Sniping

[sidvail]

Any tips for sniping?

I took a mask and snorkle on my last trip to the NF of American River. My first view underwater just blew me away. WOW! And the first piece of bedrock I looked at? A beautiful picker wedged in a crack barely 18 inches under water. Have to say, my focus went from panning to sniping that quick. And of course, I found not another one for the next 4 hours. Did not deter me in the least. I'm hooked. That was the most fun I've had in a long long time.

The view underwater was just awesome - a completely new world. The videos I've watched did not do justice to what you actually see and feel. All I think about now is swimming around underwater and picking gold off the bedrock - LOL.

So, any tips or tools or caveats to keep in mind?

 

[Jeff95531]

The river here is low and warming up. Can't wait to give it a try. Post a pic if you can. Congrats!

 

[Fullpan]

Its even more fun with a dredge! rant over.

 

[gold tramp]

If I was up north, my 1st choice would dredging, but since ya cant i be a sniper, ive done this before it can be very productive way to find gold.

chase all cracks all the way and don't be afraid to dig, get a grease gun, rock hammer, gad bar.

 

[KevinInColorado]

If I was up north, my 1st choice would dredging, but since ya cant i be a sniper, ive done this before it can be very productive way to find gold.

chase all cracks all the way and don't be afraid to dig, get a grease gun, rock hammer, gad bar.

Grease gun??

 

[sidvail]

Yeah, what's the grease gun for?

 

[Oakview2]

How about some picz

 

[sidvail]

Guess I could call this one my first picker.

Found at Euchre Bar

 

[Fullpan]

VEERRY NICE!!!!

 

[Oakview2]

AAAAAAWWWWWWEEEEESSSSSOOOOMMMMMME

 

[IDdesertman]

That's a pretty little picker! Nice find for sure!

 

[sidvail]

Yeah, that did make my day. Can't wait to get back out there.

Found a great video on sniping from Hurthawk and a couple others. Gave me some ideas. Sure wish I could have tried dredging. I can only imagine.

 

[Fullpan]

sidvail - you can browse back through forums for tools, etc. 1 - tip: buy some "swimmers ear" if you plan on being submerged for any time - without it, the
dredgers got bad ear infections sometimes.

 

[bedrock bubba]

Yeah, what's the grease gun for?

Ya gotta grease them crevices, so the gold will come out easier!Yahahah!

Jest kiddin, podnah! A suction gun look kinda like a grease gun, is all.

 

[bedrock bubba]

I've been telling everyone for years now, SNIPING is the way to go! That, and siphon dredging, where ever its quiet and you can get away with it. And using the low flow sluice box with no Gdamn riffles, using just ribbed rubber matting!

I blew some minds back in 94, on the S.Yuba one day. I was sniping with my mask, running a low flow sluice, had a monster home made suction gun, and panning it all out with my rectangular Le Trap pan. Miners came up to me, and couldn't believe what I was doing. Then, to blow minds further, I would get on all fours and dowse with my little copper wire doodlebug over the cracks. They thought I was nuts, until I showed them the gold, and why everything worked so well.

And I never had to lug heavy buckets of gravel around anymore, and would go home with my clean gold in a vial. I had to learn this new method because of my bad back. Now, I just can't do much anymore. Sad!

 

[Oakview2]

You should pm Neo Tokyo, he had a home made mouth siphon he used for sniping out of a arizona tea container, and they guy got on the gold early and often while sniping

 

[sidvail]

I'm taking notes - keep em coming

I did make a pocket dredge - 2 pieces of 1/4" clear tubing to a bottle w/lid. Suck on one end and it pulls the material into the bottle. Works like a champ.

I need a good pair of tweezers too - and one of those snuffer bulbs.

Fullpan - Did not know about the ear infections. I'll take that to heart and prepare.

No buckets? No shoveling? I feel like I'm cheating somehow. LOL

 

[Fullpan]

One more thing - when you finally get a bucketful of snipers tools, be sure to count them when leaving a spot- don't know how many times I had to re-trace
my steps to recover my special thing-a-ma-jig!

 

[gold tramp]

Grease gun??

the most important tool in a sniper arsenal beside his wetsuit and mask.

Its a DIY tool and is made from a grease gun.

A good sniper probably only uses a rockhammer and a grease gun and could feasible pull out a gram a day, that's just my take im not up there.
If I was I would be working the creeks.

TILL I SPYED SOME QUARTZ..........................

 

[KevinInColorado]

the most important tool in a sniper arsenal beside his wetsuit and mask.

Its a DIY tool and is made from a grease gun.

A good sniper probably only uses a rockhammer and a grease gun and could feasible pull out a gram a day, that's just my take im not up there.
If I was I would be working the creeks.

TILL I SPYED SOME QUARTZ..........................

Can you post a picture for me? I'm having a hard time envisioning what this would be...