More South Texas Agates - They're BLUE! Part 1

[@alicemiller3139]

How cool hunting with your mom! Don’t feel bad that she got the best. Age and wisdom! ❤️

[@denisthemineralist4033]

Nah, it's just friendly competition, though it does push us to find the best stuff. We have a running joke between us - whichever one of us goes first, the other one will inherit the whole collection anyway! :D

[@tammyfowler9994]

I live in South Texas. I love rock hunting. My husband had a deer lease down Zapata area. He hunted deer while i enjoyed hunting rocks!

[@denisthemineralist4033]

Zapata is where the really good agates live. I haven't hunted that far south in a while due to the border issues, but I have really been itching to get back down there. Have you been down there lately? How is it?

[@gigibarraz1]

I’ve lived in zapata all my life. I just found you channel and I know you’d love rock hunting in our backyard!!!!

[@CedarStoneCreations]

You had me at blue agate, cool finds!

[@cullingtheherd7169]

Good hunt and great finds. Cheers from South East Washington State

[@denisthemineralist4033]

You guys have great agates and carnelian in your neck of the woods! I need to get back up there some time soon! Thanks for watching!

[@dmattern4315]

Great finds. The colors. The thought of the formation of these agates, etc.. would truly like going on an adventure such as this. Don't get out much. So, I guess I just got to watch others enjoy God's amazing handy work. Thanks for sharing. Mom and son team. 😊

[@denisthemineralist4033]

Thanks for the kind words. Yes, it's not as good as getting out to nature for real, but I'll do my best to bring as much of it to you as I can! Thanks for watching!

[@JnVrockhounding]

Such an awesome variety of great agates, pet wood, and a couple nice jasper’s.

[@Shinobi-kill]

If you still in Texas can you pin point some dirt road that I can find. Close to like McAllen or Harlingen tx that way I can so search

[@michaeltrimble7680]

Beautiful! I’m in central texas and looking for places close to home. Any generic counties in southern texas you’d recommend?

[@darlenebooth2534]

so glad I found y'all!!! I am compelled to say you sound just like Johnny Carson !!! 😊 I am an old rock hound ,can't indulge anymore so I really enjoy this content

[@outdooradventureswithfayde6832]

This video just came across my feed. Better late than never. Lol! Holy smokes, those were some beauties yall found! Wow, on a dirt road, too no less 👍

[@denisthemineralist4033]

Thanks! Yeah, in Texas, unless you can get permission to get on private land, dirt roads and navigable rivers are pretty much what you've got. Unfortunately, we don't have BLM land like they do in the states out west - everything is private here except for the roads and the river beds. But luckily, we have about 269,000 square miles of 'em! :D

[@brianjohnson3974]

I lost my Mama 2 years ago. Bless you and your Mama!!!!!!.......

[@AussieRockhoundingandAdventure]

Wow just wow every single one of them are absolutely beautiful, the different varieties in agates as you said "shut the front door" the water line agate, the palm wood, the jasper,all the petrified wood the once in a lifetime find your mum found what a beauty but those blues OMG💙 absolutely stunning! But yep your Mum kicked your butt with finds again 😉 thanks for sharing looking forward to the next one can't wait to see those cut's

[@denisthemineralist4033]

LOL! Yeah, I bring Mom along because she pushes me to find better stuff. The competition is a good for our collections! :D I'm going to get that cutting vid up as soon as I can. I messed up my saw blade last weekend about half-way through, so it slowed me down, but I just got in a new blade and I'm getting back into it this week! Glad you liked the stuff!

[@RockhoundTreasurehunt]

Glad my friend sent me a link to your channel. I live and Rockhound in Las Vegas and I find some pretty cool Rockhound Treasures that for the most part make it onto my channel. I went to Texas last year and did some Rockhounding. The palm wood I found is amazing but it definitely doesn't have baby blue in it. I found some amazing agates covered in Chalcedony and lots of very cool Fossils. I can't wait to go back. Great finds there! I'm now subscribed to your channel. My friend said I would like your channel because she thinks your style is a lot like mine. What can I say, we're Rockhounds and we love finding amazing Rockhound Treasures! Our excitement speaks for itself! Great video. Thanks!!

[@denisthemineralist4033]

So cool! Thanks for subscribing and thank your friend for me too! I'm going right over to check out your channel as well. It's good to find people who love this stuff as much as you do. It's really why I made this channel - to meet kindred spirits. I lived in Vegas for about 5 years back in the late 90's and early 2000's (and I've been poking around the Mojave for about 35 years), so I did get quite a bit of exploration in while I was there. I miss the desert at times (the rocks are easier to find when they're not under the trees and grass LOL!). I found a vein of lavender-colored seam agate near Valley of Fire when I was there that was off the chain, but I can't remember the exact location. One of these days I'm going do a video cutting and cabbing a few pieces of it. I need to get back out there soon to try to find it again. If I do, I'll let you know!

[@TexasTater]

New sub here. I live in the Catahoula formation in South Texas. Never thought about hunting gravel roads and never thought there would be finds like you have. Thanks so much for the info and your videos are very good!

[@denisthemineralist4033]

Awesome! Thanks for joining the channel. Good luck out there. If you find anything cool, drop me a line via email!

[@TexasTater]

@@denisthemineralist4033 Just went to one of the gravel roads off 281 between George West and Alice and found my first, pear sized, banded agate along with some jasper and beautiful pieces of chalcedony. Thanks for the advise.

[@denisthemineralist4033]

@@TexasTater AWESOME!!! If you get a chance, hit my email address and send me some photos!

[@TexasTater]

@@denisthemineralist4033 I talked to a game warden in Zapata just to make sure it was safe to be there. Turns out he was a rock hound and we talked for at least 15 minutes about where to go and precautions to take. He also sent me a text with several specific locations. BTW, he is moving to Harris County Jan 1st. Very nice guy.

[@denisthemineralist4033]

@@TexasTater I'd be interested in what said. I've talked to a number of people who have spent a little time down there and I get mixed reviews. The opinion of someone who really knows because they've spent a lot of time there is valuable!

[@Shinobi-kill]

Great finding. I too also rockhounding in my hometown. I live in south texas and hope you can find some agates where I live

[@DeeDeeDIY]

Oh wow, oh wow. 👌 I love it.

[@denisthemineralist4033]

Thanks! I was pretty stoked myself! :D

[@dreamlookautodetailingauto3353]

Nice Agates & petrified wood! Good job 👍

[@mitchgillilan]

Wow was that a great dirt road adventure! I've found some really nice agates on dirt roads in AZ and Oregon, its always a fun time. Love the dark blue banded ones and that palm wood is insane!!! 💙

[@lilalightandlove421]

You must be your mom’s lucky charm! You found more and stunning agates in two days road hunting than I’ve found over a week of hunting Lake Superior. Excellent video. Love to hear the excitement in your voice when you find a treasure!

[@denisthemineralist4033]

Thank you! Yes, it is a target-rich environment down here at times - feast or famine. The trick is stumbling on a road no one has hunted in years - no competition! LOL! I was up around the Great Lakes in October looking for LSAs and yeah, it was slow going. I had better luck inland than on the shore. But, wow, those Lake Superior Agates are worth the effort! I did go this last weekend back out to this same area in South Texas and while we didn't do quite as well, Mom found some real prizes again, and I scored one SPECTACULAR agate on Easter Sunday. I'll try to get that video up soon (working on a couple others first). Thanks for checking out the channel!

[@JohnaFactsDontCare...]

You're lucky to hunt lake Superior. It's on my bucket list since I retired at 50 and bought an RV! As soon as I'm comfortable on the road with it. Agates, yooperlites, and Petoskey stones!!!

[@ikestoddard2458]

Can’t wait for the next video entry!

[@denisthemineralist4033]

Thanks! I'm trying to get the new video live before I head out on this next big trip. Wish me luck!

[@GDSavingThePast]

Now that is a fun day out. So many cool finds.

[@denisthemineralist4033]

Thanks! It WAS a fun day out. Except for the 100+ degree heat, it was a perfect hunt. I'm definitely going back to explore some new places down there, but I think I'll wait until fall so the rocks aren't so hot that they burn when you pick them up! :D

[@GDSavingThePast]

@@denisthemineralist4033 I now live in Colorado but use to live outside of Fort Worth so I understand those Summer heat days.

[@brianjohnson3974]

That blue is GORGEOUS!!!!!!

[@dmozonnersepicoutdooradven3524]

Fantastic finds. We do a lot of rock hounding videos ourselves. Great stuff. Thank you for sharing.

[@denisthemineralist4033]

Thanks for the good words! I'll go check out yours as well!

[@saralynn518]

YEAH!!! Mom kicks butt!!!! 🥳🥳🥳 I love pretty flint, but I am resenting Ohio more and more. I want to find colorful agates. Watching videos like yours and other KZbinrs really gets me excited about traveling, and also frustrated because it's so far and gas is...well...$$$ lol. I love everything you guys found!

[@denisthemineralist4033]

Thanks! And yes, Mom DOES kick butt. She always pulls out that miracle find right at the end just to assert her dominance. LOL! Yeah, trips to places like west Texas or Montana are not easy jaunts from Ohio for sure. But there are some places in some of the neighboring states that I believe have some good stuff. I know Kentucky has some really interesting agates and geodes, Indiana has geodes between Indianapolis and Bloomington, and of course there are Lake Superior agates up in Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota. They're still a bit of a trek, but much closer to home. If you haven't checked out KZbin channels from Michigan Rocks, Agate Dad, or Agate Ariel. They know that part of the US better than I. I believe Wild Kyle also has an agate hunting video or two from Kentucky as well.

[@saralynn518]

@@denisthemineralist4033 Mom's always have that mystery magic! Tell her I have much respect for her abilities! I have been up to MI a few times and I'm online friends with Rob. I've been trying to move to MI for 3 years now, but the market is so messed up. I do sub to Agate Dad, but have yet to hear of Agate Ariel. Montana Rock Mom has some AMAZING videos as well as her husband Theo(?) I can't remember his handle, I am trying to get a camper trailer this season to do some travelling. I don't know if my van will hold out, but fingers crossed. I guess my biggest problem is finding locations I can plug into the GPS. I'm not too good with finding places unless it's a park and then it depends which kind of park you can possibly take from. I get why people are secretive, but I'd like to think if I knew someone was travelling a day or two to look for some and I knew a good spot, I'd try to meet up and help. I'll worry more about it when I get to it. Thank you for the wonderful resources!!

[@arongstone]

Awesome capture!! that's very interesting South Texas Agates! It still looked like fun, thank you for sharing nice finds. Have a wonderful day!

[@denisthemineralist4033]

Thanks for the compliments! It really was fun. And thank you for watching!

[@emmmeocacatoo6749]

Ok, I've decided that we must be related. You two are definitely from my same tribe!! 😍😍😂😂😎😎

[@fishinfool]

You got my attention! Hard to pick a favorite!

[@denisthemineralist4033]

Thanks! Yes, on most hunts you go home knowing which one was your prize for the day. This was one of those weekends where you have a BOX of favorites and still might change your mind after you start cutting and polishing!

[@floridamanfishes9085]

Awesome finds great info!!!!!!

[@denisthemineralist4033]

Thanks! I appreciate the good words!

[@rockersfromaz3001]

Well you earned my subscription!! WOW!! All of them were incredible!! Super 👍🙌

[@denisthemineralist4033]

Thank you so much! Glad to have you on board! I have a bunch more to edit and publish, so I hope to get more out there very soon.

[@cylentsmoker]

Amazing finds! Good morning Dennis. I'm new to Texas just came a couple days ago And oh my goodness Thank you for explaining all this information. I'm from Colorado and got into rock hounding a couple years ago I'm so excited to know there are rocks here too

[@denisthemineralist4033]

Thanks, and welcome to Texas! There are definitely good things to find here, they're just a bit trickier since most land in Texas is private. No open BLM public land around to explore here, which is a bit unfortunate, but our back roads are still productive, and many times folks here will be quick to point you in the right direction, and even give permission to collect on their land if they know you'll respect their preoperty. Talk to everyone, make friends where you can, and certainly join your local gem and mineral society - they arrange digs in places other people can't go, and their members are walking search engines of knowledge.

[@JohnaFactsDontCare...]

​@@denisthemineralist4033that's another problem for me. I'm just north of Madisonville, great place for my little horse ranch, and I trip over pet wood and arrowheads daily. But, no agates and no local mineral or rock societies. Heck, it's 11 miles to a gas station.

[@LAAKIRA55]

i just found this channel by accident. love collection stone and crystals. i am part apache and cherokee. it looks like you are having fun. will watch more

[@denisthemineralist4033]

Thanks for watching! I'm glad you found us!

[@juliefoley5953]

Absolutely loved your video we live in South Texas also. We go rock hounding for fun all over but never thought there was much around here. Let us know your “route” if that’s ok I know you were just on side of the road so it will be something else for us to try out! Thanks! Cant wait to see and hear more of your videos

[@agatebeauties]

Great finds! Thanks for sharing. Love the blue!

[@denisthemineralist4033]

Thanks! Yeah, finding naturally blue things in a desert really gets your attention!

[@brianjohnson3974]

Can't wait!! Part 2!!!!!!

[@carolmoline6490]

Love to be there !

[@christophertaylor2464]

I liked and subscribed to your channel. I live in central Texas

[@daveloo8863]

You’re just walking gravel roads? Amazing stuff you found there

[@denisthemineralist4033]

Thanks! Yes, just gravel roads. Since Texas doesn't have public land, like BLM land, etc., we've learned to work with road cuts, gravel roads, ditches, etc. From time to time ranchers may stop to see what we're up to and when they find out, they may offer to let us hunt inside the fence, but it's rare. I've spent many a day just staring over a fence at a canyon full of gravels, salivating, thinking about all that might be in there. :D LOL! But luckily, there has been enough to keep us busy for quite some time.

[@adelaideatterberry9360]

BEAUTIFUL FINDSSS

[@denisthemineralist4033]

Thank you!

[@ivoneclemens6182]

I love it

[@dustinfindsrocks]

Wow what a great location! Those were some pretty fantastic agate finds! I love the black and blues. We don’t get those in Missouri where I’m at.

[@denisthemineralist4033]

We don't get many that color around here either, which is why I was freaking out when I saw the color. Usually you have to go down into Chihuahua, Mexico to find colors like that. I still love the stuff you guys pull up in Missouri. One of these days I'm going to join ya'll on a dig when I'm in the neighborhood. If you ever get down to these parts...

[@kelbugnew]

Beautiful finds!

[@denisthemineralist4033]

Thank you very much!

[@jasonmilligan9506]

Awesomeness!

[@denisthemineralist4033]

Thanks! We were pretty stoked about them too!

[@renemartinez3816]

I live in South Texas, pearsall area lots of county roads and dry bed rivers! After looking at these videos I'm very interested in looking for these nice rocks! Thanks for the video

[@godsnerd1971]

I'm in SA and heading to Corpus tomorrow for a mini-vacation with my teen son. Have you had any luck in or around Pearsall? I'm thinking of making a few side treks to rockhound on the way to CC and back.

[@renemartinez3816]

@@godsnerd1971 yeah been heading out on keystone road, east side of Pearsall

[@Grip_ItandrRip_It]

Very nice! We're going down to that area in a couple weeks...

[@denisthemineralist4033]

Good luck! Hopefully the rains of late have washed out some goo material!

[@godsnerd1971]

Just found your channel a while back and have been working a trip with my teen son to Corpus tomorrow for a mini-vacation. He's been a rockhound since he was a little guy. I'm thinking of making a few side treks to rockhound on the way to CC and back. If we find anything noteworthy we'll pass pics and locations.

[@denisthemineralist4033]

Please do! I've been AWOL for a while due to some work/life issues, but I'm back online now and I should have some new video dropping here very soon. Good luck to you on your hunt!

[@Metal-Detecting-Texas]

I only just discovered your channel a few minutes ago and so far I like what I see. That being said can you share the general location of the rock hunt, I am retired and would like to try my luck in that area.

[@denisthemineralist4033]

I've been concentrating on the area between George West and Falcon Lake Reservoir (south of Zapata on the southern border). Gravel roads south of Freer, near Hebronville have shown some good promise (and I haven't hunted them much). The closer you get to the southern border the better the quality of the material (though consider safety if you get closer to the Rio Grande). Look for any gravel road with the heavier gravels, and especially look for rocks with a little bit of white chalk on the shell - the best material is weathering out of that chalky layer below the surface and then floating through the topsoil. If you don't find anything interesting in the first few minutes, move on a few hundred yards and try again, eventually you'll hit the well-silicified wood and agates either on the embankment on the side of the roads or in the material graded out on the edge of the road itself. Good luck to you! Let me know if you score!

[@Metal-Detecting-Texas]

@@denisthemineralist4033 I live about 20 minutes south of Houston if you are ever looking for someone to hunt with.

[@sterling8298]

Your mom rules.😊

[@jlhale2185]

Thank you so much for sharing!!! Question for rock hounders⁉️ Are there agates in every town of the US? How do you know where to hound?

[@teresaamsler5083]

Only a true rockhound could make a statement like, "This one is worth the whole trip right there!" Yep, just getting in to a known mineral locality can be the goal of a whole trip.

[@denisthemineralist4033]

Sometimes those trips are thousands of miles too! But still worth the discovery!

[@underpar3250]

Those were spectacular! Thank you for sharing this. I need to head down there for a couple days. Any hotels near that area?

[@denisthemineralist4033]

There are hotels and motels in just about every town down there, though we normally stay in Alice, Laredo, McAllen, etc. and drive back and forth because my mother is a bit of a Holiday Inn Express enthusiast. Me, I can sleep in a paper bag on the side of the road if I have to, but she likes a Keurig and a hot breakfast (and her loyalty points). LOL :D

[@brianjohnson3974]

You need to find out where they quarry the gravel from, for the road.

[@brianjohnson3974]

Mama SCORED!!!!!!

[@goldcambodia]

Good!

[@sandramartin5155]

Got one that was at a gift shop in Texas hill county

[@shawnnorrell1686]

What area are these blue agates in ? I’m going down to Mason county when it cools off to walk the llano river and might like to go farther south. I live in north east Texas and we don’t find hardly any agates here , so I have to travel to find great rocks. Would love to find some blue ones. Say hi to your mom for me and Happy Trials 👍😎👍

[@denisthemineralist4033]

These are in the desert south of San Antonio - all over between Three Rivers and Flacon Lake Reservoir - the closer to the border you get, the better the material. I do find TONS of petrified wood and palm wood all along the Catahoula formation around College Station, Lake Somerville, La Grange, etc, and once in a blue moon we find an agate or two in those areas, but for the best plume agates and banded agates, you have to get near the Mexico Border (or head out to one of those ranches near Alpine in far West Texas). The Llano river has some cool stuff in it, but agates aren't on the menu there - usually either fossils from the limestone areas, or pegmatite- and granite-related minerals from the Llano uplift. We have found quartz crystals, smoky quartz, epidote, tourmaline, etc. in those parts (and I hear that you can pan trace amounts of gold in the river too). I did also pull up one TINY blue topaz at the Seaquist Ranch near Mason many years ago. Good luck to you on the hunting!

[@denisthemineralist4033]

Keep in mind that the blue ones are rare. But they ARE there!

[@franciscoluna6517]

hello, we are some avid rockhounders up northwest area and just learned you are in texas for blue agate. well ive been here in mcallen tx for one year and cant seem to find any rocks as such. would u mind helping with your directions in south texas so i could relieve some of my itching, lol. thanks in advance.

[@billywhitehorn6397]

That jasper you found at 15:61 is a poppy jasper

[@losttiger66]

Amateur rock hounder out of Laredo Texas....a lot of nice rocks out on the river...let me know when u out this way...

[@subsonicdemon]

I really enjoy the videos bud, my mother and I do the exact same thing. I'm having issues finding agate. Could you recommend any places near McLennan County?

[@denisthemineralist4033]

In McLennan County itself, the chance of finding agates is going to be slim, as most of the exposed rock there is cretaceous limestone. There may be a few places in the rivers and creeks where some gravels might have been unearthed from lower or transported from upstream, but for the most part, fossils in the limestone are the prevalent thing around there. The closest places to find agate or silicates of any significance would be the petrified woods and occasional agates around LaGrange, Giddings, College Station, etc. For high-quality agates, like the plumes and banded pieces in this video, you'll have to make the trip down to the extreme southern part of the state - following that rough line from south of George West to Hebronville to Falcon Lake Reservoir on the border. Beyond that, it's either far West Texas (near Alpine) or Louisiana (NE of Baton Rouge) for the next good agate fields. Unfortunately, with all the cool things there are to be found in Central Texas, agates just aren't on the menu in that immediate vicinity.

[@janellh7503]

Hello we are at goose Island would you please tell us where a good place for finding agates? We live in Kansas saw your videos and ok now we are hooked. We usually do crystals but wanted to look for something else. Thank you and tell your mom hi for me please

[@imsoz7741]

That red jasper you found was it blood stone?

[@kengeohegan6854]

Did you miss one at 13:06 in the top right hand corner of the screen?

[@lindasyfert5401]

I'm in Harlingen, TX for the winter and would love to rockhunt. Is this over by Falcon Lake? I'm 72 and female so don't want to get into an area that is dangerous.

[@jennygirl225]

I'm in Beaumont till November for work. Where exactly is this location? Having trouble pinpointing it. Thanks.

[@keithcunningham7925]

amazing finds man taxes is where it's at 🤠

[@denisthemineralist4033]

Yes, when people think about rockhounding, Texas isn't the first place that comes to mind. But we do have some interesting geology.

[@Grandmasrockin]

I gotta go to Texas

[@stepford702]

Where is this exactly? I'm an avid rock hunter. I know all the good spots in Nevada. But I'm moving to East Texas. And I don't know where to even start. Any suggestions would be helpful.

[@sandramartin5155]

Momma wins!!!!

[@gregsharp1952]

Where in extreme south Texas do you hunt agates.

[@denisthemineralist4033]

They're scattered around in a wide area, but the biggest concentrations are closer to the border - north of Falcon Lake Reservoir has been a great hunting spot for ages. I haven't hunted the shores there in several years, but I did very well last time I did. I've been just scouring the gravel roads nearby - it's hit or miss, but when you find one, you usually find a bunch in a relatively small space.

[@josha.369]

where in deep south texas is this exactly please

[@popeye9995sp]

Hey sir I wanted to ask, can you give me a recommendation on where to rock hound? I don't know much but would love to take a friend who loves geology for the first time. It would mean a lot! We're from central Texas

[@denisthemineralist4033]

Hey there! Sorry it took me so long to respond. I've been away on a business trip to Canada so I was offline for a bit. If you can email me at [e-mail], I'm sure I can give you some good locations. Also let me know if there is anything in particular you are looking for and how far you're willing to travel.

[@janellh7503]

Where exactly are you we are new at this and need a place to start in Texas please and thanks

[@jlhale2185]

I want to find cool interesting new agates in Oklahoma...but i feel I'm waisting my time bc i don't know what I'm looking for... So my question is for quality agates...how to hunt for them in an unknown area

[@todddaugherty110]

You have a real scoop if you are finding Gila Monsters 600 miles from their natural range. My favorite Texas wood and agate area is in the Big Bend region.

[@raven5ism]

Dry, Dusty, Gila Monsters...we don't have that here.

[@denisthemineralist4033]

I was back out there two weeks ago and it was cold, rainy, muddy, and wet. The gila monsters were nowhere to be found but the rattlesnakes were awake. Weirdest desert ever.

[@billywhitehorn6397]

I live in e.texas...buffalo... here I find petrified wood

[@teecee4459]

Nathan Lane of mineral collecting

[@denisthemineralist4033]

Never occurred to me, but now that you mention it... When I was younger, it was Bob Saget. :D

[@teecee4459]

@@denisthemineralist4033 I can see that too 😂

[@johnnynephrite6147]

Which minerals do you specialize in? Or are you a mineralist generalist?

[@denisthemineralist4033]

LOL! I suppose I'm a mineralist generalist as opposed to, say, a mineralist minimalist.

[@bit9918]

im buying property in van horn im so excited to rock hound

[@denisthemineralist4033]

There are some REALLY nice agates out that way, especially around Alpine and Marfa (a bit of a drive from Van Horn, but a lot closer than from where I am in Houston). Good fossils near Van Horn as well as some old fluorite and talc mines. And striking distance to all the stuff that's in New Mexico is a plus. You're going to have some good hunts!

[@WavyOnMobile]

How are you able to travel and mine and still be okay financially, do you work? Or do you sell what you find? I'm just trying to figure all of this out for myself, rock hounding already consumes my life, would love to make it my life

[@denisthemineralist4033]

I would love to make it my life too, and if I find a path to do so, I will. But for now, I do hold a regular Mon-Fri job. The excursions I've put to video so far are all fairly local, so I can get there, hunt, and return in a 3-day or 4-day weekend. I'm fortunate enough to work for a company that works us 1 extra hour each day so they can give us every other Friday off instead, so I get those 3-day weekends twice a month. Aside from that, just about every full-length vacation I take is a rockhounding adventure of some sort. I'm also working on a plan to eventually be able to work remote since I do more administrative work than physical these days. Once that happens, I'll be moving away from the Gulf Coast to a more rock-friendly environment (and away from hurricanes, hooray!). Once that move happens and I can set up a proper lapidary workshop, then I'll start selling some material for sure. I do know a few folks who have been able to do this stuff full time, and a lot of it revolves around social media / ad revenue and product sales. So they travel, mine, post vids of the mining, and sell the minerals on Etsy and other webstores or in gem shows. One couple I know have an RV with their lapidary equipment on board. They dig, he cuts and polishes the stones, she wire-wraps the jewelry, and they just follow the gem & jewelry show circuits. They do pretty well, but they're both VERY talented at what they do. So there are ways to do it. For me, I've started this channel for the networking and to talk to other rockhounds because they're awesome people, but should it get enough momentum to take me to a place where I don't need the 9 to 5 anymore, I'm taking that leap!

[@WavyOnMobile]

@@denisthemineralist4033 I'm going to start trying to do that as well, especially while I'm still young! Going to Mason mountain in oct!!

[@denisthemineralist4033]

@@WavyOnMobile Best of luck to you on the journey! And best of luck at Mason Mountain. LOVE that place. The last time I was out there, back in springtime, my three biggest rubies were 995 carats, 1150 carats, and 1406 carats! The 995 was an excellent star variety. That mine is just so prolific! I know you'll score!

[@WavyOnMobile]

@@denisthemineralist4033 when did you go?!?! We may have met!

[@denisthemineralist4033]

@@WavyOnMobile I had to go back and look at the dates on the photos I took. Looks like my memory is really bad! I was there in May of LAST year (2021), and then again somewhere near the end of September of '21 as well. Time is flying by - I honestly thought I went this year!

[@hugohcza.5604]

😂😂😂 frankestone

[@Master-n-Teachvirgo8557]

I'm just a simple rock hunter

[@JohnSmith-ry1ri]

If you two were out there picking up nuclear waste we would still love you 😀

[@denisthemineralist4033]

LOL!!! We'd still be trying to figure out who picked up the waste with the prettier glow. :D

[@louisevad6091]

Did you see that rattle snake

[@denisthemineralist4033]

Was there a snake? If they aren't fighting me for a rock, I probably don't see them. :D

[@louisevad6091]

@@denisthemineralist4033. It’s the old” if it was a snake I’d be bit”bit

[@denisthemineralist4033]

@@louisevad6091 LOL! True story... I actually spent an hour digging under a sage bush in northern California for smoky quartz crystals a number of years ago, and when I finished, I reached back in to grab my chisel and that's when the rattler that was under there decided he'd had enough of watching me work. He had evidently been there the whole time, and only got ticked off when I stuck my hand in real fast to get my tool. He gave me a rattle before he tried a strike, so it was very polite of him to give me a fighting chance. Saved me a bite that day. Now I probe before I stick my hands or feet in places I can't see. But wildlife always seems to find me.

[@danvango]

enough of the water squirting already

[@MrJackson66]

Tried to watch the video, but couldn't... That horrible background music just kills it 😔... No one is interested in seeing you drive while recording a selfie lmfao 🤣, so vein 😢.

[@danksmoker420]

New sub. Wow awesome finds I love the blues.

[@denisthemineralist4033]

Thanks for subscribing! Yeah, blue isn't a color you see in a desert too often without looking straight up, so when it jumps out at you, it's really makes your day!