Rye Patch Keeps Giving....a Little

[phrunt]

I'm a bit puzzled by Rye Patch, Obviously I know very little about it as I'm on the other side of the planet but some say it's hunted out and coils been over ever square inch, some say it's not and there is plenty of gold there to be found.

The results from the photos above to me says there is plenty of gold left there, albeit mostly small, unless Gerry takes his customers to secret spots away from the heavy detecting traffic that are just unknown areas.

Those customers presumably quite inexperienced at least with using their detectors to be there in the first place did remarkably well.  The Nox users seemed to pull a decent amount of gold, not much different to others really.

It's more getting the coil over the gold than the detector used by the look of most of those results.  Yes, there maybe some nuggets certain detectors do better than others on but they all did very well I think.  I'm sure some of those Nox users went away from the event thinking they saved a lot of money on their detector yet still did pretty well by comparison.  Yes I know part of your course is showing some detectors will hit other nuggets better than others and deeper etc, great tool for up selling and educational purposes as it really is a fact, over all I think all of the customers in the photos did pretty well and deserve a pat on the back, and by the way it was described the Nox users deserve the biggest pat on the back as they had all the odds against them and pulled through with the goods.

Did we have any first nugget found people there Gerry? Did you break any in!

I'd like to go to Rye Patch some day,  It'd be interesting to experience it myself.  Western Australia would also be on the bucket list especially if the world hits a global cooling period, too hot for me.

I like your story posts Gerry, great photos too.

Just one more thing, how does the guy in the 3rd photo not smack himself in the face with his pick all the time with where he positions his pick holder? 🙂

[Gerry in Idaho]

I will answer some of everyone's thoughts/questions here.

Yes the gravy is gone and actually has been gone for 20 yrs, but each new model did open up another layer/size of gold success. That continues today with the GPX-6000.

Part of the reason any good quality VLF nugget detector can still find a few bits at RP, is the smaller coils.  To me, a small coil and proper coil control is a must for Rye Patch and most other well known hunted out sites.  Can I found 10 to 15 pickers a day out there with the likes of a Garrett 24K, Fisher GB-2, GM-1000 or EQ-800>  Yes as long as I am using the smallest coil possible.  No use trying to compete with the depth and power of a Pulse Induction at RP by trying to put a larger coil on a VLF.  Any dealer who says a larger coil will give the same depth is foolish and uneducated.  Yes on a rare occasion in non mineralized soils a larger coil on a VLF has an advantage, but not at RP.

Yes we had many people find their 1st nugget ever.  I even had folks who show up with a detector still in box.  That's not how I prefer them to be, but at least they have no bad habits.  Speaking of that.  Experienced coin hunters are the hardest to train.  They have to many bad habits from the yrs of success finding round coin size targets.

Why do so many of my customers do better than most?  I feel it's the style of Training my Field Staff Experts and I provide.  1st off, we have a vast knowledge and experience level of finding many different types of gold in their environments of holding places from many states and a few countries, with a variety of detectors. We teach things most dealers don't know and or haven't experienced.  2nd, it's a 3 day camping event with like minded people who enjoy the outdoors.  The amount of time my different staff spend and explain things to each customer giving them added opportunity to remember more of what we teach/share/show, repetition repetition repetition. 3rd is location.  We always train at the same area as we know how much gold has come from there. No spots at Rye Patch have ever had a coil void.  I can assure you ever square foot as had at least 5 different detectors and 3 sizes of coils over each foot so many times it's silly. Not all of Rye Patch is gold ground.  There are acres of dead land and we can't find a piece to save our lives.  I know the old patches and the dead quiet ground.  Keeping my customers in the better dirt is most important.

Is RP hunted out?  Yes, Yes Yes...  Is there a few nuggets left?  Most certainly and I can find them if I want to impress someone.  Would I recommend a beginner to go to RP on their own?  Heck, even if you are halfway ok with a detector, I would not suggest it.  Why then do I train there?  Because I know of you find a nugget at RP, you are certainly doing things right.  I also know the average Joe on their own will go home with ZERO nuggets over a weekend.  This is real life nugget detecting for many so if you can enjoy your ZERO nugget weekend and still have fun, then you might be the right kind of person for nugget hunting as it's one of the most patient styles of detecting I'm aware of.

Just like Steve H mentioned.  He/I and many others are spoiled from hunting/finding bigger gold and so to work our butts off for a couple grams is hard to be happy much more.  Old coin/relic and jewelry hunting is actually easier and more productive.  But we also like to still go back to RP and sharpen our skill on a new model, new coil or etc.  Me personally, I feel area out Sawtooth, Rabbit Hole Barrel Springs, Blue Mountain, Seven Troughs have better potential and I know for a fact they have not been detected as much.

I was recently asked if I plant the nuggets for customers.  Heck, I've had dealers say that for years.  Bottom line is those lazy asses don't know shit about Rye Patch.  Ask any of the customers who are lucky to find 1  2 or 4 nuggets during the 3 days.  I'm most certain, they'll laugh in your face as they know how many hours of swinging and how hard they worked to find those few little pickers.

Is Rye Patch still worth going to?  If you want a challenge and are a top hunter, then you'll find a few.  For most, as mentioned before and go see Danny at Gold Diggers Saloon.  I know his land has been the least hunted and feel has the best chance of success.  Yes it might cost you $20 a day, but I know how hard the other areas have been pounded.  Having the newest technology GPX-6000 will certainly up your chances.  

Does anyone remember Chuck from Texas?  He made a killing out there in the 90's.

On a side note.  Don't get gas at the Rye Patch station on south side of Interstate at dam exit as it was over $6 a gallon for gas.  Either fill up in Lovelock or Winnemucca.

On side side note.  The pic is the biggest non solid nugget (specimen) I have witnessed being found at Rye Patch proper.  Scott found this rare piece close to the burn barrel with a GP-3500

 

[Gold Catcher]

RP is a world on its own. Either you hate it or you love it. It is a very impressive and intense landscape but can be unforgiving. I have done the best there with the 7000. It's a vast open land, so unless you know exactly where to look a very small coil might not be something I would personally recommend.

GC

[mn90403]

Gerry,

Maybe you and a couple of the other Rye Patch 'old timers' can give some weight to your words.  I've made about 20 trips there over the years beginning in 2011 and I'd say I'd be around an ounce or so total gold weight.  I remember calling you once about 10 years ago to get some pointers and you gave a few.  It took me another 10 years before I took one of your classes.

Some of your instructors have found pounds (12 troy oz to a pound) of gold there.  They told me and I know others that have found pounds over the years in the 'greater Rye Patch' area.  I think Rye Patch proper and the Rye Patch 'placers' could be limited to about 4-5 sections of land.  You could probably find a stray nugget or two on lands 3-4 times that size.

There were some patches based upon elevation.  Some were based upon the ancient lake that was once there.  Some had the chevron nuggets and some were associated with dykes.  Many were pushed over the years and dry washed and/or detected.  

I'm not an expert on it but I really like the wide open space of it and I've had more lean days than rich ones but they are all good in my book.

Mitchel

[sevastras]

Last time I talked to Danny, he said he stopped charging for permission to detect on his claims. He has 1000 acres up the hill a bit that they have taken water to and are working on a project up there that will be open to the public. He said the last person he gave permission to for the claims found 20 something nuggets in a couple of days, that was in October so I imagine they took a 6k out. 
I wouldn’t bother going to his claims because they have been hunted out. 😉 I might just drive down here in a week or two to make sure there isn’t any left. 

[Gerry in Idaho]

On 6/10/2022 at 1:45 PM, phrunt said:

Just one more thing, how does the guy in the 3rd photo not smack himself in the face with his pick all the time with where he positions his pick holder? 🙂

We teach them to put the pick on their shoulder or back.  Having a pick there on his hip will not allow the user to get full proper sweep without interference when using a PI.  Good catch.

[Gerry in Idaho]

On 6/11/2022 at 3:29 AM, mn90403 said:

Gerry,

Maybe you and a couple of the other Rye Patch 'old timers' can give some weight to your words. 

I'll make a separate post (my 25+ yrs at Rye Patch) as I do feel it deserves it's own thread.  I know many who will want to chime in.  Give me a few days.