DO I REALLY NEED TO WEAR HEADPHONES WHILE HUNTING?

[geolover]

I have a White's GMZ, 50 KHz, SILENT SEARCH - no threshhold. It only beeps when I hit a target. When I bought it, I was advised that the headphones were a must. I see instructional vids and they say it's important, but those are units that produce a hum or threshhold sound while the user decipher some small change or zip sound. I only have to hear the one beep, which is more than loud enough. I'm not detecting around other people so I see no need for headphones. Am I missing something?

On a side note, picked up a Garrett Pin-pointer AT today, big time saver. Now I can find bullet casings and shrapnel in record time!

 

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[Terry Soloman]

mine just goes beep, same beep every time, same volume every time.

With the GMZ, you will not benefit from headphones.

 

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[geolover]

With the GMZ, you will not benefit from headphones.

Thank you. Yea, the silent search all metal GMZ 50KHz picks up a lot of "stuff" and there is no operational advantage to wearing them, which I hated doing. (Other than politeness and battery life). Now I know and I don't have to feel like I'm cheating when I don't.

 

[bakatz]

I like them... and it keeps a lot of attention off you.

 

[flgliderpilot]

Your analysis and conclusion are exactly consistent with my understanding of the need (or no need) for headphones. I have an ACE 350 and never hear any sounds other than a tone (three types) or no tone. Other factors are privacy, courtesy, etc.

And enjoy the PP; it's great.

Once you use headphones for awhile, you'll realize it's really hard to distinguish between the subtle differences in the tones on the 350 without headphones. After I hunted with my Ace 350 for a few months using headphones, I found it impossible to use it without them.

Using something like an AT Pro without headphones is extremely difficult because you can't hear the subtle clicks and tone changes that happen at the beginning and end of the tones unless you have headphones on.

I also found I could not use the AT Pro with the water headphones because it muted a lot of the quirks in the tones I used to identity bottle caps and pull tabs, so I waterproofed my land headphones instead which worked much better.

 

[JackalopeZL1]

I find I like head phones so I can hunt silently in park environments. Just attracts less attention.

 

[GA_Boy]

I just point at my phones and tell the herd of kids in parks I can't hear you. I get the giggles when a little guy'll stand there yelling "Whatcha doin?" at the top of his lungs until he's horse. If they're really persistent I'll tell em I'm electrocuting the worms. Just one of those gotta have fun with it things!

Tell them you are electronically Worm Grunting.
http://www.discovery.com/tv-shows/dirty-jobs/videos/worm-grunting.htm:metaldetector:

 

[flgliderpilot]

I find I like head phones so I can hunt silently in park environments. Just attracts less attention.

Agree... I wrapped my pro pointer with black electrical tape over the speaker hole so it would not be so loud. I could silence it entirely by placing it in vibration mode only but I find it harder to use when I can't hear the beeps.

 

[Diggin-N-Dumps]

I wear them in the water or in a maybe in loud areas. Most the places I hunt are in the ghetto, so I have to hear everything else too. Plus , Summer time is a no-go on headphones for me. My last ones would hold the sweat and it would pour out of my ears when I took them off...no bueno