First Nugget By The Side Of The Road!

nuggeteer

Jr. Member
Jun 7, 2013
63
134
Redding, CA
Detector(s) used
Gold Bug Pro
Primary Interest:
Other
Hello all,
After 3 months of time, countless hours of research, 962 bicycling miles, at least 150 hiking miles, 3 cases of poison oak, dozens of holes in clothes and skin, and sore knees from traveling on all fours through manzanita thicket... I finally got gold!
I've been getting out about 4 days a week since I got a metal detector three months ago. I always try to get to the furthest and most difficult places in hopes that I'll be the first one there, but haven't found anything but trash to a point where I got discouraged sufficiently enough to start panning again. Recently, about ten feet off the side of the road that I frequently bicycle to reach further away prospects I saw some possibility in old tailings. I had previously ignored the area simply because of how easy it was to reach, but I suppose out of desperation I returned and gave it a try with my detector. Within 5 minutes I snagged this chubby little piece of gold. At least one other detector had been there before me, but missed it. The area was ground sluiced all around and has heaps of tailings as common to what I've seen in this part of Northern California. Most of the tailings were composed of small and very angular rocks, likely produced by early miners breaking up the decomposed metavolcanic bedrock. Between these rows was a dense yellow clay atop which the gold sat about 2 inches down. The manzanita was quite thick so I couldn't detect much of the area.

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nuggeteer

nuggeteer

Jr. Member
Jun 7, 2013
63
134
Redding, CA
Detector(s) used
Gold Bug Pro
Primary Interest:
Other
thats far out ,, i really like my GBP . it shows 50 on the meter when its gold but 45-50-55 if its a 22 casing .

Hi H-2 CHARLIE,
That's interesting. For this piece, the big number and the arc number danced in the 30's and 40's until I dug down a bit. Then, the big number dropped below 10 and the arc number remained steady in the mid 40's. An arc number in the low 50's is usually .22 lead. The .22 casings usually give off a slightly different tone. I have found myself relying more and more on the tones and less on the display.
 

goldentruth

Hero Member
Nov 3, 2011
523
38
French Gulch, North Calif.
Detector(s) used
"WHITES" GOLDMASTER "GMT" & "TESORO GOLDEN SABRE II" with silent search.
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Good Job! Nice gold nugget! I bet your heart was beating hard when you found it, You deserve the great find Bro.
 

63bkpkr

Silver Member
Aug 9, 2007
4,069
4,617
Southern California
Detector(s) used
XLT, GMT, 6000D Coinmaster
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Hi nuggeteer, I believe it is human nature that we go to the hardest places first. I for one have a great deal of respect as well as understanding for anyone else who has taken the opportunity to play in a Manzanita Thicket! I have been known to walk on top of the stuff to get past it as it could not be crawled through or gone around and was 6' - 7' tall. I hope your bleeding spots have at least slowed down by now.

I've also known of folks cutting trails through Manzanita even though they mentioned in their wills that they refused to be buried in a coffin made of Manzanita and if they were they would come back to haunt the family of those who would perpetrate such a thing on them. So it can be done but it must not be fun and likely is a lot of effort, especially in the summer time.

That is a very nice piece of Gold, well done! I would think you gave your detector a friendly pat on the battery box for having carried out its mission successfully. The best of success to you on further outings in search of the cure for the illness that spurs all of us forward! Alas, finding more gold just begets more outings..........................63bkpkr
 

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nuggeteer

nuggeteer

Jr. Member
Jun 7, 2013
63
134
Redding, CA
Detector(s) used
Gold Bug Pro
Primary Interest:
Other
Hi nuggeteer, I believe it is human nature that we go to the hardest places first. I for one have a great deal of respect as well as understanding for anyone else who has taken the opportunity to play in a Manzanita Thicket! I have been known to walk on top of the stuff to get past it as it could not be crawled through or gone around and was 6' - 7' tall. I hope your bleeding spots have at least slowed down by now.

I've also known of folks cutting trails through Manzanita even though they mentioned in their wills that they refused to be buried in a coffin made of Manzanita and if they were they would come back to haunt the family of those who would perpetrate such a thing on them. So it can be done but it must not be fun and likely is a lot of effort, especially in the summer time.

That is a very nice piece of Gold, well done! I would think you gave your detector a friendly pat on the battery box for having carried out its mission successfully. The best of success to you on further outings in search of the cure for the illness that spurs all of us forward! Alas, finding more gold just begets more outings..........................63bkpkr

Hey 63bkpkr,
HA! My sentiments exactly... You're right, I'll be going out tomorrow!
 

Aufisher

Bronze Member
May 12, 2013
1,948
4,830
The Golden State
Detector(s) used
Whites Goldmaster V/SAT. VibraProbe. Bazooka 48" Prospector Sluice. Shorts. Chickens + Goats + Goldhounds. 35' Chris Craft Caribbean motorsailer. FISH OIL + BURLAP
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
Nice nugget! I found my largest pickers next to the highway, 5 minute walk just below a dam!
 

kazcoro

Hero Member
Feb 11, 2013
876
357
Glendale
Detector(s) used
Gold Bug Pro, Gold Buddy drywasher, Black Magic, Pro Gold recirc, Custom highbanker/2.5" dredge, Roadrunner Member
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
That is a beautiful chunk of gold. Love it.
 

shepcal

Full Member
Mar 19, 2003
217
149
Oakhurst,CA
Detector(s) used
modded 4500, CTX30-30, Gold Monster1000
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
nuggeteer- pretty nugget and congrats! I'm one of those suckers that travel a long ways from camp looking for bigger gold. One time up at Rye Patch, went 'way over there' and wife would always question, why didn't I hunt around camp. Last day there, found a 1/4 oz'r 100' from camp. Same down at Quartzsite, found best gold close to camp. Don't tell this to wife! I know what I'm doing!
Shep
 

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nuggeteer

nuggeteer

Jr. Member
Jun 7, 2013
63
134
Redding, CA
Detector(s) used
Gold Bug Pro
Primary Interest:
Other
Hi shepcal,
There's something about a long trek that makes the gold look a little bit shinier.
 

chinchilla

Full Member
Dec 18, 2009
182
24
Detector(s) used
Tesoro, White's
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Nice one! Congrats!

I understand you, I also use my detectors as an excuse for adventure, biking and hiking as well with all the thing backpacked
 

Aufisher

Bronze Member
May 12, 2013
1,948
4,830
The Golden State
Detector(s) used
Whites Goldmaster V/SAT. VibraProbe. Bazooka 48" Prospector Sluice. Shorts. Chickens + Goats + Goldhounds. 35' Chris Craft Caribbean motorsailer. FISH OIL + BURLAP
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
Looks like you found it's big brothers too.
 

Jeff Harris

Jr. Member
Mar 16, 2010
38
12
Next time out bring some heavy duty pruning shears. You don't have to destroy the manzanita, but you can cut paths through it to get nuggets
that nobody else can reach. I always have them and a hand saw with me if I'm dealing with heavy undergrowth while detecting. Good job.

Jeff
 

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nuggeteer

nuggeteer

Jr. Member
Jun 7, 2013
63
134
Redding, CA
Detector(s) used
Gold Bug Pro
Primary Interest:
Other
Hi Jeff Harris,
Thanks, good idea. I've found a couple of tunnels through the manzanita. One of them was about a mile long! Maybe yours?
 

nuggetshooter323

Hero Member
Jul 22, 2005
963
869
Colorado Springs
Detector(s) used
The Legend, Anfibio Equinox 900, Gold Kruzer, XP Deus, ORX, Tesoro Tejon, Whites GMT, Falcon MD20, XP MI-6, Fisher F-Pulse, Pulse Dive, Vibra Probe, UniProbe.
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
Hi Jeff Harris,
Thanks, good idea. I've found a couple of tunnels through the manzanita. One of them was about a mile long! Maybe yours?

On those tunnels, look out! Wild pigs use those to move around. You don't want to come face-to-face with one of those things.
 

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