anyone like AMERICAN DIGGER show...Not Me

Frankn

Gold Member
Mar 21, 2010
8,711
2,989
Maryland
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XLT , surfmaster PI , HAYS 2Box , VIBRA-TECTOR
The facts, just the acts!!!

hand print-2_edited-3.jpg Lets look at the actual content of the AK dig. He asked permission and got it after the usual amount of rejections. He set a split with them before he hunted. He stated that he would fill all holes. That was a good example for us! Sure the pricing was jacked up, but it's a TV show. By the way that would make land owners more likely to give permission. I haven't seen anything bad so far, but I am still watching.
 

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Dug1898

Full Member
Sep 27, 2011
178
65
Fingerlakes Region, NY
Detector(s) used
Fisher 1236-X2 &
Los Banos Gold Bug
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I think Rick Savage is a loud mouth...I didn't like the way he lowballed the property owner in Alaska. He tried to get a 80/20 split at first. I wouldn't let him on my property for anything less than 50/50, and neither should anyone else. That's just my opinion...I'll continue to watch, just to see what they find; but I think he took too many piledriving headslams when he was a wrestler. lol
 

JmCraz8

Bronze Member
Apr 2, 2011
1,623
693
Ohio
Detector(s) used
Currently using: XP DEUS, T2 SE and the Garret Carrot lol
Have used: Garret Ace 250, Garret AT Pro, Garret Pro Pointer
Primary Interest:
Relic Hunting
I don't like it but I watch it lol I prefer the diggers show on Nat Geo than american diggers who use escavators.
 

mfitzy111

Hero Member
Mar 6, 2011
572
8
NEPA
Detector(s) used
garrett ACE350 (traded off!), minelab E-TRAC, AT-Pro
Primary Interest:
Beach & Shallow Water Hunting
wow- guys first thing I'm going to say is .....I DON'T OWN A TV! -that being said I watch most of my stuff online on my laptop. Yep - they might ruin some people's impression of the detecting community- but let's be realistic -if you ask and are respectful of other people's property (and even offer to share your finds) they might still say no- and if someone said I'll give you 50% or even just 20% of anything I find on your property (while I had no tools, no metal detector and no skills to locate something myself- I'd probably let you do it- as long as you didn't trash my land.) most people have no interest in metal detecting and know these shows are made up BS. someone posted this when they started airing the shows and basically said : let people go out and purchase a metal detector -after they dig about a handful of pull tabs they will likely realize it's work and sell the thing on ebay. so expect that to happen- sales will go up because of these shows, and people will get bored, discouraged and just plain tired of digging can slaw and resell their new hardly used detectors for half of what they paid- the reality tv stuff is lack of imagination on Hollywood, they are out to make a buck- showing off things like circus freaks, people will get bored of these shows in a season (unless they are like us and in to it) and they will go away. in the mean time- so you have to prove yourself to land owners, most people here are already doing that- we might face new laws (but incase your living under a rock some place -the states are broke, and passing laws for income of any kind) -that stuff was bound to happen sooner or later. all you can control is you- represent this hobby well and you'll always have some place to go hunt. prove that your not like these guys on tv- that's easy - say please and thank you and just keep showing respect while your out - if your not seeing that online the people your asking will understand your not one of these made up tv stars and not worry about you doing them wrong.

the other thing is if you don't like the show, don't watch it- ratings will drop and it will die sooner. win/win. :P
 

Michigan Badger

Gold Member
Oct 12, 2005
6,797
149
Northern, Michigan
Detector(s) used
willow stick
Primary Interest:
Other
I haven't seen the show so can't really comment on it. But instead I'd like to add a comment about metal detecting shows in general.

First a little background; I was one of the pioneers of online audio back in the early 90's. That laid the groundwork for video and the fabulous opportunities we all know today.

Over the years I've tried many types of audio/video presentations online. It was back a few years ago that I discovered that no one had ever posted a treasure hunting video on TreasureNet. So I linked one to this site and eventually received my "Honorable Mention." I only kept the link up for about a month or so and when I saw lots of others doing it I deleted the link.

After spending a lot of time and money filming actual treasure hunting without any BS I came to the following conclusion.

First off, there is no way one can do a long consistent series of shows about real-life metal detecting. One might do a few 20 to 30 minute shows by filming for an entire season at some really hot site and using only the interesting clips but that's about it in most cases. The only other way is to play "Hollywood." That is, do a miss-mash of a tiny bit of fact with a whole lot of crap. You know, your average TV "reality show."

Early I came to the conclusion that the detecting videos are best left to honest everyday THers who film and post their real-life THing experiences. Nothing is as exciting and emotionally moving as the real thing.
 

mcscs

Jr. Member
Apr 12, 2010
64
5
fla
People that don't know about metal detecting, come to the forum and the first thing if they don't bother to read all the posts, the first thing you see is the banner with all the goodies. A typical post I found $16,000 ring, or paid off metal detector in two weeks.
not until you get into the hobby and realize that the banner and the big finds are not every day.
Items are overpriced on the site all the time, but Because others can respond immediately the true value comes out,
when we have interactive TV you can dispute the prices until then we just have to accept it
an old G.I. Joe is worth a gazillion dollars on porn stars.on Nose pickers an rotten rusted out piece of a bicycle is worth $$10,000. And my battlecaps are priceless. These are TV shows and believe it or not not everybody believes metal detect is that easy. Sure some people still think wrestling is real but the majority know it's entertainment.

 

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Maitland

Full Member
Mar 15, 2010
172
159
Black Hills, South Dakota
Detector(s) used
White's Silver Eagle, Fisher Gold Bug 2
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
I seen it was coming on the TV listing and it had the word "Digger" in it, so I figured it might be worth a watch. I didn't care for the egotistical/tough-guy attitude of the the wrestler guy. He sure spends a lot of time and energy screaming and hollering at his crew, I think he would benefit greatly by picking up a shovel and helping dig. I'm sure his attitude is for the show, like everything else. It kind of baffled me in the episode that I seen that they "found something" and had no idea what it was, but decided to haul in like four 55-gallon steel drums out to the woods, then a bunch of kindling, and lit it on fire and waited for the ground to thaw out. It seems way blown out of proportion... reality TV for you.
 

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jorge del norte

Bronze Member
Dec 22, 2005
1,062
117
nc
Detector(s) used
Nokta Simplex - Tesoro Conquistador Umax
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Diggers on National Geographic, is ok, but not much found in my eyes.
 

mlayers

Gold Member
Oct 29, 2007
5,576
429
Northern, OH
Detector(s) used
DFX, White PI, Bounty Hunter, Whites Surfmaster II and Excalibur II
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
i have not seen it.
when dose it come on and what channel
 

SCdigger

Sr. Member
Apr 6, 2003
488
682
South Carolina
🥇 Banner finds
2
Detector(s) used
Teknetics T2 SE, Fisher Gold Bug Pro, Shadow X5, Fisher F75/F70, Garrett Infinium
Primary Interest:
Relic Hunting
Good post Badger!

GT
SCdigger (Saving History)
 

pumice

Full Member
Dec 27, 2011
117
5
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Bad show! A whole bunch of tv hype! Come on people, the middle of Alaska in the dead of winter, the temp is -1, (if I recall that right) and the ground is not frozen? Give me a break! And the burn barrels, what are they thawing with them? The tree tops? So they found, uh, 4 or 5 pieces of iron relics, iron relics! Six thousand dollars? So lets do the numbers here, basically one grand for each piece they found. Would you pay that?
Savage does ask permission, that is a good thing, no denying that.......but what kind of a show would they have if they didn't ask? "Hello folks, we're here today with this backhoe digging up this guys back yard with out his permission".....Duhhhh! But the way 'ol huff & puff carries on, it's into the range of laughable.....
Too much emphisis on the dollar, these guys are (all) syked about finding mining history, so what about maps, pics., GPS coordinates, documentation? Bad news for the hobby, in my opinion,...... other than that, I liked it.....:evil7::evil7:
 

NOLA_Ken

Gold Member
Jan 4, 2011
5,214
4,178
Formerly New Orleans.. Now Pueblo Co
Detector(s) used
several, mostly Garrett
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I watched the first episode, and I really don't know if I liked it or not. I will say, the things they found don't look to be anywhere near as valuable as they were made out to be, and I think it was a bit dumb to be out hunting in the dead of winter with the ground frozen solid. I'll watch a couple more and see what I think after that.
 

richm

Sr. Member
Apr 30, 2009
484
10
Madison, CT
Detector(s) used
White's mxt Pro / Sun Ray DX / Ultimate Gray Ghost's / Lesche
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Based on those valuations, my junk pile is worth about a million dollars!
 

AcRellik

Full Member
Apr 5, 2012
103
5
Northern IL -Southern WI
Detector(s) used
Garret Ace 250/pro pointer
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I cant say I hate it because it is the reason that I want to get into metal detecting . Do I think they go over the top ? Yes Do I think the prices that he is getting for the relics he is getting is real ? No I think he is getting a lot less. But big money makes for good TV. I would like to know how many times they go out for a dig and get nothing and how much research they have to do on there dig site before going to dig. I am happy with coin and jewelery hunting and if I happen to come across something cool well great lol JMO
 

Bum Luck

Silver Member
May 24, 2008
3,482
1,282
Wisconsin
Detector(s) used
Teknetics T2SE, GARRETT GTI 2500, Garrett Infinium
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I think its obvious how I feel.

Ha!

You gotta ask yourself what kind of TV producer would fabricate stuff just to make a show to sell - - - wait, that's what they do!
 

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