On The Hunt

[Lunk]

I always look forward to the winter months when I can freely swing the mighty Zed in the vast stretches of the desert southwest, uninhibited by the dense vegetation I typically have to deal with in the forested regions of Idaho. Searching new areas for a nugget patch is never easy, and long, fruitless days can really test your stamina and forbearance. Thankfully, the odd scattered nugget encountered here and there can spur one on to continue the magnificent quest. Such have been my days of late, patiently covering ground with the large GPZ 19 coil and anticipating that sweet sound of gold. Having been awhile since using it, I had forgotten how extremely sensitive the 19-inch coil is; pictured below are two recent sub-gram finds. The small one weighs a mere 0.12 of a gram, and the larger, thin bit, 0.18:

 

As beautiful as it is, the desert presents a daunting and endless expanse of landscapes to explore in search of the elusive yellow metal:

Of course, researching productive sites and following the geologic clues as well as old workings left behind by the prospectors of days gone by, like these coarse dryblower piles, can narrow down the search area:

Discovering a new nugget patch is the holy grail that every nugget shooter dreams about, and though few and far between, they are still out there. So persevere and always keep in mind these words from one of the greats: “Put the sound to the ground and leave tracks all around, because that's the way gold gets found!”

A small, undiscovered patch of nuggets I stumbled upon in the Nevada desert last spring:

 

[nebulanoodle]

1 hour ago, Lunk said:

A small, undiscovered patch of nuggets I stumbled upon in the Nevada desert last spring:

 

Hmmm I dunno, looks more like you stumbled upon a healthy cult of nuggets involved in some sort of exotic ritual involving a Merc dime???

Daniel

[Valens Legacy]

Great hunt and nice looking dime.

Loved the photos of the area and especially the way you showed off the dime on your last photo.

Good luck on your next hunt.

[Valens Legacy]

I hope that you know I was kidding about not mentioning the gold nuggets, as someday I hope to be as good as some of the people on here.

 

[Lunk]

VL, once you get out in the goldfields and start swinging your grandfather's Nox, I'm sure he'll guide you to your share of gold, and you’ll become an old pro in no time.

And it is a nice looking dime.🙂

[Randy Lunn]

Lunk, wonderful write up.

Congrats on the Nevada patch last spring. That photo of your Mercury dime surrounded by beautiful gold nuggets is worthy of framing.

The 19-inch coil is a beast, but you swing it like a precision instrument with remarkable results. Those tiny nuggets are fabulous finds with the “Big Rig”.

I just got home from a day detecting north of Tom Wells. No nuggets today. New areas next week. There is a patch out there somewhere waiting for me.

keep up the good work!

 

 

 

 

[Glenn in CO]

I as well look forward to the winter months to read about your next nuggets you have found and the story and photos that go with them. Can't wait for the next one! Thanks for sharing!

[beatup]

Well done

 

[Arky]

Still working on the patience part! Nice post.

[Gerry in Idaho]

Yes the big 19" coil does find small nuggets as your finds are proof.  

Glad you made it down there and hopefully you'll save a few for when I come down.

Yes the nuggets from this last Spring sure look good, great pic of them.

Thanks for sharing.