Mill Creek Area Pictures

[Skywola]

I spent two days in this area, hiked downstream all the way to the fence that crosses, then the next morning, hiked the two track up toward the mountains for 2-3 miles. I was a little puzzled, because Blackfoot mentioned an "old house site where a old apache lived, concrete slab" because I never saw it. He also mentioned an area "down canyon from the mill about two miles the water has all ways been running. just past where the water bubbles up". I found two areas where there was water, but they did not really appear to be a spring. So I am not sure I was in the same area Blackfoot mentioned.

I did find some markers, I have some photos below of them and some other things in the area. I did not find any gold, but I found a rock that made the metal detector go bananas . . . you can see photos of it here . .

http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,270280.msg1924657.html#msg1924657

 

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[Monty]

Some very interesting photos. Thanks for sharing. Monty

 

[BenThereDoneThat]

Didnt ya just dig the old mill site? And Growler Corral? About 200 yards down from the mill site on the river is where i was pulling gold when the river was running!!! Small stuff almost to the size of a picker and smaller but its there......Your Ace 250 wont pick that up.
I took video when we were up there, will get that together one day and post it here.

 

[Skywola]

Yea, the area is awsome, I have a lot more photos, I just wanted to post the markers, to see if Blackfoot could comment on the area, as I was not able to find what he mentioned in an earlier post. (The one I started regarding Arivaca).

You said my Ace 250 would not pick any of it up, I was at Sugarloaf Mountain about a month ago, and I found a flake of gold using my detector, I don't understand that, but crazier things have happened. I suppose I should have asked that question earlier, as I did have a suspicion that I might need to get a detector that is more specialized for gold. . . . Got any recomendations on what type of detector to use?

 

[BenThereDoneThat]

Problem with most parts here in AZ i have detected is a lot of hot rocks and minerals that make the ace 250 go nutz, I have a Tesoro Lobo that doesnt do much better in the same area's! ...........If your gonna spend the money for a new metal detector you might wanna talk to the big boys that nugget hunt and are successful at it, They can point you in the right direction for a good detector.
Try here also http://www.arizonagoldprospectors.com/invision/index.php?/forum

IMHO if i were detecting most of the time i would just spend the bank and get the best i could afford, Nothing worse then a detector you gotta fight with.

 

[Skywola]

I expect my activity will be more seasonal, I hate cold weather. I wonder just what technology could possibly improve on detectability in mineralized areas! I suppose this is the reason people are using other methods as opposed to metal detecting to get gold out of the ground. I posted a question regarding this on the site you listed, and I think I will have to do a little research on detectors, I'd hate to buy an expensive detector only to find that it does little more than my Ace 250!

 

[Skywola]

It appears, after reading a little on the subject, that the main problem is mineralization, and that the detector one would want to use here, at least in the less trashy areas, would be a pulse induction metal detector.

There appears to be a relatively good site for comparison of metal detectors at http://www.kellycodetectors.com/compare/?r=85 Although it does not include Tesoro models.

This link here seems to have a pretty good explaination of the difference, as related to Arizona gold detecting:

http://nevada-outback-gems.com/Reference_pages/Dectector_choice.htm

 

[BenThereDoneThat]

It appears, after reading a little on the subject, that the main problem is mineralization, and that the detector one would want to use here, at least in the less trashy areas, would be a pulse induction metal detector.

There appears to be a relatively good site for comparison of metal detectors at http://www.kellycodetectors.com/compare/?r=85 Although it does not include Tesoro models.

This link here seems to have a pretty good explaination of the difference, as related to Arizona gold detecting:

http://nevada-outback-gems.com/Reference_pages/Dectector_choice.htm

Yep Kellyco and Tesoro had some kinda of disagreement in the past....................Tesoro has a lifetime warranty and they are made in Prescott, AZ So at anytime you can get a tune up if you need one!!!!! I like to support the local fellas and spend my money in AZ

Hope you get a good one, then get to making those long hikes profitable Then post pictures and ONLY tell me the locations of your finds.............lol

 

[BLACKFOOT]

The rock house at the mill site was complete last time I was there roof and all two years ago.
the water in you picture was in the area i was talking about,if you turn your head to the right and look over your shoulder you would be looking at Rattlesnake Point. where we took about 3 ozs.
half way from there to where the fence cross's on your right going down towards the fence the foundations are on your right in the trees up out of the creek there is a tree lying on it's side that is about five feet tall there are about two or three acres

 

[Skywola]

Thanks for the response, Blackfoot. That is a nice area, and the air is so clean there, I am looking forward to going back there. Just finding the lodestone up there was worth the trip. . . Gotta get me a better detector!

I like the idea of keeping the $$ in Arizona, but I also want to make sure I'm getting something that will without a doubt work better than what I have . . .

If I find some good locations, I would not mind sharing them, pratically any area you found would have plenty of search space, providing you don't drag out a 1/2 pound nugget and then tell everyone about it!

 

[BenThereDoneThat]

SKYWOLA

I forgot to mention, you could go down to A&B Prospecting (Mesa) and check out the different types of detectors in person, Turn them on play with them etc.
Talk with RYAN (owner) he knows what people are using and what works, Keep in mind they are there to make a living and sale you stuff so do plenty of research before you buy anything from anyone.

 

[Skywola]

What kind of results have you got out of your Tesoro Lobo? From what I have read regarding metal detectors in Arizona, prospectors seem to lean toward pulse induction due to the mineralization problem here.
Tesoro has a PI machine, but it is for salt water detecting. It seems I read that the Tesoro Lobo has both manuel and automatic ground balancing. Does yours have that, and if so, how important do you think automatic vs manuel ground balancing features are?

Hey Blackfoot, just out of curiosity, do you recall what detector you were using then at Mill Creek?

 

[BenThereDoneThat]

My lobo doesnt do much better then the Ace in most places here, The ground balancing is nice when your trying to eliminate hot rocks and such! I dont use my detectors a lot for nugget hunting mostly i take them into old shafts to check the walls for the GOOD STUFF that may have been missed and check my tailing pile's when im done running equipment.

I never looked into what tesoro had for PI detectors or anyone else for that matter as it would just be a chunk of change laying around and not being used much, If detecting was what i did most while looking for gold im sure i would be out of 4 or 5K by now

 

[BLACKFOOT]

facing the growler corral behind you is the place where we got the 2or 3 ozs.
i have a goldbug2 but i have never used it to find the gold there.i just know where to look.
the square metal thing is laying at the bottom of where we found the gold on top of that little point,everyone that has worked that area finds some gold.
the plastic pipe marker is on the trail before the apache place the wooden one is right beside the place look to the right or north of the trail.
there is a goverment survey marker on down the road between the road and the creek bed looking across the creek bed at the red colored hill there is a bunch of dry washer piles , one is about the size of a pickup besides where there was a place where a big tent was many years ago. i am sending you a pm about where we found a lot of gold it comes back after a big rain it has not been cleaned out in over two years.

 

[Skywola]

That's some great info! Thanks for the PM on that location, much appreciated. I am looking forward to getting up there again. By the way, you said you found the gold because you knew where to look, but are you saying you just dug and found it by sight? That's awesome. It was by the square metal thing you mentioned that I found the lodestone! I definately searched that area well, using my useless Garrett Ace 250, all it found was the lodestone! If all goes well, I am going to get back up there next weekend, I have vacation, so I will be able to spend as much time as I want.

As far as detectors, what I am currently looking at is this detector:

http://www.arizonaoutback.com/sd2200v2.html

I called them and they said they do not have any in stock, and are trying to get some . . . might be a good sign. Resale value on the Minelab 2200's looks good and those listed are not listed for long and they are sold . . .
From what I have read, the thing can literally pay for itself once you learn how to use it. Pulse induction seems to be the way to go for hunting in areas that have a lot of mineralization and not much trash. It would probably work like a charm at Mill Creek, but not so well at Sugarloaf Mountain, there is to much trash there.