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Last weekend I got to tag along with Josh and Tom Bohmker, and a few other knowledgable miners. The destination was the Briggs Pocket in Southern Oregon. This was not an easy hike for some of the crew, but we all made it out and back. We did have one guy fall down a steep slope, but Josh was able to catch him before he tumbled down to the bottom. The video tells some of the history of this famous pocket mine as well as how Josh and his family have used modern P.I. detectors to recover the gold left on the hillside by previous generations of miners. Of all types of metal detecting for gold, I would count pocket hunting as the most difficult - due to the terrain, research, and extensive geology knowledge required. It's something not many people have the patience for (me included), so I have to say I admire the gumption of the Bohmker family - they discovered the Briggs Pocket just two weeks before another party and have pulled a lot of gold out of their claim. The gold from the Briggs Pocket tends to be spongey and interwound with the host rock (quartz). I will post some journal excerpts at the bottom of this post in case you'd like to read some historical accounts as well. But here's the video: Every time I see Josh and Tom I learn so much about the geology of gold. Anyone who has an interest in pocket hunting might want to look them up. They do go on regular expeditions with folks, which I believe they run through their website. I thought you guys might like a virtual tour of the Briggs Pocket - since this forum is where I got started on my journey of searching for gold. HISTORICAL ACCOUNTS Briggs History: (As recorded by the Mining Review, Salt Lake City, Utah bi monthly publication) June 30, 1904 Discovery of a mammoth pocket near the head waters of sucker creek, forty miles south of Grants Pass. The discovery was made by the two sons of David Briggs, while out hunting, and was purely accidental as they stumbled across it while trailing a deer. They have already brought in $6,000 from the pocket, and believe they will bring as much more before the glory hill is emptied. Much of the gold was in great slabs as big as a man's hand, and all of it came from a shallow cut, but three feet wide, three feet deep, and but six feet in length. July 15th, 1904 The Rush is still on to the new Eldorado up in the siskiyous, beyond Holland, and on the Oregon California line. I took the fever and joined the caravan, mainly for the purpose of satisfying a curiosity, but not an idle one, for it is to severe a strain on a scribblers physical make up to climb twenty miles almost straight up just to see what is going on over the divide. ......................... We found about 100 men scattered about the head of Thompson and Indian creeks, a number of whom had taken up claims. A townsite has been surveyed, and the town will be know as "Goldenview City" The strike made by Briggs has already taken out $25,000 in gold. Contented in the truth that want will never more drive them out of unbefitting toil, they are satisfied with the life of the mountains. Here is the freedom no other land can give, the genuine freedom of the western outer world. It was these mountains that gave up bountifully from their long hidden treasures. And they who were so fortunately endowed with not forget the giver. _ Dennis H Stovall Records indicate that this was worked for two seasons, and there was a group that braved the winter and worked through. In the end, the strike led to a rush up there of over 2000 men, almost everything was claimed up, and many smaller strikes were made within the vicinity. I don't think the town of Goldenview ever came to pass. They (Briggs) sold the claim and staked a new claim not far away. A company from Chicago invested substantial money into developing the mine, but turned up nothing, or at least not enough to be profitable. By June of 2005, there was no more reports on the Briggs strike.

Here is day 2 of my recent trip to Scotland with a few more shows of gold turning up in the pan

Brandon Neice i.e. "Dr. Tones" discusses metal detecting for gold jewelry...

Its been a while since my last prospecting trip so managed to get a week away at the end of last month, here`s day 1 of my trip

I was watching a video on the Scuba Tector on how it wouldn't detect gold chains but looking at another it showed detecting coins great. I click on another brand and this guy was swinging it around like he was trying to kill a fly under water. I've seen this so many times with this guy giving a demonstration on a detector and you can tell he don't know what end is up when it comes to a detector. Every time he'd make a swing with it the back swing was 20 degrees off from the other. It looked as if they told him we have a coin here and a ring over there. The only trouble they didn't tell him how many targets he past up. My best advise I can give to a detector company on their next video ad is just get someone that's had one in their hands more than the day of the shoot Chuck.

Some good basic information along with a video from Brandon Neice (Dr. Tones) on his Treasure Talk blog. Follow the link to the article and here is the video....

A nice overview of why some people like to go metal detecting. This is a bit of an experiment as an embedded Facebook video so let me know if it does not work for you.

Greetings fellow prospectors! For a more than a year I have thought about doing up some Youtube videos on prospecting and I have finally gotten off my backside and done it! This is the first video of a 3 part set where I will be taking a look at Minelab's new Gold Monster 1000 nugget oriented metal detector. This part one video is an introductory discussion about its various features and settings. In the next couple weeks I will put up part 2 which will be on testing the GM1000 out in the field and then part 3 will cover some practical suggestions for prospectors on getting the most out of your Gold Monster 1000 and a discussion of some of the best kinds of places to use the GM1000. I will publish those other parts soon, but for now, here is the part 1 video. The quality here may not be perfect, but there is a lot of good information and content in this video. Additionally, now that I have the ball rolling you can expect other videos on different prospecting topics coming later once I have completed these 3. - Chris

Jayray posted this on Bill Southern's meteorite forum...pretty cool Franconia Hunt http://www.nuggetshooter.ipbhost.com/index.php?/topic/30577-latest-video-sort-of/

Garrett claims to have improved the salt water handling with the new AT Max model. Bottom line is the AT Max is a single frequency VLF so no reason to get overly excited. However, improved salt water stability over the existing AT models will no doubt be welcome.

Published on Dec 19, 2016 - In this episode of Gold Trails, host Kevin Hoagland starts his adventure with a private tour of the White's Metal Detector factory in Sweethome Oregon. He then makes his way to a nearby GPAA Mining Claim in search of gold nuggets. Later in the show he tests his luck on the Oregon Coast with a prototype White's detector searching for treasure with the Metal Man!

This is a video of a seminar presentation done at a gold show. It features Bill Southern of Nuggetshooter.com and Kevin Hoagland of Goldprospectors.org offering advice and tips on how to prospect for gold with metal detectors.

One of my favorite videos.... now "THAT'S" a hole....

In the event some of you have not seen this awesome operation in Victoria, Aus. Grab your favorite drool rag. Jen

Here is a video about an 8 lb main mass Gold Basin meteorite. I've seen other large pieces found on that side before it became a monument.

Just found this Guy.....Nice Walkaround! Enjoy! Ig

Enjoy! Cheers! Ig

Any stories? of Your Longest Dig for a Good Signal! And what did you find at the end? Long Dig thread dig! Here's a Good one! Cheers, Ig

Here`s day 2 & 3 of my recent trip to Scotland with a friend for a week long gold prospecting hunt

Post More of Your Odd Specimen Gold Finds! Enjoy Nm's 2014 nugget review! Cheers, Ig