When to dig. Can our choices effect our hobby?

Hammer287

Jr. Member
Mar 28, 2017
77
174
Northwest Connecticut
Detector(s) used
Garrett AT Pro
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I think I know the answer to this but as I am only seven weeks into the hobby this will be my first summer season digging. My question is, during the hot and dry months of summer is it wise to ask permission to dig around someone's home or on their manicured lawn? Intellectually I think I know the answer. It seems that during the hot and dry season Grass in the replaced plugs Will not survive and the homeowner is left with the dead brown spot in his or her lawn. My feeling is that this could negatively impact future permissions. Again I'm not talking about fields,unmaintained back lots or mowed fields. Do you guys resist the Temptation and wait for early fall? I live in an historic town and have many places to ask permission but don't want to shoot myself in the foot,ruining it for myself and others in the future. Thanks all
 

Tpmetal

Silver Member
Jan 4, 2017
4,407
7,507
Western ny
Detector(s) used
equinox 800, Whites mx sport, Garrot carrot, bounty hunter time ranger
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
i just bring lots of water with me and wet the plug before i put it back in, seems to keep everything from turning brown and dead.
 

mrwilburino

Hero Member
May 7, 2010
680
617
Northern Ohio
Detector(s) used
Fisher, Teknetics, Minelab, XP
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Dry ground is the #1 reason that plugs turn brown. Even the sloppiest plugs have a better chance of survival when the soil is moist. I stay off lawns in summer months, both park and private, unless I'm just clad/jewlry stabbing with a screwdriver.
 

ChampFerguson/TN

Bronze Member
Nov 22, 2013
1,181
1,620
TN
Detector(s) used
Minelab Safari .......... Minelab Excalibur II ....... ........Minelab CTX 3030
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
I think I know the answer to this but as I am only seven weeks into the hobby this will be my first summer season digging. My question is, during the hot and dry months of summer is it wise to ask permission to dig around someone's home or on their manicured lawn? Intellectually I think I know the answer. It seems that during the hot and dry season Grass in the replaced plugs Will not survive and the homeowner is left with the dead brown spot in his or her lawn. My feeling is that this could negatively impact future permissions. Again I'm not talking about fields,unmaintained back lots or mowed fields. Do you guys resist the Temptation and wait for early fall? I live in an historic town and have many places to ask permission but don't want to shoot myself in the foot,ruining it for myself and others in the future. Thanks all

Yes, I wait. Usually there will be a rainstorm along in a week or so but I never hunt nice grounds if I think it will do damage that will be noticeable. Summer is a good time to water/beach hunt for me.
 

Jul 25, 2016
252
283
Maryland
Detector(s) used
Garrett Ace 400, Bounty Hunter Tracker IV, Garrett Pro-Pointer
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
I save most fields for early fall and hunt beaches and rivers during the summer. HH :occasion14:
 

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Hammer287

Jr. Member
Mar 28, 2017
77
174
Northwest Connecticut
Detector(s) used
Garrett AT Pro
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Yeah I think I'll save my prime 1700 houses for later in the season. No need to alienate one to have it learned by others and then get turned down altogether
 

Sandman

Gold Member
Aug 6, 2005
13,398
3,992
In Michigan now.
Detector(s) used
Excal 1000, Excal II, Sovereign GT, CZ-20, Tiger Shark, Tejon, GTI 1500, Surfmaster Pulse, CZ6a, DFX, AT PRO, Fisher 1235, Surf PI Pro, 1280-X, many more because I enjoy learning them. New Garrett Ca
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
If you only use a screwdriver an cut no holes you won't damage the grass. If i don't pinpoint it, I leave it alone. Digging hole in grass is what gets us banned.:BangHead:
 

Loco-Digger

Gold Member
Jun 16, 2014
11,825
17,742
Northern O-H-I-O
🥇 Banner finds
1
Detector(s) used
F75 LTD, 1280X Aquanaut, & a Patriot (back-up/loaner)
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
You are thinking right. When it gets dry here in July through August, I go into the woods or to the fresh water beaches. If I need a quick detecting fix I will hit some tot-lots in the county.
 

Honest Samuel

Banned
Sep 23, 2015
8,814
4,969
Connecticut
Detector(s) used
Minelab
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Wait until it rain, since it is better to find deep buried coins and jewels. Better for the lawns.
 

Rustic

Sr. Member
Jul 10, 2015
394
663
western MA
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
XP Deus, Garrett pinpointer
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Yes, I wont cut plugs in dry turf, unless it's my own yard, because chances are that it will die. In fact I try not to do anything that might make the property owner feel miffed. For example I always use headphones so there's no irritating sounds for them to listen to, I don't dig near any valuable plants or gardens, and of course always take out any trash found, so when they ask what you've found, always show all the trash too. We are all ambassadors for our sport in a way, and responsible for how it is perceived in the community... Happy hunting and welcome to the addiction. :hello:
 

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Hammer287

Jr. Member
Mar 28, 2017
77
174
Northwest Connecticut
Detector(s) used
Garrett AT Pro
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Some good advice from all. I think your advice about keeping "noise down" and keeping a "low profile " while digging is a great tip. Thank you all
 

TerryC

Gold Member
Jun 26, 2008
7,732
10,991
Yarnell, AZ
Detector(s) used
Ace 250 (2), Ace 300, Gold Bug 2, Tesoro Cortes, Garrett Sea Hunter, Whites TDI SL SE, Fisher Impulse 8, Minelab Monster 1000, Minelab CTX3030, Falcon MD20, Garrett Pro-pointer, Calvin Bunker digger.
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
If the lawn is well manicured, it is also well watered. Find out from the owner what the watering schedule is and dig the following day(s). Don't bring fertilizer as the owner has that covered. TTC
 

cammobunker

Jr. Member
May 27, 2008
81
72
NW Ar-kan-saw
Detector(s) used
Tesoro Compadre, Mojave, Cibola. Deteknix Pinpointer. Mark I Mod 0 eyeball, too.
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Depends on a lot of different factors really, like grass type, frequency of routine watering, whether or not the grass was fertilized the previous fall. A healthy, well watered lawn can survive plug digging even in mid summer. Of course, the kind of people who take care of their lawns that well typically won't even let you walk on it, let alone dig in it. :BangHead:
Summertime for me is relic hunting time out in the woods, just me...and the ticks...and the snakes. It's also time to pay particular attention to construction sites and the swimming beaches.
 

coinman123

Silver Member
Feb 21, 2013
4,659
5,768
New England, Somewhere Metal Detecting in the Wood
🥇 Banner finds
2
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
Teknetics T2 SE (DST)
Spare Teknetics T2 SE (backup)
15" T2 coil
Pro-Pointer
Bounty Hunter Pioneer 202
Fisher F2
Fisher F-Point
Primary Interest:
Other
I spend most of my summer metal detecting in the woods and do farm fields very late in the year if there is no snow. I metal detect lawns in the fall or spring when the ground is damp.
 

Kurios1

Silver Member
Feb 25, 2017
3,766
7,383
FEMA REGION 5 North Central Illinois
Detector(s) used
Nokta Impact Whites DFX 300 & M6 Matrix, Minelab Explorer II (2), Makro Red Racer & Racer 2, Garrett AT Pro.
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
You have already received good counsel so why not start to research water sights as you have an AT Pro. I own several machines but, my AT Pro is reserved for getting into the water. Lots of potential great finds in the streams and beaches of your area I reckon. It does take a certain kind of "crazy" to go wading through streams and dunking your head under water to recover targets. I have only about three months water detecting experience but, when it's pushing 90 degrees and above it's my only option for hunting. I enjoyed the heck out of it and can't wait to hit the water again this season. Cheers.
 

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