Gerry in Idaho

Nice looking companions. Also a great Seated Silver save, is it an 1800's Seated Liberty half or Quarter?

GB, I actually have that DeTex model (see attached photos). Your magazine mentions "Nevada's Largest Gold Nugget", what exactly does it weigh and where was it found? Just love these old Treasure Magazines and their article. Busho, I have one too, but mine works like a dream. I can easily go to the mall parking lot on a Saturday afternoon and turn that baby on, guaranteed it will point to a big metal car every time. You have to believe my friend...just believe.

Great to see some gold coming from the other side of the US. Good clear water like that makes the video much more enjoyable. Thanks for sharing and wish you more golden luck in the future.

As a kid who started using detectors in the early 70's, I always wondered how much better the other brands and models were vs what I had. The big break in technology to me, was when DISCRIMINATION came out. Here is one from 1970. Thanks for making me feel young again.

Those are some nice chunky gold nuggets you saved. Very nice photos and story to add. Thanks for sharing and wishing you the best with the new one coming.

So many touching stories and memories of your 4 legged companions and even a few 2 fisted roos.. It just goes to show how attached we are to our loved ones and sometimes more than we realize. My 4 legged partner is Hero. He gets excited every time I put on my detecting cloths as he knows I'm about to head out into the field. Most times he stays home to guard the place. I do take him to Eastern Oregon so he can see his girlfriend (part wolf) on occasion. he is a medium long coat full bred German Shepherd, so he does not care for hot days much. Likes to stay in or around water. Thanks for sharing everyone and I really enjoyed this post Steve.

Absolutely fantastic golden recoveries. Go, go and go more. Eventually a nice one will show up and it did for you. Love seeing you share the photos of finds and story. Keep it up.

The 12x15" Semi Ellip MONO by Commander will go deeper on larger gold than the stock 11" round MONO as I have done many side by side testing. Now to be honest, I have not done a side by side with the new flat winding ELITE series against the 12x15 Commander, but I did notice more depth with the ELITE when compared to the standard 11" round MONO. As Lundy mentioned, back in the day, the 12x15" MONO Commander was my favorite coil as with many of my Field Staff Experts and we dug some really deep nuggets at Rye Patch with them. The 11" ELITE is better on the smaller nuggets though and in certain areas they are more prevalent.

My father was a roofer for many years and some of the guys who worked his crew were pretty rough. When I got out of the Marine Corps in 88, I worked for a roofing company in North Carolina for a year. Hot tar build up, rubber roofing and metal roofs. It was the hardest, hottest civilian job I ever did. The only good thing was the owner of the company was impressed with my "lets get it done" attitude and always on time and sober. I can't say that for the other guys and in fact 2 of them had their license taken away for to many DUI's. Heck, back in our young days we never thought much different at the time...just trying to make a paycheck to keep ourselves on the up side. Thanks for sharing your youth with us.

Here is how I look at the GPZ-7000 and proper settings. I have 4 very educated and highly Successful Expert Field Staff members who are accomplished nugget hunters & all find more gold than most owners of the machine, including myself, that makes 5 of us. Each of us find plenty of gold and do better than most....but we all have a little difference in our Settings. Which one is right? Lunk has the most bass-ackwards Settings of any of my staff, but he finds the most pieces. Spencer seems to find more deeper and larger nuggets than the others of us. I try to split the difference and go for a "Happy Medium". JP's Settings are what gives him confidence and Success is Australia and I would never try to say he is wrong. His success is proven and he does it for a living. There is no 1 Setting that is the best for all kind of gold at all depths and all soils. I'll try JP's settings this fall at Rye Patch and if I feel it gives me an advantage...then you'll certainly see me change. But it will take much time to test over many undug nuggets of different sizes at different depths and soils to see if there is in fact a better or worse outcome. Either way, this thread adds flavor, opinions and options for us all to try. Good luck out there.

Strick, I would have never imagined you on a boat with a bunch of thieves and outcasts. You probably had a beard too right? What changed you to the man you are today?

Sharps, Were you able to get the detector checked out and if so, how is it performing now? Just like the other forum members said, I feel it has some issues. I always change coils 1st to see if it is a coil or actual detector issue. Anyway, If you still have the Safari (one of Minelabs most underrated powerful silver killers) and want a little extra help on Silver Settings, maybe this video I did a few years back will help? Good Luck, Gerry

I've had some crazy happenings around me when out detecting, but this one sometimes gives me the chills. Do you think there was a Dog Snatcher in the area? Have you ever had a weird detecting experience?

Yes I have seen something Vanish... as I was at the Minelab worldwide conference in Italy. The photo looks like a detector screen for sure. Is it the actual Vanquish? To protect my dealership, I can not confirm or deny. But I do know this. It is coming and it will take away more market share of the Coin/Relic machines from the American big boys. Do I personally like it? No not at all, as in the late 60's and early 70's my family and I all used those other brands. We've witnessed Tesoro fold under the pressure last fall. If the American brands don't act soon (could be too late), they too will wither away. Nokta Simplex was a wise and logical move. My gut feeling is they too will be taking market share away from the others. See you in the field this Fall and maybe I'll be swinging something new or I could just Vanqish away.

I don't use 1 set of Settings as the sites,, soil moisture and size of gold I am chasing are usually changing. But to help those who hunt Rye Patch and areas like it, these settings might help. Please realize they are just a guide and if you meet me out there, I could be running something different. The photos are the last time I hunted RP for 5 days straight. Total of 34+ grams with a couple nice chevrons. These settings I use most of (not all) the time at Rye Patch and in areas with little mineralized soil and the ground is dry. Gold Mode: High Yield for best depth on nuggets up to an ounce. Also great for Specimens and Meteorites. Ground Type: Normal for most ground. If the ground is extremely noisy or you are new to detecting, then try Difficult as it runs much smoother. Sensitivity: Depending on soil conditions and sound of machine, but I like 9 & 10. Volume: 8 Threshold Level: 38 to 40 depending on your hearing and headphones. Threshold Pitch: Personal preference but I use 53 Volume Limit: 12 Audio Smoothing: Low or sometimes OFF if you are familiar with old GP's. Ground Balance Mode: Auto Hope this helps. Gerry's Detectors Gold Detector Field Training www.gerrysdetectors.com

Fantastic recoveries Nuke em and some special ones too. Do you mainly hunt in the wet sand or are you a guy who likes to be in the water all day? Show us a few beach photos on occasion so us Yankees can see how your beaches look. Always wise to hear of someone returning a ring to its original owner. It brings so much Karma back to you down the road. Keep it up.

We kind of started the gold in mouth pics back in the mid 90's with a few customers and it just took off. Here is a really nice specimen I recovered before the 5000's. I think around 2010...it was a choker.

You read it on DP from a long time gold detectorist who has made many mistakes in years past and is still learning.

I teach it in our training classes with numerous pieces and kinds of gold. So many folks feel their 1 high dollar detector does it all. I've even argued with folks who felt I was trying to bash a GP/GPX/GPZ when in fact I own, use and sell them. No video on all the knowledge my staff and I know. It would be long and boring.

My little brother shared with me a couple recent finds over the weekend with his EQ-800 and stock 11" coil. Smaller specimen is 48.5 grams and its bigger brother is a sly heavier at 53.5 grams. Each piece probably has close to 8 to 12 grams of gold in them and in todays value approx. $300 to $500. What is so cool about this style of gold, is a GPX-5000 will not see it. In fact what further makes many minds wonder is why the GPZ-7000 misses many of them as well? I've personally found larger pieces in the multi ounce range and they have over 1 ozt of gold in them, but I try my best to get a GP/GPZ or GPZ to read and I get nothing. On occasion some are heard with a bigger machine, but then the VLF can see them 12" away. Moral of the story? Just owning a big dog detector for a variety of gold is a mistake and most owners don't know. So you better own both to have all bases covered.

Marc, I appreciate the kind words and this forum sure would enjoy seeing more of your posts/finds. Many of the followers don't know your detector background, but I'll assure them you know gold detectors and have found your share and then some. It is so hard for some very successful detector operators to step away from their tried/true gold grabbers...but at the same time, you miss out on the improvements of new detectors and sometimes technologies. Glad you are enjoying the Gold Monster 1000, as it is a really great tool and much easier than many of our old school days. Peg, You too were hesitant at 1st and now look at you and what you can do with a Monster. Sure wish you'd take that EQ-800 out of the box and do a side by side. Maybe invite me this fall and we'll devirginize the 800. Thanks for your support all these years. JW, If I keep looking at your photos of the EQ-800 and them tiny bits (which shows your skill and bragging rights- well earned), I think it is easy for me to stop selling the other VLF detectors. You are a master my friend and keep it up. Anyone wanting a GM-1000 before the price goes up on Aug. 15th., call me and we'll get one to you. As always, we also offer the VET 15% discount. Gerry's Detectors in Boise Idaho 208-345-8898. Thanks, Gerry

Kevin, Nice to see someone take the time to video and share AKAU Adventures. I have had a few customers of mine go there. What exactly is 125% DEET and is even good to put it on your skin?LOL. Yes I remember many trips to Ganes Creek, AK and sometimes a Head Net was the only way to breath outdoors. Good gold is always tough to recover and that is why I enjoy "the hunt" for it so much. The big nuggets are there for anyone and I feel it is mostly luck, but your odds go up with you neverquit. I have a buddy and his nickname is just that "Neverquit". I even met him a few days on our Australia Adventure years back. I enjoyed your real and raw video. Thanks for sharing.

Yes the Equinox is a fine gold VLF gold detector and I have had great Success with it too. Certainly a machine that does better on Prospecting Nuggets than most folks probably realize. Bill Southern has been around the block a few years and knows his stuff. Good to see he finally cleaned up a little as the beard and hair used to be pretty rough. I think he was trying a Grizzly Adams look, minus the belly. Thanks for sharing Steve.

Thanks for the added Success Photos and story Mike. Always enjoy seeing others Success.

I'm agreeing with Jim as well. The 24K is actually a very good selling and performing VLF gold detector for my customers too., so coil options are on the way. Personally, I'll take a 24K and it's fine tuning capabilities for a variety of soils, sites, and situations encountered at the many gold fields I hunt in the NW states, counties and climates...over the other VLF gold machines I sell. Now, if you are the type who does not want to grow into a detector and learn the advanced features of a 24K, there are other machines out there I'll recommend.