I was thinking about giving up the hobby today

[WHADIFIND]

I mean....it really gets tough when all one finds is clad. Especially in an area known for being old! I just can't figure this place out!

I don't expect old, silver nor gold *every* time out. Been doing it too long to think that, I know how it works.

Still.....not even a Wheatie!?!? In countless hours there I think I've found a total of 4!

Anyway, yes, I did think about giving up the hobby. But.....I think that just about every three walks anyway.




Did get a lil surprise. This bracelet thing? It's painted silver! Rang up at 86 on AT too.

Just never know....do ya?

Of course, I'll be out again. But, I gotta admit, its really hard to call what I'm doing "fun" anymore.

Thanks for peeking folks!

 

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[chub]

It's cheaper than a gambling addiction.

Ive always felt that there certainly is an element of gambling in detecting. You are gambling your time for hope of a reward. Same as gambling money for the reward of more money.
Saying that .... Bingo is still gambling Vs 'lose the farm' style gambling. When I started out I was very naive. Im not entirely sure what I was expecting.... hundreds of gold rings? Old valuable coins?
Then I started looking on sites like this and quickly realised I need to lower my expectations. It didnt help having a *buddy who APPEARED to be finding gold rings on every single hunt....until I started to analyse the pictures that he was sending me and realised that they were staged. Ive spoken with a number of guys that hunt with him that all suspect the same thing. He even told me once that he keeps a few old coppers in his pocket when going on group hunts because "he didnt want to go home empty handed??!" WTH?
But the point is that he made me feel unsuccessful, or that I was doing something wrong, or not putting in enough time....
I regularly come back from a hunt and think "lets give it a rest, Im done"....then a few months go by and sure enough the urge comes again

chub

 

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[JoeKeeling]

Looks like your not having any trouble finding the the treasurer's. Try finding some older sites. Old brick sidewalks have always worked well for me. City parks are a good place to hone your skills by finding clad coins. I think if you expand your search area to older areas your gonna do fine. I'm new on this forum. If you could give me a reply I would really appreciate it. Thanks and don't give it up yet

 

[ARC]

Rest assured... IF you quit... You will definitely never find anything.

If you approach metal detecting as a "pastime / hobby"... something to be enjoyed outside...

then you win every time.

 

[xcopperstax]

Ive always felt that there certainly is an element of gambling in detecting. You are gambling your time for hope of a reward. Same as gambling money for the reward of more money.
Saying that .... Bingo is still gambling Vs 'lose the farm' style gambling. When I started out I was very naive. Im not entirely sure what I was expecting.... hundreds of gold rings? Old valuable coins?
Then I started looking on sites like this and quickly realised I need to lower my expectations. It didnt help having a *buddy who APPEARED to be finding gold rings on every single hunt....until I started to analyse the pictures that he was sending me and realised that they were staged. Ive spoken with a number of guys that hunt with him that all suspect the same thing. He even told me once that he keeps a few old coppers in his pocket when going on group hunts because "he didnt want to go home empty handed??!" WTH?
But the point is that he made me feel unsuccessful, or that I was doing something wrong, or not putting in enough time....
I regularly come back from a hunt and think "lets give it a rest, Im done"....then a few months go by and sure enough the urge comes again

chub

This is a great story! thanks!

 

[xcopperstax]

I get that feeling sometimes it's a frustrating hobby that we have. What I do is I set the bar low and I say I want to find one good thing when I go out. Sometimes I am pleasantly surprised with multiple good things. Sometimes it's a whole day of frustration and then the good thing pops out. You have to have terrible days to appreciate the good ones. Maybe you get to go too much. Deliberately take a couple weeks off. I also think about the fact that I am getting out and I try to appreciate my surroundings. I have a spot that has diminishing returns at this point but I like being there so much and have so many good memories of it I keep going back. I have an obsessive mind and it really bothers me when I don't find something I deem good. I also watch a bunch of youtube channels which helps encourage me but you have to remember that youtube and even tnet are often edited versions that highlight success while you sit there consuming it and thinking gee I didn't find that good thing. I do that and it can drive you crazy. I often hunt with a guy who is just plain better than me. When he finds good stuff it helps spur me on to find something as he proves to me that it's there. When you get frustrated fall back on your good finds that you've made and remember you've done it before. I'd say take some time off, go to a new spot and enjoy it all. I think metal detecting is like a mental battle where you have to balance the small amount of good with the large amounts of time finding bad and make it all compute to fun!

 

[WHADIFIND]

Thanks for all the support folks! Don't worry, I won't quit, (just yet), and justify everyone's feeling that they're just being foolish out there.

But, you have to understand, I've been at this for longer than a lot of people here have been alive! LOL

Small wonder that I get tired, frustrated from time to time.

I could write a book with all of the above suggestions and it would all be based on *personal* experience!

Dig 'em all, concentrate on midtones, diff machines, swings, research, mood adjustments, loops, ground, hills, flats, woods, water, beach, cornfields, on and on and on.

I've done 'em all!

I'm just tired and frustrated. Goes with the territory.

My current frustration is not being able to find an indication of age in a place I *KNOW* has to be there!

Thanks again folks! Don't worry, I'm not gone....not just yet.

At the very least....the walks *ARE* exercise!

If I get too depressed, I just review the post linked in my signature. Always good for a smile.

 

[WHADIFIND]

Hey Whadifind ! could you try a close and clear pic on that silver ? - I can't see it at all .. I'm guessing it might be one of those woven , snakey
looking pieces from Bali or India - I want to see it !

I seriously lack in photo skills/equipment.
Here's a slightly better pic.


Hope it helps.
And....thanks!

 

[jeff of pa]

Dig 'em all, concentrate on midtones,

I know it doesn't make sense considering all the quarters you find in your areas,
but ever consider concentrating on the questionable weak & Broken signals ?

I Can't say I Have concentrated on them, But I Have been Presently Surprised,
on some of the "Why am I even bothering with This One ?" Signals,
in places where there seems to be nothing else biting

 

[Centsless Detecting]

i feel ya whadi. hit a spot that i thought we were going to score in. 1930s house torn down. got 2 zinc pennys and like 6 square nails which i assume were from an older structure. you cant win them all. keep swingin. oh this is now the start of my 4th season and have yet to find any gold anything..

 

[Argentium]

I obviously was looking at the wrong picture - I thought it was the long shiney looking bit .Nice bangle !

 

[arrow86]

Maybe it’s time for new hunting grounds

 

[Tenspeed]

I feel your pain!

I have recently gotten to where I am happy if I find a wheatie. The Equinox has opened up a lot of my old sites to good finds though, so now my silver count is going back up again.

 

[Kray Gelder]

That place must be fill dirt. Find another place. Good luck.

 

[WHADIFIND]

I know it doesn't make sense considering all the quarters you find in your areas,
but ever consider concentrating on the questionable weak & Broken signals ?

I Can't say I Have concentrated on them, But I Have been Presently Surprised,
on some of the "Why am I even bothering with This One ?" Signals,
in places where there seems to be nothing else biting

Hi Jeff! You know that I know all that but you don't know why there's a lack of nickels, etc.

As a rule...I dig things all the way down to just above iron. Its just that I'm doing a broad initial search in a place that is HUGE! I'll eventually get down to the nitty gritty. Right now I'm searching several different types of available areas. I know that if I'm digging quarters down to 9 inches that if there is an older one, I'll probably hear it. But I'm also listening for penny sounds. If an older coin, a large copper, silver quarter, or even a small dime in range I will hear them.

My puzzle is how there are no Wheaties! None! Its an indicator for me. Also, I know some areas are filled. But some of them are very old farm fields! The mineralization ranges from 70 to as high as 95 depending on the area.

So, initially, I'm concentrating on what I call "high squeaks". Eventually I'll start "milking" the ground. I was just figuring on finding a few areas with "age indicators".

What I'm figuring right now is that this place had been hit and hit very hard! Just back in the late 70's. I am finding a pattern in all this clad. A whole lot of them are from '75 to '80!

Bear with me...if there are a few oldies out there, I will find them!

Thanks for the help!

 

[WHADIFIND]

I obviously was looking at the wrong picture - I thought it was the long shiney looking bit .Nice bangle !

No, that was the right piece. Its just my attempt at a close up to show the silver under the paint.

No harm, no foul.

 

[JeffInMass]

Hang in man, the very next one may be the ONE- GL!

 

[smokeythecat]

Nickels! Nickels! I found enough nickels to do something with today! Good grief!

 

[HighVDI]

Could it be that the majority of spots have been hit previously? I run into this about.....9 out of 10 sites, just sayin.

 

[IDXMonster]

Could it be that the majority of spots have been hit previously? I run into this about.....9 out of 10 sites, just sayin.

Yep, even if I’ve never been to a place before, what is LEFT is a great indicator of previous hunters. I think WHADIFIND has been poking at this place awhile, and I’ve got those sites too....there MUST be something there, the mathematical odds say so. And there is....it’s just not easy! Personally, I hunt for the challenge of finding old coins, I want nothing given to me. It’s MY skill with a given machine against the odds and the elements, and eventually I ALWAYS win. That’s how a lot of us operate, defeat is NEVER an option!

 

[Johncoho]

Don't give up. I feel your pain. All day digging on Tuesday and 3 wheats and a pile of clad. Hoping for any silver but it didn't happen. You just never know what will be in the next plug. That's what keeps us going.