LRLs and Dowsing

This is a topic that is fascinating. Ranger Tell at www.rangertell.com has been kind enough to allow me to use one of his units for field tests for many months and I have tried to find gold with it as well as have a few of my friends, Paul L., Gordy S., and Scott H.,. We have never found any gold with it. That does not mean it works, that does not mean it does not. I will say for certain he is honest and very good and fast at answering all of your questions regarding the LRLs...

The results and tests have been very interesting. Let's start with Paul's experiences.

Paul is a "water witch". He can locate water with dowsing rods and willow branches. I have also done blind tests with him with a 3/4 ounce gold nugget and dowsing rods and I have seen him locate the nugget with the dowsing rods, however only when he was standing directly over it. The dowsing test was conducted by me burying the nugget at 3.5 inches in the ground in a film canister and digging 4 other "placebo" holes which were empty. The holes were in a 20x20 foot area. Paul was not able to see me dig the holes nor hear me dig the holes. Three runs over the area and the dowsing rods ALWAYS crossed over the nugget hole only when Paul was over it. He could see the five holes I dug, he could not see which one I planted the nugget in. The copper rods were 1/8 inch thick and aprox. 18 inches in length, with the hand bend at aprox. 6 inches. My opinion? It worked. Will I go out and dowse for gold? No. Will I experiment with it? Yes.

Now onto Paul and the LRL. I carried 1 ounce of gold in my pocket behind Paul aprox. 100 feet as Paul used the LRL. Paul could not see nor hear me and I did watch as the LRL tracked me from side to side. Paul was walking west to east and I north to south and then south to north. We were in an area that has produced many ounces of gold near Cleator, AZ. and yet Paul never found a nugget with it. In one area I walked with Paul as the movement of the LRL was only what I could describe as "very strong". I watched Paul's wrists carefully and they did not move but the LRL spun with strong force. Going over the spot with a White's GMT and a Minelab GP Extreme with an 8, 11, and 18 inch mono and a 14 inch double D produced nothing. Did the LRL work? I really do not know...

 

A few pics of Paul at left and one of myself, Bob the BBQ Man and Paul. The photos can be enlarged.

Gordy's experience. 

Most people who know me and this website well may not even know Gordy S. is my "silent partner" in this website, and in several mining claims and business, he is. Gordy and I have experimented with dowsing several times with no luck. With the LRL Gordy did get a strong response. The LRL kept pointing to a very red ochre colored area. The area did produce many nuggets but none were pinpointed with the LRL and the LRL only pointed to the area from a distance and only if to the east of the area. The LRL gave no response in the area. The Minelab GP Extreme and the White's GMT cleaned house in the area, including a lot of trash! Do I credit the patch to the LRL? No I don't. It did peak my interest in the area but ultimately I cannot say for sure if the LRL found the patch as it only pointed there from the east and never located a single nugget... 

 

A few pics of Gordy at left. The photos can be enlarged.

Scott's Experience

Scott is a friend I met on the internet who only lived here in AZ. a few months and then had to move back to Maine. We became good friends quickly. Scott and I hit a new area and Scott scored his first gold nugget there. He tried the LRL and got no response. Nothing happened. He still thought it might work. Scott is one of the best detectorist I have ever seen. He has been relic hunting aprox. 20 years and I was happy to be there when he scored his first gold nugget with an Eric Foster Gold Quest "SS" detector.

 

A few pics of Scott, his nugget and myself at left. The photos can be enlarged.

My Experiences

I have not honestly found any gold with the LRL. From observations of others I think it has some potential as well as dowsing has some potential in the right hands. I have prospected many years in Arizona starting back in 1984 - 1985. I have panned, drywashed, dredged, and detected. Since the winter of 2001 I have become a serious detectorist and I am very impressed with the Minelab detectors and I do 95 percent of my prospecting now with a Minelab GP Extreme which I purchased in March 2003. I think keeping an open mind helps. Ranger has been kind enough to allow me to continue to use the LRL and I will and post any new information on this website. My friend Paul has great interest in the LRL and dowsing. One thing that I have no doubt of, Ranger is very open, honest, and always willing to help and he responds quickly to any questions you have. If I were looking to buy a LRL I would not hesitate to give Ranger my business. Yes I will continue experimenting with the LRL from time to time. I cannot honestly say it will find gold for you nor can I say it will not. I have spoken to people who have told me they have located gold and pinpointed it with an LRL. As stated above I will keep experimenting with it. It is very interesting to see how certain people can get reactions from LRLs and dowsing and others can't. One thing is for sure, it never hurts to try...

Best of luck...Rod