Night Detecting

[DanK]

I know there are many that probably detect at night, so this is nothing new.  I started night detecting because of poor sleep cycles and summer heat and my favorite claim was the GPAA, Placer Pete, in the Mojave Desert.  I usually had boots on the ground between two and three and knocked off around ten unless the gold was good.  I started this habit at the tail end of summer and continued this into the winter even when it was really cold.

I probably woke up the claim owners, Steve and Phil, several times when they camped out and I was the only idiot driving by their tent at two in the morning.  I always knew the general area I wished to detect because it’s really easy to walk in circles at night in the desert: the washes look similar and you can’t see that Joshua tree as a landmark.  Also, I would park the truck on a high point incase I got turned around. 

The Minelab Gold Monster was my tool of choice, always wore a headlamp with fresh batteries, carried a flashlight, wore snake proof boots, and always double checked before kneeling and pulled the dirt and target out and away from under bushes.  Recovering the gold is not as easy as daytime because the gold is dirty (unless it’s obvious) and looks like everything else in the scoop.  But I did find numerous pieces and small nuggets; Placer Pete was always good for that.  Don't forget that you are the only light for miles and attract all the flying critters.

Don’t learn the hard way to not leave your equipment on the ground when nature calls at four in the morning, not that you worry about other people but it’s the animals that will surprise you.  I never encountered the usual Mojave Green in the dark but met very curious and playful Kit Foxes which bit the cable for the headphones and hauled it off—I did find it later.  You can see how close one little pup got just before he snatched a glove that I dropped while taking his picture.

Your senses are hyperacute in the desert at night and gold targets sound extra sweet.  But I always remembered that I was the intruder and many animals in the desert are nocturnal.  If you detect at night to beat the heat or get hooked on it, I hope you find lots of gold and no rattlesnakes.   

 

[Clay Diggins]

Night detecting on that Placer Pete "claim" might be the best bet.

12N 2W Section 33 is not open to entry (NOE). There are no valid claims possible there.

 

[chrisski]

4 hours ago, Clay Diggins said:

Night detecting on that Placer Pete "claim" might be the best bet.

12N 2W Section 33 is not open to entry (NOE). There are no valid claims possible there.

 

Does “Not Open to Entry” also mean no metal detecting?  

Or is it like the Lynx Creek Mineral Withdrawal area where limited panning and metal detecting is allowed, but no sluices or powered tools?

Thanks Clay.

[Clay Diggins]

1 hour ago, chrisski said:

Does “Not Open to Entry” also mean no metal detecting?  

Or is it like the Lynx Creek Mineral Withdrawal area where limited panning and metal detecting is allowed, but no sluices or powered tools?

Thanks Clay.

It means you can't locate a mining claim (entry).  The minerals belong to the United States - not the public. The minerals have not been withdrawn, like Lynx Creek, they were never in the public domain. When land is deeded to the U.S., as with this section, the minerals do not automatically become open to location - the deeded land is not public land.

When the land is not public land the US can sell, keep or lease the minerals. Technically even prospecting is off limits without a license although obviously the BLM is looking the other way for now. The BLM has a note in the claim file that the land is "Not Open to Entry" which in another State BLM office would result in immediate closure of the mining claim.

You could legally metal detect or mine there with an exploration license or negotiated mineral lease. Or you could petition the BLM to open the land to location. That's not gonna happen in this particular case but it only costs about $35 to file the form.

[Clay Diggins]

I haven't been out to Steve and Phil's claim but I've spent some time nearby in that desert and several others.

What visitors experience during the day and what patient people experience at night in the desert are two different worlds. It's more like a jungle at night. The wonder of the night sky. The spicy smells of desert plants waking up for the cool night air. Busy busy critters everywhere.

Hard to reconcile.

To this day I wonder where all those critters are hiding during the day.

It's a kind of magic.

[Detecting with CM]

Maybe you should get a flashlight hookup for your detector so as to be able to see where you're detecting easier as least somewhat. 

[Detecting with CM]

Have you ever seen any other people out night detecting nearby?

 

[araratgold]

I've done lots of night detecting out from Alice Springs and in Western Australia. Never had an issue so long as you take some basic precautions, like carry your GPS. Can't beat the cooler nights in the desert, when the EMI is minimal.

We also set up a flashing beacon like on the top of mines vehicles, which can be seen for some distance from the car / quad / camp, just as a closer reference point. Depending on the terrain and trees, you can see it for a mile or so.

Rick

[Valens Legacy]

I have not been in the desert detecting yet, but I was night detecting a couple of nights ago until my girlfriend slapped my face.