I got 8 today. Lost 1, Have to go back and find it. one 1.2 dwt deep

[DOC]

I am such an idiot. The fifth nugget I put on the coil to take a picture of it, and then after collecting my camera picks etc. I just started swinging my coil. After my 7th nugget I realized I only had 6 nuggets, but I couldn't remember which one it was that I would have lost.

I had a fantastic day. The last nugget of the day kicked my butt. 1.2 dwt. Hole deeper than the coil.

I video'd everything with the exception of Nugget #2, my battery ran out on me and I didn't know it.

Man am I ever out of shape. Digging a 14 inch plus hole takes it out of you.

Doc

[Ridge Runner]

Hey Doc

Haven't you heard of not cleaning out the field but leave some for seed. Ha At the rate your going with your finds it may not be anymore nuggets out there to find.

I'd say with you and the 7000 is one great team. Enjoy reading about the gold your digging and the video's.

Thanks

Chuck Anders

[frank c]

Doc ya gotta listen for them "faint" ones. Then you'll be digging a hole the length of yer detector !!!!!

[DOC]

I find this new gully very intriguing and it warrants additional investigation. 6 out of 1 gully with virtually no trash qualifies it as a virgin patch.

But what I find interesting is the third nugget from the left in the above picture was the first nugget. It was in the gully down about 3 inches, I moved it with my foot and it is very course. It is .4 gram. That nugget had to have just shed from from the side somewhere because it has not traveled far and has not had a chance to get worn or sink deep.

The the big sliver, it weighs 1.2 dwt was about 10 feet away and 15 - 18 inches deep. Then another 6 feet away was another dink under a bush in the gully. The most interesting one is that .4 gram course shallow piece because that makes me want to investigate the side of the ridges to see if I can figure out where it shed from and if there might be a side patch.

I have not felt this "in tune" with a detector since the SD2200d. This GPZ7000 really "talks" my language.

Doc

[way2cool]

Congrats Doc. By the way I really enjoy your videos also.

[GaryKurz]

Hello out there. Newbie here - not only to this forum, but to prospecting in general. I am looking for anyone (and everyone) who would be willing to give me some info on Arizona prospecting. I am not looking for any secrets or secret places, just some general info to keep me out of trouble. I have retired from the military after more than 30 years, worked with the Wounded Warrior Program for several more, authored a half dozen books, but am now ready to just hang it all up, move to the Tucson area and enjoy something I have only read about. And yes, I have read just about every book on gold prospecting that you can find and am book smart - but so street stupid, if you will. So I would appreciate any feedback.

In particular, I am worried about open areas. I have always envisioned being able to park my truck and hike 5 miles out into the desert away from civilization and detect away - but as a federal law enforcement officer my whole adult life, and I hope a person with character, I don't want to violate anyone's claims. Are claims marked so that a novice like me can avoid them?

Another question I have is are claims so densely situated that someone cannot do as I propose - just park in a desolate place and hike out into the wilderness? Of course, taking the seasonal weather condtiions into consideration.

One more question if I might - we who do not live in Arizona hear a lot about Africanized bees there. Are they really a big problem in the field? I have run into an Africanized hive in Freer, Texas and kept my wits about me and did okay - but was just wondering how big of a problem it is.

Sorry for my novice approach. I just cannot find the answers I seek anywhere else. I am an everglades/swamp kind of guy and could use a desert perspective. Thanks to anyone who responds.

[DOC]

Welcome to this wonderful hobby. You are going about it the right way. We were all new to this at one time and asking questions is the way to go.

#1. If you join the GPAA, you will get a claim book that gives you a couple of things. First it gives you free access to all of their claims all across the United States. I think an annual membership is $87.50 and it comes with their claims book which shows you maps to all of their claims. Second, almost always adjacent to GPAA claims is BLM land on which you can prospect.

#2. Local Gold clubs usually have claims and their membership fees are around $25 to $35 a year.

#3. Claims are not always marked because sometimes unscrupulous people destroy claim markers. Make an honest effort to take a look around and see if there are any claim markers. If not, go ahead and prospect. If someone comes up on you and says that you are on their claim. Do the following.

A. Apologize. "I am so sorry. My name is John Doe, I live in Prescott, I am knew at this, and I looked around for claims markers and I didn't see any. The last thing i wanted to do was to be on someones claim. I will gather my stuff up."

B. Ask them about the claim. "So how long have you had this claim?" "Being I am new to this would you mind if I picked your brain?" "What kind of prospecting do you do?" "What kind of equipment do you use?" "Besides getting off your claim is there any advise you could give to someone like me who is just starting out?" Have a big smile on your face as you say this last one.

C. "Being you know this area, can you tell me where there is some public land nearby where I I can play and not be on anyone's claim?"

I have used this approach about 5 times. I honestly did not know I was on someone's claim. In every instance, by apologizing, asking for advise, and finally asking for information regarding where I could prospect, led with to good information, or good information and an invite to stay right where I was and I was given permission to prospect their claim.

Mos times claims are not that densely situated. There is a good resource called

http://www.goldmapsonline.com/

For a few bucks you can get the map of Arizona that shows all active claims and whether they are placer or load claims. I like this resource because it shows me where people are finding gold. Then I just head to surrounding BLM land with no claims.

I've been prospecting since 1990 in the Arizona desert. While I have run into bees, they just seem to be more interested in the flowering vegetation this time of year than in me.

I can't remember what the stages of mastering an endeavor are, but I think it starts out with Uninformed Uneducated. That is the stage where you are so green that you don't even know what you don't know. You don't even know what the important questions are that you should ask. Then you graduate to the Informed Uneducated. So you now have learned enough not to do what you want to do, but at least be able to ask good questions about what you are trying to accomplish, etc.

So it's a process and most of the members of this forum are here to help you.

If you tell us what part of Arizona you are in we can tell you some of the good local clubs you could join. Local clubs are great because they have group outtings which give you the benefit of group mentoring.

Be Careful Out There,

Doc

[way2cool]

Hi Gary this map is will give you an idea of where claims are. http://www.mylandmatters.org/Maps/Mining.html click on the arizona map. The Desert Gold diggers is a local club. They have some decent claims. http://desert-gold-diggers.org/ As far as questions go ask away. It may be better to start a new thread.