northoceanbeach Posted January 15, 2015 Report Share Posted January 15, 2015 I am surprised I still have my screen name, I haven't posted in what seems like forever!I would like this year, to get back into gold mining, and learn how to nugget hunt with a metal detector.I have some amateur experience with pans, sluices, dry washing and small dredges, and at one time got a mid range gold detector, a lobo supertraq that I started learning. However shortly after getting the detector I moved to Hawaii and the soil there is so volcanic and full of iron, I wasn't able to really get much practice in. Just a little at the beach, but this detector wasn't really set up for salt water either.So while I may know some about how gold gets to where you find it, and have some places in mind I would like to go, I am a detector newbie.I think more than anything, two things have changed since I thought about it last. A. Gold was in the $300's last time I looked for it and it really wasn't easy to make a living doing itB. I am hoping metal detector technology has improved. If I remember right, the Minelab sd series and the newer Gp3000 were THE detectors, so for those that could afford them and were looking for big nuggets deep.So how are things these days? Gold isn't at it's peak but it's not too bad compared to $330! And what is the best detectors and coils to use these days?Are there new areas that are popular? I know once I get good enough, I need to discover new places, but where do people go these days to learn and have some hope for success? Is it still Arizona in the winter, Alaska in the summer if you can afford to get there, and random places like Rye Patch NV the rest of the year?Where should I start planning my first trip after I get outfitted? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Tom Posted January 15, 2015 Report Share Posted January 15, 2015 Looks to me like you got out of it at the wrong time for metal detecting, and as there is no wrong time to get back in things have changed a bit. A lot more people have taken up the practice of beeping and nuggies are harder to find then before. As far as making a living from it well, it might take years to hone your skills to that degree. You might start out with a preowned detector for a while and get used to it before investing 5 or 6k. If you are at the beach start out there and ask around the forums for the advice that you might need to go farther afield. Old Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
northoceanbeach Posted January 15, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 15, 2015 Yeah, I have no expectations I will make a living out of it. But I would like to spend some really long trips out to the mountains hunting.I'm not in Hawaii anymore, now I'm in Northern California and Oregon. I love road trips!What kind of preowned detector should I be looking at? Something that is pretty up to date, but not the new $6000 offering. How does a gpx4000 work? I saw there was one that ended just over $2000 on ebay with a lot of coils and accessories. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldies1955 Posted January 15, 2015 Report Share Posted January 15, 2015 Guys are selling Minelab5000s for around 3-3500 these days on the forums. That's what I use and love it.Tom H. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LuckyLundy Posted January 15, 2015 Report Share Posted January 15, 2015 North Beach,The GP 3000, is still a more than capable metal detector to find gold with. Yes, Minelab is still the detector to own and has many newer models than the GP 3000. The price of gold is a bonus to our hobby the real enjoyment is hunt for it. No matter what detector you end up with or where you hunt for gold, just enjoy yourself in the outdoors! That will fill your poke bottle with more than just gold...until the next hunt!LuckyLundy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Ron Posted January 15, 2015 Report Share Posted January 15, 2015 There's lots of gold in N. CA and S. OR ... I mined up there for 23 years ... Where are you located? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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