For a beginner detector, what would be the top three mistakes?

[Spirtgold]

I've been doing a bunch of research and have learned a bunch in the past couple of weeks...but starving for more!!
To help out a new hunter, what would be you top three list of "don't do this"?
I'm speaking of hunting the usual areas like beaches, playgrounds, etc.
Thanks!

 

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[RvaDiggn]

Dig very carefully, I see alot of people in videos going crazy with the spades and shovels scraping at the entire hole. Keep in mind if it is a very valuable artifact, you can ruin it by not digging it properly. You never know whats down there.
(sorry, just 1 "what not to do")

 

[SeaninNH]

I'll give you a few more than 3 lol

Do read your manual
Do read your manual again
Do read your manual once again.
Do go in your back yard with your detector and read your manual again.
Do cut plugs. Don't dig "holes"
Do sweep all the dirt you can back into your plug hole.
Do replace your plug.
Do your best to leave the area looking as if you were never there.
Do fill in your holes if you do dig one. Holes are ok to dig on the beach or in the woods where you don't have to worry about digging a hole, but ALWAYS fill in your holes.
Do swing parallel to the ground.
Do swing slow.
Do dig every target because I've had rings come up as pulltabs, nickles, quarters and even pennies. I've also had deeper signals change when you get some dirt out of the plug hole.
Do take your findings even if they are trash. Just throw the trash away.
Do look at old maps of the areas you want to hunt.
Do show land owners what you find if you get permission to hunt on their land. It's not worth it to hide the "good" stuff. You may lose out on a hunting spot if you do.
Do offer said land owner their pick of the findings and don't be upset if they take the "good" stuff.
Do be happy that you could find it in the first place.
Do try to return any items that you can if possible. You'll find that returning a ring will make you feel a LOT better than keeping or selling it.
Do get a sturdy digging tool. I use a small 30" shovel with a 6" head and I love it. I paid $7 for it at home depot.
And the most important Do there is.... DO POST YOUR FINDINGS ON TNET!

Don't wear steel toe boots. You'll be chasing signals all day.
Don't arch your swing.
Don't get frustrated. You will most likely get frustrated at times. Swing through it and remember that you can't find "good" stuff every time you hunt.
Don't just wander onto people's land withought asking permission.
Don't let idiots get to you. You will have kids reaching in your holes, they are just either curious excited kids. You will have people harassing you about digging in the parks or taunting you about beeing poor. They are just idiots that don't have a clue. Ignore it and keep on swinging.
Don't forget that it's a hoby and not a job. Have fun with it.

HH

 

[sniffer]

I think that covers it

 

[N.J.THer]

What Sean in NH said...Although I will add one...Do keep a journal of finds. If you are in this hobby for many years it starts getting hard remembering where and when everything was found.

NJ

 

[nickeltabs]

Nor just for a beginner detectorist, but good advise for all

 

[Hendrix]

I would say:
1. Too much discrimination or not digging enough targets.
2. Lack of persistence when getting disappointed.
3. Poor pinpointing.

 

[GrizLeeBear]

My three tips?

1) Practice
2) Practice some more
3) Paractice on good and bad targets until you understand every sound your machine makes.

 

[Terry Soloman]

I'll give you a few more than 3 lol

Do read your manual
Do read your manual again
Do read your manual once again.
Do go in your back yard with your detector and read your manual again.
Do cut plugs. Don't dig "holes"
Do sweep all the dirt you can back into your plug hole.
Do replace your plug.
Do your best to leave the area looking as if you were never there.
Do fill in your holes if you do dig one. Holes are ok to dig on the beach or in the woods where you don't have to worry about digging a hole, but ALWAYS fill in your holes.
Do swing parallel to the ground.
Do swing slow.
Do dig every target because I've had rings come up as pulltabs, nickles, quarters and even pennies. I've also had deeper signals change when you get some dirt out of the plug hole.
Do take your findings even if they are trash. Just throw the trash away.
Do look at old maps of the areas you want to hunt.
Do show land owners what you find if you get permission to hunt on their land. It's not worth it to hide the "good" stuff. You may lose out on a hunting spot if you do.
Do offer said land owner their pick of the findings and don't be upset if they take the "good" stuff.
Do be happy that you could find it in the first place.
Do try to return any items that you can if possible. You'll find that returning a ring will make you feel a LOT better than keeping or selling it.
Do get a sturdy digging tool. I use a small 30" shovel with a 6" head and I love it. I paid $7 for it at home depot.
And the most important Do there is.... DO POST YOUR FINDINGS ON TNET!

Don't wear steel toe boots. You'll be chasing signals all day.
Don't arch your swing.
Don't get frustrated. You will most likely get frustrated at times. Swing through it and remember that you can't find "good" stuff every time you hunt.
Don't just wander onto people's land withought asking permission.
Don't let idiots get to you. You will have kids reaching in your holes, they are just either curious excited kids. You will have people harassing you about digging in the parks or taunting you about beeing poor. They are just idiots that don't have a clue. Ignore it and keep on swinging.
Don't forget that it's a hoby and not a job. Have fun with it.

HH

I just want to say this was a GREAT post Sean!

 

[Goodyguy]

I've been doing a bunch of research and have learned a bunch in the past couple of weeks...but starving for more!!
To help out a new hunter, what would be you top three list of "don't do this"?
I'm speaking of hunting the usual areas like beaches, playgrounds, etc.
Thanks!

Dont go when the site is busy. More people around just creates more problems.

Dont show your valuable finds to onlookers or holler BOOM BABY! when you find something good. Folks will claim they lost it or else rob you.
Don't tell them how much your detector cost either. "It's borrowed from a friend"

Dont think the hole is empty after the first target is found. Always check the hole again with your detector for other targets.

Dont trust the display on the detector. More rings are found that show up as pulltabs than you can imagine. Plus a valuable target can be masked if it's sitting next to junk.

Dont throw your junk finds back in the hole. Keep all your junk finds in a separate pouch until you dispose of them properly.
No use digging them back up next week. Plus if someone wants to see what you've found show them the junk.

GG~

 

[McKinney_5900]

I forget where I found stuff last week :-(

What Sean in NH said...Although I will add one...Do keep a journal of finds. If you are in this hobby for many years it starts getting hard remembering where and when everything was found.

NJ

 

[Skwerly]

i love this thread! some really, really great advice, here.

 

[ctitech0019]

i use a small ground cloth made from old jeans , keeps clean up easy , pick ,dump and replug done !

 

[Jim in Idaho]

I'll give you a few more than 3 lol

Do read your manual
Do read your manual again
Do read your manual once again.
Do go in your back yard with your detector and read your manual again.
Do cut plugs. Don't dig "holes"
Do sweep all the dirt you can back into your plug hole.
Do replace your plug.
Do your best to leave the area looking as if you were never there.
Do fill in your holes if you do dig one. Holes are ok to dig on the beach or in the woods where you don't have to worry about digging a hole, but ALWAYS fill in your holes.
Do swing parallel to the ground.
Do swing slow.
Do dig every target because I've had rings come up as pulltabs, nickles, quarters and even pennies. I've also had deeper signals change when you get some dirt out of the plug hole.
Do take your findings even if they are trash. Just throw the trash away.
Do look at old maps of the areas you want to hunt.
Do show land owners what you find if you get permission to hunt on their land. It's not worth it to hide the "good" stuff. You may lose out on a hunting spot if you do.
Do offer said land owner their pick of the findings and don't be upset if they take the "good" stuff.
Do be happy that you could find it in the first place.
Do try to return any items that you can if possible. You'll find that returning a ring will make you feel a LOT better than keeping or selling it.
Do get a sturdy digging tool. I use a small 30" shovel with a 6" head and I love it. I paid $7 for it at home depot.
And the most important Do there is.... DO POST YOUR FINDINGS ON TNET!

Don't wear steel toe boots. You'll be chasing signals all day.
Don't arch your swing.
Don't get frustrated. You will most likely get frustrated at times. Swing through it and remember that you can't find "good" stuff every time you hunt.
Don't just wander onto people's land withought asking permission.
Don't let idiots get to you. You will have kids reaching in your holes, they are just either curious excited kids. You will have people harassing you about digging in the parks or taunting you about beeing poor. They are just idiots that don't have a clue. Ignore it and keep on swinging.
Don't forget that it's a hoby and not a job. Have fun with it.

HH

Great post Sean, but I would add a DON"T......don't buy a more advanced detector than you can use. Far too many newbies buy an expensive, complicated etector, and then end up selling it, at a big loss, because they don't know how to use it, or even what the terms in the instructions mean.
Jim

 

[ret-detector]

Great informative thread for a newbie...thanks!

 

[WilliamH]

I really appreciate the advice. I got my detector over Thanksgiving and since have had a child and done a lot of research but not much digging. So thank you all!

 

[pennyfarmer]

Don't get discouraged. One thing that cannot be explained very well is the amount of time and practice that is really involved in understanding the sounds the machine makes. Most people think that they are just listening for it to beep and don't understand why they are not finding good things. Especially low end machines have lots of falsing and it takes practice to understand what a good signal is.

As you get more experience you will get what its telling you. I hunt lots of parks because it is a challenge, I may only get a wheat back every now and again but sometimes its good silver. Those places keep me primed for when I get the chance at a great spot. I have seen places with hoards of treasure hunters and after about a week they dwindle to nothing then the good finds come for those who wait till the surface trash has been cleared.

Sure there is beginners luck but consistency only comes with time.

 

[yelnif]

This thread would make an excellent new forum- 'Detecting 101, Before you swing'.

Great thread with 'must know' info. for all.

HH yelnif

 

[dennco2000]

#1 Mistake.... buying the detector.

Now you'll want a pin pointer... in six months the detector you bought isn't good enough so you tell your wife your going to buy her one too so the two of you can spend more time together (Now your a compulsive liar)
You score your first big find and seriously consider quitting your job and MD'ing for a living...... After that yard work doesn't get done but that's fine because most of the grass is dead from your plug holes and from there it just spirals further out of control but that's water under the bridge now. Enjoy your new hobby/addiction.

 

[JC Allen]

Wow, SeanInNH...you tagged it man. Those are MD Commandments for sure!!