When its too cold to detect

When it is too cold to detect ?

  • Never !

    Votes: 11 28.2%
  • Under 50

    Votes: 3 7.7%
  • Under 40

    Votes: 9 23.1%
  • Other [explain]

    Votes: 16 41.0%

  • Total voters
    39

Xraywolf

Silver Member
Feb 28, 2005
3,576
4,360
MI USA
Detector(s) used
Ace 400, AT Pro, equinox 800, Simplex,Vanquish 540
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting

WannaDig3687

Gold Member
Jun 5, 2017
23,801
112,404
O-H-I-O
Detector(s) used
Garret ATMAX
Primary Interest:
Other
Fair weather detector here. 55 with little wind has been my coldest.
 

ProspectingForStone

Jr. Member
Nov 17, 2017
51
38
North East USA Maine
Detector(s) used
Raider Gold, Old machine of my Father's
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
For me its when the temp consistently dips under 40.
I still keep my detector in the truck in the hopes of a warming spell, but its not enjoyable freezing while detecting.
By mid DEC I hang it up until the spring, so realistically I have a few weeks left at most.

How about you ?

My detecting technique is going to be geared for winter here. I do not plan to do too much digging, seeing as how I can expect snow.

I have made a plan to "sweep" in areas where there are chances of drops, rings, bracelets, coinage etc. I term it "Street Sweeping". Or if you will "Surface Sweeping". I would like to get a dig or two in in the backyard before snow hits. That will remain to be seen.

But, essentially I do not plan to stay couped up in the house during winter, I plan to have some type of fun, as boating season wasn't very fruitful and didn't get out on the water too much.

They key for me is to dress for the season, warm jacket, gloves, hat, and to explore where I will.

Too cold here for me would be about teen digits, so if it is thirty degrees out I feel a general sweep in a few spots is still entirely doable.
 

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
Since I started back in the spring of 2014 I have hunted until the ground freezes or the snow is too deep to make it practical. This means my season January 1st and goes for a week or 2 before the ground freezes and then I rest until the thaw which occurs in mid March. This year since I am not as obsessed as I once was, plus my honey hole has dried up, I might take a few months off. My honey hole was great. Guaranteed to pull $10 in clad in a couple hours no matter the temps. It even produced some older coins dating back to 1864. Looking forward to hunting tomorrow since we are celebrating the holiday with friends and family this Saturday. It's gonns be great. Good food, family, friends and the big game (Ohio State vs the team from up north).

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!!
 

GB1

Gold Member
Jul 12, 2017
7,428
21,863
East TX
🥇 Banner finds
1
Detector(s) used
Teknectics eurotek pro
bounty hunter time ranger
bounty hunter quick draw 2
used a teroso compadre.
Primary Interest:
Other
i'v metal detected when it was below 32 degrees
 

RTR

Gold Member
Nov 21, 2017
8,180
32,468
Smith Mt. Lake Va.
Detector(s) used
Teknetics Liberator
Falcon MD-20
***********
Blue Bowl
Angus MacKirk sluice
Miller Table
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Cold enough to keep the snakes away,is just right 4 me
 

junkhunt

Sr. Member
Feb 21, 2017
314
349
North Central Arkansas
Detector(s) used
white's eagle spectrum , White's Spectra V3i, Garrett AT Pro. Garrett AT Pen pointer
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Put your long undies on and go for it.
 

Tired Rooster

Hero Member
Nov 6, 2011
710
706
Alabama
Detector(s) used
Minelabs and Tesoros
Several of them....
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
As long as its above freezing is fine. I have detected when the temps were in the 30's before. Fortunately, where I live it only gets really cold (teens - twenties) for a short period of time.
 

fistfulladirt

Gold Member
Feb 21, 2008
12,200
4,902
Great Lakes State
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
dirtfishing
Primary Interest:
Other
In the 'teens when the ground isn't yet frozen.

We do get some crazy weather here though.
Three years ago I was out on Christmas Eve in a lakeshore park in Lower Michigan. Jet skiers were on the lake.
 

pepperj

Gold Member
Feb 3, 2009
36,993
136,870
🥇 Banner finds
1
Detector(s) used
Deus, Deus 2, Minelab 3030, E-Trac,
Primary Interest:
Relic Hunting
I've hunted in the rain, a blizzard in England for 10hrs once, and many times in weather that has been just over freezing. But I'm a fair weather type of guy where if the hand warmers aren't keeping up, or if i'm not dressed for the hunt well them I'm not a happy camper. I dress like an onion in many layers, -40 Baffin mud boots, Base Camp 240-260 Merino Wool under layer, insulated jeans, insulated coveralls & coat. I've even put the heavy Healy & Hanson rain gear over that. Two sets of hand warmers in each double set of gloves and I'm off for a cold days hunt.
If I'm snug as bug in a rug then my hunting is fun, it's just the freezing dirt build up on the pinpointer and coil that is a pain to contend with. When the itch is itching one has to do the do and scratch the itch, and sometimes the rewards are worth it.
 

Trezurehunter

Gold Member
Mar 22, 2003
17,860
21,407
Illinois / Oklahoma
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
8
Detector(s) used
Minelab Equinox 800 - Fisher CZ 5
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
In Illinois, I will detect until the ground is frozen solid. This usually means I put the detector away in January. Cold temps dont bother me, as I worked outside for 30 years and was always outside in the winter as a youngster. I just dress for the occasion and go with it. Great finds, know no season !! After that, its time to go thru my display cases and reorganize finds, and type the captions to put under them.
 

G.A.P.metal

Gold Member
Jul 5, 2010
6,468
7,387
"Kan-a-we-o-la" Head on a Pole N.Y. Seneca Territo
🥇 Banner finds
1
Detector(s) used
Deus, 11" Low Freq. , 9" X35 Coils, MI 6 Pointer...
Land or Sea Pointer
King Of Spades 40" KS-D SA and 40" KS-S-SA
L
Primary Interest:
Relic Hunting
Till the snow is to deep,woods digging (does not freeze as deep) is easier than the open ground.
The deep snow gets to me now ,i used to pack in a snow shovel,in my younger days....hunted through a lot of Winters here...those days are over.
Gary
 

kingskid1611

Gold Member
Feb 23, 2015
8,127
6,664
Oklahoma
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Sometimes the winter months is the only time I can get out and detect. Therefore I always am available to go year round......
 

GA_Boy

Bronze Member
Jul 30, 2006
1,433
1,579
Jefferson, Ga
Detector(s) used
BH LRP
1265X,
GoldBug II
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I'm one that voted NEVER. When it gets really cold at home we load the RV and drive South. :occasion14:
That's one advantage of being retired. Going to Florida in about 10 days.:thumbsup:
Marvin
 

OP
OP
Xraywolf

Xraywolf

Silver Member
Feb 28, 2005
3,576
4,360
MI USA
Detector(s) used
Ace 400, AT Pro, equinox 800, Simplex,Vanquish 540
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Poll geared more towards those who don't have realistic option of warm climate detecting in the winter ... The Nevers lead it so far.
[I envy those south/west for that reason but to me, great place to visit but would not want to live there]

Outside of the obvious cold factor, don't see how it would even be possible to dig in frozen MI ground in Jan-March.
 

pepperj

Gold Member
Feb 3, 2009
36,993
136,870
🥇 Banner finds
1
Detector(s) used
Deus, Deus 2, Minelab 3030, E-Trac,
Primary Interest:
Relic Hunting
Poll geared more towards those who don't have realistic option of warm climate detecting in the winter ... The Nevers lead it so far.
[I envy those south/west for that reason but to me, great place to visit but would not want to live there]

Outside of the obvious cold factor, don't see how it would even be possible to dig in frozen MI ground in Jan-March.

All we can do is hope global warming happens sooner than later. :)
 

Peyton Manning

Gold Member
Dec 19, 2012
14,517
18,625
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
MXT-PRO
Sandshark
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
with me it isn't the temp it's the wind
a calm day in weather that the ground can be dug is ok
 

Msbeepbeep

Gold Member
Jun 24, 2012
15,787
24,131
MA
Detector(s) used
M-6, pro pointer, pistol probe
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I have in the past gone out in what ever weather has to throw at me.
Ground frozen, i go to the beach, or detect the plowed snow in parking lots. People still drop stuff.
They tell me the ground in wooded areas covered in leaves is diggable.
Just dress warm and take some of those chemical packets that can warm you up.
Most of all have fun!

Sent from my VS810PP using Tapatalk
 

FreeBirdTim

Silver Member
Sep 24, 2013
3,757
6,729
Scituate, RI
🥇 Banner finds
1
Detector(s) used
Garrett AT Pro
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Anything above freezing is fine with me. I'll detect if it's below 32 degrees, but it's a short hunt of less than an hour. Too easy to get frostbite or hypothermia when it dips that low.

My cutoff is usually when the woods freeze more than 2 inches down or if the snow cover is over a foot deep. That's when it gets to be a hassle digging every hole. Just not fun at that point.
 

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