Night detecting

mercury1

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Mar 9, 2012
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Location
New York
Detector(s) used
Garrett Ace 250, AT Pro
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Hi all. Driving by my local park today I see they are having some kind of event there. Tents set up and lots of people hopefully losing stuff. I'm getting off work at ten tonight and I'm going to see if I can find anything over there. I've got a headlamp to use. Anyone else do this type of hunting? Seems like the headlamp should make it doable.
 

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I do some night hunting. No headlamp, no backlit display, no flashlight.

Good luck!
 

Last night I had to use a headlamp, really depends
 

Ditch the headlamp and learn to do it in the dark. Some busybody will call the cops on you. Fella has the right idea.:icon_thumright:
 

Nothing wrong with a night hunt. I've enjoyed it very much the few times I tried it. Adds spark to a hunt! If you hunt a park you may look suspicious and maybe draw the attention of the police if they see your headlight or you could get mugged are probably your only drawbacks. If you try it and like it then by all means go for it! Good Luck!
 

Maybe I should add its private property, if needed I go stealth. The pro pointer is enough light. I also put electrical tape over the speaker on the pointer.
 

Ditch the headlamp and learn to do it in the dark. Some busybody will call the cops on you. Fella has the right idea.:icon_thumright:

Well I'll try it with out the light. See how I do. Not worried about cops because at worst, they would just tell me to leave although I'd rather not see them.
 

I have hit plenty of places after festivals etc. As for me I wouldn't bother to go out at night for the few coins they will lose. I hunted a place that had a carnival with sideshows and probably 50 vendors with tents etc. The event lasted 5 days and I hunted the area which is about 5 acres within hours of the last trailer leaving. I found a total of $8.60 and I found $3.50 of it next to swing set that is probably 40 years old.

I am all for cherry picking but prefer a rarely hunted park or some other place that is rarely hunted. My new favorite place have been soccer fields.
 

Nothing wrong with a night hunt. I've enjoyed it very much the few times I tried it. Adds spark to a hunt! If you hunt a park you may look suspicious and maybe draw the attention of the police if they see your headlight or you could get mugged are probably your only drawbacks. If you try it and like it then by all means go for it! Good Luck!

I live in a very safe area and never worry about getting mugged. And if someone bothered me, I've always got mr Leshe backing me up. Might cause a would be trouble maker to reevaluate his plans. Bad boys don't generally have guns in my town.
 

I have hit plenty of places after festivals etc. As for me I wouldn't bother to go out at night for the few coins they will lose. I hunted a place that had a carnival with sideshows and probably 50 vendors with tents etc. The event lasted 5 days and I hunted the area which is about 5 acres within hours of the last trailer leaving. I found a total of $8.60 and I found $3.50 of it next to swing set that is probably 40 years old. I am all for cherry picking but prefer a rarely hunted park or some other place that is rarely hunted. My new favorite place have been soccer fields.

You are probably right about me just finding a few coins but I want to hit it anyway. This park gets hunted regularly so I'm just looking for recent drops. A certain hunter who I meet there before will probably hit it in the morning. He told me he found a gold chain there once. Never know.
 

Don't use any lights. Not even the back-light of your detector display screen. Turn that off too. Otherwise, with any sort of light, your eyes/pupils will become adjusted to just that beam. And you'll be blind to everything else around you. Better to just let your eyes adjust to the natural moon and starlight. Pick a full-ish moon-night, if need be.

You can keep a little penlight flashlight, to pull out when needed to see the dates on the gold coins you dig :)
 

Don't use any lights. Not even the back-light of your detector display screen. Turn that off too. Otherwise, with any sort of light, your eyes/pupils will become adjusted to just that beam. And you'll be blind to everything else around you. Better to just let your eyes adjust to the natural moon and starlight. Pick a full-ish moon-night, if need be. You can keep a little penlight flashlight, to pull out when needed to see the dates on the gold coins you dig :)

Gold coin. Lol. Gold ear ring. Maybe. I'm going to try with no lights. As mikecar mentioned, the small led on the pin pointer will probably do it. I have ATP so no back light to worry about.
 

A few years ago hunted the beach a lot at night and the headlamp does draw attention. Ended up just switching on the blue lamp when I could not find a target. Also Found it is best if you can go with someone for safety reason. Good Luck and be safe
 

The ambient light will be enough once your eyes adjust. Bring a very small cheap flashlight, it comes in handy but rarely. One good season night hunting and you will become a night hawk. You must master pp and recovery in daytime first.
 

Results are in!
One dime
One pull tab
And had a nice walk. Enjoying a cold one now :)
 

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The other morning (pre-dawn) I did my first "night" hunt, it was pretty cool, didn't use any light and relied on the detector tones and my pointer, it was a learning experience and one that I'm looking forward to doing again. I did carry a small pen light, just in case & I wore gloves to protect me from any sharp objects. Good luck, let us know how it turns out.
 

I have hunted the beach at night, I strapped an adjustable headlamp on my wrist aimed at my screen. Too many sharp pointy things to not have a light.
A guy came over with a flash light to "help me find my keys". I guess a lot of people lose their keys at night and I looked like one of them.
 

The mister bought us headlamps at Costco and I love mine. I'm thinking this Summer it might be nice to go hunt in the early evening when its cooler and if we get caught by darkness no problem.
 

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