Finally A Hanger

[1515Art]

I spent a few days up in the high Sierra running the 7000 around looking for a new patch, a first patch...not to be this trip and not surprising as hopeful as I tried to be I have also come to terms that finding a new patch will likely be a long term endeavor. Exploring is fun however and every outing provides a tid-bit of new info, view of old workings new to me and more experience hunting that elusive nugget. Paying attention to the sage advice of those far more experienced than me offering their wisdom here for us newbies I allocated a portion of my time to hunting previously fruitful earth. This proved to be very good advice as I've scored one of my most important goals, finding a nugget suitable as a pendant for my wonderful wife (she did give me the 7000 for my b-day, I think that was a good thing). It only took 2 1/2 years, but on the afternoon of the second day I hit a old well known patch and scored a nice flat 9.7 gram nugget sitting on edge down only about 5 inches with another 4 or 5 inches of Forrest mulch on top of the dirt. I had been hunting for about 30 minutes when I got near an area I'd found a small round 1/2 gram on the previous trip. The 7000 was running so smooth with the new update I decided to jack the sensitivity to the max just because this spot has been so heavily pounded...after swinging the coil forward possibly 3 feet I picked up a promising target signal and out popped this little hanger for my sweethearts birthday next month. I also scored another little half gram nugget back at the old patch on the next day to sweeten the drive home. The little round one was found hunting the previous time up after meeting up with forum member relic/park master Strick for a little social hunting.

Happy hunting, clark

 

[mn90403]

Fantastic!

I'm headed up to Sierra County next week.

You know, other than a few flakes from the river and a 15 grammer in the river that I used my 3030 to find, I've never found gold on the old mining sites or been on a patch up there.

Good shooting.

Mitchel

[strick]

Once again nice going Clark. If anybody had a nice nugget with his name waiting on it...it was you. You have worked so hard! I have a feeling now they will start flowing in. Cant wait to see what the pendant ends up looking like... you being into arts and crafts and such  

strick

[Swampstomper Al]

Nice finds and super-nice find re the hanger, Clark..! I'm certain your wife will love it..
It's great when ya find a nug that has "wear me" stamped right on it..!

Swamp

PS: Don't get discouraged in your search for a new patch.. A read of Steve's
most recent post on the subject is all the confirmation one needs..

[IdahoPeg]

What a great find! Your Sweetie will love it! :-)

[beatup]

congrats on a good day out,and a happy wife.

[madtuna]

that's a lovely piece just begging for a chain.

 

Congrats!

[LuckyLundy]

Art,

Sweet nugget for your Sweetie!

Rick

[1515Art]

Mitchel, it's a good thing I love the thrill of the adventure and being out in nature, because my worst enemy is staying focused while digging bit after bit of rusted tin, it gets so I'm wishing for lead as it's slightly more interesting to me than the rusted tin and bits of square nail. When I hit gold (which is almost never) I'm shocked to see the color along with the feel of its weight, takes a few seconds for the disbelief to fade...I wish that feeling never goes away, it'd sure be nice to feel it more often.  I've hunted the river area a few times and have never found anything good, I remember when you found that piece, it was the same time as the rye patch hunt, nice find. Good luck up there in the sierras and hope you find a nice fat one this trip.

Chuck, I think I might have overdone it a little, just before finding the hanger I was contemplating giving up for the day, my left knee was swollen and stiff from climbing hills and getting down to retrieve junk was getting impossible. Only problem was the guy hunting near my car, pride was stopping me from ending early. Finally I was running out of determination and the long way around back to the jeep took me in the path of that nugget...you just never know. On the way home I gave a shot getting into another claim off the American river, the road was over grown and the brush hid a washout, the right side of my jeep dropped uncomfortably off the edge and even with the axels locked any attempt to move only wanted to scoot the jeep down hill in the wrong direction. Luckily I'm prepared and was able to winch myself back onto the trail and back the jeep out without any issues other than being covered in bugs and other crap from climbing through the brush trying to wrap my cable around a suitable tree. 

Swamp, I'm not overly optimistic, but they do keep showing up occasionally and by no strange coincidence to those who put in the time looking, that fact alone keeps zed out of the closet and my feet moving at least.

Thanks everyone for the comments and for sharing your finds it keeps the long dry spells tolerable.

[LukeJ]

Awesome!!  

That's a nice chunk of gold.

Congratulations

Luke