hunters on your ground, I recommend you have a predetermined amount of people sign up. Try to get both experienced PI/ZED and VLF users so you have all aspects of detectable gold covered. Try to make it at least a 2 day event since you have so much ground. I know for a fact I have helped claim owners in the past by showing them where I was finding gold with my detectors. I've even had my photos used to help sell claims. This could be a fun eventful trip for a lucky few folks. As for as size and depth of pickers, the VLF detectors can find some really small pickers in bedrock, but depth is lacking. 1/10 grain less than an inch and 1/10 of a gram 2 to 3", 1 gram 4 to 8" is possible. With big detectors, we have found solid nuggets of 2 gram near 18" and bigger gold down over 3 feet.

That's mighty kind of you GhostMiner and I just might do that down the road. My goal for 2022 is to find Gold with a detector in California and Colorado.

I've always associated the 2 as the same, but I would assume (that's scary at times...assuming) they technically have different meanings. I too have been informed I was Claim Jumping and it was when I had a detector in hand. I was able to help the guy with my knowledge of previous discovered gold from many years ago when it was not claimed. In hind site, I guess I could have claimed it up? Being a dealer who offers Field Training, I used to have all kinds of areas to detect and train on. I even had a couple permissions on claims for a few years. Then when gold prices started breaking over $1000 many of my permissions were taken away. Some, because of others who actually Claim Jumped and were caught. A few because the new claim owners felt their claim had serious nugget potential and I could be a threat. It's really hard to get permission for a group anymore so that's why I stick with Rye Patch for most of the Training. Some folks say I should claim an area just to do my Field Training. I guess I could, but since so many people know me, anything with my name on it would certainly draw attention. I could be sneaky... my thought is to claim a really good gold area I know of that has more trash than I prefer or care to deal with or hunt. After some time I'm hoping the majority of folks will get all the surface trash clean up and removed for me. I can then go in and get all the deep gold most folks seem to miss. As Steve had mentioned earlier, the majority of folks swinging a gold detector are not much of a threat. I think it's kind of funny, but true.

I think today...we are all a little skittish about upsettings our friends. I don't see any ill towards anyone at all and all info shared is good.

That used to be the case until this Equinox 800 came out. Seems they decided to add the IRON REJECT to the standard Turn on and Go mode in Gold #1 and Gold #2. So now I instruct my customers to turn the IRON Reject OFF so it accepts all targets. You'd think they would have it the Prospecting Modes wide open and you push the Horseshoe as an added feature. At least that detector is a killer VLF gold machine. Yes I agree when wide open (all boxes accepted on NOX) and no Iron Rejection, the VLF detectors have best depth and most sensitivity. Also, I think the digital identification is more accurate on the NOX when operated in true All Metal.

GhostMiner, I appreciate your knowledge, writing skills and answering the question of owning a claim. You and your team sound like pretty fair, hard working and honest folks. Just to be clean, I had and or have no intention of trying to smear your issue at all. I have very good friends who own claims and we have stopped counting how many times we've ran into Claim Jumpers. Even one guy with an AR-15 strapped to his back (I have pics to prove it), but no need to show the world. It seems so frustrating for those who try to do the right thing and then find out someone else already filed (as mentioned above). It also is a business operation to some folks as you mentioned and I know from guys who are in the business. Then there is the family owned claims for weekend recreation and each has their +/-. Thanks for adding your input and I am especially glad to see your group allows panning/detecting as the majority of folks doing that couldn't remove enough gold from the site to pay their gas to get there. That certainly shows true character and realizing most folks are just out on weekends trying to have fun. Well said.

I like your way of thinking. Now that's out of the way, where's your claim? I'll only be sure to take a few grams a day. Just joking 🙃

It seems ever few yrs we get a post on here about folks who own gold claims having issues with Claim Jumpers. I'm not saying it's right or wrong to own a gold claim but I sure see issues that I don't want to mess with. I have friends and customers who own good gold claims and every one of them have caught folks in pursuit of precious metals. Yes it's ok to drive across, park and even camp on someones claim and I have no issues with that. I have also ran into a few rough neck who won't allow you to camp or even park on their claim. I know I'm in the right, but I'm not going to argue and or do I like worrying. Besides, I am usually the one driving the nicer fancy truck and I know how much it cost to get 4 new tires replaced (not from experience). I simply turn around and go somewhere else where I feel it's more safe. There's a guy in NV (won't mention names but he has been on here before) who is so anal about people getting on his claims. He's called me in times past and swore I was on his claims and in fact I had not been to NV in months. This guy has blamed my Field Staff being on his claims and even says he flies over and takes pictures. But yet he has never proven it. Yes he owns gold claims and a couple of them are really good producers and I have even found gold on his claims (with him being there). I feel the stress some folks go through is not worth it and wonder why even own one? I've come to the conclusion that owning a good or productive gold claim is like marrying a really good looking lady. There's always someone trying to get in on the poke. No I don't own any claims and I really don't think I need the stress of always worrying about it either. If you own one, do you stress over it or are you low key and just roll with it? No right or wrong answers.

ALL DETECTORS have limits when it comes to proper ID. You can take a 6 ounce solid gold nugget and there will be a certain depth that every detector made thinks it's IRON. It's been that way for me the last near 50 yrs on every detector I've owned. You the operator needs to learn when, where and how often to rely on the Target ID system. Many PI detectors have IRON ID, but they have limits as well. That's why so many folks simply say "dig it all". I use IRON ID on closer targets near the surface but if in good gold terrain, I check more iffies and end up with more trash.

I would walk up to them with your phone on while recording their faces, the vehicle they drive, the license plate and ask for their names. If they do not provide their ID cards, simply tell them their faces will soon be across the internet, local eateries and bars as well as the Sheriff's office and of course post on the forum. Now you don't need to do that at all, but the guilt trip on them would make for a long drive home. I doubt they would be back anytime soon, at least not in the same rig. Realize, In some states folks are walking into businesses in the middle of the day, filling up pockets/bags and walking out without paying. The other option and you might think I am totally nuts. Ask them to help and work with you. Now at least you can get knowledge they have to help your recovery efforts. Either way it seems owning a claim for a small scale miner or detectorist is getting harder to justify. I personally know folks who spend to much time worrying about others they think who are going on their claims and finding gold.

Mitchel, Those 1 day hunts can sometimes be very rewarding and your efforts prove so. The best part is the drive home with the rattle in the bottle and knowing you had success. Thanks for sharing you Au story and pics.

That map has many miles of potential and I always say if there has been one of a certain size found, there has to be a big brother or sister. Another thing you bring up is throw out piles. I have found so much gold in throw out piles it's laughable at times. But I also realize the majority of gold is fine Au.