is it really so wrong to seed a paid hunt

[metal mania]

If you think about it everyone wins if the seeded finds are worth quite a lot and doesn't this mean the dectectorists are left feeling like they win big time. Rather than going home empty handed plus they have a great tale to tell the grand kids if they have any.

As long as the organizers come clean about the seeding your thoughts please

 

[jeff of pa]

only wrong if you don't tell anyone in advance you seeded it.

I Personally wouldn't pay to look for seeded finds.
I'd rather get skunked.

But that's me.

Of course I Never liked Easter egg Hunts either

 

[pennyfarmer]

I am ok with seeded hunts but there are a couple of issues I see that arise.

• Turns into a number competition and people don't really hunt for the more complex signals, it is just about the numbers
• Even the original targets become "seeded" targets unless they are really rare. In other words they are not as valuable to the finder.

I would prefer it not be seeded but if it is that is not a deal stopper.

 

[smcdmc]

I am ok with seeded hunts but there are a couple of issues I see that arise.

• Turns into a number competition and people don't really hunt for the more complex signals, it is just about the numbers
• Even the original targets become "seeded" targets unless they are really rare. In other words they are not as valuable to the finder.

I would prefer it not be seeded but if it is that is not a deal stopper.

I've heard of hunts where the tokens for the better prizes were buried with pulltabs or other junk so that it gave an iffy signal. That way you really had to dig the more complex signals if you wanted a chance at those.

 

[spear85]

If the organizers make it known it has been seeded, i see no wrong with it at all.

On the flipside, i would never go to a seeded hunt myself. I like the idea of finding things where they were actually lost or dropped by someone. And i agree with pennyfarmer, it makes it turn into more of a competition type atmosphere. To me, relic hunting is a nic eway to get out and enjoy your surroundings and possibly make some cool finds. With it being seeded, i feel like the mentality would be a big turn off for me.

 

[oldcoon]

I have observed seeded hunts but I have never participated in one nor would I. I don't think there anything wrong with seeded hunts, their just not for me. To those of you that partake, good luck, happy hunting and God bless.

 

[HuntNdig]

I would say its wrong to seed a hunt with the illusion of grandeur. I.E. not telling the MDers that they are in fact buying a seeded hunt. That's like asking for a steak at a restaurant and finding out if came off a horse after you ate it. Did you know it, no, could you tell, probably not, but does it still affect you in a personal way? Yes...its just bad business...I personally do not participate in seeded club hunts because it takes away from the allure of MDing its self.

 

[luvsdux]

I attend several fundraiser hunts put on by clubs in my area. All the targets are planted coins with tokens mixed in for special prizes. The participants keep all the coins they recover and the prizes if a token is found. In addition they sell raffle tickets for a variety of prizes such as silver rounds, detectors etc. The hunts are a lot of fun and offer a chance to meet many other detectorists. Not every participant finds bunches of price tokens each hunt, but most find a few and some hunts have been better than others for me, personally. While not the same as a "wild" hunt in a park , fair grounds etc. I have found them enjoyable and a fun addition to solo detecting. My two bits.
luvsdux

 

[U.K. Brian]

I avoid them if I can but you never really know whats been done to a site. The other problem is "undetected" rally sites. Talk to the farmer and you often find that the local club has been on the land for six months or more. This really is fraud, whilst seeded, if your told about it, is your choice.

Many U.K. rallies provide the best of both worlds with natural finds and buried tokens which win prizes often contributed as part of the cost of detector and coin dealers putting up a stall on site. I've won cash prizes, a DFX, couple of C-Scope's and a Minelab Excaliber in the past but rarely bother to go anymore. To expensive, to much interference from other detectors and if you do find a really hot area you only have a few hours to make the best of it and then you have to leave.

Prizes for best find had to be done away with as people would take advantage by bringing a good find with them !

 

[Sandman]

I only attended one paid hunt that had several individual hunts in different areas for seeded coins, packaged coins, tokens for special prizes like detectors or gear, silver rounds and such. Most hunters would run around lifting the grass to look for the slot where the coins were inserted. This was like fishing in a swimming pool to me so we never sponsored another event. Some liked it but I didn't.

 

[diggummup]

IMHO- If your gonna seed a hunt you may as well go ahead and make it a full fledged competition hunt. Okay for some, not for others.

 

[Terry Soloman]

I attend several fundraiser hunts put on by clubs in my area. All the targets are planted coins with tokens mixed in for special prizes. The participants keep all the coins they recover and the prizes if a token is found. In addition they sell raffle tickets for a variety of prizes such as silver rounds, detectors etc. The hunts are a lot of fun and offer a chance to meet many other detectorists. Not every participant finds bunches of price tokens each hunt, but most find a few and some hunts have been better than others for me, personally. While not the same as a "wild" hunt in a park , fair grounds etc. I have found them enjoyable and a fun addition to solo detecting. My two bits.
luvsdux

BINGO! Gold prospecting clubs out west have done this for years and it is a lot of fun! I enjoy laying out timed depth courses, and placing silver rounds close to cans of Budweiser at 5".. When done right, and for the right reasons, a seeded or "Prize" hunt can be both fun and challenging!

 

[baywalker]

For the kids I think it's grate , If you take A kid mding some day they might take you.


Jonnie

 

[gleaner1]

If it's seeded, it should be billed as such, just as a matter of fact.

 

[breed12]

i belong to a metal detecting club that has a members only paid hunt. last year i dug up 57 silver dimes and a token, the prize was a mxt pro metal detector.this year i dug 70 silver dimes two tokens the prize one silver round and a silver peace dollar this is the only paid hunt that i enter and enjoy love my mxt pro the only paid hunts is joining a metal detecting club and you find good people in the clubs. none club hunts your money you lose

 

[luvsdux]

After reading through this thread again, it occurs to me that we're talking about apples and oranges as they say. The club hunts I mentioned of course are seeded. Seeded coins and prize tokens are the targets. There's no question as to the fact that they are seeded and there are a goodly number of targets in relation to the number of signed up participants. The hunts mentioned in the beginning of this thread are different than what I'm familiar with.
luvsdux

 

[scrounger d detector collector]

im all for any combination of said seeded hunts or competition hunts.

this add spice to any rallye or get together.

give me prizes . value. a chance to win.great.

the only seeded hunts that suck are hokey ones where sponsors

or participants cheat.

the MOST IMPORTANT is that the prize tokens NOT match a prize until

AFTER they are found. i.e. random tokens not assigned to any one

specific token . if u goto a hunt and the prizes have numbers

on them BEWARE.

 

[luvsdux]

Scrounger makes a good point. The way the tokens are handled at the hunts I've mentioned is the token or tokens entitle the finder to draw a random number or numbers from a container. That number is then looked up on the prize list and that's what you get. It may be anything from a silver 1/2, a digger, to a detector. There's never a sure thing before the token is turned in and the number drawn.
luvsdux

 

[N.J.THer]

I only attended one paid hunt that had several individual hunts in different areas for seeded coins, packaged coins, tokens for special prizes like detectors or gear, silver rounds and such. Most hunters would run around lifting the grass to look for the slot where the coins were inserted. This was like fishing in a swimming pool to me so we never sponsored another event. Some liked it but I didn't.

I never thought about seeded land hunts before...our club has always run them on the beach. We would walk around seeding the field with big buckets of coins. Just walking and tossing coins and the sand would do ther rest. Never left a slot do be discovered. None of the coins were very deep...a few inches at best but there were cases where people found items we did not seed. All of these hunts were know to be seeded and any hunt that seeds should always make sure that it is know to the participants.

I too don't care for them for myself but the people that come to our clubs seem to really enjoy them. I have fun running them but it is a lot of work and takes months to plan.
NJ