Newbie

[Islandergirl]

I just bought my first metal detector last night. I've wanted one since I was a kid! I need tips. Where do I start? What places are prohibited? I bought a Teknetics Delta 4000. Super excited!

 

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[vpnavy]

Welcome aboard! You didn't list your state (or country) in your profile. So, you might consider jumping over to Sub-Forums: Select Your Area.... and selecting your state for information (i.e., clubs, hunts, finds, legends, maps, etc.) directly related to your state (or country).

 

[Silver Simon]

I just bought my first metal detector last night. I've wanted one since I was a kid! I need tips. Where do I start? What places are prohibited? I bought a Teknetics Delta 4000. Super excited!

Congratulations and welcome to the hobby! I would start by practicing digging targets in your yard. Have you researched the Teknetics Delta 4000, and how to understand it? There are plenty of resources on YouTube, like this video:



You should be able to metal detect at most public places, unless it is posted otherwise. Remember, the worst that can happen is someone asking you to leave. It is always a good idea to research the history of your area, and locate spots that are fairly old, especially high traffic gathering places.

 

[73dguard]

My rules for finding something at a given spot: 1)someone had to be there first 2)they had to lose/discard/bury soemthing3)it is necessary that no one beat you to it With this in mind if you want clad/ jewelry go to where kids party and do Umm.. other things. Stuff comes off and gets lost. Nice caches or relics require search of maps documents and after all that you still need to swing in the right spot. Good stuff may have the conductivity of iron. Good conductivity might be underground wires or trash. Conductivity merely shows how strong a signal your detector is getting. Often it will not tell you what artifact you are getting. On non private land, general federal laws of antiquity protect relics or thing greater than 100 y.o. So if you are going to keep this stuff, tell no one. Landowner's permission is advisable unless you are willing to risk trespassing charges or being shot at.

 

[Sandman]

To start you can read some of Charles Garrett's books on treasure hunting. One, Successful Coin hunting is at this link. The New Successful Coin Hunting by Charles Garrett

 

[TerryC]

When you practice on buried targets,, also bury BAD targets so you get that practice. TTC

 

[Tom_in_CA]

reply

.... On non private land, general federal laws of antiquity protect relics or thing greater than 100 y.o.....

This is not accurate. That "100 yr. thing" is ARPA, and only applies to federal land. Not other forms of public land. Eg.: not city, county, or state land. And as for your "tell no one", I had to chuckle at that. Because let's say you were on federal land detecting (since it's not inherently forbidden at many types of federal land afterall), and you DID find (gasp) a 101 yr. old coin. Then you're right: since when is anyone standing there, with a calculator in their hand, doing the math on the ages of each coin we find? I mean ....seriously now

Just avoid obvious historic monuments, start in easy clad spots (sandboxes, fairly modern schools, your friend's front yards, etc...) till you get proficient at sounds, target recovery, etc...

 

[Silver Simon]

Just avoid obvious historic monuments, start in easy clad spots (sandboxes, fairly modern schools, your friend's front yards, etc...) till you get proficient at sounds, target recovery, etc...

Or you can do what I did, make friends with the president of your county's historical society and get access to some restricted areas. I will be hunting a museum home from 1868 that is fenced in and locked up. They have owned it since the 1960's and never allowed anyone to detect the 0.5 acres. Now I just need this terrible Michigan winter to end.

 

[mchesser]

First and foremost understand your detector I use a Teknetics Eurotek Pro and they're great detectors but follow the above advise and practice ! Hook-up with an experienced digger if you
can. This simple advise will save you from getting frustrated and selling your stuff on craigslist Enjoy and have fun !