The Adventures of Chance the Prospecting Dog.

[achanceforgold]

This will be an ongoing post updated each week for those interested.

As some of you may know, I’ve trained Chance, my dog, a Black Labrador Retriever and Hound mix to locate gold and silver. The first time I took Chance out he was too scared to leave my side and venture away from me too far. He must have thought I was going to leave his furry butt in the woods.

The next time we went out to an area with an old gold mine/prospecting area from the 1800’s. But that area may be submerged now. Chance did go to the water’s edge investigating. But a dam was put in during the 1950’s and that original site may be submerged.

On his Third Gold Prospecting venture. We have been preparing Chance to free reign, off leash, gold search. It’s very difficult having him on a leash while he darts under branches, into bushes and over logs.
Here is a video of Chance free reign searching just before he went on his third prospecting venture



We went to a location with many historic gold mines in the area.

In fact, it was the first gold mining in Georgia in 1823, the area around the Columbia Mine in McDuffie County GA, five years before they found gold in Dahlonega, GA.
The Red dots are old gold mines and prospects in the area where we went.

Well on this venture, Chance and I were planning to spend the whole weekend in a tent prospecting. We set up camp Friday evening and settled in for a good rest so we could get to it first thing in the morning.

The next morning, we started our patterned search. At first nothing. But an hour into it we came across a dried-up creek bed and started following it up. Chance didn’t signal a find. He will sit at attention when he finds gold or silver. But he became overly curious to an area along the old creek and started digging into the dirt. I went over to the site and used a pin pointer and it signaled metal.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t gold. Chance had located some old nails along the side of the creek. I dug up six of them.

We continued doing a patterned search and came upon three creeks leading to the river, where we located several open pits. I assume were done by the old prospectors looking for gold. Several piles of quartz rocks were located around the pits.

But I made a mistake, by the time we located the area Chance was 2-1/2 hours into his scent detection. Twenty minutes of scent detection for a dog is like 1 hour of walking. It is both mentally and physically stressful for the dog. The TSA only works their dogs for 1-1/2 hours all day. The Border patrol works their dogs in 20 minutes sessions, then breaks the dogs for a few hours.

I equate the dog’s scent detection as trying to do a calculus problem while running a marathon.

It’s tough on them. By this time, I could see Chance was getting exhausted.

So, I called it for the day to let Chance rest. He was a tired dog. We were planning on revisiting the site in the morning and let him use his magic nose.

Chance spent the rest of the day sleeping until dinner time.

At 3 am this morning a thunderstorm came rolling into the camp. We were pretty far back into the woods, and it didn’t let up over the next couple of hours.

That big ole storm came rolling through and a bigger one was on its way.

At around 5-6 am in the rain we broke camp so I could get the SUV out of the woods without getting stuck in the mud. We did get a little stuck in the mud, but we made it out of the woods and back on the highway.

Chance, I think, was disappointed he couldn’t run through the woods again today. He kept signaling me to stop so he could go outside on the 3 hours ride back home.


Next week we will try again. This time we will head directly to the site in the photos and let Chance do his work. But I will limit the time he actually does scent detection.

 

[achanceforgold]

I did some research last night and found an old map of the area.
Early 1900. Gold mining was shut down in the 1940's for WWII.
Non-Essential to the war effort.

This is the mine Chance and I stumbled upon.

Wood Dale Mine.

The USGS doesn't have this one listed. But clearly it was big enough to make its way onto a map.
I think Chane is going to find me a nugget next week.

 

[GirlWithWolf]

That’s awesome, and he just made himself home right there.

 

[releventchair]

Congrats! Looks like a goodtime.


Respectfully; and only my experience with hounds and other breeds.
Handler discrimination (handlers scent vs item it is on) factors in obedience trials.
Watching someone roll a metal "barbell" shaped object numbered then putting it in a pile of similar objects confirms it. Still laudable of course. But eliminate handler scent for hunting a non handler scent.
that removes the potential confusion of the task (isn't it to locate handler or other human scented item?) and eliminates depending on a handler to provide the target.
For hounds I kept bagged scent samples frozen until hunt time (hound(s)on the ground) exposing the scent to them.( I'd have used a picture if it worked.)

Keep an eye on wind and humidity levels when your hunter is working efficiently. Some days are just lousy for scenting items below the surface. some breezes a nose works better in downwind a little from actual scent source; but is still actually detecting the scent. Pinpointing of your senses to locate origin of a partners nose can be the difference between successfully communicating or not. Trust each other but that means you have to hold up your end of the hunt.
Too; air flows upward uphill as it warms and sinks downhill as it cools. Don't confuse what your partner smells distant from a source at opposite ends of calm warm days..

Your incoming storm should have had a brief window before it arrived( No I don not suggest being out anywhere near a storm) where humidity increased.
But after ... Or when you can smell "fresh" earth or on any day you can suggest the ground is exhaling try your hunting companion again.

Keep your partner in the black coat from overheating on hot days. That'll wreck a nose.
I have to keep watch on a dark one that likes to soak up sun. But has to be told when he's getting too warm. Funny dog.

Good hunting to you!

 

[KYgotGOLD]

Meanwhile my dog just feeds the ticks so far.

 

[achanceforgold]

Congrats! Looks like a goodtime.


Respectfully; and only my experience with hounds and other breeds.
Handler discrimination (handlers scent vs item it is on) factors in obedience trials.
Watching someone roll a metal "barbell" shaped object numbered then putting it in a pile of similar objects confirms it. Still laudable of course. But eliminate handler scent for hunting a non handler scent.
that removes the potential confusion of the task (isn't it to locate handler or other human scented item?) and eliminates depending on a handler to provide the target.
For hounds I kept bagged scent samples frozen until hunt time (hound(s)on the ground) exposing the scent to them.( I'd have used a picture if it worked.)

Keep an eye on wind and humidity levels when your hunter is working efficiently. Some days are just lousy for scenting items below the surface. some breezes a nose works better in downwind a little from actual scent source; but is still actually detecting the scent. Pinpointing of your senses to locate origin of a partners nose can be the difference between successfully communicating or not. Trust each other but that means you have to hold up your end of the hunt.
Too; air flows upward uphill as it warms and sinks downhill as it cools. Don't confuse what your partner smells distant from a source at opposite ends of calm warm days..

Your incoming storm should have had a brief window before it arrived( No I don not suggest being out anywhere near a storm) where humidity increased.
But after ... Or when you can smell "fresh" earth or on any day you can suggest the ground is exhaling try your hunting companion again.

Keep your partner in the black coat from overheating on hot days. That'll wreck a nose.
I have to keep watch on a dark one that likes to soak up sun. But has to be told when he's getting too warm. Funny dog.

Good hunting to you!

Good info.
You must train tracking/hunting dogs.

We've taken the handler's scent into account and trained for that from the beginning
as you can see in these two videos.
All objects were touched by the handler.
All the objects are visually the same.




We have also done the opposite, where all objects are isolated from the handler
but touched by a third party or rubber gloves used.

This is the Prospect Dog Training developed in Finland in the early 1960's for their steel industry.
Prospecting Dogs
Scent detection dogs used by law enforcement today were derived from this training method.
We styled our free reign training after the ATF's S.E.E.K. training.
So it's a cross between a tracking dog and the dogs scent detecting at the airport.

And we've taken into account the disturbed ground. A couple of TN posters suggestions were used.
We dug a pit 3 feet deep, then drilled at a depth of 2 feet sideways 3 feet into the ground and placed objects, both target and distraction objects on the end of dowel rods and inserted them into the undisturbed ground.

We have used several different distraction scents: minerals, deer poop, food, in the above early gold coin video all the scent containers have distraction scents.

As to weather, yes, I noticed a light rain is okay. But once the ground gets soaked, forget it, until the water seeps down some.
We found in cold weather he can air scent better. It might be the humidity factor or that his nose remains wet and doesn't dry out.
We are on about 8 months of training now. Daily for about 5 to 10 minutes sessions, two or three times a day.

This was his third actual woods experience. First time he stuck right with me. Second time he ventured out a little more.
This third time, he started venturing too far away, I had to call him back a couple of times. So, he's getting more comfortable.


He's 100% accurate on planted hides and can discriminate targets from distracts.
So, we have to keep making it more challenging for him. New locations, different distractions.

We've trained him to avoid most animals he may come across in the woods. Cats are his Achilles heel.
This is very early training of animal avoidance.


So that other readers are clear. The dog is not scent detecting metal, he is scent detecting the metal sulfides.
Dogs have the ability to distinguish between the different metal sulfide smells. Tarnish. yes, even gold gets a lite tarnish on it. very lite but enough for a dog to detect.

This is an experiment. Professional geologist have used dogs to discover ore deposits.
And there are several stories of dogs discovering ore and gold & silver coins for their owners.

Chance is an experiment to see the feasibility and to learn what works and what doesn't work.
Hopefully, he will be the first of many dogs in my pack of prospecting dogs.
So far, the experiment shows promise.

If it fails, I still have a great dog that loves the heck out of me.

 

[achanceforgold]

Meanwhile my dog just feeds the ticks so far.

Give Cardi time.

Chance the first few days destroyed my house.
He still gets a wild hair up his butt every now and then.

I think Cardi is going to be a great dog for you.

 

[achanceforgold]

Short but long weekend for Chance.
He started out at 3 am Saturday to travel up to near a site I had to do some work on Saturday.

When we arrived, we tried a new technique that some of the law-enforcement scent trainers do.
Well kind of; basically, the dogs get rewarded with their meals once they find a target item.
I'm a little too soft-hearted to do that so we modified the scent training a little.
If Chance doesn't find his target after 5 or 10 minutes, we show him where the target is then he is given his meal.
So far, he hasn't been over 5 minutes to locate the gold.
He started this training at home this week for supper and breakfast as a reward for finding gold or silver.
We also do treat training. He seems very excited to do searches for his regular meals.

We switched up different containers that the gold and silver are in
so, he doesn't start to recognize the container itself.

This is Dahlonega small gold nuggets in a paper towel then in a cloth bag.
It is 0.295 grams of gold.

This is Chance at some home training with that Gold.
Dinner at home


Treats at Home


We started training in the woods this weekend.
More sights, sounds and distractions.
This is at our campsite Saturday morning after we arrived.
Breakfast in the woods


Treats in the woods


I had to work all day Saturday, so we didn't do any exploring.
Sunday, we went out and there were campers near the spot we wanted to investigate from last week.
They had a dog, so we ended up exploring another site.
We did two 1/2-hour sessions. Neither produced any triggers from Chance where he sits at attention.

So, we left the campsite and did a detour home to where Jefferson Davis, President of the Confederacy was captured in the woods outside of Irwinville, GA. Rumor has it that there is gold he had on his person hidden in the area.
Chance in front of the Jeff Davis monument

Chance was getting a lot of scents there. he kept darting in different directions.
On the trail, by the marker that shows where the two Union soldiers were shot by friendly fire, Chance Triggered a target near a wood post.
I pulled him away closer to the plaque, and he went back and triggered again at the post.
I pulled him away a third time and he went running back to the post and stayed there in his sitting position.
I took a video, and he kept pointing to the post with his nose.

I stepped back and took a picture of the area. He stayed there indicating it was a target find.

Chance is positive there is something there near that post, either beneath it or very close to it.
And the odds are very high it is Gold or Silver.
He wouldn't leave until he got his treat.
The post isn't new but I'm sure it isn't 160 years old.
Not positive though.
The post may have been replaced but the hole not completely dug out.

There is a caretaker that lives at the site.
We tried contacting him, but he is on vacation.
There were some volunteer workers at the site.
We didn't say anything to them.

So, if anyone detects around Irwinville, GA and can get a hold of the caretaker,
This is definitely a site that needs to be checked.


Chance only mis-identifies gold or silver when he is tired and just wants a treat. Twice in the last three months.
Any time he has triggered it has been some old object or 99% of the time gold or silver.

Also, in the swampy area past the little stone wall, Chance kept wanting to go in there.
But I didn't feel like getting soaked in the mud up to my ankles. Wear rubber boots.
I would metal detect the heck out of that area.


I'm very proud of him and we had a great time.
It was short but fun.

If you do find something there. Please give Chance the credit.
Thanks

 

[achanceforgold]

Also, Chance found this at the camp site.
He didn't trigger a find.
He was just digging it up.

I think it's part of an old horseshoe.

 

[achanceforgold]

Took Chance to some previous open pit gold mines today.

It was hot out; we only spent about 45 minutes on the first excursion.
and about 1/2 hour on the second excursion.

Nothing, He didn't trigger a find.
Very disappointing.

I'm debating to take a step back.
The woods are a very exciting place for Chance.
He is still young, not two yet and labs don't really mature until they are about three.
He spends a lot of his time chasing butterflies or trying to dig up a mole.

I know he easily scent detects gold and silver in a controlled environment.
But the free reign searching may be too much for him at his young age.
The treats and gold are just not as exciting as a lizard.

We will be focusing on yard and park searches, looking for silver or possibly that rare gold coin.
Then I can leash and run a pattern search, like you would a normal metal detector.
I think this is the route to take until he matures.
He's still just too playful. No focus.

 

[AU Seeker]

Took Chance to some previous open pit gold mines today.

It was hot out; we only spent about 45 minutes on the first excursion.
and about 1/2 hour on the second excursion.

Nothing, He didn't trigger a find.
Very disappointing.

I'm debating to take a step back.
The woods are a very exciting place for Chance.
He is still young, not two yet and labs don't really mature until they are about three.
He spends a lot of his time chasing butterflies or trying to dig up a mole.

I know he easily scent detects gold and silver in a controlled environment.
But the free reign searching may be too much for him at his young age.
The treats and gold are just not as exciting as a lizard.

We will be focusing on yard and park searches, looking for silver or possibly that rare gold coin.
Then I can leash and run a pattern search, like you would a normal metal detector.
I think this is the route to take until he matures.
He's still just too playful. No focus.

Don't discourage his playfulness, at least give him his play time "breaks" during work hours, it's what makes him or any dog special!!!

 

[achanceforgold]

Don't discourage his playfulness, at least give him his play time "breaks" during work hours, it's what makes him or any dog special!!!

I agree, that is one of the reasons we will be skipping the mine search for now.
He's just not ready to focus that long.

 

[LauraLou56]

This will be an ongoing post updated each week for those interested.

As some of you may know, I’ve trained Chance, my dog, a Black Labrador Retriever and Hound mix to locate gold and silver. The first time I took Chance out he was too scared to leave my side and venture away from me too far. He must have thought I was going to leave his furry butt in the woods.

The next time we went out to an area with an old gold mine/prospecting area from the 1800’s. But that area may be submerged now. Chance did go to the water’s edge investigating. But a dam was put in during the 1950’s and that original site may be submerged.

On his Third Gold Prospecting venture. We have been preparing Chance to free reign, off leash, gold search. It’s very difficult having him on a leash while he darts under branches, into bushes and over logs.
Here is a video of Chance free reign searching just before he went on his third prospecting venture



We went to a location with many historic gold mines in the area.

In fact, it was the first gold mining in Georgia in 1823, the area around the Columbia Mine in McDuffie County GA, five years before they found gold in Dahlonega, GA.
The Red dots are old gold mines and prospects in the area where we went.
View attachment 2209801

Well on this venture, Chance and I were planning to spend the whole weekend in a tent prospecting. We set up camp Friday evening and settled in for a good rest so we could get to it first thing in the morning.

The next morning, we started our patterned search. At first nothing. But an hour into it we came across a dried-up creek bed and started following it up. Chance didn’t signal a find. He will sit at attention when he finds gold or silver. But he became overly curious to an area along the old creek and started digging into the dirt. I went over to the site and used a pin pointer and it signaled metal.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t gold. Chance had located some old nails along the side of the creek. I dug up six of them.
View attachment 2209802

We continued doing a patterned search and came upon three creeks leading to the river, where we located several open pits. I assume were done by the old prospectors looking for gold. Several piles of quartz rocks were located around the pits.
View attachment 2209803

But I made a mistake, by the time we located the area Chance was 2-1/2 hours into his scent detection. Twenty minutes of scent detection for a dog is like 1 hour of walking. It is both mentally and physically stressful for the dog. The TSA only works their dogs for 1-1/2 hours all day. The Border patrol works their dogs in 20 minutes sessions, then breaks the dogs for a few hours.

I equate the dog’s scent detection as trying to do a calculus problem while running a marathon.

It’s tough on them. By this time, I could see Chance was getting exhausted.
View attachment 2209804

So, I called it for the day to let Chance rest. He was a tired dog. We were planning on revisiting the site in the morning and let him use his magic nose.
View attachment 2209805

Chance spent the rest of the day sleeping until dinner time.
View attachment 2209806

At 3 am this morning a thunderstorm came rolling into the camp. We were pretty far back into the woods, and it didn’t let up over the next couple of hours.
View attachment 2209807
That big ole storm came rolling through and a bigger one was on its way.

At around 5-6 am in the rain we broke camp so I could get the SUV out of the woods without getting stuck in the mud. We did get a little stuck in the mud, but we made it out of the woods and back on the highway.

Chance, I think, was disappointed he couldn’t run through the woods again today. He kept signaling me to stop so he could go outside on the 3 hours ride back home.


Next week we will try again. This time we will head directly to the site in the photos and let Chance do his work. But I will limit the time he actually does scent detection.

Aww Chance! He's the best!