Reasons I Can't Find Any Gold?

[user 4485]

You can do little or no research, have little or no knowledge & put in little effort but you will make the odds higher/less likely to find gold.
On the other hand if you have some knowledge, do your research & put the effort in then you reduce your odds & make it more likely you'll find gold.
Sure either way can have some luck involved but it's not a major contributor to consistency. Sure either way can make a lucky find but again the more overall effort made the more increase in the chance of that happening too.

I once went 18 months where I failed to find any gold only twice in that time. I didn't make any big finds but I consistently found gold. Back then I was detecting 1-2 times/week compared to 1-2/month now but I reckon I'd still be finding gold at around 80-85% of trips.

To have any luck or consistency in this game you need to learn a little, put yourself on the right areas & be prepared to put in some effort. That's what makes luck & leads to more consistency. I'm constantly trying to learn more & constantly researching areas to either refresh prior knowledge or find out about new ones. I'd personally never rely on 40% luck.

 

[Guest]

I'm intrigued now by the concept of Luck.

Doing a bit of reading about it and some deep thought about life in general.

Luck/Lucky/unlucky is a term we all use to explain the unexplainable!

E.g. The newbie pulling a 5 ouncer first target, 2 metres from the car, asking is this what we're looking for? unexplainable

Bushfires/tornados, one house destroyed, next door untouched. unexplainable

Bad car crash. She walks away without a mark. unexplainable

Survivors that survive in any plane crash, Tsunami or flash flood. unexplainable

Winning Powerball at 135 million to 1 odds. unexplainable

All these events can be perceived as "they are lucky" but that's not what saved them and it's not why Jonno pulled a 5 ouncer from the ground, or Hand of Faith.

I still reckon I could come up with a million reasons for the above why these events occured and things survived hence luck played no part.

Not only that, we all can perceive the events differently. With the car crash example above. I might say she was unlucky to be in that place at that time. You might say she's lucky to be alive.

The human brain works in a loop with questions and until the loop is closed with an answer it will just keep going round and round in your head until a palatable answer is given.

The words luck, unlucky fit perfectly to explain the unexplainable and close out the loop.

Humans need answers to things that are sometimes just not explainable, enter the word luck.

The bigger the win or find the more likely we are to use the term Luck to explain the
unexplainable.

Every single one of my gold finds are explainable. Simply by my choices on the day. I know the gold is there but cleary don't know exactly where. This is where I have to be more thorough and persistent than all others that frequent the goldfields, that's what it takes.

If it were easy and plentiful I would quit my shift work job in a heartbeat! :heart:

That's it for me on this topic for I have just indeed closed my own loop, how lucky am I!!!

ickshovel:

Cheers

RS

 

[sand surfer]

I do not think there is much luck in prospecting/fossicking,i think you must have some knowledge so you can do the research,that knowledge and research will tell you how much effort you will have to put in to get the gold,your knowledge led you to research a bend in a creek,your research told you what effort you will have to apply to get to the bend in the creek,you go to the bend in the creek ,knowledge tells you that the mixed size stone and gravel tell's you that there may be gold there,then knowledge tells you roughly where the gold might be,then you will have to apply effort to get the gold.Luck i don't know, but gut instinct yes,and yes i constantly find gold,even though a percentage of it you will have to use a 10x loupe to see it, as the creeks i have access to mainly have very small to very fine gold in them but it is still gold

 

[Bjay]

Luck in finding gold,Well I think Ive been lucky before that no one else dug that screaming target in the side of an old timers test hole.
I also feel lucky to have found this great hobby and met some great people along the way.
Research, dont really bother as I guess everyone else has already done it. When the bodys had enough for a while I spend an hour or so driving looking at different areas so i guess thats research in a way.

 

[Gimp]

Luck, karma, equipment, research, time on ground, right ground (research, knowledge, experience) all are synergistic to finding gold

 

[ProspectorPete]

I'm not bagging the luck factor as I know some people manage to find gold for no other reason than luck, due to right place at the right time etc.

I have a couple of areas where I can go to and consistently find gold every visit, guaranteed, and it's nothing to do with luck.
First place is where I pulled 240 pieces of gold for 4.19g in 3 days just 2 weeks ago, no luck involved here, it's taken 4 years of research, belief and finally having the right gear for the job to crack the code in this area. No luck was involved at all, just the belief that if I kept persisting in this area that I would work out its secrets one day, and I have.

Second spot is a result of 2 years of trying to find an area to work when I'm actually working (day job) in the general area, yep 2 years of leg work and research outside of normal working hours to find this area, guaranteed gold every trip because I thought outside the square and had the right equipment for that area.

I'm close to working out a third area but will confirm when I'm back there for work (day job) again soon.

These areas are guaranteed every time I visit them, nothing to do with luck, not claiming to know more than others or have a secret formula, simply by putting in the hard yards and sticking to the basic principles as well as not giving up on these areas over the past 4 years.

Luck has played no part in my time prospecting, lots of frustration, wasted hours using wrong gear for the locations, trial and error, listening to good advice from trusted members here (you know who you are) and trips with some of you as well as my mentors knowledge passed on has meant I now consider myself a successful prospector, I can find gold every single trip if I wish to.
I do it for a hobby not for the money so for me it's not about how much I can find as I dont intend to ever sell it (the granddaughter is going to inherent it all) so I now find the challenge is trying to find gold consistently in new areas.
Luck..........nup, it's lots of hours researching, lots of hours with feet on the ground and when one detector doesn't work having the belief to use other detectors until you find what works for that area best.

Anyone and everyone can do this if they were committed enough.

 

[Muk]

Research apparently is the go Im from the golden triangle Bendigo supposedly there is gold everywhere whipstick forest gold everywhere hard work detecting doing what others dont do because I think differently but I still dont find gold got a great machine know how to use it but still no gold why is that? Doesnt matter how good you are a little bit of luck plays apart.cheers Muk.

 

[ProspectorPete]

Dunno Muk, general Bendigo area is a challenge for sure and I'm yet to work it out, but will continue to see it as a challenge and continue to pluck away at it trip by trip until I find that consistant area.

Maybe I just got lucky picking the areas I chose to stick with or maybe it was luck finding out which one of the 5 detecors I've used on my spots works best in my areas?
I just see it as people who put finding gold down to luck as not being committed enough to want to find it, don't confine yourself to one area because it's convenient, you get out of it what you put in eventually I believe.

 

[madtuna]

Two of the best tools ever invented for prospectors..... google earth and red back boots :Y:

 

[Muk]

Sorry Ive never said finding gold is just luck all Ive said is a little luck helps I work my arse off research walking kms detecting raking doing the hard yard yards spot after spot Ive found loners Ive found patches that have produced many tiny nuggets all Im saying is a little luck helps but it seems a lot of prospectors on this we havent site dont need a tiny bit of luck because they can find gold any time they want and Im sorry I dont believe that you cant put a percentage on it and I never will what do you do when you go out with mates when I do we meet up shake hands and say good luck see you at lunch doesnt mean we havent done our research or not putting in hard work Im not sure how everyone thinks about luck cheers Muk.

 

[wiley coyote]

What part does luck play in the, ( 1 hour nugget!) The one you find within 1 hour of starting detecting? It's happened to me so many times, I have written my starting time on my hand for years to see if i can get one in that time. People i detect with say, you might as well knock off now, as that's all you're going to get for the rest of the day. they're usually right too! wiley

 

[Guest]

G'day

The advice provided by experienced members of any forum is for the use of all members new and old and is usually based on the individual who is giving the advice's own personal experience, making a statement on a subject usually comes from personal experiences and observations and has been provided freely for the use of others for no gain by the giver, whether you choose to listen or not and take from it what you can is up to you, its not just talk, I have seen this reaction on forums before and the negative feedback people get from simply trying to help others only results in people not bothering to try and help those who want the help so they miss out, no ones trying to convince anyone that what they are saying is the "magic formula" but rather only tips to help others struggling to get some gold and to help people to build the confidence and will power to continue on with this great pastime.

So in short, I have never understood why do some people who generally have nothing constructive or helpful to say on a subject try to big note themselves by trying to undermine and shoot down anyone who is trying to be helpful and give hope to others.

cheers

stayyerAU

 

[Guest]

What part does luck play in the, ( 1 hour nugget!) The one you find within 1 hour of starting detecting? It's happened to me so many times, I have written my starting time on my hand for years to see if i can get one in that time. People i detect with say, you might as well knock off now, as that's all you're going to get for the rest of the day. they're usually right too! wiley

Luck has no part to play here.

I would love to see you brain activity in an MRI for that 1st hour. You brain is that hypersensitive to pulling up on the slight sniff of a gold target it's likely you will find gold. You are in a peak mental state for the 1st hour, absolutely pinging, almost in the six sense zone, spoken about here by the experts.

The fact that you write a start time on your hand suggests this method supercharges your concentration and you really believe you will find gold. Belief can never be luck.

Your danger/ brain thought process is after the 1st hour where the inner voice says "you never find anything after the 1st hr". The internal voice chatter does not let up, it will consume your hearing telling you no more golds coming your way today. We don't even know it's happening most of the time!

Our minds are our greatest asset and our biggest enemy.

Concentration is a commodity and say you have $5 worth at the beginning of the day. I suggest you are spending $4.50 in the 1st hour. Your minds on steriods in that 1st hour!!!

We need the concentration cause for most of us the ground is well picked over. We have hear/see/move what countless others have not.

The mind will always give up before the body. The minds in the driver's seat!!

Cheers

RS

 

[Gem in I]

I try to keep the body happy so the mind can drive with no distractions.

I take responsibility for my choices, research/boots on the ground/ equipment etc. These are things I believe I make right/wrong.

I Can't take responsibility for what I end up with from the ground, weight/size/shape/amount. These are things I consider lucky.

This is what I consider the BINGO equation that keeps me interested in discovery. Even when I don't find gold I appreciate the knowledge i've acquired that I hadn't experienced before.

 

[Guest]

RS,I liken it to a boxing match,I jump in the ring all keen and enthusiastic,concentrating on my game plan by the end
of the bout[days end detecting]I'm punch drunk,swinging wildly,best to have stopped an hour or so earlier.

 

[robmoto]

Luck I think is 90 percent because a gold nuggety area is not a continuous gold sheet laying just below the surface its here its over there down there back there you just don,t know the exact spot until you walk over it with your detector , the other 10 percent is common knowledge, being everyone knows google earth and just typing gold gives you web site apon web site to read and even then the information is past history , you can have a quarts vein now with no gold but millions of years ago when it was eg 200mts higher it shed a small patch still to be found today , so you therefor have to be lucky enough to walk over it because nobody knows its there ha ha .

So keep walking.

 

[Perth Tim]

What part does luck play in the, ( 1 hour nugget!) The one you find within 1 hour of starting detecting? It's happened to me so many times, I have written my starting time on my hand for years to see if i can get one in that time. People i detect with say, you might as well knock off now, as that's all you're going to get for the rest of the day. they're usually right too! wiley

Luck has no part to play here.

I would love to see you brain activity in an MRI for that 1st hour. You brain is that hypersensitive to pulling up on the slight sniff of a gold target it's likely you will find gold. You are in a peak mental state for the 1st hour, absolutely pinging, almost in the six sense zone, spoken about here by the experts.

The fact that you write a start time on your hand suggests this method supercharges your concentration and you really believe you will find gold. Belief can never be luck.

Your danger/ brain thought process is after the 1st hour where the inner voice says "you never find anything after the 1st hr". The internal voice chatter does not let up, it will consume your hearing telling you no more golds coming your way today. We don't even know it's happening most of the time!

Our minds are our greatest asset and our biggest enemy.

Concentration is a commodity and say you have $5 worth at the beginning of the day. I suggest you are spending $4.50 in the 1st hour. Your minds on steriods in that 1st hour!!!

We need the concentration cause for most of us the ground is well picked over. We have hear/see/move what countless others have not.

The mind will always give up before the body. The minds in the driver's seat!!

Cheers

RS

If it was all skill why can't you just walk right to the nuggets on any ground.
There's an element of luck to it

 

[madtuna]

Wandering around willy nilly on a known gold producing field and finding a few bits is luck.

Spending hours pouring over Gold and Ghosts, Geo reports, Google Earth, then days or weeks in the field prospecting, reading the ground, recognizing the indicators, loaming, sampling and crushing and then discovering new patches or remainders of a reef off the hard hit areas that those relying on luck frequent is reward for effort not luck.

Pegging a lease or an SPL, chaining, scraping, using every combo of detector and coil at your disposal and finding gold is reward for effort not luck.

Different methods for different people. As long as you are doing what suits you and you're enjoying yourself...who cares. :Y:

 

[m@ttACT]

Ive only made recently made some changes due to advice from the experienced prospectors on this forum. Which has completely changed my approach and I must say I spent 2 days swinging and had a blast, found absolutely nothing of value but came away with some new goals and a changed outlook.

Decision one when I used to get what I thought was trash ie Bullet signal after slogging for ages Id be too tired, leave it and move on. Not now. I dig everything with the notion wonder what this could be and its like ah ok this ones a bullet onto the next one. Big difference is I dont feel that disappointment like I used to...
Sure I would rather it be gold but this has helped me a lot however the key here is my second thought is good stuff this target has not been detected by some of the boys on the forum or theyd have dug em.

Decision two is dont miss out on where you are...how good is it being out bush and visiting some of these amazing areas. Many couch potato mates of mine wouldnt get to see this.

Decision three is get to know my 4500 big time. Dealing with changing ground, emi or better settings depending on what your trying to hunt. I am keen to master this *******. Very very keen in fact so any help or chance to tag along guys is always appreciated.

Decision four is Id previously walk kms and kms when I went detecting. Now I will aim to spend more time working small areas carefully and or looking for likely looking ground.

Obviously I also spend time researching but with advice from here, getting out and about, putting in hours and the above will no doubt help me at least to enjoy myself a lot more and increase the chances of pinging a thumper.

Thanks to all who posted previously on this Ive learnt some more today!!

 

[ProspectorPete]

Hey m@attACT, well done and congratulations, what you've just described is what will lead you to better finds, it's that change of attitude that is the difference, and many people don't ever realise this, a lot of people only have the mindset of "I must find gold" and end up disappointed when it doesn't happen, or they only see the monetary value of finding gold, which is ok I suppose as everyone has different reasons for getting out there and searching.

Personally, I'm happy finding bullets and lead for the exact reasons you just described.
I live in S/E suburbs of Melbourne so if I do a day trip or weekend trip it's 3 hrs drive, and I try to do a day or weekend once a month. I just appreciate getting out when I can and being in the bush is first and foremost what I enjoy about prospecting.
My day job takes me right around the Vic GT usually a few days each month so that is a bonus but I still only get an average of 3 hr detect in when out that way, about half the time I don't even take the detector, just get out on the grounds to study, document and gps mark any likely looking spots for future trips, those field trips are just as rewarding as finding gold because it's all about learning as we go and definitely leads to more productive detecting trips down the track, or eliminates areas where I may have spent hours detecting in an area that is not as likely to be fruitful.

You have worked out the way to enjoy your days in the field better without coming back frustrated and disappointed, I'll bet if you keep that mindset for the next 12 months you will see the areas you detect narrowed down to the more likely areas and your finds being better, the memories you'll accumulate along the way will make it all worth it.
Well done :Y: