Stats on metal detecting

[vibes]

I am looking for information pertaining to the hobby of treasure hunting/metal detecting.
Demographic info (men, women ages, approx. household income and geographic location) plus % of population in the U.S. who treasure hunt and % of growth the hobby has experienced over the past 5 years.

Yes, I've done some research but can't seem to extract the desired 411.

Thanks!

 

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[Ramapirate]

Why?

 

[hollowpointred]

Why?

yeah why?

 

[shaun7]

and i thought i needed to get out more!

in my last year of detecting i could probably say i have lost 2 friends to every 1 that seems the slightest bit interested it

 

[Ramapirate]

Let me rephrase that a little more delicately. You know that term Don't become a Statistic?
They coined that term for metal detectorist.
It's sorta like being a hitman, except we do share bits and pieces, but never the whole.

Do people agree with me here, or am I by myself. About all the statistics I'm willing to share
are in my profile. 8)
And by the 22 looks and the 2 post which include this one so far, I may not be far off...

HH,
Ramapirate

 

[Ramapirate]

Excuse me, 34/4 now. There's you a statistic! Put that in ya book...

HH,
Ramapirate

 

[Ramapirate]

And there's people back east right now sitting and saying "Wonder why he don't write?"

I bet at least one of ya'll will get that....
HH,
Ramapirate

 

[Tricia]

You probably won't find solid data on this topic.

There are hobbyists who enjoy metal detecting as a way to get out and get some exercise. They are the type to sit down and fill out a survey.

Then you have the treasure hunters who aren't all that friendly regarding details of what they are doing. The last thing they'd do is give out demographic information because to them it's finders keepers and the rest keep out!

Of course there are the relic hunters who may or may not be searching with permission in places they maybe shouldn't be. They'd never reveal a good site for fear of looters and the authorities.

Luck plays a part in people's continuation in metal detecting. If you've never found anything good and spent $300 or up on a detector...it ends up in the garage sale. Shaun7 was right, the appeal is very enticing at first but it wanes.

Lastly are the pros who have found the good stuff and wish they had never said anything because they're stuck in legal battles over who owns what. Sometimes with nations. Sometimes for decades.

Unless you get demographics from a metal detector manufacturer don't count on much.

 

[vibes]

It's a hobby of mine, or more precisely an occupational hazard. NOTHING that would or could affect your life OR security because I could care less WHERE you hunt, how you hunt, OR what you've found... just raw data. period.

~trish~ thank you for your insight and intuition. I'll definitely share my 'reason' for the post AFTER I've completed my proposal

 

[Ramapirate]

Ramapirate
48
Charlotte, N.C.
Auctioneer
Metal Detectorist
Madcap
Compile away with my blessings... I hear Oracle is a good database...

HH,
Ramapirate

 

[vibes]

ramapirate...no, that's NOT what I'm asking/seeking. I would like to know where to find the data, not your personal stats , no offense, that bores me. I want data on the hobby alone, that's all.

But cool, you're an auctioneer. What a fun gig!

 

[Ramapirate]

Sorry Vibes, you might check something like Department of the Interior website, maybe.
They seem to like to compile info on what people do for funsies in the great outdoors.
If you can't find anything you could probably get a bucket of money from the gov't
to compile something. Some cat got like $150,000 to study the flow of ketchup from
a bottle. So you might be in luck in that respect.

Good luck with your quest,
Ramapirate

 

[greydigger]

" Ketchup flowing
from a bottle,
nothing flows
and then alottle."
ee cummings (I think)

I was wondering the stats myself, trying to justify manufacturing a product for treasure hunters.
But count me in as 1

 

[cosmic]

Email the detector companies...

 

[Mirage]

It would be interesting to see

% of households with a metal detector
% of household with a metal detector that use it more than 4 times a year

Median income of those who qualify for item #2.

I agree - metal detecting companyies might have that kind of data but I am sure they would be reluctant to share it.

 

[shaun7]

i will fill out any questionare you want if there is a free "cortes" going just pm me!

 

[bazinga]

I can't even imagine how somebody would do this kind of study...

Random phone calls to households? The number has to be so low that it wouldn't even be worth the time for somebody to try and do this kind of research. If you take all of the people I've ever met in my life who metal detect (not including those met online on detecting sites), you would have 2 people out of thousands. And those two people are in the same family.

 

[mpostma]

You may have more luck trying the periodicals.
Try the Ad sales people at Lost Treasure and Eastern and Western.
They must have some kind of come on to justify cost benefit of ad space. Worth a shot anyway.
Good Luck.
Maybe when you are done Rama can auction off the info for ya!
Mark

 

[Scott (Mich)]

I do not believe that any MD company or magazine place will give you any numbers. They like to keep all of the info to themselves and not want the competition to get it.

Your best bet is to happen upon the Metal Detecting magazine issue that has a "Statement of Ownership" published in it. I am not sure if they still print them, but at one time any magazine or comic book publisher that used the US Mail was required to print once a year their circulation figures. It will be most likely in a really tiny font and will have information that says something like this example from a 1967 magazine (oddly enough, the cover of this issue a guy with a metal detector http://www.swtpc.com/mholley/PopularElectronics/Jan1967/PE_Jan_1967_Cover.jpg )

Anyways knowing how many subscribers there are may give you an idea of how many detectorists are out there.
Check out the left column of this page:

 

[vibes]

Scott...Thank you! I'm doin' my happy Tori dance! This info should do the trick!