DIG EVERYTHING? ARE YOU SERIOUS? REALLY

I don't know about your machine, but on my DFX I rarely dig negative numbers. Only when relic hunting. Everyone will tell you to dig everything at first, as a way to learn what your machine is telling you. You can weed out different numbers after you have a good understanding of what its saying. Although I did not dig 30's on my machine until one day I had not had a "good" number in 5 minutes. It was a 14k wedding band. Now, I dig 99% of the REPEATABLE signals I get. Hh dave.
 

usually when we say dig everything, we mean when you're starting out and learning your detector (that's what i mean at least).

Even now, I predict what I'm pulling up. I want to make sure i'm reading the signals correctly. If i predict wrong, I dig all the signals just to make sure. and, every now and then, I'll just dig all the signals to make sure i'm right.

after you learn the machine, I agree with dave... dig repeatable signals

steve
 

I sometimes dig stuff I am certain is trash just to be sure I am reading my machine right. You never know we a reading of 4 or 6 is a gold ring or a piece of foil.
 

If you have to ask then, yes, dig it. I have no idea what the range is on your VID/TID scale (they're different among different detectors and models), but when you get so you are reasonably sure -4, 4 and 8 mean cast iron waterpipe, nail and bolt you won't have to dig to know. ;)

You'll never KNOW what a signal is until you dig. You can estimate, but even on a scale of -20 to 100 there are still huge ranges of overlap for the thousands and millions of different metalic objects in the world's soil. Relic hunters love some of the rusty globs that other detectorists wouldn't bend over to pick up if they saw it sitting exposed on the surface.
 

For me its according to how much time I have to hunt a site. If I have less then an hour or so I only go after the good solid signals but I know that I am passing over what may be good targets. I used to dig only good signals and after talking to a few people I started digging everything but iron and yes I dig a lot of foil and pull tabs but I started finding more coins and relics also. A lot of items will give off poor signals but after you move a little dirt your machine will sound off telling you that it is a good target.
 

Wise words, birdman!

I'd like to add this, though:

If you have an ID machine and don't dig the negative numbers on Civil War sites you won't ever find a cannister shot, that's for sure. In yards, I'd let the iron readings go. Relic hunting, I'd dig 'em.

I try to dig the better targets first in yards, then on a return trip the iffy ones (or on several return trips). Especially in summer, when you run a higher risk of damaging the lawn if dig a lot of plugs.

Regards,

Buckleboy
 

The 1st year I dug everything, including iron signals. My wife banned me from MD'ing in the yard. I did learn a lot on how my machine is telling me what is there. I still get fooled, but that is the nature of the beast.

YES DIG EVERY SIGNAL...id it before you dig, after awhile you be able to outline the object, listen to teh tone and the VDI and be amazingly accurate.
 

you never know what "relic" item you might be missing by not digging iron type signals---but even if not interested in "relics" ---you might get a false read on a gold item --if your sure its iron --you can of course pass on it--- but ---are you "really" ever totally 100 % sure till you "see" it? ---Ivan
 

Depends on where I'm hunting...the old sites I dig pretty much everything, especially if its deep. I could care less how it sounds, I dig it. Hit a school yard and not digging everything, but I dig enough to make myself think I am!
 

Something else to consider. Keepers can be masked by trash. If a ring or coin is lying right next to, and or below, something like a steel bottle cap or wad of aluminum foil, ANY detector is going to have a hard time giving you a positive ID on the good target.
I'd say the more keepers that have been found in the area the more apt I am to dig the "iffy" signals.
But as has been mentioned before, the amount of time I have on a particular hunt also determines how many of those signals I'll dig.
 

When I have suggested dig everything I meant what a lot of other posters said. I dug everything the first month I had my machine and I WROTE it down in a little book. Then I practiced and practiced until I could "predict" what I was finding. I now mostly only dig signals that have been good in the past, unless I am relic hunting in which case I dig everything. One other thing to think of is that if you remove trash from the site you are hunting it will be easier to find good signals. My sister and brother-in-law have an X-30 and their front yard was full of trash they told me there was nothing of value there. I found two wheat pennies with a little bit of work and they have pulled several pounds of iron trash and junk out of their front yard. A couple of days ago they found an old buffalo nickel in an area they had cleaned out,.
 

I had a signals once and it said it was a bottle cap a inch down I dug it and it was a gold ring, my 1st anther signal I had was a bottle cap reading about a half inch down and was a Buffalo nickle Yes dig everything 100 pull tabs equals a ring
 

GodOfRustyNails said:
Would this be a fair summation:

If you do not want to dig everything, it may be best to have an idea what you want to find (a goal)?
Click to expand...

That is my thinking exactly! ;)
 

I agree with jack it depends on the site i dont know about you machine if it was a dfx i could give you some advise but there is no such thing as a perfect detector if there was i would buy it just persitance it pays off keep working the site one day dig good ones one day dig all you cant do a site in one day thats for sure good luck
 

I didn't read all the posts above...if I did I may not write the following...but here it goes........

Most who say dig everything mean everything within reason.

Those of us who have been at this since Hector was a pup know that iron trash (and foil, pulltabs, etc.) hides lots of good things.

Our detectors are mighty good today but they're still not X-Ray machines.

One BAD true rule I really hate is that usually the places with the most trash have the most good finds (covered).

Today I usually dig a handful of square nails or a hunk of nasty iron on my way down to a really cool old relic or coin.

Badger
 

Michigan Badger said:
I didn't read all the posts above...if I did I may not write the following...but here it goes........

Most who say dig everything mean everything within reason.

Those of us who have been at this since Hector was a pup know that iron trash hides lots of good things.

Our detectors are mighty good today but they're still not X-Ray machines.

One BAD true rule I really hate is that usually the places with the most trash have the most good finds (covered).

Today I usually dig a handful of square nails or a hunk of nasty iron on my way down to a really cool old relic or coin.

Badger
Click to expand...

What I did not realize was that my brother-in-law was the original poster. And I have hunted his yard and he is right it has a lot of trash in it. But I have pulled two wheats and he has found one buffalo nickel in the yard. I have also dug an old spoon out of the ground and a lead mason jar lid. So I beleive that there are a lot more good things to find in his yard. I plan on taking the Beast and going to visit the yard soon and I will let you know how that goes.
 

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