Checking the numbers before you did?

[Zodiacdiverdave]

I was just wondering how many people out there check the numbers on the display before they dig a target.
For me if I only have time to cherry pick a site, I will go in a only dig the targets that have good numbers and sound good. If the site then looks promising I will come back when I have more time and clean the joint.
If I am in a very trashy site I will again use the numbers because I hate digging 200+ pull tabs and pieces of junk for every good target.
I know some people don't believe in using the display but I think that it gives us one more tool in our tool box to help find the goodies.

I would love to hear other hunters opinion about this so please chime in.

ZDD

 

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[gold4us]

I dont look at the numbers most of the time. I let my ears tell me if I should dig or not. Only on the real deep iffy targets do I look at the numbers.
I been hunting this way with my E-Trac for years and now with my AT-Gold. I will hit a spot and try to pic any easy silver out and if I find some then I will come back. If it is a good spot I will hit it first with my AT-Gold and then I will go over it with my E-Trac.

 

[Sandman]

I hardly ever look at the display and most times I cover it with duct tape. If you rely on numbers your missing lots of targets. Coins on edge or slanted won't give you good numbers.

 

[mrmackin]

When you say beep, you understand you need good solid repeatable beep in all directions at any sweep speed, you understand, beep beep beep beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, it wont stop beeping no matter what you do, no matter how you swipe the target, no matter what direction you swipe the target. Beep, beep, beep beep good target, beep, not worried about numbers, beeep, beeeep, beeeep, no matter what, good target. Stop looking at the friken numbers and you yourself will soon be a pro. I promise. A number on a screen should never influence choice to dig for newbies or old timers with new machines.

(This was about the ATpro)

This was from another thread but for me it was the answer to NOT being able to find anything other than clad coins.

The problem lies in the fact that pull/push tabs and can slaw come up as the very things that we want, and until some company makes a detector with a button that removes all aluminium and foil (BUT NOT gold and silver) from being picked up by the detector we are cursed with the choice of dig or pass it by.

I try to keep my eyes on the coil and horizon. When I do use the screen, it's just to see if it's a fairly steady number (within 3-5, or if it's shallow, MAYBE 3-7 digits), PP, and to make a mental note of what number was there before I started digging, but I dig it anyway. The reality is I'm digging up more trash AND goodies now.

It all came down to "if I'm not finding things I want to find, I'm either in a place that does not have any good targets (I cant control that) or by my behavior I am passing them by (I CAN control that)".

 

[Zodiacdiverdave]

I have found that when I look at the numbers I can guess what it is about 60-70% of the time but for a quick survey of a sight to sample the area it is a great tool.
ZDD