Does this look promising? Missouri hunters want to go?

[hns11550]

Since I have gotten into metal detecting, I have really been aware of my surroundings as far as possible future hunting sites. This is a place where float trips are very common. There are 10,000-50,000 that float these rivers around here during the summer, and I know for a fact they lose jewelry. My buddy lost his band as soon as we pushed in the raft. What is the best way to recover these Items? At times, the river is low and not real deep, the water is very clear, but the bottom is gravel, and very difficult to scoop. Is this worth a shot this year, or should I just snorkel it and look that way. If anyone in Missouri wants to hunt these small spring fed rivers with me this year, let me know, I know there is gold in them....

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

How to Research for Treasure Hunting and Metal Detecting From Lead Generation to Vetting - Grab it through Amazon!

[hns11550]

Re: Does this look promising?

Here are a couple of more shots from this location...along this route, there are alot of sand bars, or stopping points that floaters stop and party for a while, and then get back in and hit the river....a couple more shots to give you a better feel for this location.

 

[Montana Jim]

Re: Does this look promising?

Yup... I'd hit it.

 

[Lowbatts]

Re: Does this look promising?

I use a garden cultivator when working the river stones here, your bedding looks like it would be well served with a good md and a simple cultivator. I would use my CZ-20 there, it's hip mountable and easy to swing and allows you to cary along the long handled cultivator easily.

Scooping rocks is hard and wears you down fast depending on how hard they are set. Looks like a great place, expect pulltabs aplenty, people still think they need to tear them off and toss them. But otherwise it lookslike a great site, go get it!

 

[mlayers]

Re: Does this look promising?

you bet it looks like a promising place. If I lived closer to you I would help detect it. Wish you luck on yuor hunt let us know how it pans out....Matt

 

[Gypsy Heart]

Re: Does this look promising?

Looks like a place we canoe and kayak at....LOL....Lots of pull tabs...but I agree people lose jewelry and more when they tip....

 

[kdismuke1]

Re: Does this look promising?

THAT DOES LOOK GOOD. I HAVE TRYED THAT AND FOUND SOME SILVER AND GOLD.

 

[deepskyal]

Re: Does this look promising?

I'd find a way to try it...but if you go in the water, I'd take a buddy.

I attempted snorkeling an area on the upper Allegheny once. On the surface, the water didn't look bad. It was also a little more than waist deep, like those in your pics. But let me tell you about the pull of the water when I attempted to snorkel...and it was a gravel bottom......I couldn't get a grip, literally, and was being swept down river at every attempt. The current wasn't so swift that I couldn't stand in place, but when my feet left the ground, I was propelled faster than I liked downriver.

Rivers that you see as a popular canoe or rafting place, you can bet has a swifter than normal current. It fools you just looking at it until you actually begin to wade out deeper.

The gravel is slippery, sometimes there are holes you step in and can easily twist an ankle and find yourself in trouble.

But on the plus side...a gravel bottom isn't going to let the coins and jewelry go very deep and the current will keep more materials from covering them.

So...like I said...give it a shot but go the buddy system way...play it safe.

Al

 

[hns11550]

Re: Does this look promising?

We have some property about 10 miles or so away from these rivers, and we have an old hunting cabin there also. I am thinking about making this a little trip when it gets warmer and staying at the cabin. Thanks for all of the input. The locations are about 60 miles away from where I live, and I don't want to drive down there and not have a plan, but if the gravel is going to be an issue as far as scooping goes, It's going to probably take 2 people. I f anyone around Missouri wants to make a Saturday/ Sunday trip out of it this spring, I am game. It is a central location from St Louis to Springfield. We could hit the river areas all day Sat, and part of Sunday. I agree the buddy system is the way to go. I have some hip waders, and excited to see what is in these waters. Would gold jewelry collect in pockets similar to nuggets in a stream, or would they stay put? we have about 325 acres down there and the cabin was built I think around the 1950's...we would all be free to roam the property as well and do some hunting.......but we could use the property as a base camp for the river and hang out and bbq and sit around the fire at night. I think this would be a cool little trip this spring if any one wants to do it...

 

[deepskyal]

Not sure of what you're weather is like, but around here...April showers bring May...flooding!!!

Water will still be pretty darn cold in spring, a much faster current from snow melts and spring rains....deeper water in general.

You may want to consider making that a late summer, low river level, warm water trip.

I know when you find a place, you hate the idea of waiting to hit it and get all the goodies before someone else....but careful planning, even the timing of the hunt needs to be considered to maximize your finds.

And with warmer water...forget the waders. If you come across something you can't scoop easily, bending down or stooping is gonna flood your waders....trust me, I fished enough to learn that dumb mistake.

Gold is a heavy metal and sinks darn fast. It will have a tendency to settle in a pocket and stay...unless you get flood stage waters pushing every piece of crap from up river through the area.
It will carry shallower stuff into even deeper pockets where the currents won't affect it as much. But this is where the stuff gets burried too with more heavy, larger pieces of gravel and rock.

I'd definately have some sort of snorkel gear and maybe an inexpensive underwater detector...just for those isolated deeper pockets.

If you can kick up a raft of some sort, use a pole to gauge depth...concentrate on those deeper pockets.......KA-CHING...I think you'll find the mother load.

But heck...this is just my opinion and a little I've learned from my past failures. Passing it on to you...learn from my mistakes.

Al

 

[Lowbatts]

I agree with Deepskyal, leave the waders at home, be ready to go under. I wear cutoffs and heavy boots, it's much better on the feet and you can always walk out of a hole as long as your feet can grip at all. Flooded waders are no way to go away.

 

[godisnum1]

I'd be interested if I can work it around my schoolwork!!
Post if you come up with a date...

Bran <><

 

[rmptr]

That looks like fun!

We tube on the Kern River, just upstream of Bakersfield... or did, years ago.

They call it tubing, here... I guess it's floaters, there...

Al is right... hip waders can be a liability in a stream. They'll take you down!

Be fun with a w/proof MD floating on a tube, maybe with a drag behind to slow you down.

Best
rmptr

 

[schlooppy]

sounds good, i would be in. dont forget them gravel bars are great places to find indian artifacts also