Uncle Ron Posted June 8, 2011 Share Posted June 8, 2011 Yo All...My step daughter just got married and I've acquired a new grandson who's 11 ... He is obsessed with the idea of beeping for gold, though I've never taken him beyond the confines of our property here in Wickenburg, AZ...He's done really good on nails and scrap with my GMT, but I've promised to take him out to the goldfields, probably the LSD, soon ... Here's my question to you guys : Should I salt him a dink or two or not? ... It's hard to find much in the easier areas that I think wouldn't discourage him ... What's your advice! Cheers, Unc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wonderer Posted June 8, 2011 Share Posted June 8, 2011 I voted for salting one Uncle Ron, I'd say later in the hunt after he had dug quite a bit of trash. Also because the GMT doe'nt go as deep as your PI units, or are you going to let him swing the hollowed Green "Baboo" SD2100 ?wonderer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frank c Posted June 8, 2011 Share Posted June 8, 2011 Taking the circumstances into consideration, 11 year old, with a new immediate family to learn to live with. And he has shown you excitement and interest already. Go ahead and Capture his intrigue, at his age the experience of the hunt and achievement of actually finding a piece of gold will last a lifetime in his heart and mind. Put him in a designated area and tell him "this is the best training exercise you can have to learn how to do it" If you can detect a nugget here its yours.And if you can't find it today, well theres always the next time we go hunting. Because thats the way it is, some days you score and some days you don't. :twocents: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoser John Posted June 8, 2011 Share Posted June 8, 2011 Never salted anything for anybody except when sponsoring salted hunts. It has a tendency to build false hopes and then reality hits and adios--just my take-John :twocents: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Soloman Posted June 8, 2011 Share Posted June 8, 2011 Yo All...My step daughter just got married and I've acquired a new grandson who's 11 ... He is obsessed with the idea of beeping for gold, though I've never taken him beyond the confines of our property here in Wickenburg, AZ...He's done really good on nails and scrap with my GMT, but I've promised to take him out to the goldfields, probably the LSD, soon ... Here's my question to you guys : Should I salt him a dink or two or not? ... It's hard to find much in the easier areas that I think wouldn't discourage him ... What's your advice! Cheers, UncAhhh! What a great GrandDad! Unfortunately, with the digital age, he'll find these posts one day! I agree with Frank - How about just telling him, hey, I hid a nice picker out here for you - you show me your skill and find it - it's yours! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
highbanker58 Posted June 8, 2011 Share Posted June 8, 2011 I agree with Frank. But only after he has dug trash for a good part of the day. And when you do salt , make it realistic,on bedrock or in a crack. Even tho it's a salt,he will remember where he found his first nugget. A little bit of encouragement can develop into a lifetime of swinging Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fredmason Posted June 8, 2011 Share Posted June 8, 2011 Terry's idea is a keeper...and I also agree with Hoser John...if the idea is to teach him about nugget hunting with all the dips and highlights...let him earn his first nugget with total honesty...in this fast-food, instant gratification world earning a nugget will be much better than counterfeit success.fred Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bedrock Bob Posted June 8, 2011 Share Posted June 8, 2011 Take him with you and show him how hard it is. At the end of the day (or weekend) give him your best find. He will realize how hard you worked for it, and that you want him to succeed. Tell him the same. Then tell him to work hard and find his own. It gives him an honest start and does not stack the deck in his favor. We all know you cant be successful without the determination to keep on going even if you are finding nothing. To foster that determination is a much greater gift than making it easier for a novice to find a nugget. If he does not develop the determination then the nugget will represent an example of Grandpa's determination (and generosity). If he does then he will appreciate the gift even more. Salting a spot does not develop determination nor respect in my opinion. It just makes things artificially easy and probably is more harm than good in the long run.Just my two cents. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Furness Posted June 8, 2011 Share Posted June 8, 2011 Yep ... Gotta think Terry's idea hit the mark for the first time out and as others have said after he has had a chance to dig a little trash. Mike F Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Au Seeker Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 I agree that you shouldn't salt a nugget for him to find, unless you tell him you've done so, so he can hear what a nugget sounds like, if he gets to keep it would be up to you, I'm sure if you did salt a nugget for him without his knowing and he later found out he would think that he really didn't achieve what he's seeking to be and that is to be a great nugget hunter like his granddad, I don't think he after the gold as much as wanting to be like you!! :brows: A nice subliminal compliment from the young man IMHO. Skip Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnno Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 G'Day Unc and EveryoneI have to agree with Skip and I think that a lot of others on this subject. Let the ankle biter find his own gold. There's nothing better than an accomplishment. You salt it, he's going to go to school and brag about it and then when the truth comes out, he might like you for doing it but he's going to have to deal with the wrath from his friends at school. Let him build an honest back bone. You can plant a nugget and see if he can find it, but let him know you planted it and it was up to him to find it. Seeding only develops stories, lies. Start that whipper-snipper on a postitive note. You have to earn what you get. Give him your utmost instructions and allow him to proceed. Knowledge is earned, not handed out on a silver platter.. oops, I mean gold platter.That's my 2-1/2 gallons of gasoline and at the moment, very priceyCheersJohnnoP.S. Off to voting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
homefire Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 NO SALT! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grubstake Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 I wouldn't salt it either, I gave my son a waterdetector, when I was into water hunting, he had seen me find many gold rings, and wanted to do it, I got him all fixed up with a water detector, long handled scoop and waders, It took him two weeks of digging trash, but he finally found a gold wedding band on his own. He still has it, and that was 20 years ago. Grubstake Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heybeerman Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 I like Terry's idea.Blake Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C Denny Run* Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 Prospecting was a blast for me as a kid. I'll never forget my first find, and how exciting it was. I still have those few grains, and will always hold on to them. I panned for four days straight, on the Yuba River in California to find them. At the time, it was the proudest I had been in myself! Had I not have had those moments on the river, I'm not sure I would be getting in to it now.No salt. Just take him to a place where he'll have a good chance to actually find something. That's probably the best idea. Regards.PS: You sound like an excellent grandfather. Keep up the good work!-Denny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ringer Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 At the age of three I bought my grandson a cheap detector just the right size for him. Took him out on the quad and kept dropping quarters all over the ground and kicking dirt on top. He found about two bucks worth and I told him I had neen planting them. He went home and dug a half acre of his back yard up and filled a gallon jug with junk. I would salt then tell him right away so he understands he found the nugget fair and square but that you put it down for him to find. Kids just believe they are going to find something kool no matter what it is. Enjoy that kid Gramps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
driller Posted June 10, 2011 Share Posted June 10, 2011 An Ozzies view. No salt The first nugget you find is always the best. There are a few prospectors born with the ability to hear gold when it whispers.He is already lucky in that he has found some one like you that has the experience and has taken him under his wing. A nugget will follow. It`s just up the road in front of his coil.My guess is that you will get as much pleasure as he does when he finds his first rather than always having a nagging doubt in your mind that you salted the patch.Show him how..........urge him on.......and whoop with him when he gets it. And when he is old and grey he will be teaching kids and telling how his Granpa put him on gold.Driller.West Oz. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim P. Posted June 10, 2011 Share Posted June 10, 2011 Hi Ron, first, congrats on the new addition to the family. I say no salt. As you know, my oldest son has been nuggethunting with me off and on since he was about 5. He's dug a few that I beeped, but he didn't find and dig his own until last year. I can tell you without a doubt that the wait was worth it. He and I both new how much time and effort was involved getting to that point and it was truly a great moment. With your skill and experience I'm sure you can make that moment happen more quickly for your grandson, but it will still be a moment neither of you will ever forget. later...Jim P. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wonderer Posted June 10, 2011 Share Posted June 10, 2011 Unc,After reading all the posts I've changed my opinion, Bedrock Bob (post #8) has probley the best solution. It's aboveboard & honest, giving the lad a fair view of the hobby or pastime.The real benifit is haveing quality time with him & teaching him real world values. Not the lies tought in schools.Thank You Bedrock Bob for that insitefull post.wonderer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seeker Posted June 11, 2011 Share Posted June 11, 2011 I agree No salt let him work for it he will be all the better for it, but watch out he may pick your pocket one day LOL...........Geo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frank c Posted June 11, 2011 Share Posted June 11, 2011 WELL Uncle Ron it looks like the overwhelming opinion is DON'T USE SALT !!!!!Wasn't it Henry Ford that would not hire anyone who he observed putting salt on their food BEFORE tasting it as he considered it a wastefull action.???WELL I guess we have an overwhelming bunch of HARD ASSES HERE. I STILL say give the kid a TASTE of what it is all about. And after that initial TASTE he should develop an INSATIABLE APPETITE for gold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shep Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 I voted no salt, but when my grandson (and daughter) came to GB w/ me, I bought him a Lobo. We didn't have alot of time to teach him the detector. Wanted to stress getting it ground balanced correctly. The day before they got there, I cleaned out an area probably 15'x15' with Minelab. Then buried 4 bullets, scrap and a little test nugget on a business card. He got the balancing down well and found 5 bullets and scrap, but not the nugget ;-(. Buried it a bit too deep for it's size and for the Lobo. Had to find it with the Minelab (I forgot where I planted it). He knew it was a plant, but had to work for it. Might of discouraged him a bit when his detector didn't pick it up, but he has a test nugget now to compare sounds.Shep Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Ron Posted June 12, 2011 Author Share Posted June 12, 2011 Excellent advice all around, guys! Thank you! I'm going to do it all...Let him hunt the real deal and, in a separate session, I'm going to bury a dink that's laminated on a card (one of the old one's that Whites used to hand out as promotion)...Additionally, I'm going to salt one in still a different session and tell him I've done it, then work with him gridding until he finds it ... Thanks again everyone!!! Cheers, Unc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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