Great sunny day

[Rick Herron]

I desided to get out and do some detecting while the weather was nice. I desided to go check out a spot that I haven't checked yet. I was going to go to a spot that had alot of gold in an area but it's been pounded lately. I was in a group that was going to detect together. I thought it would be great freindship, camping together and working patches together. I was wrong about that it's if you find something and can't get back out it's all about greed and some can't wait until we all can get there and have fun. I thought we could get some gold and then envite all to get some. But when you have some going there just about every day there won't be any for the rest. I won't be the only one humping the hills looking for new patches and then someone gets all the crackers and I get the crums and the rest get none. There is team work in a group and not high graders. Am I wrong on my thinking? What do you guy's think? I did get a couple of little ones at the new spot I checked out even though I was by myself, it was a great day.

[Sean.C]

When anyone takes me to a spot of theirs I always ask them if they mind me coming back by myself another time. I try to respect the wishes of the person who kindly invited me to a place I would never known about otherwise.

[matt]

I desided to get out and do some detecting while the weather was nice. I desided to go check out a spot that I haven't checked yet. I was going to go to a spot that had alot of gold in an area but it's been pounded lately. I was in a group that was going to detect together. I thought it would be great freindship, camping together and working patches together. I was wrong about that it's if you find something and can't get back out it's all about greed and some can't wait until we all can get there and have fun. I thought we could get some gold and then envite all to get some. But when you have some going there just about every day there won't be any for the rest. I won't be the only one humping the hills looking for new patches and then someone gets all the crackers and I get the crums and the rest get none. There is team work in a group and not high graders. Am I wrong on my thinking? What do you guy's think? I did get a couple of little ones at the new spot I checked out even though I was by myself, it was a great day.

Boy that is a bummer Road Dog. Sounds like you had all the details agreed upon and then things changed. Gold does strange things to people and feelings can get hurt pretty easy when it comes to gold. Most die hard prospectors around here have run into this at one time or another. I know I have. I hope you can get it worked out without losing any friends. Good luck to you out in the gold fields.

Cheers.

[DOC]

I have lost a lot of so called friends that way. I told them, I will take you out I will show you how to prospect, if I find a patch, we work it together, no coming back here without me and trying to clean the patch out.

"Oh no problem." Next time I go out I am heading to a different area passing by the patch I found and there is not only this person, but he has two friends with him. I stopped and said, do you remember our agreement? "Oh I didn't bring these guys here they found this spot by themselves." Yes of course they did and my asshole is gold plated.

That was it. I have had that happen two more times. One guy even called to brag that he had found over three ounces in the patch I found. I even called him over from where he was prospecting and said, here, work this gully I have found three nuggets in 20 feet. He proceeded to quickly score a 1 dwt and a quarter ounce nugget. Then without my knowledge over the next 6 weeks he stripped it. The guy had the balls to ask me when was the next time I could take him out and find him another patch.

So, I prospect alone. If I am fortunate enough to have a friend like Rob, invite me to his claim, he knows he will never find me there unless I am invited, and I always make sure that my host knows my appreciation, there is always a token of my gratefulness that follows.

I have heard as many excuses for why it was OK to come back and raid a patch I located, as there are detectors in Sudan.

One of my friends Ray Flannagan was working a gully and he had gotten 14 nuggets out of it the day I saw him. Over the next 6 trips I saw him working the same gully about 4 times, he said he would get one or two nuggets every day for his effort. I told him, well when you are through with it, would you mind if I went through the gully. Not all all. He said. Finally about a month later, hew said, "Hey Doc, I am through with that gully I made sure I got all the gold out but I left you some trash." He said with a laugh.

So then I knew it was OK to go back there and anything I found was mine to keep and I could do it with a clear conscience. This was just ol' open BLM land. But I value my friends more than I do gold and my friends know they can trust me and I won't betray that trust.

Doc

Doc

[landoninlv]

Road Dog,

I would have to say it depends on the prospector and their level of the game. Ive been at it hard for about two years, minimal i know compared to some, but 2-3 times a month hiking many miles, swingin 8 hrs days. At first i wouldnt have been able to fully understand why one just doesnt take anyone, or why its a big deal to return to a spot someone took you to. Then you go out, invest a ton of money into it, get skunked sometimes 10 times in a row and a new appreciation is developed. I guess what im trying to say is it has a lot to do with perspective and the persons intention. Im not sure how experienced your buddies are, so that would be a factor. if their like you, which ive seen as an experienced successful prospector then its a kick in the balls.

Some of you may know John Green (mojave JOhn Green), an extremely succesful nugget hunter. he put me on a patch two weeks ago where i found a nugget. Now i am even more motivated than before to hunt for new patches to return the favor.

All said, i feel you.. pretty cold. But what do you do, log it, live and learn, keep hunting...

just my thoughts..

Good luck in the field, its always a peasure viewing your posts/videos.

landon

[matt]

I have lost a lot of so called friends that way. I told them, I will take you out I will show you how to prospect, if I find a patch, we work it together, no coming back here without me and trying to clean the patch out.

"Oh no problem." Next time I go out I am heading to a different area passing by the patch I found and there is not only this person, but he has two friends with him. I stopped and said, do you remember our agreement? "Oh I didn't bring these guys here they found this spot by themselves." Yes of course they did and my asshole is gold plated.

That was it. I have had that happen two more times. One guy even called to brag that he had found over three ounces in the patch I found. I even called him over from where he was prospecting and said, here, work this gully I have found three nuggets in 20 feet. He proceeded to quickly score a 1 dwt and a quarter ounce nugget. Then without my knowledge over the next 6 weeks he stripped it. The guy had the balls to ask me when was the next time I could take him out and find him another patch.

So, I prospect alone. If I am fortunate enough to have a friend like Rob, invite me to his claim, he knows he will never find me there unless I am invited, and I always make sure that my host knows my appreciation, there is always a token of my gratefulness that follows.

I have heard as many excuses for why it was OK to come back and raid a patch I located, as there are detectors in Sudan.

One of my friends Ray Flannagan was working a gully and he had gotten 14 nuggets out of it the day I saw him. Over the next 6 trips I saw him working the same gully about 4 times, he said he would get one or two nuggets every day for his effort. I told him, well when you are through with it, would you mind if I went through the gully. Not all all. He said. Finally about a month later, hew said, "Hey Doc, I am through with that gully I made sure I got all the gold out but I left you some trash." He said with a laugh.

So then I knew it was OK to go back there and anything I found was mine to keep and I could do it with a clear conscience. This was just ol' open BLM land. But I value my friends more than I do gold and my friends know they can trust me and I won't betray that trust.

Doc

Doc

Doc,

Excellent post! I hunt with a select few people, but most of the time I hunt alone. The couple people I go with know where I hunt and I know where they hunt. Trust is a hard thing to come by in the business of prospecting.

Cheers.

BTW-Yes of course they did and my asshole is gold plated-That has to be the quote of the century!

[landoninlv]

I have lost a lot of so called friends that way. I told them, I will take you out I will show you how to prospect, if I find a patch, we work it together, no coming back here without me and trying to clean the patch out.

"Oh no problem." Next time I go out I am heading to a different area passing by the patch I found and there is not only this person, but he has two friends with him. I stopped and said, do you remember our agreement? "Oh I didn't bring these guys here they found this spot by themselves." Yes of course they did and my asshole is gold plated.

That was it. I have had that happen two more times. One guy even called to brag that he had found over three ounces in the patch I found. I even called him over from where he was prospecting and said, here, work this gully I have found three nuggets in 20 feet. He proceeded to quickly score a 1 dwt and a quarter ounce nugget. Then without my knowledge over the next 6 weeks he stripped it. The guy had the balls to ask me when was the next time I could take him out and find him another patch.

So, I prospect alone. If I am fortunate enough to have a friend like Rob, invite me to his claim, he knows he will never find me there unless I am invited, and I always make sure that my host knows my appreciation, there is always a token of my gratefulness that follows.

I have heard as many excuses for why it was OK to come back and raid a patch I located, as there are detectors in Sudan.

One of my friends Ray Flannagan was working a gully and he had gotten 14 nuggets out of it the day I saw him. Over the next 6 trips I saw him working the same gully about 4 times, he said he would get one or two nuggets every day for his effort. I told him, well when you are through with it, would you mind if I went through the gully. Not all all. He said. Finally about a month later, hew said, "Hey Doc, I am through with that gully I made sure I got all the gold out but I left you some trash." He said with a laugh.

So then I knew it was OK to go back there and anything I found was mine to keep and I could do it with a clear conscience. This was just ol' open BLM land. But I value my friends more than I do gold and my friends know they can trust me and I won't betray that trust.

Doc

Doc

-well said Doc, i was "one finger" pluggin away at my response while you were responding. i probably would have just said "agreed." BTW Doc, Thanks for promtly getting back to me last week on the swing arm. John ended up having an old one i snagged from him, but ill be in before long to add something to the collection.

thanks again

[Denny]

Road Dog it happens a lot out there, Try not to let any of the ick of the situation stick to you, You will always be able to find your own patches,You are a great prospector.There are still friends that can be trusted just fewwer than you thought,Good luck out there may your next nugget be a whopper.

[Uncle Ron]

Yo, Doc & all...That's why I don't post anymore...You give a guy a pointy finger and a little geology lesson, and him and his buds are out there working the whole area like a day job...I must say I've gotten pretty bitter about it and just don't help out greenies anymore... Sad state of affairs...Unc

[frank c]

I've been invited to a few patches/claims and the outlook I have on it is I'm grateful to be invited and I consider it as a privilege, but I would never go back by myself without another invite. To me its "personal property". I would never want to be seen there without permission. It would destroy your integrity as a man.

[FlakMagnet]

Frank C.

Very well put.

It is all about integrity.

Either you have it or you don't.

There is no middle ground.

If you have to explain to someone what their behavior should be regarding a private spot

they don't have it.

If someone takes you to their spot and you have to ask what the rules are

you don't have it.

All the best,

Flak

[Rick Herron]

I just wanted to say thank you all for your insight and opinions on this. Dont get me wrong I enjoyed the people that I have hunted with along the way and there is two sides of a story. I also appreciate the hospitality that I was given. I also contributed to food and housing for staying there. I was brought into a group to hunt together and share the patches that we found. But when a patch is found Im told I need to move and live there so I can hunt it every day. Well I wouldnt do that and that isnt part of a group and share. I wouldnt go and clean the patch out just because I lived close to it. I would hunt it as a group and share it with all and would want that in return. I would keep looking for more patches because I feel ten patches are better than one. When you make into a job and not just for fun it becomes no fun any more. I thank you all again for your opinions and I hope to see you on the road with my dog.

Road Dog

[cataline1]

Reminds me of something similar that happened to me back in northern Michigan in the early '70's on my fox and coyote trap line. Had about 30 sets out, checked them daily, took an old friend with me one day. Finished running the line abot noon, parted our ways. I went back the next day, found almost all of my traps gone. Mentioned (not accusing) it to my "friend", claimed no knowledge, was shocked, on and on. Another friend told me check out friend #1's garage, in a barrel. Did so, there were all my traps, no question, as I had marked them all with a punch. Left a few punches on my old bud as I left with my traps.

Lyle

[Border Boy]

nice gold RD , hopefully your onto something good in that new area

[Hawkeye]

This is a very good topic guys. I hope a lot of the new people to nugget hunting will take note of this discussion. I have never gone back to area that I was invited to without asking if that person would mind.

Doc it almost sounds like we have detected with the same person although I know we haven't.

The one thing I have found out is that friendships are hard to keep when it comes to finding gold. I just patched up things with an old friend where a lot of misunderstandings had occurred.

Take care everyone, Wes.

[Azoverland]

I say when your going out with new guys you don't really know meet up and hunt at group claims and really worked areas, you never know you may still score something and you may meet some standup guys in the process. When you are searching for or working a good low key patch you know do it with well trusted and close friends. The kind of friends you would let watch you house while your away or would send on a beer run with your pin number and debit card and never think a thing about it. I think we all have friends like that and if you don't maybe you should look at yourself and who relate too.....it's kinda like a woman, you can get burned but not as much if you use good judgement and reason.

[Paseclipse]

I think the same things that everybody here has posted too. Good thread guys and Road Dog I'm sorry to hear of your "friends" greed.

Unfotunately in this hobby a lot of people don't want to do the work reuired to find their own patches and they just want the easy finds so they go and rape places where others have worked their tails off to find. I've lost friends over gold and meteorites too and have learned the best thing to do is go alone and never show your poke to anyone. It's unfortunate but thats what you have to do.

I like Rons statement because thats about how I feel. I'm done helping newbs out! I've never sent one to any places I've found gold but it gets annoying when you help a newb out and immediately they start trying to fish out locations from you. And to top it off they usually don't even thank you for the help you've given them. When I'm out in the goldfields now I just play dumb. All I know is that I spent $4,000 on this metal detector and I was told I could find gold here... Thats what I say now and it seems to help.

[Rich in Washington]

Road dog, sorry to hear about your experiences with greed.

I consider myself a newbie, greenie or what ever you want to categorize as

and am dissappointed to hear that so many people with detecting experience

will not help others become more proficient with a detector.

I started detecting 3 years ago and have found one .2 gram nugget and know

that I have a lot to learn. The lack of finding gold has not decreased

my enthusiasm for detecting, only made me more determined. At times, it

would be nice to have someone provide some help and I don't mean give away

the farm, just provide technical experience.

Best of luck in the goldfields to all, as I know I will be back trying again

as soon as possible.

Rich

[El Dorado]

I was not going to get into this but being one with personal knowledge about all this, please remember there are always two sides to a story and only one side has been represented. The person Road Dog has been directing his rant towards has shown me and many others a bunch of generosity by bringing them to a certain areas and sharing not only the spots but the knowledge to hunt them. I know because that sharing of areas netted me an over 6 oz nugget. You say you wanted the joy of the group to hunt this spot but you certainly did not share it with me until much later in the game and told the others better not bring Steve into this yet.... All I can say is from what I have seen there is greed on your part too. I also think it was very rude on your part to try to make this a public issue. This "patch" is actually a 10-15 acre area that has many small patches and many more small patches to be found.

At least you now have a new good area that you still continue to hunt because of the original invite, you would have never had the opportunity to have such a great winter hunting spot if it were not for the rest of the group wanting you to come aboard. You are a great prospector and I know you will do well.

Adios

[Rick Herron]

Steve,

I thought we aired out what had happened but I can see you have picked sides. This is not about sides and about a group sharing. Also you know that person never went to that area and nor has the old timmers. I went there and found gold and talked them in to going with me because I thought there was more gold there. I also said we need to split up and cover an area to find it. But that didn't happen but to high grade in front of people and thas not just me. Then go there just about every day and not have the others involved. I did not think that was going to happen. I also was out at diffrent spots looking for more patches miles away not acres. There is so much more to this and you are right there is two sides of a story.

RD

[Uncle Ron]

I think a lot of this is that newbies don't comprehend that you've put years, dollars and boot leather to find an area that produces, then you give them a hint and a bit of brotherhood and they turn around and put it to you...Tell them this is your "living room" after extreme effort to zero in on it ... I guess there's two kind of people and one of them ain't those who violate trust... Anyhow, like I said earlier, I've helped my last newb... Bummer, Unc

[GARY SMITH]

I think a lot of this is that newbies don't comprehend that you've put years, dollars and boot leather to find an area that produces, then you give them a hint and a bit of brotherhood and they turn around and put it to you...Tell them this is your "living room" after extreme effort to zero in on it ... I guess there's two kind of people and one of them ain't those who violate trust... Anyhow, like I said earlier, I've helped my last newb... Bummer, Unc

Ron, can you show me a good spot to find some one ounce nuggets????

[montana]

Forum members. Since I know something of the situation, I'd like to chime in here. What transpired would not have seemed a breach of trust or faith to me had I been in Road Dogs shoes. The other party involved has ALWAYS been more than generous as far as sharing his patches and helping any newbie. I guess we all have our own feelings of what is cool and what is not. Road dog made his choice to end the relationship because he percieved it to be unfair. That's his choice , but I don't see it as a case of greed, just a perception issue of how things should have progressed after the first nuggets were found.----Bob

[matt]

There are two sides to every story. Unfortunately, this was made into a public issue when it should have been a private issue. It is good to discuss these things in a general purpose so that newer members can learn what to expect and the ethics involved with this hobby.

[Azoverland]

Well as a newcomer to the sport I'm just glad to hear there are still some off the map nugget patches worth bickering about.