[meteorite-list] Hunting hours vs recovery rate

[wahlperry at aol.com]

Hi All,

Have you ever wondered how many hours you must spend before your first 
cold find ? Or how many hours after you find a new area with a new 
meteorite before your next find?

I would like to say that you will find a meteorite every 40- 50 hours 
of searching for cold finds not counting driving or prep time. The only 
problem is once you find one you will spend 4-5 days or longer 
searching the area looking for the rest of the meteorite or the 
continuation of the strewn field. In my own experience in a know 
strewnfield ( Gold Basin) I spent 16 hours of hunting plus 6 hours 
driving time for my first meteorite. I might have recovered one faster 
if it was not for the 10 pounds of meterwrongs I was carrying in my 
pockets before I found one.

On some of the new areas  I have spent as little as 4 hours before a 
new find in a new location. I have also spent weeks before a new find 
at 8 to 10 hour days. In a strewnfield that I have been working there 
are times were you may not find one for a week and then find one or 
two. In one area a friend & I spent 3 days hunting before the frist 
find. We spent 2 more days looking for the next find paired to the 
first find. We have done 3 more trips to the location for a few more 
pieces. Average hunting day 8 hours plus 4-8 hours driving time to get 
to location one way.

I would like to say the average time to find a meteorite in a known is 
location 2-20 hours. For a new cold find from a area with no finds may 
take 50 plus hours of hunting not counting driving or prep time.

I am interested in hearing input from other hunters especially from the 
Southwest. I have been asked by some new meteorite hunters what they 
can expect before they find their first meteorite.

Thanks,

Sonny