What do you do when you come across a fellow prospector/detector?

[AusFX]

So I had an interesting encounter this afternoon that got me thinking what other people do when they come across another prospector or someone else detecting the beach or park.
A few weeks ago I ran into a fellow with a CTX3030 at my local beach, lovely guy! Had a bit of a chat with him, he showed me the CTX and we talked detectors for a bit. Then got on with detecting, him only being interested in the wet sand and my 705 being much better in the dry we weren't getting in each others way. The friendly competition was fun as well

Then today, I came across a different person at the same beach, again while I was also out detecting.
So I go up and said hi to this fellow, who instantly seemed pissed off I even existed... Tried to ask him about his AT pro and got a few one word answers, asked him how often he came down here (every day apparently, I'd never seen him before). Realising very quickly he didn't want to have anything to do with me I left him alone, and decided I was done for the day. Observing him for a few minutes going about the beach still looking pissed off, even flicking sand onto other people stuff!

I understand people have crappy days, but when I'm out and come across a like minded fellow I love to have a chat! It helps as well, exchange some knowledge etc.
But I also understand you've got detecting to do, so I don't drone on forever.

Anyone else have particularly good or bad experiences with other prospectors or detectorists?

 

[LC76]

Some people love a chat some don't.

I was in the whipstick recently near a dam and after a few hours of finding nothing but bullets I got fed up and started doing some panning in the dam.
Then a fellow detectorist wandered over after almost driving past me.

We talked about everything for a good half hour he showed me some nuggets he found gave me some advice ect.
He was a really nice bloke and I love a good chat anyway.

So if you ever spot me come over and have a chat I won't mind.

 

[Nugget]

Most fellow detectorists I've come across have been considerate and more than happy to have a yarn, but I had one guy come over for a chat then told me he was leaving, two seconds later on goes the detector and he started cutting in front of me. I was gridding at the time and it was quite obvious where I was going, so after 10 minutes or so I called out "hey, I thought you were heading off" and his response was "yeah I just though I'd have a quick look over here before I do", he stuck around for about another 30 mins :/

 

[Teemore]

Always up for a chat and have stopped driving to say g'day ..... have come across the same couple in one spot a couple of times and they had no problem taking break for a few minutes ..... I had done better than they were doing and as I was leaving gave them directions to where I'd been, what the heck it's a big big set of goldfields out there.
Suppose you very quickly get an appreciation as to whether they want "visitors' or not .... that being said would NOT stop and detect in their area.
Cheers T.

 

[Tassie Daz]

Yep, I came across a couple of guys all set up to highbank in an almost dry creek bed last time I was over in Vict. They had their shade tent set up with their ute right down in the creek bed, I guess housing all the gear to run the HBer. Anyway I was into the creek bed before I knew they were there, and as I came up to them, I told them how I was from interstate, I would have no-one to tell what they were doing or how they were going, and so we parted company after a bit of a yarn. They were keen to show me a bit of their color [Although I guess they were doing better than they were letting on.] and their setup and then I said cheerio and went off with my Garrett. I think most are happy to have a yarn - probably not keen to actually tell how well they might be going, but that's human nature.

 

[AngerManagement]

Yep had a few that were more than happy to chat.... And a few on the beach that sort of sneer at you....

It is as if they think they are the first in that area and that they have the area 100% to themselves.

Others sometimes behave as if you are;

• cutting in[/*]
• going to get the GOLD ring that they might have missed[/*]
• new to the area and need to pay appearance money[/*]
• mad for filling in holes and collecting the trash[/*]
• TBA[/*]

As for me, a time out is a time out and detecting and or a chat is all good.

 

[casper]

Yup - as in the mother country tonque "...there's nowt as queer as folk..."

I posted my experience on 30th Dec 2013 - here it is again........

i learned t'day that not all folk are friendly - the scene opens with Casper (me) ambling along a road in an East Gippsland forest eating a ham sandwich (xmas ham - smoked - yum) which was necessary sustenance for one who was planning on heading down to the creek where gold might be won by intelligent seekers (aka prospectors). A car approaches from behind and apparently thinking nothing strange about encountering a lone person strolling a forest road eating a ham sandwich (leftover xmas ham - smoked! - yum, yum) it speeds past but pulls over 200m ahead, driver alights from his vehicle, opens the boot, pulls on chest waders and is gathering up his pans, shovel etc as a i approach - i say howdy - he turns and shows me his back.

I'm puzzled - i had left my axe and gun in the 4WD and was only armed with a ham sandwich yikes

casper

 

[Grunta69]

Well Casper if your ever heading back to east Gippsland not all of us are unwelcoming we are a friendly mob over here most of us anyway . Must organize a meet down this way cheers

 

[Twapster]

I think all of us have experienced the good the bad and the ugly when it comes to saying gday and hoping for a happy gaze back. For the most part country folk are great, city prospectors are welcoming, however every now and then u get the grump ass with an attitude. Ive had the "non welcome" attitude once while prospecting, it really stinks when supposedly "like minded" prospectors give you the "get out of my territory" vibe. Of course everyone has their "hole" they were digging or "path" they were taking and obviously one should respect that. But the old stink eye from the word go is certainly on my pet hate list and "hope you dig all day and get nothing" running in the back of my head as I walk off in disgust at some peoples attitude to friendly folk!

 

[HeadsUp]

Um yeah

A very small minority seem to have a green eyed monster eating their brain and when the character involved suddenly thinks you're after THEIR gold , then all sorts of nasty games appear.

I don't really get too attached to gold or money ,but that little minority give me the impression they would run over their own grandmother if they thought she had a 0.2 gram nugget hidden up her cardigan

....

I was once told by a bloke that " I should f**k off out of Tuena coz people don't like where you're going"

(It was a river on Crown land)

.....

I was also once given a deliberate bumm steer by some people who knew I was going to work a spot they liked , so they told me I should go and work "that hole over there where con & Lisa found heaps of 0.3 and 0.5 gram nuggets yesterday"
Yeah I got conned by it and that hole I was pointed to turned out to just have the usual pisssy little flakes the area is known for

Those two incidents offended me so much I didn't even go out for a dig anywhere for 3 - 4 months afterwards , and the spot I wanted to work got smashed by 4 - 6 carloads of prospectors every weekend for months afterwards.

Lol

 

[HeadsUp]

Most fellow detectorists I've come across have been considerate and more than happy to have a yarn, but I had one guy come over for a chat then told me he was leaving, two seconds later on goes the detector and he started cutting in front of me. I was gridding at the time and it was quite obvious where I was going, so after 10 minutes or so I called out "hey, I thought you were heading off" and his response was "yeah I just though I'd have a quick look over here before I do", he stuck around for about another 30 mins :/

Insanity resides in people like that

Best to avoid them , just pack up and chances are you will find a better spot elsewhere

 

[Goldtarget]

Take them as you find them. Some out there are great all round people and I'm happy to share a laugh and give/get a few pointers, mostly the times I've met someone randomly it goes well, but the worst in people is often hard to swallow. It's usually the general public that gets hard to bear especially coin shooting. Everyone seems to have a story to tell and I'm time poor feigning interest usually seeds me with the headphones back on within a couple of minutes. There's always something taking someone's interest, I can give the rough end of the pineapple myself though to many days in retail will do that to you

 

[LC76]

Maybe we need a code lol.

Salute = keep your distance

Wave = Up for a chat

I have days when i just want to be left alone though.....but even then im still willing to have a chat,i don't like being rude to people unless they ask for it.

 

[stevo]

I find it a little tricky sometimes to read some people out in the gold fields, I wont intrude on someone if their doing their thing.. detecting panning what ever but if their clearly on a break or taking time out I will usually have a chat and so far no gripes...but then if you saw the size of me... well let me put it this way, very rarely do I get lip or trouble from anyone... lol

 

[Heatho]

I've had mostly positive experiences out in the field bumping into other fossickers. Though I pullen into Ophir one day and said G'day to a couple who both just glared at me, no reply...... Seemed a little odd, maybe they thought I was moving in on "their" Gold.

Most people I've met have been tops and especially forum members have always been great to chat with.

 

[MJB]

I have only ran in to one other person while out panning. I had just arrived at a new spot to do a quick recce' and was standing ontop of a high creek bank when I heard something clanging in the distance. Sure enough a fella comes walking down the dry creek bed, shovel, pan, bucket and large water bottle all slung over his shoulder. I called out "you must have the same idea I do" and that started a great conversation. We showed eachother what pathetic amount of gold we had found and it turned out I had found more from another spot than this poor chap. I happily told him where my better spot was as he was a nice bloke.

If he would have turned around with an attitude from the start I would not have told him nothing so being open to a chat with fellow prospectors can only be a win-win

cheers

 

[AtomRat]

I always chat to prospectors I see a long the creeks, even a few newbies I have helped out here and there, gem hunters looking for gold or vice versa, MOST times have been pleasant so far If I wasn't friendly and did not talk to people, I would not be where I am today with the gold knowledge. I met two blokes down the creek one day with a HBer, kept it simple and friendly, in return, one of them was the treasurer of a prospecting club, the other an ex dredger who knows a fair bit himself as well, and now he is helping me build up some legs for my HB!

Something I am not a fan of, and that is snipering. I have been spotted, watched and sniped twice already. Meaning, after weeks of sample panning up n down the creeks, I would finally hit a decent deposit, after spending one or two days there, the car gets left on the road, and the second someone can see that you are parked there for a while, when you go, several cars will be there the next day like seagulls, completely wreck the area by leaving trash and MASSIVE holes right where I was digging. To me it just shows that those people cannot find gold themselves as they lack the knowledge, patience and charisma needed for prospecting.

I find it a little tricky sometimes to read some people out in the gold fields, I wont intrude on someone if their doing their thing.. detecting panning what ever but if their clearly on a break or taking time out I will usually have a chat and so far no gripes...but then if you saw the size of me... well let me put it this way, very rarely do I get lip or trouble from anyone... lol

I'm 6'6 with a 5' shovel, lets have a prospecting duel! :lol: It is an advantage having size, but you still have to be wary that there are some that will see size as a threat as well, I was chased by a bull through the creek not long ago, now theres size!

 

[nuggetino]

Can't say I've met too many pissed off prospectors out detecting just few that made it clear they're not there for a chat which is fine.

Pretty easy to tell if they're up for a chat or not . The code I go by is if a fellow prospector responds to a wave with a nod/wave back but continues swinging the coil they're not keen. Nothing rude or difficult there and don't know why some people gotta go to the effort of pulling an I just got kicked in the nuts face over another prospector acknowledging their existence.

Personally, there's days I don't mind a good yarn and days I want to get to business, usually when I haven't got much time on my side. Anyone who thinks you're going to find "their" nuggets is pretty naive. There's been a thousand other people over the same ground before you anyway. best chat out prospecting was with a bloke who planned to explore the WA in his tiny rust bucket airplane. Guy had about 3 well oxidized teeth and his body odor acted as both an effective fly attractant and interference deterrent as I always knew when he was detecting nearby. Funny as heck though.

 

[stevo]

I always chat to prospectors I see a long the creeks, even a few newbies I have helped out here and there, gem hunters looking for gold or vice versa, MOST times have been pleasant so far If I wasn't friendly and did not talk to people, I would not be where I am today with the gold knowledge. I met two blokes down the creek one day with a HBer, kept it simple and friendly, in return, one of them was the treasurer of a prospecting club, the other an ex dredger who knows a fair bit himself as well, and now he is helping me build up some legs for my HB!

Something I am not a fan of, and that is snipering. I have been spotted, watched and sniped twice already. Meaning, after weeks of sample panning up n down the creeks, I would finally hit a decent deposit, after spending one or two days there, the car gets left on the road, and the second someone can see that you are parked there for a while, when you go, several cars will be there the next day like seagulls, completely wreck the area by leaving trash and MASSIVE holes right where I was digging. To me it just shows that those people cannot find gold themselves as they lack the knowledge, patience and charisma needed for prospecting.

I find it a little tricky sometimes to read some people out in the gold fields, I wont intrude on someone if their doing their thing.. detecting panning what ever but if their clearly on a break or taking time out I will usually have a chat and so far no gripes...but then if you saw the size of me... well let me put it this way, very rarely do I get lip or trouble from anyone... lol

I'm 6'6 with a 5' shovel, lets have a prospecting duel! :lol: It is an advantage having size, but you still have to be wary that there are some that will see size as a threat as well, I was chased by a bull through the creek not long ago, now theres size!

You are a tall bugger Im 6'4 about 140KG.

 

[Diggertom]

I've come across a few people, everyone's been good, shared information and even the occasion good spot.

I think most people doing it as a hobby are going to be friendly and chatty!

Tom