What is your "Hole to Keeper Ratio"?

SouthTexasHunter

Jr. Member
Mar 8, 2015
53
38
Corpus Christi, Texas
Detector(s) used
AT Pro, Ace 350
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I was just wondering today as I was headed home from a relatively uneventful hunt, how many holes I dug today as compared to how many keepers I bagged. Because I was shooting for coins only, my ratio was probably much more favorable than when I'm on low discrimination. Still I guessed that I dug about 4 holes for each keeper. Does anyone set hole number goals for a hunt? I plan to start doing that as I think maybe it will force me to dig some signals that I wouldn't normally dig and I just might find that maybe I should be digging some of those signals I have been passing on. Thoughts?
 

Limitool

Gold Member
Jun 9, 2013
5,380
7,053
Middle TN. area
Detector(s) used
White XLT Spectrum E-Series
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Well... let's see. Where I hunt it's not looking good. I keep precise data and here it is....

2,503 holes dug.
2,490 whole or 1/2 horseshoes dug.
10 pieces of chain links dug.
3 don't knows

So I got a perfect record 0 - 2,503
 

Charlie P. (NY)

Gold Member
Feb 3, 2006
13,006
17,114
South Central Upstate NY in the foothills of the h
Detector(s) used
Minelab Musketeer Advantage Pro w/8" & 10" DD coils/Fisher F75se(Upgraded to LTD2) w/11" DD, 6.5" concentric & 9.5" NEL Sharpshooter DD coils/Sunray FX-1 Probe & F-Point/Black Widows/Rattler headphone
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Here's a "best case" when I first got my 6.5" coil I wanted to see if I could dig only good targets from a town park.

40 coins
1 ring
0 trash.

This is FAR from typical but I wanted to see if I could do it. Probably left a lot of post -82 cents and possibly come jewelry behind.

Depending where I am I am far more likely to dig "iffy" signals. Always in the woods or more remote sites. In trashy areas I am far more likely to start blowing off signals in the ranges of the common junk at that site. I always pack out the junk I dig, so if it gets to be too much of a chore I begin cherry picking.

Here's a more typical day in one of the older town parks I hunt. It occasionally yields a Barber or Merc, so I tend to take more chances. I don't have the details on this image - but I believe I spot one Merc in the dimes so that justified all that trash to me. ;-) Plus next time I may have cleared a strip to hear that sweet, faint deep silver tone. Or the next guy did.
HPIM1408s_zpsb0966992.jpg
 

Msbeepbeep

Gold Member
Jun 24, 2012
15,787
24,131
MA
Detector(s) used
M-6, pro pointer, pistol probe
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
If your talking about this year 0/0, haven't been out detecting yet.
Normally I dig more goodies than trash if you count zincs as good. And like others if I'm tired I will ignore what I think is trash.
 

CincinnatiKid

Bronze Member
Nov 5, 2013
2,079
1,220
Cincinnati Ohio
Detector(s) used
XP Deus, Garrett ProPointer
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Last year and this year I have/will hunt a single historic site for relics. Rarely does a silver coin show up. But I ain't lookin' for 'em.
The relics I seek are deep, 10"+. I've gone 5, 8hr hunts with no keepers before. But just when I think I'm wasting my time, a prize is revealed.
Doubt I'll ever count holes dug.
GL
Peace ✌
 

Limitool

Gold Member
Jun 9, 2013
5,380
7,053
Middle TN. area
Detector(s) used
White XLT Spectrum E-Series
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Ok... I inflated my results (I admit). But it's not far from true.

I MD'd my driveway last Saturday... and found $2.53. And I'll be damned if I'm going to tell any of my kids, wife or visitors. AND... I left 3-4 good signals because I'd have to move my wife's car.

Someday I'll find something worthwhile here with the MD.... (keyword being with the MD).
 

G.I.B.

Gold Member
Feb 23, 2007
7,187
8,537
North Central Florida
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
CTX 3030 / GTI 2500 / Infinium LS / Tesoro Sand Shark / 1 Garrett Pro-pointer / 1 Carrot / Vibra Probe 580 (out on loan) / Lesche M85 / Mark1 MOD1 EyeBall
Primary Interest:
Other
I'm at 100% keepers until I get to the trash can.

Get's fairly sad after that, unless you count the highly collectable and prized pull tabs.

I'd guess I'm at about 15% keepers...
 

coinman123

Silver Member
Feb 21, 2013
4,659
5,768
New England, Somewhere Metal Detecting in the Wood
🥇 Banner finds
2
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
Teknetics T2 SE (DST)
Spare Teknetics T2 SE (backup)
15" T2 coil
Pro-Pointer
Bounty Hunter Pioneer 202
Fisher F2
Fisher F-Point
Primary Interest:
Other
Colonial woods metal detecting is like less than 10%. I may dig around 15 shotgun shells to find a colonial button, 10 buttons for a colonial coin,
 

Ahab8

Gold Member
Oct 15, 2013
8,408
8,289
Topsham, Maine
🥇 Banner finds
2
Detector(s) used
Teknetics T2 SE w/15' SEF Coil/ Minelab GPX 4500/2 Garrett Pro Pointers/3 Sets Killer B Headphones/ Koss Headphones/ Detekniy Wireless headphone Adapter
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Very site dependent. I only hunt colonial sites and sometimes I find a site that has very little trash and quite a few keepers. When I found my tree coin I literally only dug about 12 signals the entire hunt. 3 coins, 1 17th century button, 2 round balls and a few bullets. Other sites such as a colonial foundation hole I may dig 40 targets and only have 3 or 4 keepers. You just never know
 

Metal Illness

Hero Member
Jul 1, 2011
610
722
Englewood, Ohio
Detector(s) used
Minelab E-Trac
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I have no clue on holes vs keepers. I know for sure it's a lot more holes than keepers! What I have done in the past is try and keep tabs on a wheaty to silver ratio.
 

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