My Treasure Hunting

As a Metal Detector and Relic Hunter for the past many years, I have loads of stories and trips to remember but some of the best times have been had both locally in the Cody, Wyoming area and in other states and provinces.

I grew up scouring the mountains of British Columbia, Canada, finding old Gold Rush Era mining camps, logging camps, railroad camps, and other locations such as ghost towns. Many of which, by now, have disappeared completely! Back in the early days most all I had as far as equipment was an old shovel and a homemade screen to run dirt through, but after a while found my way into a simple old metal detector. What an interesting way to find stuff I thought. After years of searching around, I would eventually get into better machines such as my Whites MXT 300, which was bought in the early 2000’s, and has found thousands and thousands of coins, many rings, and lots of other relics such as gun parts and belt buckles.

Wyoming is a great state to get out and explore the West.

There are plenty of great metal detecting areas to check out, but also remember to get permission before getting out on private land, and always check rules and regulations before getting out on any Federal or State Property. You do not want to get in any trouble, or disturb any locations, which are Historic. I have had many good times detecting old homesteads and farms, but of course private property, which access was allowed. Many locations such as this may be found in your State, Province, or Country.

Drywashing and metal detecting

In recent years, much time has been spent gold prospecting in States such as Arizona. Drywashing and metal detecting are the preferred methods, but its hard work still. Not nearly as hard as the early prospectors had it, which a guy is easily reminded of when digging a hole out in the desert somewhere.

Royal Manufacturing Industries is the brand of drywasher I use out there, which is a sturdy, all-metal piece of equipment, combined with a Makita blower.  One of the best metal detectors for detecting your hole and tailings is a Minelab Gold Monster 1000, which is a super little metal detector for finding pieces of gold as small as a half pinhead. I bought one from Kellyco in 2020, and used it on our extended stay in Meadview, AZ, which is a gold-rich but desolate area of Northern Arizona. We stayed for months at the Happy Trails Campground & Mini Motel with our RV trailer, and it was a neat spot to make a home base. Very friendly owners and Management, and quiet location make it perfect for a nearly off-grid experience. Meadview is a very small town near the South Entrance of the Grand Canyon, with some places to eat and stay, about an hour north of Kingman, AZ. Be adequately prepared when getting out in the desert, make sure you have enough supplies and equipment as help and stores are far away sometimes.

Gold deposits are pretty much everywhere in States.

Such as Nevada and Arizona, but be sure to check who owns property and what you can and cannot prospect on. This is very important. I also recommend buying a membership of one or a few of the Gold Prospecting Groups where ever you are thinking of going, do some research first.

My favorite metal detector is the Minelab, the Equinox 800.

Currently my favorite metal detector for relic hunting is yet another Minelab, the Equinox 800. It’s a very lightweight design, with great power for seeking deeper targets, and at a very affordable price. Rechargeable battery and wireless headphones are a major upgrade from my old White’s. I was very fortunate to grab the 800 from Kellyco on one of their great bundle deals. They are a very reputable and knowledgeable dealer, offering equipment from beginner to expert, for both in the water and out. I will be purchasing more equipment from them over the coming years, expanding my arsenal of gold and relic finding tools.

We will be returning to Arizona, hopefully, to continue gold prospecting and relic hunting, and will be adding to our Treasure Hunting Page.

Please click the Kellyco link below, if you are looking for any Metal Detecting or Prospecting Equipment as they even work with various payment platforms, which can help you, buy on payments, some zero interest, when trying to buy on a budget.