Field Hunting - What machine do you prefer, and why?

[bazinga]

I use an old Minelab Explorer XS. I feel it is the superior machine for hunting in parks. But when it comes to farm fields that are covered in iron, I just don't feel that it is the best machine due to a slower response. Why do I think this? Sometimes I will see a conductive target on the ground and the machine just won't hear it unless I bring my sweep to a speed of about 2 min per swing. And that just isn't possible if I hope to maintain some of my sanity. I have had the same experience in ferrous and conductive.

I am making some nice finds, but I truly feel that I can make MORE finds at these locations. Sometimes I will pull out a DEEP coin from in the iron that will scream out at 8-10", but that is the rare exception.

I will be doing some experimenting this weekend with a buddy. He has an F75 LTD as well as an Explorer II that he still isn't sold on just yet. He seems to feel the same way as I do about the Explorer in dense iron. And I will also be taking out an old hip-mount White's Coinmaster 6000/di Series 2 and see how that works.

So, what machine do you use for these iron ridden sites and why? I know Iron Patch will swear by his Explorer, so if you do respond, what settings do you use for these sites? I am not brand loyal. I am 'best performance' loyal. If I can find something that will be better, I will check it out.

 

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[mainer]

From the machines I have used by far the explorer II has been the best in iron for me. You have to slow way down and I learned from IP that you just take 6 to 8 inch swings. And he was spot on. It is somthing that takes a lot of getting use too. That being said I tried a buddy of mines DFX a few years ago and found that to be decent in iron too, I was able to pluck some keepers out of the iron that my XLT couldnt find.

Best of luck finding a machine to fit your needs.

 

[Iron Patch]

Explorer and Explorer II. I only hunt fields, and I'll guarantee you it comes down to experience! To me the explorer is the Detecting God's gift to relic and coin hunting at the early sites I dig. I could actually write for the next hour why (ask Mainer) but it's early, and I don't have enough coffee in me for that! But I will try to sum it up as quick as I can.... It allows me to cherry pick worthy solid iron hits at the older spots and not dig small iron, really at all. It hits very hard on other metals and is great for small buttons, even some of the bad condition pewters, which i have found many. It is also great in iron, but like I said it's all about how you use it, and taking a full sweep walking through "the patch" isn't how you use an explorer in heavy iron. As for the F75 I have a friend coming this weekend. It's a good detector but I'll bet anyone $1,000 he can't find a diggable target I can not hear. You can offer to bet me the other way but probably wouldn't be a good idea as I've already pointed out a couple of deep brass or copper fragments he could not hear. That very well could just be an experience thing too as I have much more time on my detector, but the point I'm trying to make is no matter what detector I hunt against I have never for a second thought I was out-gunned or even close. It's funny last Spring Romeo and his F75 cleaned my clock as far as quality finds, but that in no way changes my opinion because my explorer did everything it was suppose to, including getting me over more targets, just not the right ones! All that said, different strokes for different folks and as much as people like me love the explorer, there's some that never get on to it and hate it.


Explorer power! Missing from the photo is the 5,000 or so misc. buttons I have dug, as well as a whole lot more odds and ends. It was some great practice!

 

[bazinga]

Thanks for the response IP. I was hoping you would chime in. When it comes to park hunting, I feel there is nothing that even comes close to an Explorer. A couple weeks ago I pointed out a coin spill of an old silver dime and a penny and an F75 couldn't hear it no matter what settings he tired, nor could a Garrett 2500. Not a peep out of either.

But when it comes to hunting in fields, I am just not as confident in it, YET. I am always left wondering if I might have missed a half dime or a silver 3-cent.

 

[Iron Patch]

Thanks for the response IP. I was hoping you would chime in. When it comes to park hunting, I feel there is nothing that even comes close to an Explorer. A couple weeks ago I pointed out a coin spill of an old silver dime and a penny and an F75 couldn't hear it no matter what settings he tired, nor could a Garrett 2500. Not a peep out of either.

But when it comes to hunting in fields, I am just not as confident in it, YET. I am always left wondering if I might have missed a half dime or a silver 3-cent.

For a long time I played around to find what worked best for me so it has only been a few years where it feels good and I don't change anything. I think it will just take you so time to adjust because if it does well in a park it should do good in the fields too. The older the site the easier, and once you get into the mid 1800s up to the turn of the century iron becomes harder to deal with. But that is the case for every detector. I'm lucky my sites tend to be older and spread by the plow, so it's pretty easy. Plus ten years of doing it over and over helps too.