I detected when I was kid with my dad. I barely remember trailing behind him. This would have been in the late 70s. Over the years, I spent many hours walking the roads and woods searching for bottles and anything else that was interesting. About ten years ago when I was stationed in Texas I spent the better part of the whole time I was there searching for arrowheads and artifacts, so treasure hunting was something I had always done in some form.
About 1999 I bought my first detector, a Treasure Ace 300. I got frustrated with the detector because it never found anything very deep and it was slow and gave false signals alot. In 2009 I decided to join a club, but I never took it very serious. I got a friend of mine into metal detecting and this has made me a little competitive to keep up with him.
I still consider myself new to the hobby in a way. This year I decided to "take control" of my hobby and I started to become more bold and talk about it and not let opportunities pass me to hunt areas like I had before and perfect my research skills. The work has paid off, because I have started to find a lot of really neat things and I rarely come home without a couple of wheat cents at least. I probably hunt 2-4 days a week, at least 3 hours at a time. It was still hard for me to make time due to my family and being a single parent, but I think that everyone excepts my quirks especially after I bring home interesting items for them to admire.
I've heard people say that there isn't that many things to find anymore. I only believe this to a point, because we only skim the the very top layer when we detect and there are so many factors that affect our abilities to find things whether it is looking at the surface or digging. I do agree that many more people are into metal detecting because of the notoriety that has taken place in the last few years and the newer equipment that has come out. I am happy that I was able to witness and use the equipment that was out in the 70s' and I am just now starting to accept change. In regards to going back over the old places that people have already detected, It makes me want to purchase much better equipment and perfect my listening and swinging/scanning technique. I love to "eck out" another coin, or relic behind someone.
or is that swing over a dime
