nuggethunting

Hey Grubstake, Placer gold has been found on both sides, North and South of Gold Nugget Road and Interstate 10. If you venture too far South on Gold Nugget Road you will enter the KOFA Wilderness Area that is off limits to metal detecting. As you know, the entire area around Quartzsite is a huge placer field. Some areas are noted for more coarse gold nuggets than others. Sounds like any interesting area and you should turn some nuggets up. Keep us updated. Rob Allison

Hey Jim, Was this 14 pound piece a solid gold nugget or specimen? Couldn't imagine digging such a nugget, would probably think it was a huge piece of trash. Do you know what happened to this nuggets (sold, melted, passed down)? Dreaming of nuggets ... Rob Allison

Hello Jim, I have to give much credit for Uncle Ron starting the first Internet forum, which most of all of us posted at one time. Not far after that Bill Southern started the Nuggetshooter forum, which is also running strong. I was experimenting at the time with various forum formats, but once Nuggetshooter was online with a newer, easier format, I then built my own Nuggethunting.com forums. Not sure where Bill has been lately, but I give both Ron and Bill credit for getting the forums up and running for us all today. I was just a follower, while others followed all of us later down the road. I do agree, the information is still good on the forums, but there is more attitude now then before. There has always been the "Mums the Word" if you call it that, but earlier on there was less worry about guys hunting information and patches down. Many are now looking for tid bits of information to find someone's new discovery. Not sure what to call these people so called "information hounds." There is a wealth of information on most of the forums, it's just a matter of sorting out the negative and distracting information. Take care, Rob Allison

Hello All, At the last Minelab Training Seminar in Anthem, Arizona I was the only dealer that brought up issues with the repair department. Although, many other dealers probably wanted to say something, I actually acted out on it. To be honest, Minelab USA claimed everything was ok and they were working to better the repair department. However, to date I'm still getting calls and emails about detectors not being repair correctly or detectors that have been in the repair department for 2-3 months. I guess until I actually walk into the repair department and see what is going on, I won't honestly know. Minelab also made it much more difficult to communicate with customers with the new automated phone messaging system. If you get an operator, they are a second party that does not work for Minelab USA directly. Talk with you later, Rob Allison

Hey Uncle Ron, That Yahoo forum was the place back in the day. There was really only one "Gold Forum," which was the one you ran. Rather than having 4-5 major forums like today, there was only one and everyone was on and contributing. Those were the good ol' days for sure. Take care, Rob Allison

Hey Lucky, Nope, DigDeep and Co. talked highly about you and your friends. I'm not sure what you guys ate, but I figured if I couldn't get them over any gold they would at least have a nice steak dinner to boot. Luckily, DigDeep and his Father found some nuggets. Would love to come see some of that Northern California country, but just can't get enough time free. Talk with you later, Rob Allison

Hello Guys, Jim Straight - Yes, I gave DigDeep and Co. all one of your new books and the Rich Hill Gold Atlas. I thought it would be great reading material for all of them. Talk with you later, Rob Allison

Hello Eldorado, Yes, Herb sent me one about a month ago and I still haven't mounted it. However, it looks great and I'm sure it will work well. Please feel free to post this on the main forum so Herb can get more exposure for his new Carbon Fiber Upper shafts. Take care, Rob Allison

Hello All, A customer of mine purchased a Minelab X-Terra 30 (coin and relic detector) for his Son about a year ago. I guess they never got to take the unit out, so it's up for sale and I told him I would help sale it. They are letting it go for half of what they paid for it. The new price was $398.95, they are asking $200.00 cash or check. This is a great detector for basic coin/relic hunting, especially if you're trying to get someone started. Can't beat the price and the detector is in tip-top shape. Give me a call at 623-362-1459, PM me or shoot me over an email - auplacers@yahoo.com Take care, Rob Allison

Hello Guys, I have to agree if a Cat wanted to get you, it wouldn't be hard. However, if a Cat jumped me, I would only hope I might have fighting chance for at least a minute or so. I would hope and pray I could get my handgun off and pump a few rounds into the Cat while we were rolling around on the ground. This is being optimistic and hoping he didn't ripe my neck apart first. I think for the most part they don't want any part of you. I think the slow metal detecting that most do is not what would trigger them. I think it's the quick running motions that excite them to chase you down. Heck, I could be wrong, but I'm still going to prepare myself when I go out regardless. A 10% chance of survival is better than no chance in my book. Take care, Rob Allison

Hey DigDeep, Thanks for all the kind comments. I think we all had a blast. You're always welcome out this way, just let me know when you're coming. When it cools off a bit, Dennis and I are going to explore for some new patches again. Hey, it would be great to get together in Southern, California somewhere with Jim Straight. Jim has been a very true friend since I first started poking around with Geology and Gold back in the early 90's. I'm proud to say Jim Straight is one of my Mentors, the other one was the long, but not forgotten, Richard Doherty. Richard had a nack at finding gold nuggets unlike anyone I have seen. Talk with you guys later, Rob Allison

Hello All, This weekend DigDeep and Co. drove down from Southern California to try some Arizona nuggethunting. Saturday DigDeep and Co. arrived at the hunting location and we all hunted pretty much the entire day. That evening my partner cooked Ribeye Steaks and huge Baked Potatoes for everyone. The weather was really nice Saturday evening with a nice cool breeze. There were about six nuggets found Saturday. Sunday we continued to work around the same general area and a few more nuggets were found. Dig Deep ended up with six nuggets for the weekend and his Father found two. His Uncle hunted hard, but only ended up with a bunch of old-timer rubbish and some bullets. Overall it was a great weekend and most found a few gold nuggets to boot. It was great having DigDeep and Co. make it down here to Arizona before the weather got too hot. Below are some photos of the weekend hunt. Rattlesnake seen on the road when leaving the hunting location. We seen a total of three Rattlesnakes this weekend. These are the nuggets I found Saturday wondering around on a hillside that had potential. I also found a specimen with some gold poking out. DigDeep and Co. in person. DigDeep is the one in the middle. Great group of guys! DigDeep's gold nuggets. This guy wouldn't let the nuggets rest from this area. DigDeep's Father's gold nuggets. Until the next time .... Rob Allison

Hello PaulM, You have a good point. We have Lions here in Arizona, but I've always seen the back end of them. I think by making noise, especially if you're alone will help. I also carry a handgun just in case I would need to use it. I would never use it unless my life was threatened. I don't go around target practicing on animals or snake (just my preference). My thoughts, know your surroundings, be observant, where proper clothing, make noise and potentially have a means of protection, such as a handgun. Hope this helps, Rob Allison

Hey Guys, Bugwhiskers - I would love to test the QED once you get everything worked out. I will give you a fair shake field test of it here in Arizona. When you get everything ready please let me know. Thanks for reply to this thread. Wishing you the best. Bob 29 Prospector - Great to hear from you. Glad you're doing ok now and I'm wishing you a speedy recovery so you can start searching for gold again. I would love to test your drywasher, but it might be a bugger to have it shipped over here. Talk with you all later, Rob Allison

Hey Ron, Spent the weekend prospecting with some friends from California. I wore the Converse Boots all weekend and love them. I have to say I loved the Bates, but these Converse are the "Cat's Meow!" Talk with you later, Rob Allison

Hey Border Boy, To be perfectly honest, the 14-inch elliptical in NF or Coiltek is not going to get you a bunch more depth over the stock 11-inch. If you're paying close attention, I would say you might get any inch difference. This is not a science, but if you take a 14-inch elliptical, which is 14 long + width 7 = 21 inches. You take that number and divide by 2 and it gives you 10.5-inches. This is basically saying the 14-inch elliptical Mono is about the same as a 10.5-inch Round Mono. Keep in mind, this is not an exact science, just kind of gives you a ballpark figure of what the equiv. elliptical is in round. If you're looking to get a couple inches I would say look into the 18.5-inch elliptical or something around this size. Hope this helps a bit, Rob Allison

Hey Doug, How about you sending me a QED to try here in Arizona. I will extend the same offer to you. I have no ties with any manufacture besides being a dealer. If another detector came out tomorrow that would outperform what I'm using now, I would be using it. This has been no secret, I'm partial to Minelab, but then again I feel they are the best for at least me. I had hopes that the Garrett Infinium and White's TDI would be better than what I seen and tested. I feel the Minelab PI's are superior here in the Southwestern US because they get superior depth and are much more immune to mineralization then any other detector I have used to date. If there is another unit that will do this, or even close for half the price, I'm interested in seeing it. I'm not interested in finding fly speck nuggets or the so called "invisible" gold. If the unit can pick up Gram size gold and larger at good depths in highly mineralized ground conditions, I'm interested! We really don't know each other from Adam, but I'm more than willing to test the QED here in Arizona. Just thought I would toss that out there. I have yet to have any takers, nor have anyone that bashed the Minelab PI's invited me to their patches. I'm either the best metal detectorist in the World, or the fact is Minelab PI's are superior. P.S. At the recent Minelab Seminar they made a statement about their line "Best Metal Detection Technology." They said if this wasn't true any company could challenge them to have that line removed, but they can't cause it's the plain truth. Minelab does have the best technology to date, not saying that can't change in the future. Take care, Rob Allison

Hello All, The issue has been resolved with the main website and forums. Somehow I picked up malicious file within the forums. Everything has been checked and double checked for viruses and bad files. If you notice anything, please notify me right away. Thanks,

Hello All, The issue has been resolved with the main website and forums. Somehow I picked up malicious file within the forums. Everything has been checked and double checked for viruses and bad files. If you notice anything, please notify me right away. Thanks, Rob Allison

Hello Bunk and Barry, Thanks for the great comparison information. I'm looking forward to the new DVD's such as Greaterville. I already have my eye on one overlooked location down that way that is off the beaten path. Thanks for sharing the link. Rob Allison

Hello Uncle Ron, I should have my pair of Converse today. I didn't get the ones with the zipper, but did get the 8-inch high ones with the harder toe and non-metallic. I'm hoping they will work well. I have plans to do some nuggetshooting this weekend. I really need some time to relax and find a few bit of gold. Will report back on how I like them. Sounds like they will be great boots. Rob Allison

Hello All, Deepers really didn't make any claims beyond what the website stated. They claim the detector will go deeper than other PI's, so that is what I want to test. However, if the unit will not ground balance or cancel out mineralization, the field testing will be poor at best. Lets wait and see if a unit even arrives. I questions the arrival of the detector, but maybe I will be wrong. Talk with you later, Rob Allison

Hello Flak, I just received an email from the Vice President of Deepers. They claim to be sending a unit to me. There is currently one other person here in the US testing a Deepers X5. I have sent them all the shipping information, so lets see if the unit actually arrives. If so, I will make an announcement for anyone wanting to see the performance of this unit in the field. They have asked for email addresses for all users that will come and see the detector in person. They would like to place the emails on a newsletter they have coming out. Will the detector show up? Talk with you later, Rob Allison

Hey Flak, Deepers must have read my forum post, cause they contacted me again. They continue to try to convince me to purchase a Deepers X5 detector for half price. They say this is the best they can do. This is what I told them - Send me a Deepers X5 and I will personally get 20-30 detectorist together to see this unit in the field. We will test in and allow all the members that show to play with it. At the end of the day if this unit does what you claim, I'm sure for the price of a couple thousand you will sell 4-5 that day, if not more. This will mean $10,000+ dollars and some very good advertising for your company. This is much more than selling me one unit for half price. Just think, if the unit is that great you will sell a bunch, get tons of free advertising and I will even purchase the one you shipped me. Heck, that is a Win-Win deal in my book, what do you think? I have yet to hear back from them. I guess the $1,200 is much more valuable, which means something is very fishy. Just my thoughts, Rob Allison

Hey Justin, I don't know anyone using those Kellyco coils. Pretty much everything is on backorder. I have a new Coiltek 14-inch solid Mono Round and some used coils, but will have to check and see what I have. Talk with you later, Rob Allison