IDMineralSurveys

I've had to survey fences/structures built into the water along lakeshores for court cases over access... in Idaho it's often determined by mean summer pool level.  Can also depend upon type of deeded right.  As Steve mentioned, prescriptive rights to use can also be valid for access based on history, although difficult claim to back and often weak in court. 

I spent a couple of last winter's days doing tests like this on my GM1000 (and also my GB2) to get an idea of which coil might fit best for success in the field. My results were the same as his video documentation on both the large and small coil. Interesting enough, I couldn't find in my testing that the large coil was soooo sensitive to "bumps" - the small coil by contrast is very stable and quiet - found these traits prolific in field use.  Logic would lead to use of the small coil since it is easier to hear the 'real' targets... but I found very little yellow with the small coil. I switched back to the large coil and have found lots of gold, including the micro specks smaller than with the small coil and at noticeably greater depths. Now with approx 200 hours on the large coil making noise all the time in my headphones, I've learned the tone differences and ignore it - kind of like hearing a threshold, just not steady. The dynamics of the large coil and larger coverage have made it my choice. 

Regarding modes, I can't stand it's discrimination and won't use it. I have worked a lot with Auto 1 & 2... Today I exclusively run Manual 9 or 10 and never disc. I found in noisy ground to switch to Auto 2, move VERY slowly (not what i would consider a sweep - slight movements) as close to the ground as I can get it listening for a "fuzz" sound. I have found the smallest specks this way ...several inches down. Amazing, my GB2 missed them.  The gold vs. iron indicator is another story in itself how I've found to make it useful in success.  Small stuff found in a draw in one hour:

My basic cleaning is with hot water and Ivory soap with soft bristeled toothbrush ...gets the biggest amount of dirt brown clay stains off the gold and quartz. Looks very natural. 

Later I use about 5-7 days soak in white vinegar to slightly brighten the contrast between gold/quartz on some pieces. Still natural looking.

Lastly, if it's a piece for jewelry and going for high contrast, at Lunk's recommendation - I've used the HF Whink for 3 day soak then 3 days in baking soda solution. Results are brilliant white quartz, gold is bright. Like Steve mentions, even low %HF solutions are extremely dangerous and must be wearing protection.

23 hours ago, Steve Herschbach said:

I was talking nostalgic all time favorite, not what I have now or you should be pushing. My Gold Bug 2 got replaced by a Gold Monster which got replaced by a Goldmaster 24K. And if forced to pick between the 24K and Equinox for gold... I’d keep my Equinox. Why? I can do magical things with it I can’t do with other gold nugget detectors. 😉

Which is where i don't care like Steve... I'm looking for gold in the wild! The GM1000 covers my family members as Gerry mentions and I still have my GB2 for myself. 

People are different as operators and in different locations, therefore the variety!

If it's to be side to side w a competitor, one trip it was a GB2 vs. Ex 800, a GB2 and Gold Fors Plus against Lunk's gold Monster,  and another trip my GM1000 against his GM24K... GM1000 found 4 to his one.  All are similar in performance but definitrly different in results based mostly on the operator as I see it!!!

I did mineral surveys for USFS for 15+ years and learned about panning from my grandfather when I was a little kid. I detected relics/coins on old abandoned homesteads from age 9 with mom. Had several friends who detected in winters down south for gold who told me for 25 years to get a gold detector... I contacted Lunk (know him from school years ago - the other day) and he suggested I'd like the GB2... so bought it for my first nugget machine from Gerry spring 17. Second trip outwith it found a nugget just under 1/2 oz. nugget in 2018... rare up here I understand.  Bought a GM1000 last year for just over 1/2 price and having used it for a year now, I've found approximately the same amount of gold weight with it as I did my first year with the GB2.  So my favorite? I like both, but they are different. Given option to only own one, Lunk was right... I like the GB2.

Prices went up to 680 today.  My buddy ordered one yesterday for 499 and today's price is 680 at metaldetectors.com or kellyco. 

Your camp setup is more advanced than mine... may be why noone camps with me any longer? Nice to get a nugget even at that size. It's the experience!

Love the guitar sweeps in the intro... haven't performed those in 30+ years! Nice gold, your reading the river correctly.... keep on it

Defending one's family directly in your home is no joking matter - and having been in that situation more than once where i live, i do not take it lightly and am further thankful I've never yet had to go that last step while protecting my wife/kids (though prepared to if necessary). 

This topic was about claim jumpers... which leads to another slice of the conversation in that claims filed in the public domain and which are not patented are not in the same realm as those that are under current patent. The public can camp on, walk-hike or drive through, cut firewood, hunt, fish, enjoy public legal uses of etc. on un-patented  claims so long as they are NOT interfering with the mineral rights of the current claim holder. An example - I've had many people ask about the process of surveying and filing a claim so that they can "build a little cabin by the cute lake" that they can call their vacation home! Sorry, that's not how that works - it's still public domain and you cannot build such without proper authorization and permits or you are in direct trespass against the public. Hence, 45% of my government surveys were for boundary trespass cases bound for court or SUP's.

Patented claims are not the same in that they are granted and withdrawn from the public domain. Trespass applies here. Some reversions and trades occur also which change the status of rights... thereby the impotance to investigate status prior to prospecting.

Idaho's trespass law did change in 2018 and does affect much of my work process as a public official -- our attorneys are working towards corrections to the language (hopefully) in the future because the pendulum swung way over the point of reason. I am constantly reinforcing access rights these days through agreements and easements - very costly and time consuming. Point of it is that landowners (self included) wanted some clarity in the law regarding personal real property laws.

These are all separate conversations in themselves... very broad subject that can easily get off the track of mineral rights.

The Coeur d'Alene Gold Show is definitely still on for this weekend!

NWGPA Gold Show is this coming Sat-Sun (14 - 15) at the Kootenai County Fairgrounds in Coeur d'Alene Idaho.  We have our regular meeting 7 pm tonight in Rathdrum.   I haven't heard any mention of any changes to schedules because of the coronavirus. I'll post an update after I get home from the meeting.  Mike

Bonus...I generally have the phone in Airplane mode the whole time on the backcountry trips and find my battery lasts multiple days yet still have the references i need available right there without any cell service. 

I've been using the phone app free version of Alpinquest. It gives me options for different map layers with topo and aerials and ability to overlay them with differing opacity. When in the middle of the wilderness i can turn on gps and find where I'm at in relation to preplanned points. To save battery power (and not knowing how gps signals will be) sometimes i will download everything i want on an area while sitting at home and as i make my plans i screenshot the topo and aerials separately in best resolution so i only have to refer to the photo library. I do the same thing from my desktop and file them in the phone since its so easily portable ( and mine's waterproof). I did this extensively for my trips north of Nome and also the central Idaho wilderness prospecting trip this past summer. Here's a screenshot with planned waypoints, significant landmarks and many gps shots where i found gold in Idaho...all in the past 2 years. I name the waypoints whatever i need them to be... easy! 

No matter the state...They should be checking what ground they are on... not good to ignore ckaim markers in plain view!

On 2/21/2020 at 3:51 PM, Gerry in Idaho said:

Thanks for all the kind words everyone.  I also enjoy getting recommendations form a few of you as Lunk and I will try our luck in Aussie Land.  I've had success in the Kalgoorlie/Leonora areas years back, but it was still hard hunting.  Has the beaches (gold jewelry) been exposed or do you folks even try for such finds?

Either way, Thanks again.

PS.  The photo of some of my gold from last OZ trip

Gerry-- 

My son Nick was looking over my shoulder commenting how nice these pieces are!  So i showed him the pieces in your first post with the shovel for exhibition of size and he thinks we need to be friends with that guy and go prospecting with you !! (Ha)

Thanks for sharing guys!  A real pick-me-up during these winter doldrums. As noted, both of you found some stunning pieces which are quite unique!

And Lunk didn't get gold to show...? I think he needs to post a few photos too for the rest of us who are stuck awaiting the snow to melt...(Thanks bud!)

Nice buddy! Only the GPZ? Too deep for VLF?

Can't wait for next season up above where we last went...there's got to be some up in the bedrock i found when out hiking that day with my dad late summer. Keep posting! Be safe.

Gerry, here is a video posted with the nugget being found (at approximately 18:20).    Just before that in the video from approx. 16:25 to 18:20 he makes comments about the first group, made me laugh - thought we were a little selfish. Ha! That's what it's all about, some days you find some, but most of the time it's bullet lead, copper jacket fragments, a tiny brass spring - heck, i dug for 20 mins. through 4 inches of ice layer then another couple inches of frozen tundra soil with my rock pick for a find that was only a metal button used in bundling stuff with twist wire ties. Went another 15 feet up the hill in the brush and found my first 6.5 grammer at the same depth (earlier nugget pictured by penny). Then another 10 feet up the hill a spoon.

Here's another couple photos of some gold we found in Alaska north of Nome... the 1st photo of the gold button in the black scoop was several miles NW of the general claims available to prospect on ...someone else's claim by special invite to Dan & i (where the grizzlies were spotted) with some very nice gold. The photo of the gold nugget & vials in the Garrett super sluice pan is some found by others in our group. I'll post photos of some cleaned up gold soon also as I'm not home from prospecting in the mountains of southern Idaho over the last two weeks (last photo).  Mike

I was up there at AKAU the first week before the second group with my GB2 and GM1000. Had a blast and found a couple of 1/4 ouncers and lots of small nuggets. Heard that gal found that nice nugget on the Snowflake claim; i found my first good one in the brush over the hill from there on the edge of the Maddie claim and the othet in a sandy wash about a mile south of there below hydraulic washes. Had a grizzly sow with cubs above us one day and had to be ever watchful, but my buddy and i found several nice nuggets in the rock.

IDMineralSurveys is what my income was derived from for 15+ years in the northern region mountains of Idaho for the Forest Service.  Ironically i did not prospect in those years beginning over 34 years ago... like the mechanic whose muffler is about to fall off always doing work on everyone else's vehicles, surveying mining claims were my everyday office assignment so my relaxation was music, not mountains. I am late to this thread as I am on my way home from a prospecting trip for the past 11 days looking for a couple of old gold discoveries... should be back to North Idaho tomorrow.

Absolutely!