Sierra/Tahoe hunting advice

[Chiro22]

Hello all,

I am a total rookie, however this is something I've wanted to get into for a long time. My wife and I just got a cabin in the South Lake Tahoe area, and I was hoping for some help putting a checklist together to get the right gear. I'm mostly going for relics, Coin hunting, and gold and primarily on dry land, what detector would you recommend for the ground up there? I know there's a lot of granite and other minerals in the ground. I'd like to spend $500 or less, as I'll only be able to get out a few times a month. Any other gear that's must have?

Thank you for any help and advice.

 

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[Obsessive]

I got into this as a beginner with a similar target budget have been very happy with my Tesoro Cibola. Overall, its simple to use without any programming or studying of different functions or controls. Pretty much just turn it on, set your levels and start searching, a bit of practice later and you'll likely have it figured out. However, I've yet to try hunting for gold nuggets on dry land or in fresh water... but I did find a gold ring.

In addition to a detector and headphones, you'll likely want a pinpointer -- this is going to be the second priciest item after your detector, but oh so handy and helpful to have. You'll likely also want a decent finds bag and digging tool... but there are many budget friendly items that can be used for the latter. So it's definitely possible to get all this and stay within your budget. I would also recommend a hat, sunglasses, sturdy shoes and spare batteries for your electronics... oh, and a cabin in Tahoe!

I'm sure there are more experienced forum members here that can provide additional advice. Good luck and happy hunting!

 

[Chiro22]

I got into this as a beginner with a similar target budget have been very happy with my Tesoro Cibola. Overall, its simple to use without any programming or studying of different functions or controls. Pretty much just turn it on, set your levels and start searching, a bit of practice later and you'll likely have it figured out. However, I've yet to try hunting for gold nuggets on dry land or in fresh water... but I did find a gold ring.

In addition to a detector and headphones, you'll likely want a pinpointer -- this is going to be the second priciest item after your detector, but oh so handy and helpful to have. You'll likely also want a decent finds bag and digging tool... but there are many budget friendly items that can be used for the latter. So it's definitely possible to get all this and stay within your budget. I would also recommend a hat, sunglasses, sturdy shoes and spare batteries for your electronics... oh, and a cabin in Tahoe!

I'm sure there are more experienced forum members here that can provide additional advice. Good luck and happy hunting!

Really appreciate the help! Noticed you are in the Bay Area, do you hunt around SF, or ever make it out to Tahoe?

 

[Tom_in_CA]

.... and gold ....

When you say "gold", you weren't talking about prospecting. Right ? Ie.: nuggets. Because Tahoe, at 6k ft , is above the gold-producing regions of the sierra nevadas. Too high up in elevation. So you meant gold jewelry, like off the swim beaches there, right ? (or ski lift lines after summer melt, etc...) . If so, $500 will get you a used Etrac I believe.

 

[Chiro22]

When you say "gold", you weren't talking about prospecting. Right ? Ie.: nuggets. Because Tahoe, at 6k ft , is above the gold-producing regions of the sierra nevadas. Too high up in elevation. So you meant gold jewelry, like off the swim beaches there, right ? (or ski lift lines after summer melt, etc...) . If so, $500 will get you a used Etrac I believe.

Right...just jewelry and trinkets

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Right...just jewelry and trinkets

The beaches there will be the place to angle for that. Might even find some silver coins/wheaties on the beach too. But if you really want to concentrate on old coins, you might want to research yesteryear defunct sled hills, rope pulls, etc... that got discontinued by the early 1960s. Or old scout camps/resorts, etc..... Esp. if they cease all use earlier on, so you're not having to wade through foil, clad, etc.....

There could be jewelry at ski/sled lift-line areas, because of the human nature of people taking off their gloves, which tug on fingers. But jewelry at camp sites will be rarer and much more difficult. Because the moment you factor in things like "campfires" and "eating/drinking", is the moment you can factor in lots of aluminum junk. So for junkier camp/park type sites, you might find yourself cranking the disc. and getting a little selective on the TID

Also watch your local craigslist lost & found. I read a story that a south Tahoe md'r got called out by an upper-crust couple to search for a ring the gal had lost on the beach. When the md'r showed up at the appointed time & place to be shown the hunt area, he was met by a bay area doctor, who apparently had come up for the weekend. They were obviously well-healed jet-setter couple in a Jaguar. In something like 10 minutes, the md'r found the ring (which he could visibly see was a BIG diamond on the order of 2 carats !). He handed it to the doctor. The doctor whipped out his wallet, and casually counted out 5 benjamins as a tip to the fellow. The md'r tried was about to object and say the tip was too much, but .... after looking at the car he was driving, and the size of the diamond, he realized this was chump change for the fellow

 

[Chiro22]

The beaches there will be the place to angle for that. Might even find some silver coins/wheaties on the beach too. But if you really want to concentrate on old coins, you might want to research yesteryear defunct sled hills, rope pulls, etc... that got discontinued by the early 1960s. Or old scout camps/resorts, etc..... Esp. if they cease all use earlier on, so you're not having to wade through foil, clad, etc.....

There could be jewelry at ski/sled lift-line areas, because of the human nature of people taking off their gloves, which tug on fingers. But jewelry at camp sites will be rarer and much more difficult. Because the moment you factor in things like "campfires" and "eating/drinking", is the moment you can factor in lots of aluminum junk. So for junkier camp/park type sites, you might find yourself cranking the disc. and getting a little selective on the TID

Also watch your local craigslist lost & found. I read a story that a south Tahoe md'r got called out by an upper-crust couple to search for a ring the gal had lost on the beach. When the md'r showed up at the appointed time & place to be shown the hunt area, he was met by a bay area doctor, who apparently had come up for the weekend. They were obviously well-healed jet-setter couple in a Jaguar. In something like 10 minutes, the md'r found the ring (which he could visibly see was a BIG diamond on the order of 2 carats !). He handed it to the doctor. The doctor whipped out his wallet, and casually counted out 5 benjamins as a tip to the fellow. The md'r tried was about to object and say the tip was too much, but .... after looking at the car he was driving, and the size of the diamond, he realized this was chump change for the fellow

Well that would be exciting. Great tip! I plan on hitting the beaches and some the ground around my cabin. I'm really just in it for the fun of digging. Now the idea of returning lost property is even more exiting.