Andyy Posted July 26, 2015 Share Posted July 26, 2015 Well, I got this idea to do a night hunt. The thought was that I would just drive out nice and early to an area I had been to and do a little detection before it got hot. Usually, I only need half a night of sleep to function well, anyways. Why not put it to work. Black Canyon GPAA claims were the target since they weren't too far and I had walked around before and knew the ground colors and some areas of interest. Only issue is that my usual partner was out of action due to back pains. This would be a solo trip. So I headed out about 2:30am with snake chaps and the gold fever burning in my head. I either forgot how difficult the road was last time I was out, or the rains made the road worse. Maybe a combination of both. Kind of a surprise but no problem for my FJ cruiser. In short time I arrived (even with the I17 under construction). Then it was out to hunting in the peaceful night. I know a lot of people don't like hiking around at night, for obvious reasons, but I just love it. Always did as a boy, too. No birds. No locus. Nothing but the hum of threshold. My time was spent trying to find missed nuggets in the green schist and on the banks above the wash. But man, this area is tough. In the end, I ended up with a pouch full of lead and my cleaning touch on a lot of the schist. What can I say, the skunk got me again. And even though the area is tough for me, I still enjoyed the hike. Beautiful area. Just tough on giving up the yellow. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nugget108 Posted July 26, 2015 Share Posted July 26, 2015 Night hunting is fun. Like you said, very peaceful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frank c Posted July 26, 2015 Share Posted July 26, 2015 Maybe next time out you'll get em.hapy huntn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ahorton10 Posted July 26, 2015 Share Posted July 26, 2015 I've never done a night hunt, it sure would extend the season here in az though. I like the idea of drywashing at night, just get set up in the evening and do the work while it's cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
homefire Posted July 26, 2015 Share Posted July 26, 2015 Mr No Shoulders like to start moving around about 9:00PM.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomH Posted July 26, 2015 Share Posted July 26, 2015 Your right, nice and peaceful.Then you hear that sound....wassat!? Some giant wilder beast coming to eat me!!! Can concentrate a lot better also.Tom 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyy Posted July 27, 2015 Author Share Posted July 27, 2015 EMI seems to be less. And you're right, you can really hear those faint sounds. Good time for external speakers since wind noise can put these at a disadvantage. And i'd really like to hear that mtn lion before it gets its jaws locked onto my neck. Hah..hah.It was comfotable until 8am, when the sun made it into the valley. Then I felt like a piece pf bacon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mn90403 Posted July 27, 2015 Share Posted July 27, 2015 Beach night hunting is very enjoyable but be prepared to get an eye full and nose full of sights and smokes you won't see in the day light. We just did some night hunting in Alaska and it never really gets dark. The darkest it got was twilight and we only needed our light to look deep into the holes to find trash. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomH Posted July 27, 2015 Share Posted July 27, 2015 EMI seems to be less. And you're right, you can really hear those faint sounds. Good time for external speakers since wind noise can put these at a disadvantage. And i'd really like to hear that mtn lion before it gets its jaws locked onto my neck. Hah..hah.It was comfotable until 8am, when the sun made it into the valley. Then I felt like a piece pf bacon.Lot less airliners flying over and less wind to blow the bushes around.......EMI.Good luck to yaTom H. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyy Posted July 27, 2015 Author Share Posted July 27, 2015 (edited) mn90403 - Hunting alaska would be great. I went there a month ago. No gold hunting though. Im envious. I was gone 2 weeks and when I got back, you know what I was happiest to see?? The dark. Maybe im a vampire. Without the dark the weeks just seem like one extremely long never ending day. Edited July 27, 2015 by Andyy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rod Posted July 27, 2015 Share Posted July 27, 2015 Glad you had a good time. Night hunting makes you slow down walking the terrain, which is always a good thing when detecting. A black light is fun too, never know what kind of minerals might fluoresce and it's fun to see scorps and the critters being more active at night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AzNuggetBob Posted July 27, 2015 Share Posted July 27, 2015 Your right, nice and peaceful.Then you hear that sound....wassat!? Some giant wilder beast coming to eat me!!! Can concentrate a lot better also.TomIt does improve your concentration. Tom I've been night huntin for years, just use beast repellant. I use a headlamp with a red lens. makes cougars eyes glow red! beady little eye's in the distance. I think it confuses and spooks them and they seem to keep their distance or maybe I'm wrong? as far as the snakes,leggins are a good idea. AzNuggetBob 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
homefire Posted July 27, 2015 Share Posted July 27, 2015 Some Critters can't see the Red light. Coyote's act like it not even there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AzNuggetBob Posted July 27, 2015 Share Posted July 27, 2015 Some Critters can't see the Red light. Coyote's act like it not even there.Now your forcing me to have to let out all my night hunting secrets.My Chihuahua eats coyotes for breakfast.maybe I need to cut down on the steroids? AzNuggetBob 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyy Posted July 27, 2015 Author Share Posted July 27, 2015 Taking notes for future night hunts: black light ... check ... red lasers ... check ... killer amped up Chihuaua on steroids ... check ... I'll even tie my daughter's blinky shoes around my neck. Aint noth'n get'n near me!! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Furness Posted July 27, 2015 Share Posted July 27, 2015 Sure is entertaining if not 100% educational! ;-)Mike F 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rod Posted July 28, 2015 Share Posted July 28, 2015 Look out for those killer jackalope, death worms and chupacabras... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garimpo Posted July 28, 2015 Share Posted July 28, 2015 My last night hunt was about a year ago. My partner is to cheap to buy a pair of leg guards so he was using the ones that El D. gave him. Good thing to since he got nailed pretty hard by a snake. We were hunting in new plowed ground that in the past produced some really good gold. Even with my custom ear phones I kept hearing a soft crunchy sound. Never picked up anything with the red lens on the light. Next day I found my boot tracks and also some mountain lion tracks the size of a horses hoof print mixed in with mine. Going to get me one of those collars you wear for a broken neck, a foot ball helmet and shoulder pads. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZMark Posted July 28, 2015 Share Posted July 28, 2015 Garimpo, How do you cancel out all the brass under your belt buckle... NIght hunting in Brazil? AzNuggetBob, that's exactly how every chihuahua sees itself ya know.Great advice everyone, I need the snake gaiters before I try it. And Rod, I've seen some WTF's out there at dusk myself. you're not kidding... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AzNuggetBob Posted July 29, 2015 Share Posted July 29, 2015 Ok my wife's Chihuahua's not that big. but he does have the attitude like AZMark says and that's why I dont take him hunting with me. but a good well trained dog is a great idea to have out there with ya.. day or night. they don't miss much around you. and most of the pro hunters I know always take a dog with them. the reason I say well trained is they need snake training, by you or a pro dog trainer. so they know not to attack and keep their distance, with lions too. I have some rancher friends that thin down the cougar population every few years in their area, and they use well trained dogs to corner them but keep their distance.AzNuggetBob 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyy Posted July 29, 2015 Author Share Posted July 29, 2015 Agree, AzNuggetBob. Don't bring the dog unless it's trained for snakes. I used to train mine with bull snakes. Bull snakes may not have quite the striking speed of rattlers, but they've got an angry disposition. They used to scare the hell out of me when I'd catch them in box traps. They sound like a rattler by shaking their tail against the sides. My dogs knew to stay away. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AzNuggetBob Posted July 29, 2015 Share Posted July 29, 2015 Your exactly correct. bull/gopher snakes do rattle their tail like a rattler. ya I screwed around with snakes too until I got bit. but the point is, any non venomous snake will work for training your dog. water snakes, what ever. I had a Queensland heeler that was smart,fast, and would kill rattle snakes without a scratch if I didn't call it off. that dog feared nothing. pack of javelina what ever. but the problem is most untrained dogs think they can too.AzNuggetBob 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fredmason Posted July 29, 2015 Share Posted July 29, 2015 Playing with any snake can end badly...all those little pointed teeth have tons of bacteria slime-ing around to infect the foolish and unwary...fred Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
homefire Posted July 29, 2015 Share Posted July 29, 2015 My dogs Go Nutts around snakes but don't go after them. Porcupines are another story. Been to the Vet twice on that one. Dang dogs try to grab them and get a face and mouth full. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Furness Posted July 29, 2015 Share Posted July 29, 2015 I have to disagree Bob ... Rattlesnakes do have a different scent than their non-poisonous cousins. Therefore it is important to train with real live rattlesnakes. I have seen the difference myself and have talked to a couple folks in the know about it. One is the trainer down in New River AZ. My dog Max, Black Lab and Border Collie, will back up quickly on account of a rattlesnake but will stand his ground and bark his fool head off with a gopher, king, bull or other large non-poisonous snake. For the very best results in training a dog to avoid rattlesnakes it is best to train with rattlesnakes.Mike F Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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