Times Are Changing!

[bigscoop]

The good old days, for me anyway, weren’t actually that long ago. In fact, they weren’t that long ago at all, maybe 15 years or so. Back then I was running up to Michigan at least a couple of times a month during the warmer seasons, camping, kayaking, fishing, metal detecting, man, how I really enjoyed that. Just 10 years ago I could go up to Michigan and come back home with a good sized bag full of coins and a whole lot of jewelry, now…..just finding some pocket change a couple of nice rings is a real challenge. Hardly ever saw anybody at most of the smaller campgrounds up in the U.P., let alone another guy with a detector. In recent years up there I’ve hunted entire beaches without so much as a whisper from my machine. Heck, there was always an abundance of targets in the water, but sadly, not anymore. It was rare that I ever saw anyone else with a kayak, now they’re everywhere!

Wasn’t that long ago I could drive down to Florida and maybe, I say “maybe” see a couple of other people swinging a detector on the beach. Last morning I was over at the beach I counted seven evenly spaced out, and that was right in the heat of the day and they were all, “good machines”. I didn’t even bother to get of the truck, just kept driving along the beach. Times have really changed in our hobby, and in really what amounts to just a few short years. Really depressing, extremely disheartening, and almost deflating, if not completely defeating. So, I think all you other guys should just give up! (Just Kidding!)

But seriously, the competition & numbers have gone way up out there in recent years, in a lot of different areas of interest.

 

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[biggmike]

The good old days, for me anyway, weren’t actually that long ago. In fact, they weren’t that long ago at all, maybe 15 years or so.

You just have to adjust your way of thinking Brother bigscoop..... "These be the good ole days"

 

[bigscoop]

The good old days, for me anyway, weren’t actually that long ago. In fact, they weren’t that long ago at all, maybe 15 years or so.

You just have to adjust your way of thinking Brother bigscoop..... "These be the good ole days"

Oh man,.......I guess it ain't all bad!
Notice how you don't something like on your beach with a detector in her hand? This needs to really be addressed!

 

[Can Slaw]

Bigscoop, I have to agree with you 200%. How things have changed and "thinking outside the box" here in FL isn't working with so many detectors now in the water and many of them having read the same book. I have hunted these beaches for over 16 years and think I am pretty versed on the hunting conditions here and have done very well over the years, for which I am very thankful. However, in the last 6 hunts I have not found enough change to pay for one hour of parking, which is now $2.00 an hour. The FL "Gold Rush" is something else with "gold fever" having struck some hunters seriously. The number of night hunters now is UNREAL with those that feel they have to get in front of everyone else. Sharks feed at night and FL leads the nation in shark attacks...is a piece of gold worth the risk? Not for me. It is absolutely unreal to go to one of the many beaches I hunt at first light and step in dig hole after dig hole that were made since the last tide. Sure many of them are not experienced hunters, but someone in the water is, or there would still be a few targets left. It is said that, "no one gets it all", that's true, but put 7 no ones in the water at the same time and there is not much left for number 8. It seems more and more snowbirds have traded in their golf clubs for metal detectors and the number of tourist now coming down on detecting vacations has saturated the beaches in the area I hunt. I guess the old saying. "all good things come to an end" has come true in the area I hunt. But what a wonderful 16 years I had before. My hunting buddies and I are already talking about "the good old days" of metal detecting in So. FL.

 

[ivan salis]

old duffers can't make money by playing golf * sadly for some folks metal detecting isn't about fun --its basically a part time job * --they do not want a real job --with a boss -- but will walk hour upon hour searching for gold items on the beach to sell for scrap value.--times are fiscally tough -- due to high gas prices and other issues fewer folks are at the beaches and more folks looking for the few dropped items that they drop.

 

[Harold in Fla.]

Yes I too have noticed all the new hunters that are hitting our beaches I've been hunting for over 20 years and never seen it this bad, and like so many said they are hunting at the dark hours, it's bad enough being there in the light sometimes, their was nothing like back 10 year ago coming home with at least 30 rings for the week and that's gold one too, but now you relay have to hunt real bad to find something good, but the way i look at it all the great years that i have had at it and all the gold and Jewelry that i did find and God opened up his treasure chest and let us have some, so now we take what we can, Happy hunting to all the Guys and Gals that are still out their hunting, pretty soon I'm going to hang up my detectors and take it a little easier, HH Harold in Fla.

 

[Les West Central Fl]

Yes indeed, times are changing, only 10% of detectorist were water hunters. Very few water machines were available and some people modified their land detectors so they could hunt the shallow waters. A lot of interest for water and treasure hunting came after the Mel Fisher discoveries. Just like golfing, hunting or other hobbies more people that are retiring want something to do, our posting and talking about our hobby has helped contribute to their interest.
As for finding less gold, the market and economy has a lot to do with it. Many are selling their gold due to the price . Less people are buying and wearing precious metals and the sale of Stainless, Tungsten and Titanium jewelry has increased. Even the price of silver which had been at $5.00 an ounce is now at $36.00.
Not long ago one of our beaches had been renurished, someone found a couple of spamish gold coins in the sand and reported it to the news. The next day there were over 100 people swinging a detector in that area. In the famous words of Pogo the Possum, " I have met the enemy and he is us".

 

[search and recovery]

Nice post biggmike, and nice video I agree with you. We just have to change our way of thinking. Work a little harder, play in the water a little longer, find a little edge the average guy hasn't found yet, wheather that is in research or equipment upgrades. The easy pickings may be gone doing things the old way, but someone will always figure out a way to do better at any activity. I relic hunted for at least twenty years, and the old timers always said each place was picked over. We always find a little more. Now the newer generation of machines are making those sites seem like virgin ground all over again. I am new to water hunting this year, and I may never come close to what you guys found in the past, but I am going to try, because for me "THESE ARE THE GOOD OLD DAYS!"

 

[biggmike]

Nice post biggmike, and nice video I agree with you. We just have to change our way of thinking. Work a little harder..... for me "THESE ARE THE GOOD OLD DAYS!"

Thanks Search and Recovery. You guys may be right, we're not shooting fish in a barrel anymore but like you said we have to work a little harder and longer but it's out there. I don't care how many hunters there are. Every year I find about the same amount of treasure and this year isn't starting off any different. I just spend a little more time researching and a little more time in the water. Up until this weekend I was lucky to find one or two other hunters in the water and one of my friends went to a very well known beach on the Fourth of July and he was the only hunter there all day. Just expand out a little. Try some new areas if your favorite beach is crowded. I have gone to the same beach that my friend went to and I have never seen a hunter there either. David(FL) and I got our scuba certification and found a gold ring the first time at a beach within a couple minutes so there are a lot of things you can do. If the hunting is as bad as everyone is saying then the noobs will be gone soon and we will have it all to ourselves again. I agree with you S&R ""THESE BE THE GOOD OLD DAYS!"

 

[lookindown]

I just started water hunting three months ago, so I'm lucky, I don't know anything about the good ole days......wait a minute, I'm one of the newbies everyone is complaining about.

 

[bigscoop]

I just started water hunting three months ago, so I'm lucky, I don't know anything about the good ole days......wait a minute,I'm one of the newbies everyone is complaining about.

Not really complaining, just marveling at how much some hobbies have grown and at how far the tech has advanced in just a short time.

 

[ivan salis]

everyone is ENTITLED to TRY -- most will quit * -- look on the bright side , once they get burnt out after finding out how "hard" treasure hunting actually is there should be some great buys avialible on lightly used top notch gear.

 

[Can Slaw]

Yes indeed, times are changing, only 10% of detectorist were water hunters. Very few water machines were available and some people modified their land detectors so they could hunt the shallow waters. A lot of interest for water and treasure hunting came after the Mel Fisher discoveries. Just like golfing, hunting or other hobbies more people that are retiring want something to do, our posting and talking about our hobby has helped contribute to their interest.
As for finding less gold, the market and economy has a lot to do with it. Many are selling their gold due to the price . Less people are buying and wearing precious metals and the sale of Stainless, Tungsten and Titanium jewelry has increased. Even the price of silver which had been at $5.00 an ounce is now at $36.00.
Not long ago one of our beaches had been renurished, someone found a couple of spamish gold coins in the sand and reported it to the news. The next day there were over 100 people swinging a detector in that area. In the famous words of Pogo the Possum, " I have met the enemy and he is us".

Les, I have really thought alot about your post. Remember when some of the end of the months finds would be complete ring trays filled or close to it, with gold rings? Remember (no name) post with the 9 inch paper plate over flowing with gold jewelery? Or the Miami areas club and their end of the month finds posted from their club. I remember meeting one hunter that kept his gold stash in a fishing tackle box and it was almost full. Remember when silver rings were called "do not counts"? Those were the "good old days". You are so correct about people selling gold, we have a "we buy gold" store on almost every corner in my area. My neighbor that doesn't need the money just sold $15,000. in what he called "everyday gold". An upscale Dept. store here in town, no longer sells gold jewelery, no buyers. We have people putting up personal web sites with photos of finds that are not even theirs, for the sake of "promoting water hunting." You are so correct with your quote, " I have met the enemy and he is us".

This is nothing against newbies, we were all newbies at one time. The OP was about the "good old days" and some of us do miss the good old days and are reflecting back on what it once was. Many of the old hunters have had to put their batteries on the top shelf due to age, health, and sorry to say, death and new hunters have taken their places. I still hunt because the exercise is better than a smelly gym, but the rewards aren't near what they use to be. I still buy the latest and greatest detectors because that is still part of the fun of the hobby. However, it won't be long before a 2 ring month (gold rings) will be "the good old days" and I hope I am still hunting when someone post about those "good old days."

Chuck in Cape Coral

 

[biggmike]

Remember when some of the end of the months finds would be complete ring trays filled or close to it, with gold rings? Remember (no name) post with the 9 inch paper plate over flowing with gold jewelery? Or the Miami areas club and their end of the month finds posted from their club. I remember meeting one hunter that kept his gold stash in a fishing tackle box and it was almost full. You are so correct with your quote, " I have met the enemy and he is us".

Chuck in Cape Coral

WOW!!! I never found gold like that. If I found 2 or 3 gold rings in a hunt (I think 5 gold in a hunt was my personal best) I thought that was good. I have found hundreds of rings I guess but not enough to fill a plate to overflowing in a short period of time so I guess the "Good Old Days" is whatever it means to you. My dad has talked to me about the "Good Ole Days" as a movie with popcorn and a drink for 25 cents. I guess it's all relative but dang... a plate full of gold.... I wish I would have been hunting in those "Good Ole Days".

 

[bigscoop]

$700 - $1200 for a dectector use to be hard for most to justify. I can remember the age old comment, "It will take of lot of finds to pay for that." Now, you don't need too many nice finds to pay for it, and all the other stuff you bought with it. And the tech advances, just turn them on and go now.

Kayaks, use to be whenever you mentioned one everybody said, "Not me, too easy to flip. No way." Now, they are a lot more stable, some you can even stand up in. Again, tech advances making it easier for the masses.

Primitive weapons hunting seasons, use to actually be primitive weapons, recurve bows and cap lock rifles. Now, well, not really any primitive to it at all. Again, tech advances making it easier for the masses.

And the list goes on and on. My fear, for this hobby anyway, is too much tech. The day we all start leaving all the trash in the ground is the day we lose one of our strongest points of argument. Won't be able to argue, "But look at all the junk we're removing from the beach."

 

[Les West Central Fl]

This is nothing against newbies, we were all newbies at one time. The OP was about the "good old days" and some of us do miss the good old days and are reflecting back on what it once was. Many of the old hunters have had to put their batteries on the top shelf due to age, health, and sorry to say, death and new hunters have taken their places. I still hunt because the exercise is better than a smelly gym, but the rewards aren't near what they use to be. I still buy the latest and greatest detectors because that is still part of the fun of the hobby. However, it won't be long before a 2 ring month (gold rings) will be "the good old days" and I hope I am still hunting when someone post about those "good old days."

Chuck in Cape Coral
[/quote]
I'm glad you interperted my post the way I meant it. There is nothing wrong with other people joining our hobby, in fact I tell others how enjoyable and relaxing it is. I keep in shape because of it. I also tried to make a point about those that complain that others are hunting their Hot Spots. If you find a productive trough and tell all where it is , don't complain when you go the next day and it is loaded with hunters.
Less than 1/10th of 1 percent of jewelery in the water is found, ( Quote from researcher)

 

[Aka Nameless]

Thankfully it's only florida that is crowded with detectorists, or maybe the east coast.

On the west coast, some beaches I have never seen another detectorist, these are beaches that still have 500+ people on a saturday during summer. On the more popular beaches there is usually 2 people detecting the dry in the morning, the same 2 people every time. I can't say that I have ever seen someone detecting in the water where I live. I live in one of the 10 biggest cities in the U.S. also.

Florida is just overrun with detectorists cause of all the shipwreck stories, mel fisher, etc.

I've noticed that 90% of the people on the beach hunting forums are from Florida.

If you are only after spanish cobs, florida is your best bet. If you are after gold jewelry, there are much much better places to be.

Sounds like you guys need to move...

BUT.. the waves don't mess around on the west coast, you will never be able to detect chest or neck deep, you will drown, seriously, waves are over your head in chest deep water. Waves are 2-3 feet high on a normal day, 5-6 feet high a few times a week, up to 10+ feet high sometimes... With those bigger waves, comes stronger currents pulling you around constantly, even in waist deep water, even on a normal 2-3 foot wave day, you have to fight to just stand in one spot.. Not to mention the dark green/black water over here, can't see the bottom in waist deep water.

So it isn't all fun and games over here, either.

Very little competition though... lol.

 

[Kevin in IN]

Bigscoop , I can't reply as an old timer, as I've been hunting about 10 years. But for sure I think its a sign of the times. I hunted Warren dunes, MI. Saturday. Never seen so many people in the water. Afternoon I didn't see another detector all day. I hunted the water over 8 hrs. and left with about $4.00 in change and a post earring. Even the junk jewelry is in short supply this year. Kevin

 

[search and recovery]

I have to agree with Nameless, if you are not in Fla. Then there are not so many detectorists. I hit Myrtle Beach a couple of times for twelve hours, never saw another water hunter. Maybe just lucky days, but on best tidal days. There should have been more compitition on those days. The truth of the matter is it only takes two gold rings, by weight to pay for what ten gold rings of the same weight used to pay for. What we lack in volume we make up for in value. I am actually shooting for one gold ring per trip and it is profitable, anything else is a bonus. If you add in the occassinal diamond, it is an all around successful day. I wish at todays prices for gold we could find the volume you old timers once did, but that would be greedy I guess. I will find a way to edge out the compitition, that is just my nature. If I play I play to win. Always been competitive. Always won the championship in every sport I played in. Every year. I am probably too competitive, but I do not believe in wasting my efforts. For you casual detectorists, that is fine if all you want is a little fresh air and exercise, but that is just not me. I always play to win. I just can not help it. I love this addiction!

 

[Craig-PI]

Yes indeed, times are changing, only 10% of detectorist were water hunters. Very few water machines were available and some people modified their land detectors so they could hunt the shallow waters. A lot of interest for water and treasure hunting came after the Mel Fisher discoveries. Just like golfing, hunting or other hobbies more people that are retiring want something to do, our posting and talking about our hobby has helped contribute to their interest.
As for finding less gold, the market and economy has a lot to do with it. Many are selling their gold due to the price . Less people are buying and wearing precious metals and the sale of Stainless, Tungsten and Titanium jewelry has increased. Even the price of silver which had been at $5.00 an ounce is now at $36.00.
Not long ago one of our beaches had been renurished, someone found a couple of spamish gold coins in the sand and reported it to the news. The next day there were over 100 people swinging a detector in that area. In the famous words of Pogo the Possum, " I have met the enemy and he is us".

I couldn't agree more... us posting our finds on these forums... we are hanging ourselves and shouldn't complain when we find nothing I'm just as guilty for posting my finds... oh well...