Brand new to the sport

[teacher457]

My husband gave me a Bounty Hunter Lone Star detector for Christmas. I have always wanted to do some metal detecting and now I have my chance, but I have no clue where to begin. I live in the Lubbock, TX area. If anyone has any suggestions on how to begin or where to start please let me know.

 

[baylorhall]

I am fairly new, too, but love to get out with my ACE 250. Be sure you have read your manual cover to cover. Then I would tell you to take different coins out into your yard and see how they read on your machine. Include pull tabs and other metals. I even buried change then went back and practiced finding it. Even found some stuff I didn't bury! Once you feel comfortable using your machine, head to a playground. I love the ones with pebbles because you can just push them around with your foot! I have found the most clad at school playgrounds amid the wood chips. Before you start digging up park land, practice digging holes at home so you can learn to dig a plug and get it back in. I have learned a ton by watching videos on Youtube. Try putting your detector type in the search and you will see others using your machine. Read on this site and you will be encouraged and learn a lot at the same time. Good luck!

 

[Joe(TX)]

............TEACHER 457....................I'm assuming that you are a teacher!.............Start at work............ on the school playgrounds and all around the school buildings!.......Ask some of the older teachers where the original school once stood!.................also around the school football and baseball fields............where the band marches.............where the football team practises...................HAPPY HUNTING..........JOE

 

[cooltone23]

Welcome to this addicting hobby!!!

Start off at your library and find out some historical sites where you live. Start in your back yard for practice. You just never know what you might dig up. This site is full of people ready and raring to help out with their knowledge.

Hope you enjoy your new MD, and fill us in on how you are doing

 

[teacher457]

I was a teacher now I'm an Instructional Technologist for our district  . 

I haven't had much time to go out and MD just an hour here and there.  Not really much time to find anything. I did start in my backyard, the previous owner lived in this house for 40 years and we have been in the house for 11 years. I didn't find much but I did learn how to dig holes and fill them back in properly.  I have gone out to Two Draw Lake, it was a swimming spot in the early 20's and 30's with a playground and bathhouse. I didn't find anything but I was only out there for about an hour but I did locate where the old barbecue pits, and bathhouse are.  The lake and surrounding land is privately owned and you have to call and get permission to go out there to fish or camp or in my case MD.  I'm planning to go out again some weekend and spend some time looking.  I know I should be able to find neat stuff if I can just find the right spot.  From my understanding it has not been hunted and I can understand why.  The area where the old playground and barbecue pits use to be is very grown over.  My Bounty Hunter Lone Star may not be powerful enough to detect in tall grass and hard clay soil, but it's worth a try. 

I will let you know if I find anything other than beer cans and lead weights

 

[Seajay]

Teacher457,

I gave my wife a Garrett's GTA 500 for Christmas about 12 years ago and that thrill lasted all of about two minutes! Glad to hear you like madding. I gave my dad an Ace 250 for Christmas this year as well and he hunts the school grounds where he is a custodian (Palestine, TX). His first coin was a silver dime! It sounds like you are doing your research, so hang in there.Be encouraged, stick with detecting and the finds will come.

Seajay

 

[cooltone23]

Girl, keep that MD swinging!

 

[Emperor Findus Cladius]

I use to live in Lubbock, and made some of my best finds there, mainly at the schools. Found my first Ben Franklin half at an elementary school there, and many, many silver dimes. Go also to some of the outlying towns there, as they are very old (Idalou, Ralls, Crosbyton, Plainview, etc). My first two standing liberty quarters I ever found were found in the area, first was at a baseball field next to the elementary school in Idalou, and the second at the front of a school in Paducah. Do a lot of research also, see where folks use to gather in the bygone days that is not used any more.

 

[teacher457]

I use to live in Lubbock, and made some of my best finds there, mainly at the schools. Found my first Ben Franklin half at an elementary school there, and many, many silver dimes. Go also to some of the outlying towns there, as they are very old (Idalou, Ralls, Crosbyton, Plainview, etc). My first two standing liberty quarters I ever found were found in the area, first was at a baseball field next to the elementary school in Idalou, and the second at the front of a school in Paducah. Do a lot of research also, see where folks use to gather in the bygone days that is not used any more.

I actually live in Post which was established in 1907. I have permission to MD at Two Draw Lake which is privately owned now. Back in the '20s and '30 there was a swimming area with a bath house, swing sets, barbecue pits and the such. That stuff is no longer there but people still fish at the lake with permission. I have gone out there for about an hour and located the old bath house and some of the old barbecue pits. It's really over grown but I think I will be able to find some neat stuff. The hour I was out there I only dug three holes and found a lead weight, rusted bolt, and an Old Milwaukee Beer can. My weekends here lately have been occupied by my small grandchildren. I'm planning on going out there this Saturday and Sunday. Spring break is in March and I'm looking forward to the time I will have to play with my MD.

 

[Shaw]

Sell the new metal detector and get a new non addicting hobby. I am just kidding, I have had many hobbies and this one seems to draw me back in more than any other.

Good luck and HH,
Jason

 

[teacher457]

Sell the new metal detector and get a new non addicting hobby. I am just kidding, I have had many hobbies and this one seems to draw me back in more than any other.

Good luck and HH,
Jason

Yep, it's addicting and I haven't really gotten started yet. My husband may wish he never bought me a MD. I've been digging holes in our backyard and covering up the holes then our dogs go and dig in the holes I've covered up, backyard now looks like a mine field
I need to go hunt around the school, my students already think I'm crazy if they see me out there MDing it will just confirm their suspicions

 

[Lotsawhatzits]

Hi Teacher,
I grew up around Lubbock and there is lot's of history there. Ransom Canyon just east of Lubbock was named for a sort of cottage industry between the Indians and outlaws in the area. The Indians would kidnap settlers and trade them to the outlaws that lived in the canyon and then the outlaws would ransom them back to their families. A little northwest of Lubbock is a place called yellowhouse canyon. Lot's of great stories and history there. Not too far away is the town of Lincoln NM. It doesn't look much different than it did during the Lincoln County Wars with Billy the kid. It's like it was frozen in time. My favorite part of metal detecting is the history behind the things I find. I'm new to MDing too, but I am already hooked on it. Good hunting.