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Gerry in Idaho

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Everything posted by Gerry in Idaho

  1. One of my customers recently found a stunning: near 4 pound quartz boulder with just under 11 ozt of gold with his GPX-5000. Just goes to show you those multi thousand dollar treasures are still out there being dug up. Yes this came from the lower 48 states. Good luck everyone.
  2. 1 ounce day is pretty dang good and I know you worked hard to get them. Nice to see you on here Rob. Hopefully we'll have a good dinner together next time around (Australia).
  3. Glad to see you let the gold lady get her fix. Yes the CoilTek 10" Ellip Extreme coil on the SDC-2300 is very killer. Many of my customers have had great success. Smart of you to improvise for a scoop. Yes there are more scorpions in NV than most folks realize. Nice gold.
  4. Glenn, So glad you were able to get out there and score another highly collectible CO specimen piece. Your pics are so beautiful and those gold pieces are genuine gems. Hopefully the family who was video taping the crazy ATV rider, now realizes how dangerous they can be and life is just a second away from being gone. Thanks again for sharing.
  5. Mitchel, Buddy if we lived closer, I'd be out there with you. I get those silly thoughts on occasion and something just keeps pocking at me to go do it. Much of the time it is just to get out and nothing gets found, but on occasion those pokes to go, actually do put me on the gold. I've done well along the freeway near Dome Rock. Nice story, pics and yes you got gold.
  6. Norvic - You are correct my friend and we have all done it. Sometimes it's much worse of an afterwards hike to find it and other times, it's just a matter of turning around and walking 20 feet back to the truck to get it. The gold fever is for real and all of us on here are guilty. I'll be the 1st to admit it, but in reality, it is not just gold for me, I get that natural high from an old coin or relic just the same. Thanks for adding context. Geof_Junk - It's just amazing the items people lose and we find. I was called to find a radio for the Idaho Fish & Game that an office lost one time. Then on another call, an elk hunter lost his rifle after shooting an elk? Heck I was in Oregon a few years back and found a film canister with 20+ little picker nuggets in it. Found out it belonged to one of my own customers. Glad you were able to help your friend and sorry there was no more gold there for the taking. Thanks for sharing. GoldSeeker5000 - Yes it's even worse when you hunt with others. Glad they were able to return to you and then you do the same favor for them. Heck as young as Lunk is, I'd think he'd not be doing that, but maybe it just happens to Prospectors and guys pushing shopping carts LOL. Yes, leaving a test nugget on the ground and walking away, I did the same thing more than once. Thanks for the smiles and good laughs. This one is on me - Earlier this year I was detecting with a couple friends and he had some golden success. Usually when I'm with the same minded friends, there is celebratory drinks of quality rum with each good find. Anyways, I had dug a doozie 1+ oz'er with my NOX and called my friends over for a viewing and another drink. My one buddy is in the brush back tracking left, right, left and on and on. I call out loud and he is pissed because he can't find his "lucky scoops". We'll eventually he temporarily gives up and comes to see my prized nugget. We chat it up, bust a few more blood cells with alcohol give hi-5's and off we go. He is about 50 yrs in front of walking away and I look to see his scoop in the side pocket. No worries as I think, he must have found it. Anyway, 15 minutes later I see him still wandering and not really detecting. I ask what's up now and thought maybe he has drank a little much? "Naw, he replies, still looking for my scoop." So now I am confused and ask my other buddy how to handle it? Well that is what good detecting buddies are for. We walked over with another drink and pointed his scoop to him, the "lucky scoop" in his side pocket of his pants. Great laughs and memories is just a part of another hunt.
  7. I too seen the multiple posts of used SDC-2300's. My crystal ball tells me many things are coming and some better than others. One could only suspect the SDC-2400 to be released soon, but I doubt before Thanksgiving. Heck Steve, If I knew there was a new version SDC coming out, I'd most certainly not be taking units back in trade. I do feel honored that you think I might know something, but in reality it is you who we all watch, listen and admire. When you sold the last big gold detector (I think it was a year ago), everyone started dumping theirs and the rumors started. As for me and how I like running my detecting business. I realize many folks can't afford $4000 for a new SDC-2300 and I also know many of my VLF customers would enjoy swinging a PI, so if I get the opportunity to take a good quality PI in trade, then I usually try to work the deal. I end up with 2 happy customers after it is all said and done. I've taken 2 used SDC's, 3 used GPZ's, 1 used GPX, 1 used GP3000, 1 used GP-3500, 2 used Gold Monster 1000's and 1 used EQ-800 in trade in the last few weeks. I see it as a win win for my old customer trading his 2300 for the 7000, for my new customer buying the used SDC-2300 and he traded his VLF and the newest customer getting a GM-1000 for less than $800. On a side note, one of my new customers was about ready to purchase a like new SDC-2300 and during conversation, I found out he is prior US Military. Now I could have kept my mouth shut and sold him the Like New unit, but the facts were, with his 15% Veterans discount, it was better he get a new. So I stepped up and sent him a new one. Remember folks, If you are prior and or active US Military, as a VET myself, I'll offer the 15% off to you for a new Minelab detector. Sorry to cause any suspicions, but like I said, I don't think the 2400 will be here anytime soon.
  8. How can you make life long lasting memories drinking merlot/pinot in the desert? Ya gots to let the hair down on occasion Peg. Only live once right.
  9. Swegin - Your simple way of a quick look back could be, should be and as of now, will be mentioned during my Field Training and for more reasons than just a pick. Thanks for sharing. Klunker - It's funny you mentioned the small axe and wedges. I don't find many of them in NV, but have so in Eastern Oregon and now realize it is the loggers who probably lost them, not the prospectors. Interesting bit and thanks for contributing. Oh, and I think you found your keyboard... 1515Art - Yes I too have left things in other people's rigs. it is almost to the point I'd rather take folks in my own truck so I don't forget my stuff. I find scoops, headphones, pouches, jackets, a big sterling belt buckle that I sent back to the guy and even a nugget container in the truck one time. I keep my training customers emails, so when I get home and clean the truck, I usually have something extra and can get it back to them. Yes APEX is a great pick and luckily they are made here in Idaho, so I get them easily. Thanks for contributing. Flakmagnet - You bring up another good point about spicing up your gear. Since my headphones get passed around during the training, I have come up with yellow tape on both sides, so I can easily see who has them on. Thanks for contributing. Oneguy - We learn as we go, but as we age we sometimes forget the simple things. My wife is notorious for driving away from the house and then I see her drive around the block and by again. So I call her cell, to only find out, she wanted to make sure she closed the garage door. This is almost a weekly thing with her. At least she thinks of it before she gets too far down the road. Then she calls me to check the garage. Funny how we are. Thanks for sharing.
  10. I've done the trip probably 100+ times so I have the mileage down pat. Timing is pretty close as well. I once did Boise to Winnemucca in 3 hrs 15 minutes when I was much younger and had to average 80 MPH, so the straight open was 105, but that is all the truck would do. I've since grew a few old man issues and at least 1 stop, sometimes 2 to water down a dried out sage bush. Plus I also stop in Winnemucca to gas up and of course Walmart is a lifesaver, for the items I seem to forget. Now the average trip from Boise with all my stops and then to the Burn Barrell at RP is right near 6 hours. Yes those rabbits are hard to peel from the front grille. Not good trying to swerve on that road when doing 80 though. Keep it straight and steady. BTW as for the flat tires at Rye Patch. I run 10 ply and go fast. That way, if I do get a puncture, I can get to camp just as it gets flat enough to stop. It is one of those centrifical force things that keeps the air from going out so fast. Glad you are making sure my stories are not stretched to much. But then, they would not be as entertaining...
  11. Jim - Not losing the elevation on the side of a hill as we get older, is sometimes more of a challenge than the actual hunt. I agree, it's a mind over matter. Glad you were able to recover the pick. Thanks for contributing. Matt - Good point on a cost savings (Harbor Freight), but on last weeks hunt, I don't think there was one within 150 miles. Maybe if Elko, NV had one? Since I have seen so many lower quality picks break, I'll just add another APEX to the back of the truck. Good to see you on here and thanks for contributing. Joe - Glad I'm not the only who has done such. You being a beach hunter, I totally know the feeling of losing a scoop. I was with a staff member in Cancun a few yrs back and he got into some rocks, so the $300 scoop was no use. He did not want to lay it on the beach and have someone walk away with it. He laid it down in the rocks under the water. Well an hour later he comes over to me and says I need to help him find his scoop. Now you'd expect a couple guys with $2500 detectors that can find a gold ring 12" deep could find a big metal beach scoop? After about 30 minutes of us criss-crossing I finally get a whopper of a signal and sure enough it was his scoop. Thanks for sharing your same 50+ issues. Valens - You do bring up a point I have seen many timing while training groups of people. Sometimes the younger ones just feel it's easier to buy another than to try and find the original. I've learned, those few folks are normally not going to be good at metal detecting, as patients/persistence is half the battle. Thanks for your input. Skookum - Great points to paint the handles. I actually have a Staff Member who paints all his wood handle picks bright PINK for a couple reasons. 1st is we are doing quite a few trips with many customers when training and most of us all use APEX picks. Not once has a guy grabbed my staff members pink pick thinking it was theirs. Also, the pink pick is easier to spot at distance. BOOTS - I've done that before and now I keep a 2nd pair of detecting boots in my truck at all times. Only benefit of flip flops is there's no metal in them...now that is funny just trying to imagine you out there. Thanks for sharing. DDancer - You bring up a good point about the GPS on the 7000 and plotting your digs. When I was in MX earlier this yr I had one of my staff show me to use the GPS on the 7 and it was much easier than I had expected. It also made things much easier and safer when returning back to the rig after a days hike. I highly recommend those who have GPZ to learn the GPS for such occasions. Glad you were also able to find then night-light a month later. Did it still work? Thanks for adding input. Joe D - Or anyone else who may know. Has the cost of those small GPS Tracking things become relatively inexpensive yet? Yes I keep a 2nd pair of non metal boots in my truck.
  12. You hunt one side of a draw and only find trash. Your mind keeps telling you to cross the drainage below and go back up the other side (grass is always greener theory) so you start hiking away and eventually turn off the 7000 just to cover ground quickly. Eventually getting to the other side, you fire up the machine and start your search. Not 10 minutes into it and that sweet soft sound comes thru the sweaty headphones and I can tell it is not surface trash. I get a little gigglie as I reach over my shoulder to grab my pick and ....holy shit...I reach over my shoulder again to grab my pick...., Now the holy has left and it's just shit... as I realize there is no pick? This is the hard part for guys 50+ as I try to think of where my pick be? Well the sound of that target was too good to leave, so for the next 15/20 minutes I used my plastic scoop as it was not designed and or intended...and scooped/picked away removing bits of dirt, pebbles and clods 1/4" at a time. Eventually 6" later it is removed from the divot in the soil I've so feverishly been working. Now most of us at this point would use the big super magnet at the end of our picks and run it through the freshly removed dirt trying to suck up any iron trash targets. Well as you recall, I did the "holy shit" thing and lost my $100 pick. So going old school (for those of us who's been doing this a while and we had no magnet on our picks), I used the hand/scoop over coil method and eventually found my little treasure. Yes, there it was a nice .2 maybe .3 gram, 100+ yr old beauty of a boot tack. Now I'm not only upset at the old prospector who lost his tack, I'm still pissed at myself for losing that fancy APEX with the magnet. Where could it be?? as I'm thinking and can only guess to hike back down the ravine, across the wash, up the other side (holy shit - this is going to take a while) and then walk around trying to find my last dig spot. I'm just about to the point of calling it a loss and not giving a holy shit anymore and realizing $100 is gone, when I then realize something even more shittier, is the fact that I did not bring a spare pick. Well this would not normally be an issue if I was close to home, but the reality of it...I was in the 2nd of a 4 day prospecting hunt (new area and ground to me) and was almost 500 miles from home. So the reality of things is I better get my holy shit together, hike back up that ridge and walk the side of a mountain trying to find my last dig. Well I have to admit, I didn't think I'd find it, as the sagebrush was 10 to 14" tall and all the terrain looked the same. Luck would be on my side and I eventually did find the pick. You know, I'm usually pretty good at not losing my own pick and in fact have found 2 picks and many scoops in my many yrs of detecting. But I did learn a lesson for future trips. As I get older and these hills get steeper, I better start packing a spare. What is the longest hike back or time you have had to go to find your pick. BTW. The gold in the area is not known to be nuggets (according to the old research records), I guess they missed a few.
  13. Mitchel, You know best. Only the folks who go and try to find gold will be lucky enough to accomplish it. Not all trips have a shiny ending, but we learn from each of them. I've done some crazy drive trips of my own on times past and will probably do another in the future. Yes our older bodies feel it, but our younger minds still think it is doable. I've driven from Boise, Idaho to Rye Patch, NV to hunt for the day and drove back home the same evening. That's over 300 miles to get there (5 hr driving) and then hunt for 8 hrs and then turn around and drive over 300 miles back to Boise. Only thing different, was I did manage to find a few nuggies. Love the pics and thanks for sharing.
  14. If I am to get taxed on my finds, then I'm going to write off every detector purchased, every set of tires, the ATV, the toy hauler and the $80K truck used to haul everything. I'm going to write perdiem on every trip taken and then anything else I can think of. It would not be cost efficient for the IRS if we did it this way. Interesting read.
  15. That triangular Chevron prize is a stunner. Well done Rick and nice to see the pooch out there enjoying some fresh air.
  16. Impressive gold and pics. Your dedication is proof that good gold is still for the taking. Hats of to your successful season.
  17. I most certainly need to go back. Fantastic videos BTW. What a ripper of a 5 ozt.
  18. Well done my friend. You most certainly have 4 very faithful friends and I hope the camaraderie was just as well shared. Looks like one of the guys results were from someone newer to the game. Good on you for sharing the tricks and knowledge. Very inspiring and wanting me to get back out there again. Deep Hole pic, how long is that pick handle? Thanks for sharing.
  19. Beautiful gold Peg. The really flat one with chevron edges is amazing. I noticed you also scored a couple with quite a bit of silver. Were they from the same place as the others or different? Lundy has spent the time out there to learn some areas, so always be on a lookout for him. He's usually quite friendly anyway and his skills are better than most, so not many people is he worried about. Your drink of choice is not my cup of tea, so next time I'm down and or see you, I'll be sure to BMOB. 12 grams is fabulous. Thanks for sharing.
  20. Certainly great timing on the move. I'm willing to bet the value of your CA place actually is down in today's market. I've always like the Reno area and have thought about moving their myself so I could be closer to Lake Tahoe for my water hunts and also closer to RP for my nugget fix. Glad you were able to score some yellow metal and enjoy a good steak and whiskey. See you down there this Fall sometime.
  21. Mitchel, I have had the itch to turn on a machine for a week now and you just scratched it for me. What most folks don't realize? Night Hunting is for real and in many places our detectors will run more smooth and quiet. As an extra bonus, our own senses (brain does amazing things) ratchet up. As soon as ones eye vision is depleted our ears compensate and tune to a new level. My staff and I have spent many moon light nights digging gold with our detectors. Thanks for the scratch and letting us enjoy your travel.
  22. Those are most certainly the best. When I do that with my detecting buddies, I just go back to the truck and have a couple drinks. Really nice looking gold and thanks for sharing.
  23. Well done Allen. I have seen that beauty before somewhere, but it is nice to see it again. As you know those in the US are quite rare and especially the solid ones. Would enjoy seeing you on here more too, so don't be bashful, you have much to add and share. Dave- It is the only way to take my vitamins. Mitchel - We don't have any gold in Idaho, it is full of potatoes and California transplants. Now more from Portland and Seattle...but gold. I seen one once.
  24. Chris Ben - Heck yea those are really nice ones. I really like your last pick with the 8 grams of solid nuggets and their character. You and Dave are going to start a mini gold rush down there and heck, I might even grab a couple of my guys and head that way this winter, just to get out out of the cold/into the gold. I usually head to MX and jump into the water for some ring/jewelry salvage, but not sure it will happen this winter with the CV-19. Thanks for sharing and you Dave for adding some southern NV comfort eye candy to my thread. Well done my friend. FlakMagnet - I'm hoping he does as well and will let him know there is more than me who wants him down there.
  25. DolanDave, It is amazing to see bigger gold coming from Southern NV. So many people tell me there is no big gold and I tell them I have heard of bigger pieces coming from some of the ore dumps. Your pics prove there is good gold across most of Nevada. What so many people don't understand is when you should put down a big machine and grab a smaller VLF. It is one of the things my staff and I share and preach during the training we offer. Thanks for sharing your success and adding to the NV Gold thread.
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