My first "Nugget Hunt" outing

[ExitEden]

Soooo, with my trusty new MXT in hand, I head out to gold country (mainly for some 4-wheeling) and stop at a nice little dry creek bed, that looks like she's just dying to throw several pound nuggets in my direction.

I get a hit, big hit, 20% and VDI of 84. I'm thinking, wow, this is for sure something worth digging, regardless if it's gold or not. Switched to all my different modes, and all came up saying dig the target.

Several minutes later, and about 8" down, I spot an aluminum can.

That was my first "prospecting" experience. So, any of you gold gurus out there care to comment?

[Eu_citzen]

Keep at it gold won't exactly lead out after you dig most and I think you're MXT has a prospecting mode, use that one.
If possible try to hook up with someone who could instruct you or help you.

Get good equipment for all kinds of situations, including a few extra coils and a good pick(?)

Someone else might help you more, my experience of nugget hunting is rather low, there are few nuggets in south Sweden.

Cheers,
Eu

[ExitEden]

I was in prospect mode, but I flipped into the various modes just to see if any other readings popped up that would give me some indication of what the target was. I was using the Double D 6x9. For sure need a pick! Was using a small digger shovel, no fun :-(

[extractor]

Most of us have gold with us that we hide in the ground to tune our MD to. Different soils they respond a little different

[Jim Hemmingway]

Hi ExitEden,

That target ID could just as easily have been a silver coin, likely a silver quarter. The tip off in this example would have been the size and strength of the signal, an indication that something unusual might be expected. In this case, a pop can. We've all had similar experiences.

I hope you will be persistent and keep at it. It's a great hobby. Either get yourself a small nugget of a few grains, or make one with a tiny fishing split-shot sinker and seal it onto coloured plastic. Anytime you're out hunting for gold, bury the "test nugget" an inch or so, set your ground balance first...then "lock" it in. Set your controls as much as the ground minerals will allow...to pick up the nugget best...highest sensitivity possible (and practical). Then begin hunting, and either put the ground balance into Ground setting, or just periodically flick it over to Ground for a few seconds to update the ground balance when required. Using tracking or not depends on the ground conditions, hot rocks, variableness of minerals, typical target size, and personal preference. I prefer to hunt without tracking wherever possible.

Jim.

[kuger]

Welcome to the game!!!You will dig alot more trash than gold.....thats just the nature of the beast!!!If finding gold was easy everybody would be rich,and gold wouldnt be worth much!!!!

[El Cooter]

Listen to Kuger!!


Cooter

[thompy]

you can pick up the coil, good targets fade much quicker than cans, if it like a foot of the ground and still has a strong signal probably a can, but dig all signals till you get a feel for the mxt