Gold Bug II

NuggetN8 · Mar 13, 2012

I recently bought a gold bug 2 and I was wondering if anyone else on here has found gold with theirs? If so, do you dig ALL targets including ones that don't show up when you turn on iron disc mode? I haven't found any nuggets with it alone yet but it's helped me out when just panning for gold. Sometimes it picks up large deposits of lead shot or iron and thats where i get some good deposits of gold too.

63bkpkr · Mar 13, 2012

Congratulations N8longly on the new detector and being on TNET!

Check some posts under Prospecting/Metal Detecting by toddles as he has the same machine. I've found that with any machine it just takes time to learn through reading, reading, practicing, reading, asking questions, practicing and more practice. It took me a couple of years working with my GMT to find gold but now that I've practiced some, read some and finally put it over some gold I've a better idea of how to use the machine. Don't worry, you will get there it just takes time and learning and believeing in your machine you. As you mentioned the machine helps you out when you are panning so you know it identifies gold, just stick with it, learn how to ground balance the unit and then re=ground balance it often. Also, Terry C has a GB II so ask him some quesitons.

Good Success..........63bkpkr

TerryC · Mar 13, 2012

Just saw your post, NB. Yes, I have a GB2. I bought the Bug and a GMT at the same time. BOTH are dynamite machines! I must make this short as I have already taken my evening DOSE and AmbienCR, so I will be OUT soon! After looking for more than a year, I have found a .61 gram nuggy. Make a RECOVERABLE disc with a very small nugget (or lead shot.... same signal) to practice with. I put a small, .04 gram nugget, onto a strip of "hot seal" that is one foot long. By using a ruler to measure and hold the nugget down in a hole, I could then fill the hole knowing exactly how deep it was. You will be able to get a good, repeatable, signal at 2 inches. I can only say, it will be HARD to find those buggers... unless you are Irish. But DON'T QUIT! It is there, just park that coil above the color and BINGO! Off to dreamland now (legal). Hey 63! TTC

NuggetN8 · Mar 14, 2012

Thanks for the replies guys! Hope I can find something soon. I'm in the right location to find gold. I found a 3 gram nugget in the creek behind my house not too long ago without a detector. There was a big mining operation where I live back in the 1800's though so theres a lot of squarenails, lead, and other trash that isn't made of iron. Here's a pic of that nugget I found.

Lanny in AB · Mar 14, 2012

N8,

That nugget has lots of character. The detector you've bought is a true gold huntin' machine. Lots of people have found all kinds of nuggets with that model. Read everything you can--keep your manual by your bedside to read it every night to become completely familiar with every aspect of your machine's capabilities (I'm doing that with my GPX 5000 manual right now and it's amazing what I've picked up over the winter, and I thought I knew my machine's capabilities last summer! I've learned so much more since then just by reading a couple of pages every night.)

Be determined and tenacious in your nugget shooting and you'll hit a nugget one day. Most likely you'll dig all kinds of trash along the way, but that's part of the learning curve. Sooner or later you'll triumph over the trash.

All the best,

Lanny

Hoser John · Mar 14, 2012

LUV my ol' GB2 as one heck of a nugget shooter. I dig all targets no matter what capabilities all my machines have. Never rush nuggetshooting and you'll be a much happier miner-tons a au 2 u 2 -John :laughing7:

TerryC · Mar 14, 2012

Hoser John said:
LUV my ol' GB2 as one heck of a nugget shooter. I dig all targets no matter what capabilities all my machines have. Never rush nuggetshooting and you'll be a much happier miner-tons a au 2 u 2 -John

Hey Hoser! Yes, dig 'em all. The WHISPERS particularly! An ounce is an ounce is an ounce... be it in little pieces or big chunks! TTC

63bkpkr · Mar 15, 2012

N8Longly you tease,
That is a fine nugget and out back of your house in a town called Foresthill, where's that. I've been in a few little towns in the out back of CA one is sorta picturesque with a split main street, a grass zone and another street, with a hotel used for weddings, an old water wheel kitty corner from an old red dirt saloon place and back down the street sorta out back of the post office and wells fargo bank is the new high school and the Carpenters place where the old loggin mill used to be. Some of those towns are all alike, describing one may sound just like another maybe even sound like your place.....follow the advice given to you and you will find all sorts of good things with your detector as when they built your town I bet they did not mine the ground first. You should know that already as you found that fine nugget out back of your place. Go getum............6bkpkr

PS - The USGS, that's united states geological survey, has a series of historical maps and sells copies of them for maybe $5 to $10. You could contact the USGS like online, as the hardware strore does not stock the old ones, and if they had an old map of the ground where your town was built on that could be interesting and might guide you to where old streams or gullies, right in town, may have been. just a thought. Imagine, prospecting the drainage ditches in an old town and finding gold nuggets in them without even having to startup your truck to drive out the FHDR. You do have a truck don't you?

Special note: if you find nuggets right in town keep your mouth shut about it! Do your detecting at night after both bars have shut down! IMHO

NuggetN8 · Mar 15, 2012

63 have you been to Foresthill before

You described my town exactly! Lol. I did recently get a USGS map addon for Google Earth. It's pretty useful it's helped me discover new gold bearing creeks and old diggins from back in the day. Here's the link if anyone wants them. There's a free version and another version that doesnt have a border around it for $5. http://www.gelib.com/usgs-topographic-maps-2.htm
http://www.gelib.com/store/shaded-usgs-topographic-maps.html

minerjoe · Mar 15, 2012

Yep, shhhh Funny, i've been hunting gold since i was 8 y/o, and after all these years found gold in my own yard! ha ha Like forrest Hill, we all live on gold bearing ground! Hard not to in Ca. When i think of forrest hill, i think of the great burrito shop! You have a great detector, learn it.

Hoser John · Mar 16, 2012

The USGS sells the series on CD and many surveyor and bakpak stores carry them as ez to print up fullsize right in their stores now-John :laughing7:

63bkpkr · Mar 16, 2012

Mornin Hoser John,
Looks like quite a party at the Pig Roast! The USGS Topo CD - what coverage does it include the entire state or just a map at a time? What size are the topo's like 7.5 minute? What do they charge for it in U.S. easy to print dollars?

The river flows have really jumped in the last few days. It will be interesting to see what happens this weekend and early next week with snow levels going up or down, in elevation that is or maybe just the amount of snow. Hey, up late with tax papers so the brain is fuzzy right now.

Waiting for an input from the company I interviewed at on Wed to find out if my mountain time will be seriously cut back or not. As it stands right now I'm thinking the chain saw goes back as it wil be warmer when I get in where ever and when ever I do get in.

Time for more paperwork..........63bkpkr

NuggetN8 · Mar 16, 2012

I hope it stops raining and the water levels go down some.. My gold fevers running high and all the creeks are flooded right now :BangHead:

minerjoe · Mar 16, 2012

not flood stage here yet, but close. I'm dang near the headwaters of the feather, but its changing to snow right now!

Lanny in AB · Mar 17, 2012

68,

Nice shot and a great view in your profile picture. Sounds like you're off on another adventure.

All the best.

N8--when you get out in the field with that new detector, keep us updated.

Lanny

63bkpkr · Mar 19, 2012

Hi Lanny,
That profile picture has a lot in it. Over my left shoulder is an old apple tree planted by miners I would think. Used to be an old cabin when I first saw the place but when the picture was taken, ~2007, the USFS had taken it down as they've done with all the historic buildings in the canyon, some were perfectly useable. In that pile of stuff is my GMT, camera bag, a paisely bandana I dove to fetch off the bottom of a deep hole in the river, my 'simple' pack with just a touch of stuff in it and, as the title of the picture indicates, my insurance policy is just down from my left arm pit. Even found a little gold. Lots of historical prospecting/mining signs in the area but since the fire about three years ago that thinned the tree canopy the general "natural" weeds have grown back with a vengance making it difficult to hike the canyon floor.

The adventure is still perking along though I had an interview Wed of this week and will know the results by Wed of the week that starts in 4 minutes. The job will certinally cut back on my free time but then I could use a paycheck every two weeks right now.

We will see what happens.....63bkpkr

minerjoe · Mar 20, 2012

Well, did you get the job? I know i regret not doing as much digging as i wanted to last year. This year WILL be different. We aint getting any younger thats for sure! Good luck!

Lanny in AB · Mar 21, 2012

Herb,

Nice explanation on the photo and the context on everything. I hope you get the job, and I hope you still get to chase the gold as well.

All the best,

Lanny

63bkpkr · Mar 25, 2012

The Job - No not yet however, I believe I will. This coming week I should have the job offer presented to me as long as the references and background check are OK.

I will still make the trip down that narrow river canyon section with the GMT to check out those rocks with all the catch places in them. And I will eventually get the high banker out on a long holiday weekend, the chain saw may not get used this year though. But I doubt I will be out there for three or four months solid like last year as the job will need that time used for it. But I can deal with it!..........63bkpkr