Last Post 09 Jul 2015 10:21 PM by  RAYMOND DUNN
Detecting in Bear Country - Headphones?
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Jeffrey Kinsman
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20 Apr 2015 03:30 PM
    I'm looking for recommendations on wearing headphones while out detecting in bear country.  Up here in Alaska I've done a lot of outdoor stuff but not nugget shooting.  I've always been taught to listen for bears and to make noise, etc., when out in the bush, but how do you do that with headphones on?  Any good ideas?  In-ear phones vice headphones?  Only use one side and listen with the other?  Partner up with someone not wearing phones?  I'd be interested to hear your recommendations and stories - thanks!  PS - I carry a .454 Casull for close encounters, so got that part covered...   
    Leo Lorenz
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    21 Apr 2015 11:12 AM
    Jeff glad you brought that up. I was always thinking bout that issue as well, even say being in California where there are big cats too. I hate the thought of trying to pay attention to the MD humming and yet hear a animal too. That wont work. I read something somewhere for people to put a bell around their belt or hat which maybe that would work. What about some kind of noise maker that the animals don't like to hear? Does subsonic noise affect them.
    Jeffrey Kinsman
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    21 Apr 2015 04:22 PM

    Thanks Leo -

    I was talking with a fellow Alaskan prospector the other day and he said that he uses a Shure (?) in-ear phone like musicians use and leaves one out to listen for bears.  I don't know how this would work, but I might give it a try.  I've got pretty bad hearing, so only having one side in might not work too good.  I've got a pair of Grey Ghost headphones that I've used on my coinshooting detector for years, but I use that in parks and around homesteads, not in the boonies.  Hopefully I won't look to appetizing to our local predators with my headphones and a big long stick (detector) roaming around!  Cariboo

    Leo Lorenz
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    21 Apr 2015 08:42 PM
    What about having the right dogs with you out in the wild....or will that be inviting more problems? I heard some dogs are good for scaring bears away.?
    Jeffrey Kinsman
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    22 Apr 2015 09:44 AM
    I think that dogs could be more of an alarm or distraction to a bear, but certainly not protection -- particularly against grizz.  If well trained not to stray and stay close, and give a howl if they smell a bear, they might be OK.  If not, they'd be a distraction to the miner with a detector.
    Leo Lorenz
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    22 Apr 2015 10:42 AM
    I was thinking more in the way of being able to alert a person far enough in advance, to be able to prepare yourself if one was close by. I read somewhere last year a guy that goes out prospecting, he has two dogs that he takes with him and they are bred and trained to ward off bears. They wont go running off looking for the bears, but do enough, to let bears know that "hey we are here, and its time for you to leave".
    Jeffrey Kinsman
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    22 Apr 2015 06:55 PM

    Leo - If you had dogs trained like that it'd probably work well.  It'd be great if you could have a heads-up that a bear was in the area nearby.  If I took MY dog out there I'd be doing nothing but following after him trying to get him to stay with me!  I've been going out in the bush here for years and to tell the truth, I've seen a few bears but never had one be agressive.  Mainly they just want to get out of your way because they don't like humans (we stink, 'ya know!).  As long as you don't crowd their space I think you're more likely to get bitten to death by the mosquitos up here than a bear.  Any Alaskans out there would probably agree -- that's why the mosquito is our State Bird!  Cariboo

    DENNIS LAW
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    11 May 2015 09:48 PM

    Hi, Jeffrey...

    I just moved back to Alaska (Soldotna) and I've been a GPAA member since 2012.  I've been trying to find a local chapter in Kenai or Soldotna...one is listed on the GPAA website, but the chapter president doesn't respond to e-mails and his phone has been disconnected.  They list a meeting time and location, but when I went there....The Moose Lodge in Kenai....they told me that meetings haven't been held there for a while.  Any suggestions?

    Thanks! 

    Dennis.

    P.S.  Detecting with headphones here worries me a little bit too.  I wear hearing aids and that kinda compounds the worry about covering my ears with headphones.  I'm thinking that maybe leaving one ear uncovered would be the best option. 

     

    FRANK NOVAK
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    25 May 2015 07:37 AM
    Well, here's one solution which I don't have to worry about, i already wear a hearing aid. lol There are low cost amplifiers that you wear like hearing aids, but they only amplify. That is they don't shift frequencies, etc. You could hear the detector and the bears. Just a thought. Frank
    WILLIAM HAMILTON
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    30 May 2015 11:29 AM
    if you use a bear dog get a Karelien bear dog, they are used to discourage problem bears in national parks. From what I have read they live to chase bears.
    Thomas Chambers
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    12 Jun 2015 12:43 AM
    I do detecting near stanton LMDA camp and surrounding areas. I use Koss earphones which came highly recomended by a dealer which are extremely clear and good volume. But I only use 1 side on louder than normally if you kept both sides on. 1 ear is for my protection from rattle snakes. Just use your best ear for the bears. The headphone you can adjust for the other. Hope that helps. Good luck and stay safe.
    MICHAEL FUNDEROK
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    12 Jun 2015 08:57 AM

    I see several mentions of using dogs to warn you if a bear gets close.  That would be good if the dog was WELL trained to stand his ground and not chase the bear.  Too many dogs will chase after a wild animal, but as soon as the wild animal turns to chase the dog, the dog will come running right back to you with the mad animal in hot pursuit.  I had a beagle that loved to chase moose until they turned and chased him, he'd bring them right up to my front door.  I meet a person down on the Kenai who hiked a lot and he carried a pistol in case he ran into a moose and a small boat fog horn incase he ran into a bear.  He said that if he ran into a bear he would set off the fog horn and the loud noise was enough to scare it off.

    ARTHUR WAUGH
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    16 Jun 2015 04:14 PM

    Around here, unless a bear is in a hurry and crashing through the brush, you won't hear one, same with our kittys.  They both are super quiet for big animals.  Was me I'd wear one side and not get totally fixated on watching the coil, keep the mark one eyeball up as much as possible and on a swivel.

     

    Bell might be ok, but it can be a homing device too.  You know the old saying on how you can tell griz scat...Black bear smells like bear spray, griz has bells in it.

    RAYMOND DUNN
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    09 Jul 2015 10:21 PM
    I will be traveling to Alaska next year ether in April but more probably in June for 30 days. I am a newbie to the gold panning family. I am currently trying to locate where in Alaska I want to travel to that would potentially be more profitable than others. Any suggestions? I also want to pick up the right equipment to take with me. I have a couple of others saying they want to go with me from the lower 48. I need suggestions on where to look, what signs to look for and the proper equipment to take with me. Any and all help would be greatly appreciated. Ray
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