flakmagnet

If you are talking to me, I wasn't meaning you, I was only answering Fred. Best...

Yeah Fred, the concept of not ganging together doesn't seem to have caught on quite yet. It's starting to come tho. Hope you are doing okay.

You do find amazing specimens.

I first went here in 2005. At the time and for years following this is where Chris Gholson and Montana Bob used to go to test every new detector that Minelab put out. They knew if they could make those detectors work out there they would work just about anywhere. At that time there were always people out there. It has been claimed by all manner of clubs for years and years. They had outings and cook-outs and coin hunts, they dry washed, detected and dug. In the early days the place was overrun with it's first wave of prospectors…the guys who really knew how to spot the indicators and work a hillside - and as I mentioned above they didn't miss much. But we have these magic machines that can see what they could not and I am blessed with a little time to enjoy what is now mostly a forgotten and evocative place where the souls of those earlier men and women look over my shoulder and marvel at the ease of my endeavors. I have had my ounce days both detecting and dredging. I have had gold fever and recovered. The best time of the day is first thing in the morning when anything is possible. The worst thing that can happen is you have a great day out in the desert. It is an amazing "hobby."

haha Norvic, that is what I believe with every swing. Thanks…!

Sadly those are considered good-sized for this area…it's my classroom...

I wear gloves (except for photography). The dirt has a lot of silica and stuff that cuts your fingers to ribbons.

Hi Phrunt, to be clear, that was a rare amount of finds for that general area. Usually I am happy if I find one in the same time period. I attribute it to the fact that this small area resembled the larger area most people usually hunt in but was sort of out-of-the-way…but that's a guess. Although the area is vast, there are only very specific parts of it that are gold-bearing. As well as modern-day gold hunters, the old-timers by the thousands combed these hills. They didn't miss much.

Firstly: I am using an aspect of JP's fantastic thread (among others as well), - the way he sets out his posts - because it is so instructional, I decided to give it a try. I had been thinking about why hunting in known areas is sometimes beneficial. Here are some brief thoughts based on yesterdays hunt. I was able to drive to a spot I have been an incalculable number of times, to spend four hours doing what we all love. My only human contact was my son who accompanies me but then disappears to hike and sketch. The area is close to the Los Angeles area so, as you might imagine, it is incredibly worked - I decided to look just on the outer edge of an area that has a similar "look" to where everyone usually goes. This is the geology of the general area. It is strewn with basalt, iron stone and a number of other types of conductive rock. It takes a lot of concentration to pick out targets among the myriad of inputs. I used HY/N, no Smoothing, conservative settings for the rest. I tried Low Smoothing which was nice in one way; it lessened the amount of ground feedback - but it also mitigated the target signals enough so that I switched it off after testing each target with it before I dug. These are not spectacular finds - they are to show two things; one, that working outside a known area sometimes can be successful and two, working carefully and yes, slowly - can pay off. There were a number of dig holes in the 40 yard square area from a long time ago, they missed these. found just beside the basalt stone. this was about 6 inches down and a really faint signal at the start In contrast, this was found after two boot scrapes - but had the same faint tone as the deeper one above -go figure. Below are some other finds from the day. As you can see, these are nothing to brag about, but for sharpening skills this area has been perfect.

Nice hunting.

Love it! Especially since I finally recently got my ferrite to balance essentially like the video. Again, because it bears saying a lot. This detector school is the online equivalent of a DVD and the discussion that has been sparked around it makes it even better. You can't ask a DVD questions... Thanks

That was great. A clear lesson on why you work the way you do, and where you do. I am also impressed with the thoughts on the 17" coil. I am conflicted though, I still think I'm gonna wait to see what NF comes up with later in the summer (if they can continue manufacturing), I like the idea of not having to f%$& with the cable. Thank you for taking the time. It is always appreciated.

They worked for that. What a rush.

School's in... Also, isn't it kind of cool that we, unlike so many, are involved in a sport that already dictates social distancing and not hanging out in crowded places?

Andyy, I mostly agree but sometimes, all too rarely for sure, those little teasing maybe breaks in the Threshold can be a deep one. But as you said the GPZ is pretty easy to get spoiled on.

I agee it is hell to look at long quotes here - actually on any type of machine. I never got how that becomes a habit, but here it is. On your other point, perhaps no one wants to take a chance on getting you cranky.

This is such a giant YES!

Wow, audio B is for grown-ups. It's, of course, easier to hear because we know it's there in the file, but out in the field, that would take the degree of concentration you have been preaching for years. The file actually seems to almost mimic some kinds of EMI or ground noise. I do like the softness of the sound as compared to what you call the "harsher" ferrous tones. I love going to school on this stuff. Thank you.

Reg, I'm sure most of us haven't thought about it in just that way…you have a way with words. Your humor is appreciated along with some arresting mental images...

I detected in a constant high velocity wind today…I would never have heard those warbles. In the usual quiet? Yes. Sound stamp 5,7,9,11 and 13 and a fade out. That one audio file teaches more than most verbal descriptions could ever do, a fantastic bit of knowledge for one click.

I would bet those of us with cameras with us as we are out, might be able to also post the subtle sounds that result in finding gold. That might really be a fun thread.

These posts are even more to-the-point than videos, we can ask a specific question and get a specific answer. Very impressed...

Isn't the potato trick also good when you have mercury coating the gold? The mercury absorbs into the potato.

A potato retort! Haven't seen one since my dredging days…very cool.

There you go DigsAlot - instant gratification.