mn90403

The guy we met in the mountains had some stories about 80 year olds who are now dying off. They found the Big Nuggets. We heard about a 2 pounder so I guess that would be 24 ounces Troy or so over here. JR has shown many nuggets in that category. To tell you the truth I was expecting more. When at a hammered spot the choice is to move quickly and find the missed nuggets around the bushes and plants or go painfully slow to get small and deep nuggets. I was probably somewhere in between and could have gone slower to find those little things but then I could have missed a bigger, easier one! It only got better after finding 1 nugget because I knew it would be even more painful to come back here with a skunk.

JR, It is good to catch up on the album. I've been offline for about 6 days. That is some real gold. Mitchel

Well ... I'm back! The areas I hunted in Rye Patch were very hammered. I did a lot of research before I went. I identified some old push areas near where gold has been found for years. There is a reason why there are no claims on property. There was very little gold to start with and it didn't seem to have any that I and my friends could find. There were others in our group of 50 that did find gold. The largest nugget I saw was 4 grams and the same guy got a 3 grammer at 18 inches. Everything else was smaller. There was one unique piece that was a small fully faceted crystal with about .4g of gold around the bottom of it. I don't have a picture. I would like to have bought that piece. About 1 PM on Saturday I actually put my friends on a spot that still had some little nuggets between all the dig holes. I was using the 19 and one nugget my friend found could not be heard with the 19! (.1g) I had to leave and still had the skunk. It was time to set up for the dinner. Things were late and I got in a relic trip where I found a copper nugget with my 3030. Felt a little better but still a skunk in my book. Sunday I went to the Eugenes and met a guy who showed us some places to hunt. There were lode claims and nothing placer. Still had a skunk. By the time I got back to the Saturday patch there was only two hours of light left before I had to drive all night to get back home. About 20 minutes after I got there I broke the skunk. The slight little sound was a .2 gram nugget with the 14. Finally ... after several days and multiple trips I had a nugget! (Last year I had 5 nuggets on this outing for about 2 g.) The group that followed a prolific leader who knows the area well found many nuggets. My friends ended up with a couple each. Everyone worked for them. There are no easy nuggets on that side any more. Mitchel

Two days and two big crystals to show for it. Not my idea of a good time so far. I've got half day tomorrow and Sunday ...

Don't you remember I saw you flying to the Fox one time and you were going 3x too fast for the road.

Yes, but I have 4WD this time ... maybe I'll go to the old push.

Paul, I think I'm going to hit mostly the main areas this time and not get out your claim way. I don't know it out there very good. Mitchel

And closer ... 9 hour drive for me to get there. I'll leave in about 4 hours.

It is time to go to Rye Patch for our annual outing. This year I have more of a plan where I want to look for gold. I've done some research but that doesn't find it for me. I'll be using the 19 a bit and high sensitivity 14 on a couple of places. I'll try to get in a few swings with the 2300. One thing I know it is going to be cold. https://www.google.com/search?q=rye+patch+weather&rlz=1C1GGGE_enCN456CN456&oq=rye&aqs=chrome.2.69i57j69i60j35i39j69i60j35i39j0.3897j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8 I'll be back on Sunday. Mitchel

Reg, I've seen that nugget several times. I think the first time was about 1998 if I remember correctly when I was there for a Comdex show. The World Series of Poker had been held across the street. It's still there. Here's a link to it and some others from your neck of the woods. http://www.discoverychannel.com.au/images/worlds-biggest-gold-nuggets/ Mitchel

Hayesman76, This Goldbrick guy is a personal friend. Merton ... are you out there on the boat now? Mitchel

What an album!

Goldbrick? What kind of name is that anyway. Sounds like somebody who wants all the fun for himself! Didn't know that guy was still around. Hayesman76, don't concern yourself with what he has to say. I think he has been on a long boat ride or something. Lost his ability to communicate, sounds like a kitchen chef with the insults.

Hayesman76, Some prospecting areas are off limits to any form of wheeled vehicle. Some restrict OHVs to existing roads only. You should check with the BLM or Forest Service office which covers your area to see if they will give you a special 'pass' because of your arthritis. If you get stopped out in the field it is always better to have a name and a story from the office. Mitchel

Reg, Thank you for the response. There just seem to be things that trigger a direction in our lives. I got a Coinmaster in 86 and used it in the desert a couple of times but found no gold (some relics and trash) ... how different things might be today if I had found some. I used it on the beach but stopped and I didn't get my first gold detector until 2010. How different things could be with a proper mentor. There is still time as Norvic says! Mitchel

JR, I'm wondering the land owners. How did they come by it? Years ago I was told that Florida cattle ranchers and others could have moved to Australia to set up operations for cow/calf and sheep. If they did so they would have been guaranteed land. Did this land include the minerals? Was any of that land or any of the land you prospect now part of that plan? It would be a big boon to the rancher. They would or could still be interested as the farmers in Britain are willing to split with relic hunters.

JR I'm finding much more than nuggets ... haha That would be a great book. With these pictures, a few recording after the home brew takes effect and some transcriptions and I bet you've got it. You could do an eBook and code the copies so you get some return on the effort. Mitchel

JR I would venture to say that this history was not shared so much at the time it was happening. It would have to be exciting to get up the next day and see what you could really find that was new and missed by others. I'm reminded with all of this big gold gone that it would be impossible for many of us now to understand a big gold patch. Much of the 'evidence' has been removed but you alluded to this JR on one of your first posts here. You said you were somewhat amazed your present patch had been missed and these pictures give that perspective. I might not be finding many nuggets in the field right now but I'm finding a lot of them here! Mitchel

Is there a map of the area?

JR The big coils from an earlier time, the old Datsuns you might even say a generation ago but some of you are still out there finding the big chunks. When do you think Reg first started finding gold? Who was his mentor? When did you find your first nugget? Mitchel

JR Thank you for the posting. Mitchel

JR: There is more than one picture thread of Australian gold on Steve's pages but here is one that I started in February. Post away, drop'em on there, let us see'em ... you know what I mean. Mitchel

JR, As soon as I saw this picture one thought came to mind. (Sometimes the mind works in mysterious ways.) My thought was Reg sure had to eat a lot of flies to get those nuggets! Once all of those nuggets are in hand we just see the glorious results but we sometimes don't see the hours, miles and sweat. It certainly shows that in addition to all of that Reg has a nose for it as well. Very nice pics and I'm sure Steve enjoys them too. Heck, he might even start a separate thread with some of those beauties! You could start/restart it if you like. You'll see some other prolific finders who have posted here from their archives. Mitchel

JR, Those are great gold pictures. Each one is a handful. Thank you and thank you JR's mentor Reg. You seem to have swung along with the technology changes. Mitchel

Norvic, You and Paul need to give all of us an update on your Bogene's and the 19. JW might like it. I know I will. Mitchel