Remembering the days of all-metal mode hunting

[Michigan Badger]

Remember back before mode discrimination when we dug all likely sounding targets?

Recently I ran my Tesoro Tejon in all-metal mode just to remember the "good ol days." The depth was fantastic and the sound was sweet and clear but I soon put the knob back on discrimination mode.

I sometimes wonder about how much we're missing today because of mode discrimination.

What if we practiced with all-metal mode until we once again learned those special sounds we used to listen for back in the 60's?

Does anyone here ever do this?

Comment please! Do tell all.

Badger

 

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[Digginman]

Heck Badger,

I always hunt in all metal mode. I like to dig alot.

DM

 

[Michigan Badger]

Heck Badger,

I always hunt in all metal mode. I like to dig alot.

DM

Woe! Someone of your caliber...that's something

Were you hunting in all-metal when you found that awesome $5 piece?

Badger

 

[stoney56]

I've tried it more than a few times. It just depends on the location. However, it seems like in the last 25/30 years that civilization has become more of a disposable society and don't care where they throw their trash. Used to as well, we'd walk the lawn to pick up any paper, foil, cig wrappers, and other things the wind blew in. Nowdays, it seems like people don't care for the most part whether their mower runs over it instead.

 

[Michigan Badger]

I've done all-metal a few times lately too Stoney. That's how I found that French Trader knife year year. It's now in a private collect and I was paid well for it.

I had hunted out a site in discrimination finding the usually low value digs like common Indian heads, etc. I decided to kick my DeLeon into all metal mode and dig only the really big hits. I dug the leg of an old cookstove at like 20 inches deep and then I get this blasting oblong signal right at the edge of a paved parking lot. I almost didn't dig it but finally did and only a few inches down was the knife. About a foot from the knife I dug a cannon grapeshot (and this is in Michigan).

But soon I returned again to discrimination mode cause I'm lazy

Like I said I sold the knife for $$$. That all-metal find was worth more than all I had found in discrimination the previous year. Things like that 1750's knife don't mean much here to most people but I find the cash desireable.

TN is mainly a coin/gold jewelry site and that's cool.

Badger

 

[Digginman]

Heck Badger,

I always hunt in all metal mode. I like to dig alot.

DM

Woe! Someone of your caliber...that's something

Were you hunting in all-metal when you found that awesome $5 piece?

Badger

Of my caliber?? Heck, I just passed a coil over a coin. Could happen to anyone.

Yes, I was hunting in all metal mode, only digging targets that that were showing as 4 inches or deeper.

DM

 

[diggummup]

I hunt in all metal mode unless i'm at a modern or really trashy site,which I try to avoid anyway most of the time.At the beach always, since I don't have to bend down to dig targets,it's no big deal.

 

[Michigan Badger]

I need to do this too, diggummup. I need one of those beach scoops.

Badger

 

[gregl01]

Hey MB, I usually cherry pick a site first with disc and after awhile I'll go back over it with less disc. I like just above "iron" on my Cibola. These Tesoros love brass, lead, and copper!!!!! Happy hunting!!!
Greg

 

[thompy]

hey Badger was trying that this weekend, looking for some of the old gold mines with my T-2, excellent audio on these, the thing i like is it still gives an id # when in all metal, and fat chance of finding modern junk back there, had a little misshap running my waterproof coil through a shallow creek, not so waterproof, cut my hunting a little short. just hope it drys OK

 

[erikk]

Yup, most of the time unless I am a new site. Started with a D-Tex BFO (the motorboat) and then got a TR-66. It really is the only way to go if you want to get it all (or most of it)....02
HH

 

[Michigan Badger]

Hey MB, I usually cherry pick a site first with disc and after awhile I'll go back over it with less disc. I like just above "iron" on my Cibola. These Tesoros love brass, lead, and copper!!!!! Happy hunting!!!
Greg

You are so right, Tesoros love the copper metals and lead! They also love gold!

My Tejon detects a 14K gold wedding band deeper than a silver quarter.

Badger

 

[Michigan Badger]

hey Badger was trying that this weekend, looking for some of the old gold mines with my T-2, excellent audio on these, the thing i like is it still gives an id # when in all metal, and fat chance of finding modern junk back there, had a little misshap running my waterproof coil through a shallow creek, not so waterproof, cut my hunting a little short. just hope it drys OK

Sorry about the coil. The Nautilus was that way too.

 

[Michigan Badger]

Yup, most of the time unless I am a new site. Started with a D-Tex BFO (the motorboat) and then got a TR-66. It really is the only way to go if you want to get it all (or most of it)....02
HH

So right! I'm seeing that more every day. I used to hunt this way but then got sidetracked with all the discrimination gimmicks of today.

Like Stoney wrote, in those super trashy areas one needs some discrimination. But when it comes down to really cleaning a site out all-metal is the only way.

 

[Ant]

My quest is for gold, so I use a detacated gold machine. Most gold seekers hunt in all metal mode and use little or no discrimination, other than to balance the machine.

Like others, the gold machine I use has an iron identification mode. The iron identification mode works well on small common iron targets.

My technique goes like this:
When I hear a solid sounding target, I test it in iron identification mode, if I get a positive iron response, I pass the target up. If I get a negative iron response, I dig the target.

This technique allows me to mainly dig nonferrous coin sized targets. Small bits of aluminum respond with what I would describe as a scratchy response on the threshold’s response edge and tail, and short in length.

On the other hand, small bits of gold and other precious metal respond with a solid unmistakable dig me response/sound. Aluminum rolled up in a ball, or thick pieces are another story, I dig it.

I hadn’t been able to get out lately due other commitments. But Saturday I was good to go. I conducted a 3 hour morning hunt and a short 1 hour afternoon hunt. Pictured is what my technique pulled up during the first 3 hour hunt. I got skunked on gold, but I gave it my all and came out with this small stainless steel child’s ring.

I found the First Lt. Bar during the short 1 hour afternoon hunt, the clad and trash from that hunt is not pictured.

 

[Boobydoo]

Hiya Badger!
You always come up with the most interesting discussion topics. Cool!

I love finding gold so I always hunt in all metal with my old trusty Garrett 1980 machine and dig everything, but I have only found about 500 gold and silver rings and probably 1000 junk rings with it in the past 30 years.

I was in all metal last year when I dug the ciggie pack at 6 inches and inside, a $2.5 gold coin and 14kt gold chain. That day, I dug tin cans, 20 pull tabs and about 77 cents out in an over grown field (used to be a horse riding stable). I took the old Garrett there on a whim, and it paid off that day.

With my Ace, I mostly hunt in Coin or Jewelry mode to avoid the iron targets, trying to find gold again.

Your machine sounds like an awesome detector. Might have to get me one of those.

Smiles!
BDoo

 

[AgileMJOLNIR]

I only hunt in all metal mode and believe me, that is an earful on the Explorer SE. But I feel if your going to take the time to get out there and be physical...walking around then squatting and digging over and over again then why would you want to lose depth or potentially pass things up? If your going to do it then do it, no shortcuts because they are convenient.

I can understand some people not wanting to dig everything but IMO it's practically guaranteed your going to pass items up and who knows what your passing up.

 

[Ant]

I only hunt in all metal mode and believe me, that is an earful on the Explorer SE. But I feel if your going to take the time to get out there and be physical...walking around then squatting and digging over and over again then why would you want to lose depth or potentially pass things up? If your going to do it then do it, no shortcuts because they are convenient.

I can understand some people not wanting to dig everything but IMO it's practically guaranteed your going to pass items up and who knows what your passing up.

Passing up items come when ones has confidence in what his or her machine is telling them. That takes time. I think the odds of finding more treasure becomes better when one learns how to pass up suspected trash. Compared to digging unknown unwanted targets at random that is.

 

[AgileMJOLNIR]

I only hunt in all metal mode and believe me, that is an earful on the Explorer SE. But I feel if your going to take the time to get out there and be physical...walking around then squatting and digging over and over again then why would you want to lose depth or potentially pass things up? If your going to do it then do it, no shortcuts because they are convenient.

I can understand some people not wanting to dig everything but IMO it's practically guaranteed your going to pass items up and who knows what your passing up.

Passing up items come when ones has confidence in what his or her machine is telling them. That takes time. I think the odds of finding more treasure becomes better when one learns how to pass up suspected trash. Compared to digging unknown unwanted targets at random that is.

I disagree with that.....

The biggest reason I dig everything is because trash sounds like gold and there are many times I would have passed up a good gold target because the machine trash. Now if your not looking for gold I would still dig everything because there are times when a good target has been masked by trash and I have dug out that trash, rechecked the hole and found an old coin. Also there have been times where and old coin has been sitting in the dirt for some time and it rings a bit lower than it normally would, again i would have passed it up if I had listened to my machine completely.

Just my opinion and my personal way of hunting but above anything else in my neck of the woods I need depth and discrimination can kill that depending on how much your using.

 

[Burdie]

I used my White 6000 Di Pro that way. I just can't get up and down like I use to. So I discriminate now. Good post Badger.
Burdie