To Slump or not to Slump. Its not really a question...

[Skippy SH13]

To Slump or not to Slump. It's not really a question...

I've been finding, that as I get better at detecting (both in discrimination of targets to increase good to trash ratios, and site/location selection to increase probability of good finds), I've become more adept at having "good days."

An interesting effect is that it's easier for me to feel like I'm in a "Slump" if I have more than a trip or two where it's just a buck or two in clad. Basically, if I'm not finding rings that are silver, gold, or of some worth, or having a killer clad hunt (like $5 or more), I finish the day a bit down.

I KNOW this is ridiculous. I started the hobby thrilled to find $0.60 in a whole hunt... and now I average about $1.80 an hour. I was super happy to start with, but if I have a hunt or two that's "off" a bit, I get bummed out. I certainly can't complain about my finds... I find a couple of gold/silver rings a month, and for the last 3 months running, I've averaged about $70 in clad per month. That's decent for just lunch time hunting, and a few hours on Saturday.

I assume others are like this... where the getting has been so good for so long, that when you don't find great finds a few times in a row, it feels "slumpy." That being said, I'm sure definitions will vary depending on environment. For example, I live in a city that was largely built in the 1960's and later. There's hardly ANY silver in the ground. In fact, I've NEVER found a single silver coin. If that's your definition, I'm in a lifetime slump. LOL! For some, like those in the ocean business, not finding a gold ring or two in 2 or 3 hunts may be a slump (I WISH I could find a gold ring every 3 hunts!)...


Sooo... The question that is not a question.

FOR YOU... What constitutes a slump?


For me.. a slump is where I've gone three hunts without a decent ring/jewelry of some sort or at least $5 in clad.


Skippy

 

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[JOe L]

Once I hit a worthy target, for me a musket ball or button or so on (relics), while I wish for more, I consider it a good day. If i hit none I consider it a bad day. If i hit none 2 detecting days in a row, I'm in a slump.

 

[Skippy SH13]

Once I hit a worthy target, for me a musket ball or button or so on (relics), while I wish for more, I consider it a good day. If i hit none I consider it a bad day. If i hit none 2 detecting days in a row, I'm in a slump.

Well, that's data point #2, that after two events of "Something missing" there is a slump. I wonder if this will hold true with others...hmmmm

 

[Escape]

A slump is when your expectations regarding finds have not been achieved. I think there are two aspects. First the healthy slump. You haven't gotten what you expected in few hunts but your ok with that because you know its just a matter of time and you never know what you might find with that next swing. In the second scenario you feel disappointed and unfulfilled because of it. If so it may be time to change your expectations or add some new ones. For some people a great day hunting is one where they haven't fallen into a well or been eaten by a bear. Which is easy for me. No wells or bears where I live.

 

[RJ55]

Silver

 

[Skippy SH13]

Silver

VERY Descriptive...For the sake of adding some levity to the brevity... totally get it... not really. I'm assuming you mean lack of silver coins... or is it any type of silver? Or is it when you only find silver, but not Gold?

Or maybe, this was a post intended to really have me dig deep into the psyche of detectorists. Like an Ink-blot.

Skippy

 

[BigWaveDave]

when it comes to banner finds, I am in a slump going on 25 years.

Aside from that, a slump is 2 or more hunts without silver...

 

[RJ55]

Not finding silver coins in general.

 

[Digging Deeper]

When I go to a park (which I rarely do ) I expect to find clad and tabs so that's not really a slump. When I get a chance to go to an old, unhunted private property and don't find any silver, relics ect... That's when I feel slumped. Hell going to the same places and expecting to find a lot of silver or jewelry is not a slump to me. It's the norm lol.

 

[Johnnoh]

I've been keeping stats this year - .6 silver coins/hunt and 2.2 wheaties/hunt. So 2 hunts without silver coins or 1 hunt without at least 2 wheat pennies = slump.

 

[Papalittle]

At least you find rings..Last year I found 5 cheap rings and this year? no rings. All I find lately is clad coins and not near as much as the last two years..Last year my clad totaled a little over 600 dollars..this year? 113.00. no this is what I call a slump.

 

[dirtscratcher]

No silver coins for a couple hunts leaves me a little bummed. If you haven't found silver you need to knock on doors in oldest part of town.

 

[Skippy SH13]

At least you find rings..Last year I found 5 cheap rings and this year? no rings. All I find lately is clad coins and not near as much as the last two years..Last year my clad totaled a little over 600 dollars..this year? 113.00. no this is what I call a slump.

Yeah, OK, that's a slump.

 

[Carolina Tom]

You are correct, in that everyone has a different situation.

I am into finding silver coins. I got 63 so far this year, average 7 per month. If I go for two weeks without one, I am in a slump.

I hunt with several other guys, the slump switches from one of us to another regularly. I hate it when my turn arrives!

We all do our best to enjoy the hunt, and the fellowship, as these are the real treasures of the hobby... however, we are all a bit greedy for the shiny!

 

[Skippy SH13]

we are all a bit greedy for the shiny!

Yep. I just started my next slump. Haven't found a ring since.. yesterday. But I went out twice today and only got about $4 in clad. I'm totally bummed...

 

[Whiterook]

Maybe put all your best finds in a display case. Look at them and think in terms of all your total finds and not what you did on a specific day.
A slump to me is just not getting a chance to get out with the detector.
Enjoy the "hunt".

 

[Skippy SH13]

Maybe put all your best finds in a display case. Look at them and think in terms of all your total finds and not what you did on a specific day.
A slump to me is just not getting a chance to get out with the detector.
Enjoy the "hunt".

Oh, I've TOTALLY done that. I have a nice jewelry box (a "man" box, so to speak that hold cufflinks, rings and watches)... I have two rows of my rings... Gold on one, silver on another, with all my Men's rings finds sitting on a ledge above. I check it out every day! (It's also my selection point for wedding rings... I've found enough now, that I wear a different one every day of the week).