New Zealand Gold Prospecting & Metal Detecting Forums Archive

In the years I have done prospecting I think how I often go places that most people would not think of nor try. Also that any of these current serial killers are thinking the same thing. I have come across bones (nothing obviously human) and about a month ago in a secluded creek area I found a big pile of bloated stinking intestines floating in a stagnant part of the creek. From some large animal (what I thought) and no bones unless submerged in the muddy water. I think how I could easily become a victim in one of those remote areas. Also found an old bullet casing down stream with the detector. Do you folks when you are off in the middle of no where ever think things like this?

Same as Kiwikieth, made a pact with my eel, do not f...k with me and I will not eat you. Been 3 years now, shows up soon as the motors start up comes right up to me then drops back behind the dredge, feed time for her.

My concern increases in proportion to my proximity to 'civilisation'.
Biggest danger in the bush here is getting shot, not by some psychopath, but by a hunter thinking you're a wild boar...

And nothing beats having a big drink out of a pristine bush stream, then heading round the corner to find a well decomposed deer in the shallows.

Having said that, I have had a couple of spooks. One of which was enough that I ain't going back there - even in daylight.

I'm with the Wigglemeister on this one-the further bush I go the less worried about humans I am. What concerns me is the other stuff-falling trees,rolling boulders,or busting an ankle miles away from anywhere.

You might say paranoia I mean I lived in the USA a long time and people go missing all the time over there. I also saw something that would scare the shit out of most people. Close-up UFO encounter in the desert. The thing looked like a oblong mercury kind of craft that was less than half a mile from me and utterly silent. I had all my prospecting gear on and saw it land in an old volcanic ravine. I could not get my camera out fast enough as it was in my pack that is what made me most frustrated. I was pretty freaked out. I could not find the landing zone. This is all said in total seriousness. I decided to head back to my car. I was wearing a desert camo head cover. I was almost to my vehicle when I noticed a vehicle that had been parked in the boonies not far from mine, pull up seeing my car and the two tall thin "people" who wore tan coverall kind of clothing with head covers approached my car looking in the windows. Perhaps they were wondering who I was. It was like an episode out of the X files.

No smoking or taking drugs as you infer. Climbing those rocky ravines one would be dead if under the influence.
This is one big reason people don't talk. Though I don't care what others think that's what happened.

I forgot to mention Weka's. They are roadrunner thieves, if you leave any items lying on the ground - doesn't need to be food. Very difficult to catch, or locate after they dive into thick Bracken scrub.
Good thing they're limited to the west coast. They're protected also.

Here is a good tip:
They will take the objects to the nearest cover to investigate them. For this reason it is best not to chase weka but to simply watch where they go and retrieve the objects a little later.

Just found out they've bern reintroduced to the Kaimai's. Take care fellow prospectors.

its no worse than someone I saw once pissing over the edge of a high up swing bridge just to see what happened.

he did find out but not what he was expecting. lets just say he had to climb down to his pack