billdean

Thanks everyone for your replies. I went back to my spot today and the guy was not working my little area but he had started his own little claim a few yards from mine. At least I kept my spot. Its kind of like deer hunting on opening day. You hope people don't sit right on top of you but some do anyway. I have also noticed trash, plastic water bottles all over the claim. I picked up 6 beer bottles and cans today. Doesn't seem as there is anyone from GPAA policing the claims. It maybe only a matter of time before the BLM cuts off the hole area to prospecting. Whats wrong with people!

I am currently working a GPAA claim in Arizona. Seem like every time I start working an area with my dry washer someone seems to think they can get my spot when I leave it. The next day I return and some body will some times be in it. Is there any rules that govern the spot you are prospecting so you can return to it the next day without some one being in it? Not looking for a gun fight or any trouble. I would just like to return the next day and finish where I left off.

Yes, I have meant Blake. He sold me my GM 1000. I will be joining their club shortly though the 6 mining claims they have, have been pretty well picked over. Their club events and knowledgeable people are worth the $20.00 membership.

I have noticed when using my monster that it really sounds off when bumping into rocks weeds and such. Especially on auto or auto plus or higher sensitivity manual. I think I have finally figure out what seems to be going on and was wondering if and one else has noticed this. Where the cord attaches to the coil there seems to have a little to much movement in the cord and when you bump something it is actually the movement of this cord that is making it sound off. I have taken some velcro and rapped around the cord so the cord can not move when the coil is bumped. Kind of stretching the cord to the shaft to minimize movement. It seems to help a lot. Anyone else notice this or is my machine defective?

They were 4 or 5 inched deep about 10 feet apart. I went back this morning and circled the area and never found another one. Theres always tomorrow.

It's been very hard to believe in my detector and I really got discourage at times finding nothing but junk on every target. Finally after a week of detecting every day for 3 or 4 hours or more I found something. It's not much but I no it works now. My GM 1000 will not be paid off any time soon at this rate but it sure beats sitting on my butt everyday waiting for the seasons to change.

Thanks Mitchel....I really don't know what a bench is or what side the gold collects on a wash. Yesterday a tried a deeper wash with lots of gravel. I look mostly on the sides of the washes up next to any bedrock and cracks in the bed rock. I found small pieces of lead, cans, foils and bullets but no gold. The ground seems to be very mineralized with lots of hematite (blood rock I believe) in spots, so Auto or Auto + has been difficult. Manual 6 seem to quite things down quite a bit. I want to thank everyone for there replies and encouragements. I am off to try again this morning. I have never been to Arizona before and the beauty of the desert is stunning. I also love looking a all the different types of rock. Gold detecting gives me something to do while I winter here for the next 3 or 4 months. Thanks again everyone

I have a new GM 1000. I have never done any detecting for gold before and could use some help deciphering the area I am detecting in. I have been reading mining reports that say this area has a lot of shallow gold in it but after few days of detecting (total 15 hours) all I have is bullets, bird shot, tin foil, tin cans and a few magnetized rocks I have found. I am not sure I am detecting in the right type area? I have been concentrating on the deeper washes in Sw Arizona. I have attached some pics of the area. Maybe I should try higher ground. Just getting a little discouraged and need some help on the type of area I should be looking for. Do my areas look ok?