First time out jitters

[forgetaboudit]

So I think I'll try getting out and detecting for my first time tomorrow... Its been warm enough to melt some snow in some areas. My yard is still full of snow, but the awesome courthouse and jail grounds i got permission to hunt is all melted off, and I'd like to get out and search it tomorrow, but I'm nervous since i've never done it before. Any tips on what to say if people come out and watch and or try talking with me?
Or should I just wait until the snow is all gone and start in my own yard? Or try going to a park and hunting snow cleared areas? I'm determined to give it a shot tomorrow somewhere. I'm fairly confident in myself that I'll do well, but I just dont know....
Sorry if this seems like a strange topic/question.

 

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[Dave Rishar]

Start in your own yard. You don't want to learn how to cut a plug and fill it properly in someone else's yard, but you can tear your own up all you like. It only takes a few holes to get the hang of it, but those first few holes may be a little rough. I would definitely not want to learn this skill on someone else's property. Please, please, please, get the hang of this before you go out on the town. Work on your pinpointing while you're at it so that you're not cutting plugs out of plugs. You want to leave no trace that you were there.

In my experience, most people say nothing to me. Every once in a while someone will ask if I've found anything good or whether I've struck it rich. I jokingly offer to sell them all of the bottle caps and pull tabs that I've recovered, and then I'll mention the wonderful pennies that I'm digging up. We'll chat a bit and part ways. Once they realize that you're not digging up gold bars and such, most people will probably lose interest in you pretty quickly. Let's face it...metal detecting is not really a spectator's sport.

 

[AusTexDude]

If you have gotten permission you are already past the stressful part... It's sheer physical labor from here on out buddy. Swinging, kneeling, digging... repeat over and over and over.

 

[liftloop]

towel for the dirt keep the grass green..make sure you have pin point on your detector to get right over the target...always lift the loop to see how big the target is and how deep..x your target to make sure it's genuine..never stain your knees in other words never neil down on the ground or use knee pads help...pinpointed helps...don't ware a orange jump suit...or a pair of bob barker saddles...don't shave your head...take your hat off when your in the court room...

 

[bayhawk2]

My answers have been many.From the truth,to little querps.Most of the time,if I,ve found something really
good,i stay quiet about that,and just say a few pennies,mostly junk.Lately I say"nothing but a bunch of
little gold bars",and we laugh it off.You get the point..Make up your own..:.).

 

[liftloop]

bayhawk2 isn't that being a false witness

 

[bayhawk2]

"bayhawk2 isn't that being a false witness"

OK Lift loop..It's early and I'm a little slow this morning..:.)..Actually
it's tax evasion and being a false witness is a good thing if it avoids the IRS
or government intervention...:.)

 

[releventchair]

East of you here first hunts are muddy. Even with out a high water table if you hit thawed earth with frost below it its messy and hard to do top notch repairs where you make recoveries. Even for some of those who probe which I don,t ,though a trowel can cut a slit. I don,t want to gamble your hunt,some one detecting there when I told you to wait till you are proficient in your recovery techniques would not bode well ,so get some practice in in less sensitive ares. Then cut a couple sample plugs or better yet flapped plugs or probe holes,however you will be recovering, and check conditions before committing to a hunt at your public sites. I have gotten into melt water standing at three inches and cents reading as iron in it, mt guess was lots of iron in soil enhanced by water?.Wet muddy digging and mushy repairs to sod as water was not able to drain yet. If you hit your court or jail try less noticeable areas first to ensure good repairs,remember you are more conspicuous, even on camera maybe, in setting an example of one of them detector people. Have fun.

 

[releventchair]

My answers have been many.From the truth,to little querps.Most of the time,if I,ve found something really
good,i stay quiet about that,and just say a few pennies,mostly junk.Lately I say"nothing but a bunch of
little gold bars",and we laugh it off.You get the point..Make up your own..:.).

Ha!. Usually its "nothing older than myself." On the occasions there is something older than myself in my pouch the answer is "maybe".All ways willing to show trash if they want to see finds. As good stuff is isolated clad can be shown ,at least a decent representation of it. Or I can smile and just keep swingin.

 

[SusanMN]

School playgrounds are a great place to hit just as soon as the snow is gone. Lots has been collecting on them from the kids all winter, and most is either on top of the surface or barely below. Also look for melting snow piles where they have shoveled school walks. Sometimes you can stand and just pick coins out there.

 

[forgetaboudit]

Well I went over by the girlfriend's house and did a little testing today... I had ALOT of high tones in the few bare grass areas, but as I went to plunge my trowel in to receive my prize... THUNK! I could only dig up 1/4 of an inch! It was ALL rock hard and frozen. Looks like I'll have to wait another 4 months to dig any holes...

 

[DFX DAVE in M.D.]

Try dragging the coil low to the ground, I always see new people at metal detecting holding that coil up 4 to 6 inches off the ground, they are just missing everything. Swing it slow also, if you swing it too fast, those deep oldies will get passed by.

 

[bulrush]

1. Some people will cut a square flap on 3 sides, so the 4th side is like a hinge. Then you take out the dirt. Some people will put the dirt on a towel, so the dirt can easily be returned to the hole.

2. If people ask what you're doing, don't say you're hunting for treasure or coins, or they might want a part of it. Say you're hunting for old rusty buckles or old nails or tokens.

3. Just talk to people about what you're doing. Many are just curious, especially kids.

 

[beez0404]

Recently got permission to hunt a house that is for sale. Built in 1937 I thought it might give up something nice. The owner told me it had been in his family since it was built. Got to the house at 8:00am and started detecting. At about 8:15 the neighbor next door approaches me with her hands on her hips and a stern look in her eyes and says "Can I help you"? Since I had permission I was able to reply this way. I told her yes you can, I have a spare shovel in my truck. When I get a good hit could you dig it for me.

 

[voodoo]

beez0404 that is the best response ever. ha ha ha put a smile on my face. I'll have to remember that one. Sorry back to the original post..... yes learn to cut your plug on your own propery, bring a towel or piece of tarp to put the dirt on so you can return it to the hole. Remember leave any property you hunt in as best possible condition.......remember you were never there, that is what a dig site should look like. Happy hunting forg'

 

[BosnMate]

When I first started (early 1960's) my pin pointing skills were plenty grim. Luckly I realized this detecting relics on the desert ranch I worked for. After moving to town it was some years later when I purchased a high end White's machine that would do a good job of pin pointing, and I read the book (still before video), and started in my yard. I was using the towel/plug method and my wife made me stop on the lawn. I would pin point, but the hole just kept getting larger until I'd find the target, and it was making a mess of the lawn. Luckily most of our back the yard is not lawn but non-irrigated, mowed grass, and I started there without getting in trouble. Then I realized that my pinpointing skills and method of digging targets was not going to work, so referenced the book, and finally made test garden just to work on my pin pointing, and that helped a lot, and I was able to work our lawn without getting in trouble. Later I bought a pin pointer and that helped even more, and now I have a Sunray which is almost a must to me now. So from personal experience, don't go public until you get your pinpointing skills down pat, that way you won't embarrass yourself.

 

[liftloop]

test garden
yea Ooo how we for get good information
put a penny under a sheet of paper and pin point over it UN-till you can stop on top
all way look ware the beep is when swing the coil that will get you on top of your target x your spot helps too

 

[forgetaboudit]

I got out on the strip between the road and sidewalk at my house today figuring it would get warmer faster from the surrounding concrete. I scanned for about 20 minutes and only dug the very shallow items as the ground was rock hard under 1 1-2". Pulled up 10 or so coins, and also found a ring my father lost 2 winters ago! Every plug I dug was only about 3 inches in diameter and was able to replace them all without a trace. Only reason I stopped so soon was that I broke my little plastic Fiskars digger on the last tone i got :/

 

[xr7ator]

When I first started (early 1960's) my pin pointing skills were plenty grim. Luckly I realized this detecting relics on the desert ranch I worked for. After moving to town it was some years later when I purchased a high end White's machine that would do a good job of pin pointing, and I read the book (still before video), and started in my yard. I was using the towel/plug method and my wife made me stop on the lawn. I would pin point, but the hole just kept getting larger until I'd find the target, and it was making a mess of the lawn. Luckily most of our back the yard is not lawn but non-irrigated, mowed grass, and I started there without getting in trouble. Then I realized that my pinpointing skills and method of digging targets was not going to work, so referenced the book, and finally made test garden just to work on my pin pointing, and that helped a lot, and I was able to work our lawn without getting in trouble. Later I bought a pin pointer and that helped even more, and now I have a Sunray which is almost a must to me now. So from personal experience, don't go public until you get your pinpointing skills down pat, that way you won't embarrass yourself.

Wow, early 1960's? That's pretty darn early for the metal detecting hobby! What machine did you swing?

 

[BosnMate]

Wow, early 1960's? That's pretty darn early for the metal detecting hobby! What machine did you swing?

A White's BFO unit, and quite frankly it sucked. It worked, I found large stuff mostly, spoons, horse and ox shoes, spurs, powder cans, no coins or buttons, but I think some people did OK with BFO units -- beat frequency, sounded like a motor boat -- but it never worked well for me, and I realized that I was going to have to get a better machine if I really wanted to get with the program. After moving from the desert to where we live now, there was a local dealer that would rent machines, so I went that route for awhile, trying out different ones, and finally the dealer talked me into a White's 6000 DI Pro, which of course was an analog machine, and a darn good one. In fact I'd still be using it if it had a cuff, because in my old age I tire quickly swinging with my wrist and no other support. Found lots of good stuff with that machine, and I still have it, it's a loaner, and for grand kids to use, and the truth is, I'd get rid of the DFX before I would the 6000 if push came to shove. The DFX has a learning curve that requires more use than I've been able to put it to lately, but it works better on salt water beaches than the MXT, except now my legs won't let me do much walking in sand.