Exciting Day

[NuggetN8]

So today I went on a sniping trip to the middle fork American. I got down there pretty early around 7 or so. I started down river to find the spot I found last year and wanted to try sniping. I came to this big bar full of cobbles sand and gravels and notices a lion print. Looked pretty fresh to me but didn't think much of it. I figured it could have been from the night before. I continued along a wall of brush and trees between me and the river. I saw an opening where I could see the water so I decided to go check it out and see if there was any bedrock to snipe. I came around the corner and the mountain lion who's tracks I had seen was standing right there about 5 feet away from me. He wasn't a huge one just a little bigger than a large German shepherd. As soon as I saw him I let out a "HOLY S***!!!!!!!" And started pounding my walking stick against the cobbles and ran towards him a little ways. He was gone in a matter of seconds.. Lol. Despite how I reacted to seeing him that made my whole trip. It's amazing to see one of those animals up close in the wild. I know he could have torn me to shreds if he wanted to but he didn't want any trouble he was just getting a drink at the waters edge when a human came along and started yelling and slapping a stick around. Well anyways after that experience I decided to turn back and find another area to snipe away from Mr. Kitty. I found an area where the bedrock slopes down and had some little valleys in it. So I threw my wetsuit on and jumped in and sniped until about 10:30ish the water level started changing pretty drastically. I think it came up about 5 or more feet in an hour. So I ended up getting flooded out of my sniping hole because I couldn't reach the bottom anymore and the water was too swift and cold for me to want to dive down over and over. Here's some pictures. One of the kitty tracks, quartz/gold picker I found, and the total. Only got a gram but would have done much better if the water level didn't come up. Video on the way too but it will take a minute because I have to post from my computer. The video isn't that great but it's pretty difficult to snipe and film at the same time. I just did the recovery of one piece that I found today.

 

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[NuggetN8]

Isn't it just terrific. They are getting paid a nice wage with even better benefits to go kayaking and throw their weight around. They ought to be picking up trash and cleaning outhouses

Sadly that's probably a separate job and they probably get paid less than the ones who just float around on a kayak/raft and harass people.

 

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[NuggetN8]

Sniping trip take #2 in the morning! I'm going to wear high rubber boots this time. I know they won't be too fun to hike in but hey it should be more comfortable than having a ton of fox tails and the round prickly things digging into my skin. Have a feeling this trip will be very successful!

 

[DizzyDigger]

Sniping trip take #2 in the morning! I'm going to wear high rubber boots this time. I know they won't be too fun to hike in but hey it should be more comfortable than having a ton of fox tails and the round prickly things digging into my skin. Have a feeling this trip will be very successful!

For that stuff, it's jeans and brush chaps all the way. Just pack the
shorts and change when ya get there..

You guys got Devil's Club down there?

 

[NuggetN8]

You guys got Devil's Club down there?

Not sure what that is

 

[Duckwalk]

Devils club is a wild bush that grows large and wide. it has thorns all over the spine and in some cases even under the leaves. it has large leaves and hides its thorns in the shadows under them. They hurt like the dickens!

 

[chlsbrns]

I never tried sniping but it looks like fun! I should try it.

Is it worth investing in an underwater pinpionter?

 

[NuggetN8]

I never tried sniping but it looks like fun! I should try it. Is it worth investing in an underwater pinpionter?

I would say no. Sniping is pretty easy. Shouldn't need one of those. All you need is a mask snorkel crevicing tool and something to suck up the gold. I use a snuffer bottle. Also maybe a wetsuit depending on which river you're going to. Some rivers stay really cold year round.

 

[NuggetN8]

No devils club here that I know of. We have buck brush though that stuff can tear you up if you walk through it. I don't think it has thorns. Idk maybe it does. Probably not nearly as bad as what your talking about though.

Went on another sniping trip today. Different area. Chunkier gold but didn't find as much. I tried doing another video but it didn't turn out that great so not posting. Nothing exciting just waving dirt around no gold on camera. Was a slow day. It was nice down there but only when I was in the water. I think it was in the mid 90s and that bedrock turns that place into an oven! I think I'll stick with creeks for a while.. Not having that great of luck in the river. Here's some pics.

 

[NuggetN8]

Oops not sure why it posted 2 of the same pic. Oh well :P

 

[squiggy]

BEAUTIFUL picture..where in Northern Ca are you?

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[NuggetN8]

BEAUTIFUL picture..where in Northern Ca are you? Sent from my VS980 4G using Tapatalk

Placer county

 

[squiggy]

Love that area..lucky for you it's great gold country.., I'm in Santa Cruz County

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[NuggetN8]

Love that area..lucky for you it's great gold country.., I'm in Santa Cruz County Sent from my VS980 4G using Tapatalk

That's cool. I've never been down in that area before. Yeah it's nice living close to the gold my first nugget I ever found was about a 10min walk from my house :P

 

[squiggy]

I'd be obsessed if I lived there..lol!

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[goldenmojo]

N8 Nice looking chunky gold. All sniping?

 

[NuggetN8]

N8 Nice looking chunky gold. All sniping?

All the bigger stuff was sniping. I took a couple pans off the side before I left and got the really small stuff that's in the pan.