GDM/PV Posted October 2, 2018 Report Share Posted October 2, 2018 Well, if you didn't get a chance to make it down into the Arizona desert today, you really missed out on a Beautiful day to be out. When I left Prescott Valley this morning a bit after 7am it was raining pretty good, and the clouds hung real low down into the Bradshaws. It rained on me on and off on my way down toward Phoenix, and I was kind of wishing that I had brought a rain coat. But by the time I got into the lower desert area the rain was just a slight mist,....just perfect for detecting. It was cool, damp, overcast and cloudy the entire day, and probably only got to about 72 degrees all day long . "Perfect weather".... I managed to find one nugget in a wash (pictured). I had actually worked my way up two washes working my way thru about 2 miles of rough-bouldery terrain, and hadn't seen any kind of animals, critters or anything. So I headed toward another wash location a few miles away. When I got there I parked on a little ridge and started walking down a gradually-sloping area toward the wash. I was walking at a fairly normal pace, as I wanted to get to a certain wash. About 12 ft. (or-so) ahead of me I saw something circular in the middle of a clearing, which my mind apparantly knew was unusual because by the time I mad the next (automatic) step toward it my eyes focused on it enough to see that it was not only circular, but had black shapes like diamonds on it,................"WHOH", as I skid to sudden stop,......That's a Rattlesnake!!!!! I had walked up on a coiled rattler that was snuggley-fitted into a depression (hole) about 5" in diameter smak dab in the middle of a clearing (not even close to any rock outcroppings or boulders). The snakes head was pointing in the direction that I was walking toward, so it couldn't see me. So I set my detector down and ran back up to my pickup and got my camera. That little rattler must have been very comfortable there because I took some fairly close picutes of him from the back, from the left side, for above it, and right in front of him and it never made a move,....the snakes tongue was not even testing the air,......so it must have really been in a deep sleep. I left it alone and went on up into the wash detecting for about 30-minutes or so, and then came back and the snake was still there.. So I took a stick about 4 ft. Long and tried to pry it out of the hole to see what it would do. Well, it never struck at the stick, nor did it even rattle,....it just unwound itself kind of sluggishly, looked at me as if to say: I was very compfortable there !!!! and then slowly slighered off into the brush. It was around 2 ft long and had white and black striped tail with about 6 rattles and a button. The other photos are of a small Horney Toad ...kind of hard to see because of it's blending in with it's surroundings. Also managed to pick up right about 12 pounds of brass shells left by some "Idiot(s) shooting up the hills and leaving the brass behind,,......."Lets see",......12 pounds (x) approx. $1.50 per pound that a metal salvage will pay me comes to $18.00,.....that would have more than paid for my gas down and back today,..........'YA-HOOO" And to hilight (and /or) end the day on a strange up note, I was heading down the dirt road at a pretty good clip and made a sharp right turn when I saw something you don't see every day down in the desert????!!..............On the left side of the road (with toes facing toward me) there where a pair of tennis shoes. They were carefully placed there side by side ???? So being the non-waistful person that I am, I stoped and snagged them as road-side-bootey. They are both size 9 1/2, but the right one is NIKE AIRE, and the left one is a OASICS GEL ALMBUS 16,...AND they are both brand new!!!! "OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK??????" So if anyone out there is missing the right side Nike and/or the left side OASICS, just let me know and I will ship to anywhere within the US for: $75.00........Another GREAT DAY OUT....Gary 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tortuga Posted October 3, 2018 Report Share Posted October 3, 2018 This ones better with the pics. South of Phoenix? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin nuggethunting Posted October 5, 2018 Admin Report Share Posted October 5, 2018 Hey Gary, Right on, great story and pictures. Keep them coming. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GPX Power Posted October 5, 2018 Report Share Posted October 5, 2018 If that little toad could only speak-nice pics ? Mike C... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gravelwasher Posted October 8, 2018 Report Share Posted October 8, 2018 Nice pics!! I encountered a big rattler recently. What a rush when your practically standing on one and it starts rattling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.