New hunter from Massachusetts

[darproffitt]

Hey howdy gang,

I have been looking in getting into the metal detecting hobby for about a year and just purchased my first rig: Garret AT Pro. I had heard some good things about it on the metal detecting subreddit and decided that now is a good time as any. I have been researching places that I can go (parks, beaches, etc.) and the laws seem pretty stringent on were and when you can be. Looks like I will be emailing and talking to a lot of people to get permission hahaha. If anyone would be willing to show me the ropes that live near Burlington or point me in the direction of some detecting friendly parks that would be swell. Thanks for your time and happy hunting!

 

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[against the wind]

Welcome to the forum from Port Allegheny, Pennsylvania

 

[HuntH2002]

Welcome from Texas. Good luck!

 

[dts52]

Welcome from Goshen, CT.
dts

 

[BLK HOLE]

Welcome from Northern Virginia

 

[vpnavy]

Welcome Aboard! Take a look at Forum: Massachusetts for information (i.e., clubs, etc.) directly related to your state.

 

[Iffy Signals]

Congrats on your AT Pro. Mike in RI

 

[Ogre1190]

Welcome from North Central Illinois. 🙋

 

[digging440yrs]

Welcome aboard

 

[Rookster]

Welcome to Tnet. Think you'll enjoy the Pro.

 

[63bkpkr]

Welcome to Tnet & Detecting! There are some simple rules to follow starting with respect the ground you are detecting as well as the owners permission. Leave it looking as good as or better than when you arrived. Using a 24" square drop cloth or good sized towel to put the plug on and the dirt from the hole on really helps the after appearance of your visits. Leave an edge of the plug UnCut so the grass does not die!

Accessories for the detector can make a big difference, like a Nell Coil. Do not jump on this right away as you need to put a lot of hours into using your New Machine and the first in your ownership but after some time a different coil will come naturally. If you save up your clad and newer coins in a can labeled "Metal Detecting Accessories" it will help pay for the extras!

Planting a Detecting Search/Practice Garden is a wise effort. First clear all targets from a piece of ground, make a measured drawing of your garden and then plant various objects in it with Plenty of room between/around your planted targets. Targets will be aluminum foil (about the size of a nickel), bottle cap, pull tab, an actual 5 Cent Piece usually called a Nickel, a Penney (one made of Copper and one made of Zinc), a small piece of steel/iron/screw/bolt/etc, and whatever metal pieces you'd like to practice on. Put these at various depths that you mark on your drawing with measurements from the corners of your test plot. It is possible that your ground is frozen so you will have to wait till it thaws but the test garden is helpful as you will know what items is located where and as the test garden Matures (the metals will 'oxidize' over time giving a halo effect around the different targets) and will react more like old lost stuff you will find at other places.

Really learning your machine makes a Huge difference in your enjoyment of this hobby/job/life long pursuit and your chances of finding something is a whole lot better than purchasing a lotto ticket (if you have luck like mine that is). When I first started I did not Dig Plugs I used an 8" long T-handled probe so searching for targets meant I had to get good at Pin Pointing the target with the coil (I did not have an electronic pin pointer either). One early morning I happened upon a sidewalk tearout in front of the Chamber of Commerce, bottle caps, aluminum gum wrappers, nails or the usual trash. As I headed back to my vehicle (bicycle) I still had the coil over the ground and the machine on (you will hear/read about this same situational Find from many people and you may not believe it till it happens to you but it does happen to a lot of us) when I got this LOUD signal in my headphones (another good accessory). I pulled the coil aside and could see the circle of the bottle cap in the ground. I disgustedly pushed on one corner of the bottle cap to remove it from the ground and up came a Gold Ring! 10K class ring, that find broke me from being Shy or Embarrassed about detecting in public view.

Learn your equipment, fill all your holes, return what can be returned and Enjoy your time out there listening intently to your machine and just Zoning out from the cares of the world...................63bkpkr

 

[Hawks88]

Welcome to tnet from Niagara Falls.

 

[Professor of Engineering]

Welcome to the forum from Massachusetts!

 

[A2coins]

Parks ,school, research your area. Swimming holes, campsites. I have the AT one thing dig all signals till you start learning. POP tops will bounce vdi numbers like 55 it will bounce 10 either way solid signals are best. You will love that machine easy to use deep great with coins Have fun!!!

 

[A2coins]

Welcome to tnet from MI Tommy

 

[teleprospector]

Welcome!
Jon from s/e Michigan

 

[Dragonscout]

Welcome to the site from middle Georgia. You're in a great place to learn the sport. There are so many areas you can still explore if you take the cold months to research. Find some other detectorists near you or in a club. Have coffee or some adult beverages and get to picking their brains for areas and techniques to use in the spring, then go to it. You'll be glad you did. And once again, welcome and happy hunting!!

 

[Possum]

Hello and welcome to T-Net from Southeast Louisiana..."D"

 

[River Rat]

 

[Javadroid]

You've found a great place for information and fellow treasure hunters of all kinds -- welcome to our community!