Why give up MD in the winter?

relichunters

Bronze Member
May 4, 2008
1,647
36
Virginia
Detector(s) used
Tesoro

deepskyal

Bronze Member
Aug 17, 2007
1,926
61
Natrona Heights, Pa.
Detector(s) used
White's Coinmaster 6000 Di Series 3, Minelab Eq 600
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Who said that?
If the ground ain't hard as concrete and we're not in the middle of a blizzard, I'll be scouting and detecting. That's why I have my insulated hiking boots, gloves, hat....

I Tried the Allegheny Plateau area with a foot and a half of snow a couple years ago....that was fun. Didn't find squat but a beer can about a foot deep, but it was beautiful and invigorating.

Al
 

hollowpointred

Gold Member
Mar 12, 2005
6,871
56
Detector(s) used
Minelab Explorer SE/Garrett GTI 2500/ Ace 250
if the ground doesnt freeze solid i will detect all winter long. usually around here late winter means 4 inches of solid ice though and that will end my season every time.
 

bootybay

Gold Member
Aug 9, 2007
11,314
120
NJ
🥇 Banner finds
1
Detector(s) used
EXCAL 2, SOV. GT
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I got out all year long..in the woods and at the beaches and after storms too at the beaches.. foot warmers, hand warmers.. man I got it all covered... :thumbsup:
 

Tom_in_CA

Gold Member
Mar 23, 2007
13,837
10,360
Salinas, CA
🥇 Banner finds
2
Detector(s) used
Explorer II, Compass 77b, Tesoro shadow X2
Where I'm at, we have a "Meditteranean" climate. It rarely goes below 40, and rarely gets above 90. So I never even KNEW the meaning of "frozen ground" till one time ........ on a trip to the high mountains during the winter, I decided to go metal detecting! Doh! I spotted a park in an oldtown district, and saw that the snow wasn't entirely covering all the ground (some patches of grass had been sheltered by trees or whatever. I thought "easy enough!" But I soon discovered that ground freezes solid! Took me 30 minutes to retrieve a merc and never repeated that again!
 

Monty

Gold Member
Jan 26, 2005
10,746
166
Sand Springs, OK
Detector(s) used
ACE 250, Garrett
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Depends on where you live. Most of the south and midwest can be hunted year around. But the northern climes make it impossible due to frozen ground and precipitation. I hunt year around here in Oklahoma except when it comes a cold snap that might last for several days. My limit is about 40 degrees. When it gets to 40 or below I am too uncomfortable to hunt, especially if there is a brisk wind. My fingers and face tend to get too cold and it takes all the fun out of it. Otherwise you might see me out any day during the winter. Even during the coldest months, January and February we might have some 70+ degree days and then it's perfect. :icon_sunny: Monty
 

lafatlife

Hero Member
May 14, 2008
506
2
CT
The ground freezes and you can't dig it. Here in New England, that usually lasts about 3 to 4 months most winters.
 

shane41

Sr. Member
Sep 7, 2006
369
119
Wisconsin
Detector(s) used
Ace 250 . Bounty Hunter, Vibra Probe 570 Garrett Pin Pointer AT PRO
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Thompy said:
i have a hard time getting signals through the 5 ft of snow, then you have the 4ft frost line
I agree with you Thompy. Last year we had a total of 99 inches of snow for the winter. Not counting the frozen ground underneath it. January & February the ice fishermen can dig the holes in the frozen lakes. I will sit by my fireplace and watch the snow fall, so I can go out and snowblow more of the white stuff. Shane :wink:
 

thompy

Bronze Member
Feb 19, 2005
1,271
7
Menominee, Michigan
Detector(s) used
T-2,
shane thats about what we got last year, 2 hours to the north, where im from they get 200 in, but 3 of the last 4 years up there we were in the 300 range, got to love the lake effect snows, you get allot of snowmobilling in with those snow totals
 

mpostma

Bronze Member
Jul 21, 2008
1,269
14
East Jordan, Michigan
Detector(s) used
Minelab Etrac & Quattro
Hey Thompy,
I am with you. I am a troll, but not far enough South to be able to swing a coil while up to my waist in snow!
HH
Mark
 

Colonial Zoyboy

Bronze Member
Apr 3, 2006
1,501
11
PA
Detector(s) used
White's XL Pro 6000
Nope, my relatives and I hunt ALL year! In February 2006, we detected in a -7 F windchill, and with the doyt as hard as concrete. My uncle chiseled out a 1794 thick Liberty Cap large cent and Draped Bust largie. On average, it took him 30 minutes to chisel out 5 inches of doyt. :D

We'll be doing it again this winter!

Kyle
 

Jazdo

Sr. Member
Oct 11, 2007
452
8
Iowa
Detector(s) used
Tesoro Cortes,Golden Sabre II, & Inca!
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I quit when the ground is frozen. Usally sometime in Dec it starts-then start again when ground thaws,but I have hunted in January,february, before. I can take the cold, but my machine doesnt like 0 degrees. One other thing is I hate chopping through frozen ground -for 10 minutes just to dig a new penny up! ;D
 

mpostma

Bronze Member
Jul 21, 2008
1,269
14
East Jordan, Michigan
Detector(s) used
Minelab Etrac & Quattro
Jazdo said:
I quit when the ground is frozen. Usally sometime in Dec it starts-then start again when ground thaws,but I have hunted in January,february, before. I can take the cold, but my machine doesnt like 0 degrees. One other thing is I hate chopping through frozen ground -for 10 minutes just to dig a new penny up! ;D

But, for an antique pull tab it is well worth it!
Mark
 

OP
OP
relichunters

relichunters

Bronze Member
May 4, 2008
1,647
36
Virginia
Detector(s) used
Tesoro
Ah ok didn't think about frozen ice. I guess it does depends if you are in the north or south.
 

K

Kentucky Kache

Guest
I like treasure hunting in warmer weather, but when it comes to deer hunting, it just doesn't feel right without the cold.
 

mastereagle22

Silver Member
May 15, 2007
4,909
31
Southeast Missouri
Detector(s) used
E-trac, Explorer II, Xterra30, Whites Prizm IV
I hunted in sleet last year. Hunted until the ground froze. Only missed about three weeks of detecting during the whole year last year due to weather.

I like hunting in the cold.
 

shane41

Sr. Member
Sep 7, 2006
369
119
Wisconsin
Detector(s) used
Ace 250 . Bounty Hunter, Vibra Probe 570 Garrett Pin Pointer AT PRO
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
mastereagle22 said:
I hunted in sleet last year. Hunted until the ground froze. Only missed about three weeks of detecting during the whole year last year due to weather.

I like hunting in the cold.
Cold is no problem up here in Wisconsin. It is the 6 to 10 foot snow drifts that give us a little trouble.. Only good thing about winter up here,you have the whole Lake Michigan beach front to yourself. Not to many nuts taking a dip in the lake or trying to get a sun tan laying on the beach..May see a few brave harted fisherman but thats about it. At least we do not have to worry about the waves getting our feet wet, cuz its all ice LOL.. Wish I could MD all year round. Hate to put the machine away for a few months. But it gives me a chance to clean up all my clad's and dream about all the gold rings I will find in spring LOL Shane ;D
 

bbqbull

Hero Member
Oct 31, 2006
964
4
Mid-Michigan
Detector(s) used
Minelab X 70
Last winter we had the most snow here ever since they started keeping records in the mid-1850's.
The frost line goes down to 42 inches here.
Sometimes the ground is frozen down that deep here.
 

whispers

Full Member
Jan 1, 2006
102
0
Vermont
Detector(s) used
dfx
You guys are whacked .Given the first 2 years i had md'tr I didn't want to give up....when the leafs get crispy I'm in the local history books, call me a wus but .sometimes it's nice dreamin about spring when the grass is all flat in the fields. And ,well call me a wus..
 

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