eodseal2000 Posted January 14, 2007 Report Share Posted January 14, 2007 I have to be honist. When the 4000 came out I put my 3000 in the closet for a few months because I thought that I wouldn't have a chance anymore, my 3000 was now out of date and the Xterra-70? a 3000 goes deeper!Today we hit an area that has been pounded to death by P.I. Machines including 2 4000's. The small ridge was covered by a very experienced nugget hunter and he used both the 3500 and 4000 on this small ridge as well as other detectors in the past. My friend was using a 4000 and found 2, then backed off, he was using a Mono Coil and there were lots of trash targets.Within a 30' area I found 5 bullets, right in the open, I then asked myself "how could these bullets have been missed?" Is there a way to distinguish between a bullet and a nugget? I didn't think so, so I kept searching....and I got 3..all of the nuggets were 3 inches deep or less.The only thing I can figure is that the area must have been hit by Mono Coils and since there was so much trash, they got flustered and left. Ther exterra is a great machine and there is a place for it and a high trash area is one of them!Alan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iggy Posted January 14, 2007 Report Share Posted January 14, 2007 Nice gold. I do have a question.What part of the country are you in?What type of soil?Iggy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eodseal2000 Posted January 14, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 14, 2007 I live in Northern Ca. The soil varies, yesterday it was the red hot clay with lots of magnatite (Grubsteak knows what I'm talking about) and today it was lighter soil with Mono coils running smooth...I perfer the DD coils because they can discriminate the junk out..I really love the DD Wallaby on my 3000. Some of the old timers say that if it's been hit by a Wallaby forget it, the Wallaby leaves nothing behind and the one thing they hate about it is that you have to dig too deep! Some perfer Mono over DD's...I perfer the "Blade search" pattern of a DD and know it will run smooth in tough soil.These are the other 2 from today my partner found with the 4000 and mono Commander coil.We will hit it again tomorrow and will file a report.Alan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
COLORADO BOB Posted January 14, 2007 Report Share Posted January 14, 2007 EODSEAL2000,Nice yellow you guys are finding.Someone else's loss is your gain. I would go back, take my time and clean it up. Bob T. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZNuggetBob Posted January 14, 2007 Report Share Posted January 14, 2007 I agree Iggy, HMMM ????, Im a Die-Hard Mono fan. AzNuggetBob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dtodd62 Posted January 14, 2007 Report Share Posted January 14, 2007 EODHow often did you find yourself having to rebalance your detector. Here in Az I find I have to ground balance every 10 or 20 ft in most areas due to ground conditions.Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mike C... Posted January 14, 2007 Report Share Posted January 14, 2007 Nice going on the gold with the X70 ThX70 is a very good all around beeper-DTodd-try running your X70 with the auto ground balance and lower the sensitivity till it quiets down and you'll be surprised at the sensitivity and depth of it on gold-and it won't track it out-get your self the elliptical dd for it if you already don't have one-just my 2 centavos worth -Mike C... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZNuggetBob Posted January 14, 2007 Report Share Posted January 14, 2007 I,ll tell ya, I stick by my mono's both custom and factory, If you learn to understand what their telling you. You can can avoid switching to that D_D and out_shoot most people that were there before you! There is little debate that that a mono will kick ass on a D_D but you need to spend more time with a mono to understand them. Most people bale out early and switch to their D_D's because of unstable ground like the basalt cap overlay. (Volcanic Hot Rocks) I guarantee you, Just spend more time with your mono you will be finding gold in heavily hunted area"s. Granted some area's are so inundated with hot rocks ( both positive and negative) then a mono is out of the question. But, I guess what I'm trying say is Mono coils talk to you, D_D's are slugs. If you don't absolutely need them, leave them in the box. AznuggetBob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eodseal2000 Posted January 14, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 14, 2007 On ground balancing, it really depends on how it was mined..where they hydraulicked the lower end is lighter soil and has more junk.I do not have to ground balance too often, I caution this because I learned from a master finder who has found a 1lb nugget....becareful where you ground balance, it just might be over a nugget and I have heard many stories of this...I have done it my self including running the tracking way too fast and missing nuggets.I am very glad that I have finally proved that the xterra can go behind a P.I. (including a 4000) and still find gold. One of the problems we have is that you can only get within 200' of another P.I. when running another P.I....so I have my friend run his 4000, while I run my xterra, when he takes a break, I run my 3000. The secret is not to run the sensivity too high and I use the AUTO GROUND BALANCE, alot of people complain that the xterra goes wacko and can't find anything, they are running the machine way too hot thinking the hotter it runs, the more sensitive it will be to find my gold. The xterra takes about 1 1/2 hrs to master and use the auto functions, trust this machine...it's telling you how it should run, you then make minor adjustments and your on your way. The DD Coil for the Xterra is a must!!!! I use the DD coil for both Gold and coin shooting, the narrow band works great in tough soil and high trash areas. AznuggetBob: there in AZ a mono might be great, but here in Calif they mined the area much differently because they had water, meaning more nails and crap. I welcome you to come visit and make your own choice....I once ran 20" N.F. Monos, but got tired of digging boot tacks 20" deep.It really depends on what works for you and I am not going to get into a pissing match ot why one coil is better than the other. My partner who has every machine known to man including the 4000 and all he uses are Monos. He can tell a bad target from a good one, but has told me several times he had to pull out of an area because of a lot of junk...there were nuggets agmongst boot tacks and nails.If you take a notice at Grubsteaks coils, they are also all DD coils here in Calif. Each person has their own choice, the secret is to mastering what they use and if they find it, then great for them!AlanI wish all of you good luck and thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZNuggetBob Posted January 14, 2007 Report Share Posted January 14, 2007 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mike C... Posted January 14, 2007 Report Share Posted January 14, 2007 Hi Bob monos are better but in some situations choke its been proven time and time again by others as well as my self-swing what you may-question for you-does your last name start with a G-just curious-I use to know a nugget bob-Mike C... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dtodd62 Posted January 14, 2007 Report Share Posted January 14, 2007 Nice going on the gold with the X70 ThX70 is a very good all around beeper-DTodd-try running your X70 with the auto ground balance and lower the sensitivity till it quiets down and you'll be surprised at the sensitivity and depth of it on gold-and it won't track it out-get your self the elliptical dd for it if you already don't have one-just my 2 centavos worth -Mike C...Thanks for the tip Mike. If I'm able to get out bfore I move I'll give it a try.EOD... Are you running in the prospect mode??Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZNuggetBob Posted January 14, 2007 Report Share Posted January 14, 2007 Hi all, Im still swingin my old modified 2100 with a mono 11" or coiltek 17" powered by a custom built lion batteries at 8 Volts., I'm huntin old patches and hitin nuggets that everyone else left.I have a 3500 in the closet collecting dust. dont get me wrong the 3500 has manys upgrades that my 2100 does not have. The reason its in the closet is I cant soup it up because of a built in voltage regulator. and its not hipmounted yet. As far as boot tacks I rarly dig them except to get them out of the way in a good patch. The only thing I cant define with my mono is a bullet! or an exceptionly? large target such as a tin can. Try that with a D_D .Im only tryin to help you guys out not debate coils. AzNuggetBob and as far as hitin nuggets behinde a 4000, a machine is only as good as its operator.Alan, I cut my teeth on gold with a Tesoro Mayan with a concentric coil in California in 1980 Trinity county(born and raised)MikeC:Yes my last name starts with a G Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eodseal2000 Posted January 14, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 14, 2007 I live very close to Trinity County..I lived there on and off for 20 years. I ran the xterra for about an hour and found about 8 bullets. I always run in prospecting mode (no tracking unless I absoutly have to) and it really sounds off when it gets a good target, including bird shot. Here is what we found today, haven't weighed them yet, but one is close to 1/4oz with the total about 1/2 oz. all were from 3"-4" deep and all in about a 20' x 20' area. Watch those large can targets, my partner found a 1 pounder and when he asked his partner at the time why he missed it, he said because he thought it was a can! Happy finds Alan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iggy Posted January 15, 2007 Report Share Posted January 15, 2007 Watch those large can targets, my partner found a 1 pounder and when he asked his partner at the time why he missed it, he said because he thought it was a can!Any pictures of that one pounder?Iggy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eodseal2000 Posted January 15, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 15, 2007 Hello Iggy Here is the pic of the pounder found last year by a Eureka Gold and has now sold for $15,000.00. The thing was only 3" deep and many a coil was passed over it, thinking it was a can!Congrats on your nugget and good hunting.Alan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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