Nugget Hunters 50 Above

[Ridge Runner]

To me it looks that most of us that chase that yellow metal called gold is over 50 years. I know myself I got hook back in 61 and being doing it in some form are another in the pass years.

I know lots of Snow Birds that come to Az. got into prospecting just to pass the time and after that was hooked forever. I myself got interest in nugget hunting because I'd been swinging a detector for years. Now I have trouble going back to do any coin hunting.

Whatever the reason we got into nugget hunting we're here now. Age is just a number so keep swinging! Chuck Anders

[moneythumb]

Great post. I'm fifty seven and started prospecting a little over a year ago. I've worked harder than I've ever worked and have a half once of pickers and dust to show for it.

I love it and can't think of a better place to be than the deserts and mountains of Arizona.

[Reno Chris]

I started as a teenager, but eventually all of us get to be 50 and above - if we're lucky! (the alternative is worse). I've been prospecting for almost 40 years.

I do work harder chasing gold than anything else and own not just metal detectors but dry washers, sluice boxes, a dredge, rock crushers and other stuff.

Age does make a difference and I freely admit I cannot do what I did when I was 25, but I can and still do work hard for my gold.

The deserts and mountains of Arizona are great, but there is a bigger world out there - there are gold bearing gravels strewn across the hills of California, Alaska, Nevada, Montana, Oregon and many other places in the US - and many are well worth visiting. There is gold even beyond our borders in places like Australia, Mexico, Africa and Asia. Some of the places outside of the US are more friendly toward prospectors than others.

As Jim Straight called it - its a magnificent quest.

[Mike Furness]

I've been swinging a detector since 1988 ... the year I got divorced! Needed something to keep my mind off the stress created before and after that. A friend lent me a White's 'something' 3 ... can't really remember the name of it. All beach and park hunting until 2003 when I made my first trip to AZ and bought a GP3000 as I was told my White's DFX wouldn't handle the mineralization here in the gold fields. I moved here from NH in 2011 and have been having sporatic success. Just recently acquired a Keene 151 from a friend who can't go anymore and hope to learn a bit more about drywashing. Even at age 65 I find drywashing an intriguing option to my metal detecting. I still do a little beach and park hunting when I go back East. Mining is one of the main reasons for moving from NH ... I do miss ice fishing and snowmobiling though ... don't miss the snow shoveling and idiots driving in the snow!

Mike F

[ahorton10]

Prospecting as a hobby requires a ton of patience, especially in the beginning. It's hard work for little reward until you develop skills that can only be learned the hard way. I think that's why the majority of folks in this hobby are older, young men just lack patience to commit to such a task. I'm only 32, I guess I'm just nuts haha! I love lookin for gold though and dont plan on stopping anytime soon.

Mike f, if you ever need an extra back to shovel at that 151 drop me a line, im no expert but I can run a shovel haha.

[Grubstake1]

Been hunting gold since I was 15 years old, now I'm 65. Grubstake

[Buckeye Boy]

I have sixteen years before I fit in and become a pro.

AJ

[Gravelwasher]

Still under 40 but love gold like I am over 50..lol

[azblackbird]

Just turned 53 today, so I guess I'm in the over 50 club. I got interested in gold detecting and drywashing from all my off road riding. Many of the trails I usually ride (and many I've never ridden) cut right through some of the most awesome gold bearing ground AZ has to offer. I figure it's time to stop and smell the roses for once, rather than blasting through hills at a 100mph.

[ahorton10]

Happy birthday azblackbird!

[Ridge Runner]

To everyone on the forum we were all under fifty when most started prospecting. So if your under that number feel free to let us know about you. Not one of us knew what we were doing before we got where we are now. We all learn by doing and if anybody says they know it all I say bull.

Like others said and that is never worked so hard but yet enjoyed it so much.

Azblackbird Happy Birthday! At your age you still have baby fat!

Chuck Anders

[Old Tom]

I got into chasing the yeller in the nineteen seventy's and have been off and on ever since. I'm over eighty now and have slowed a bit but still manage to get out into the hills with my son Tom. He watches over me so that I don't get into too much trouble and I pop out a nugget or two every once in a while. The greatest thing that I found is the comradere and downright good fellowship of the folks in the forums. I look forward to the rendezvous and camp outs throughout the year put on by different groups. I've missed a step or two since my five way bypass but slower is the way to go with a Gold Bug Pro.

Old Tom

[Reno Chris]

Old Tom - If you are over 80, unless you had your kids way late in life, that would make "young" Tom over 50 too. My dad goes prospecting with me sometimes, though he is only a young and spry 77. He is 21 years my elder.

[ahorton10]

I wonder how much collective mining experience is on this forum?

[deathray]

Im a well used 48...been looking for gold for about ten years, anything to be outdoors. Go out with my 19 year old son too,but usually to relic detect. One of my main gold buddies is Don Robinson who is around 75,but still hikes like a dam mountain goat,lol.

[Old Tom]

Yeah Chris, young Tom is in the over fifty club also but I'll let him lament about his aches and pains himself. We have a great partnership, He usually finds the gold and I dig it up. The 5000 really outshines the GB Pro but I can't carry that weight all day and climb hills too. When I stop having fun I'll give it up but until then look for me in the next wash.

Old Tom

[Allen in MT]

Guess I've been swinging a detector for 46 years as the 1st detector I had in my hands was a mine sweeping detector in Nam in 1968 and then bought a Whites Coinmaster when I got out of the service in 1970 been swinging ever since then but now a lot slower.

Best nugget I ever dug was a solid 5.56 oz and most coins found in 1 day was 1056 + some jewelry.

[AZNuggetBob]

Happy Birthday AzBB. It seems your catching on very fast. good luck.

Well back to the thread. some of us may have gotten a little older,but also a little wiser. We may not be able to outrun those sneaky little nuggets but we sure can outsmart them.

Take care. AzNuggetBob

[JIM MCCULLOCH]

You might say that I became a TH'er "before birth." Back in 1951 my parents-to-be, along with Mel Fisher and others of subsequent TH'ing fame, founded So. Cal's. first scuba diving club, the Sea Angels. They salvaged several California wrecks, and then Mel andsome of the others went to Florida and later Atocha fame. My dad went MIA late in '63, so I went to live with my maternal grandfather, who had been a prospector in AZ in the late 20's and early 1930's. He got me into panning, and in '81 my wife and I moved to the YV area, at which point I took up electronic prospecting. Early mentors where Jimmy Sierra, Jim Straight, Woody Woodworth, Ken Doe, Bob Grant, George Mrzkowski, Pieter Hydelaar, and others. As Chris mentions, it has been a "magnificent quest." HH Jim

[deathray]

Dam!!There is some SERIOUS experience on this forum!!

[bigguy]

For me its in my blood, my dad had a uranium claim in Lucern Valley in the late 50's, and I built my first detector in 9th grade, from Alied electronics back east, mail order, yah I said mail order. Hunting, fishing, prospecting, it's a lifestyle, hooked for life.

[McGator]

I've metal detected since 1984 but it had all been for coins and some relics. First silver coin was a 1944 half three days after I started. I've found lots of coins etc over the years. Before MD I was always out hunting fossils, Indian artifacts, rocks, gems so its always been in the blood. I just recently started nugget hunting about 4 -5 years ago thanks to Rob and his help. I promised myself a new metal detector when I got back from Iraq which turned out to be an ETrac from Rob's Detector Sales. It wasn't until after I had gotten the ETrac the light bulb went off. My wife and I had been making a couple of trips to Phoenix every year so why not go nugget hunting instead of looking for agates and geocaches. I checked a few forums on using a ETrac for nugget hunting and got that story quick, oh well. I hitched up with Rob on my next trip and tried out the Etrac on his claim, we all know how that went. But I had the opportunity to watch Rob teach the GPX 5K to new clients and he even let me use one. I just had to get me one of those and did. I ate drank and slept gold prospecting and metal detecting for gold ever since and have learned a lot from Rob, this forum, Jim Straight, Chris Ralph, etc. I turn the 60 next year and to me gold hunting is the greatest and most challenging adventure there ever was for me and can't ever get enough of it. And it is my excuse for getting outdoors which I always love to be. Its all about the chase with gold as the bonus. But I can't just get a metal detector and go, I have to have all the gear too. I like being versatile. So now I got my sights on a SDC 2300 to fill the weather proof and smaller gold gap that I can't cover with the 5K. The price of our toys we can’t live without.

[nuggethunting]

Hey Guys,

Great post so far.

I started prospecting for gold with my Grandfather as a youngster and this planted the seed in me. I really didn't get serious until I started taking Geology classes in early 1990-1991 at a Community College. One of my college instructors was a gold collector and had one of the best collections of Wolfenite and Gold crystals in the Southwest. I spent all the free time before and after class talking about gold areas in Arizona. This is when I started doing a lot of dredging, drywashing and panning. I didn't get real hot and heavy into metal detecting for gold until the 1993 or 1994, but owned several VLF's before that.

I just turned 42, so I have actively prospected for gold for the last 24 years. Twenty of those years was pretty much hard-core metal detecting for gold nuggets throughout the Southwestern US and Alaska.

Met some great friends along the way and memories that will last a lifetime.

[Alwaysdirty]

I'm 35 and have only been at his about four years now. I first panned for gold in CO back in 2000, didn't do any research just went out for a good excuse to some four wheelin. Wish I would have stuck to it back then.

Then came along "Gold Rush", I was hooked the first season. Seeing even totally amateur placer mining made me wish I was up there operating equipment everyday, running a wash plant.

I immediately started doing research and hitting the hills, took a few tries before finding my first color. But one little speck is all it took to catch the fever. I sold stuff from my other hobby's and started getting prospecting gear.

Now I just want to go drywashin and detecting everyday here in AZ, if only I didn't have to work 50 hours a week.

[jczucco]

Hey Mike, I started when I was 7 years old when I went to Notts Berry Farm to pan for gold in a trough, got some color that was put in a vile "still got it " and was hooked on gold prospecting ever since. I got married the same year you got divorced and after 1 week of being married a friend approached me to go to Australia,( I have a very understanding Wife) I was down there for a month, but whites metal detectors at the time didn't work in the soil there so I never found any gold. Been 1000 ft down in a shaft went dredging sluicing cracking rocks and now at 64 only pan and detect for gold " What a life".