new to metal detecting / looking for places to hunt

[stjaw01]

My husband and I both have metal detectors and are wanting to start metal detecting. The problem we have is that we don't have any where to hunt. Can anyone give us some advice/ help? Thanks

 

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[DiggerGal]

My husband and I both have metal detectors and are wanting to start metal detecting. The problem we have is that we don't have any where to hunt. Can anyone give us some advice/ help? Thanks

There are vast places to hunt, starting with your own back yard. Where are you located? There are location specific areas by State on Tnet as well. Welcome to MDing! And Happy Hunting!

 

[JrMack]

Some towns allow in ballfields, parks and such. try around your mailbox, years ago they were located across the road and you would put in a penny to mail. beaches are great but like everything search local ordances. I even search along rivers wearing waders. If ya live in a city I wouldn't have a clue. there are also clubs most places, you can search for them here in the forums,also search the various forums for info. Welcome aboard!

 

[treasurehound]

Well lets start by what do you want to hunt for. The key where most people has success is research. I can spend hours researching and it pays off. If you want to find coins you can go just about anywhere to find coins. I hate clad coins so when I research I only look for places older than 1940. Old schools and parks are a good place to start. Most states you an hunt them without permission. DO NOT even think of hunting a state or national park. They are off limits and can result in some hefty fines. Personally I hunt civil war relics mainly but will also hunt colonial and old sites. Again I am more interested in finding old coins. If you just want to find some newer coins then any school and park will be loaded with them. Ball fields, churches, sidewalks, swimming pools, etc. If rings are of interest then I would hit the tot lots. I have found tons of rings in the wood chips by the swings. My best day was five rings in one tot lot and my two other buddies found two or three apiece as well. Volleyball pits.... get the idea? Go where people converge. But seriously your best bet is to do your own research. Also ask your friends and family for sites as well. If there is a local club in your area you may want to visit. For now if you just want to find coins then hit the parks and schools and tot lots. One of my best days in coins was several years ago. I researched an old park that dated to the early 1900's. It was no longer a park but an old abandoned football field that they use for practice today. I found well over 100 quarters and about that many dimes. Also got a wedding band, couple heavy necklaces and a buddy found a franklin half dollar. It was loaded with pennies but I did not dig the penny signals. This was very clear that it had never been hunted and was right in the middle of town. Goes to show what your research can do for you. Civil war relics is what I mainly hunt now. In order to find relics you need to be very good at researching and at getting permission from the land owners. It actually is fun once you get started. I have one site where so many people have told us it was hunted out. Well with the machines that we have we can go deeper than those who hunted it before with the vlf machines. Hunting with a pulse machine makes hunted out sites like new again. Research, Research, Research....trust me it will pay off.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Parks , schools , swim beaches , old campgrounds, old retreat grounds , etc .... I don't know why treasure hunter says to not even think of state parks . Not all state's parks are off limits . Just depends on the state . Or just avoid "obvious historic sensitive monuments".

 

[relicmeister]

Being a married couple might make it easier to cold-call on interesting properties to ask permission to detect.

 

[Gold Maven]

Go to the local history section of your library, start looking through the books, and leads will jump out at you.

Look for old pictures that show large gatherings of people, often times just an abandoned field now. Tent revivals, circuses, horse race tracks, weekly auction sites, old schools, churches, etc.

It can be easier to approach elderly land owners with a story like, " I heard they used to hold tent revivals in your hay field." It can open up friendly reminiscing, and before you know it, you're digging.

Elderly people in general, can be store houses of information about the old days, treat them with respect, and who knows what you might find.

Spend some time in the library, it will pay off.

Good luck, post some pics of your finds.

 

[JPrice]

I like knocking doors personally. Drive around the older section of you town and just look for the houses that have big yards and are from the turn of the century up to the 50's. People in the 50's were carrying around 30-40 year old coins If you decide to knock doors, I'd watch this video . Public parks are alright too, but like others have said, I'd start in your back yard. Mark some targets of interest, even the crappy ones, write down what they sound like/# on the vdi, then dig them up and you can get a good idea of what your detector is telling you. What detectors did you guys get? I use a Minelab 705 and the 99 tones can be confusing. Once you put in some time on your machine you'll start to understand what it's "telling you". You guys will love this hobby. I just started a few months ago, and I can tell you, it's not just a hobby, it becomes an obsession. it did for me at least. Get a pinpointer and a good digger/shovel (I got a lesche digger, and a lesche sampson pro and love them) and just start digging everything. You'll get a sense of what a good signal sounds like, and what the corresponding # means.

I'd watch videos on youtube to get familiar with the best practices of the hobby. You don't want to leave gigantic holes in people's yards, otherwise they won't let you back, and the hobby in general will get a bad rep.

Anyway, happy hunting!

Jon

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Parks , schools , swim beaches , old campgrounds, old retreat grounds , etc .... I don't know why treasure hunter says to not even think of state parks . Not all state's parks are off limits . Just depends on the state . Or just avoid "obvious historic sensitive monuments".

I have not even posted in this thread till now Tom, I have also never said all state parks are off limits as some do allow it, even in Florida a couple State parks allow detecting on the saltwater beaches, but all inland state parks are off limits in Florida...

 

[Tom_in_CA]

I have not even posted in this thread till now Tom, ...

Ouch. I meant treasureHOUND, not treasure-hunter.

 

[clv]

Check your area for MD clubs, then join it. That's really the best and easy way to find new places to hunt.

 

[stjaw01]

Thanks everyone for the information and suggestions. We live in Mississippi. We have searched our yard and the land around us. Now looking for other places to hunt.

 

[CrazyCookie]

I am from Mississippi, I now reside in Florida. I am sure by now you have found some awesome spots. What part of MS do you live in? Of course the coastal area is still a treasure.

 

[NWMP]

I could give you a long list of places that generally produce. But the simplest and often the best place anywhere locally, is a house yard. Find the oldest houses/yards that you can find and ask for access to them (and watch for old demo'd lots). There usually isn't a ton of trash like there often is in a park, and you can find great coins/relics on them. If there is a huge old evergreen tree, crawl under it and sweep the dead needle ring, kids often played under there. You may be surprised.