Steps to begin hunting

[adamn]

Not sure if this has already been posted but how would one exactly go about finding treasures and the like? What equipment would one need to begin? Any info would be greatly appreciated.

 

[DFX DAVE in M.D.]

Welcome to T-Net, you just need a metal detector and a digging tool to get started. The treasures we find are one piece at a time, not like in the movies where a huge treasure chest is found at the end. You need to hang in, you will have more bad days then good days. Keep reading the forums here, you will get plenty of advice by reading how other members here are going about treasure hunting.

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

Depends what you treasure. Fresh air, gentle exercise, history, an occasional coin or piece of jewelry. You're in luck. Get a detector and a digger.

The Lost Dutchman Mine, the Crown Jewels of Ireland, La Nocha Triste treasure - get a chair and sit here jawing about it because that seems to be as effective as looking. ;-)


If you want to locate a specific treasure: research, research, research. And it won't be off the internet, most likely.

 

[DDancer]

Read, dream, read some more. Make a budget for your magic wand~ read and research *plenty of threads on "What detector should I get"*. Order you magic wand and get your digger ready. Go into the front/backyard and practice then hit the areas *after you've read some more* that look like they may be hiding something cool. Enjoy the exercise and be patient. Luck to ya.

 

[Frankn]

In the beginning, you must set a target. That is it you want to do, go pick the parks, the beach, the waterways. This is important because it determines your selection of equipment.
Say you want to hunt basic items like coins jewelry in parks and yards. You would need a good general purpose detector, a probe, a small digging tool and a basic pinpointer. Next you need to do some research. go to the library and look thru the section on history of your area and note the location of old parks, picnic areas, the old swimming areas, etc. Also note where the rich have lived in the past to isolate some good yards to hunt.

The beach is easier. You will need a PI type of detector, they haven't changed much so you can start with a good used one. You will also need a sand scoop.

Cache hunting, that is looking for the more valuable treasures is a bit more complicated. It requires you to hunt thru the library, books by credible writer/researchers like Dobie, Terry, and a host of others. It also helps to use the internet to find maps and verify story lines like people, time, and places. After you decide on a story to track down, you pick out equipment like a 2 Box detector for deep targets, maybe a PI for for others, etc. A good shovel helps also.

Well this has been a basic sketch to start you thinking. Good luck on your choice, Frank

 

[releventchair]

Research is #1. Be a private forensic detective researcher of facts.Know the laws related to where you search and what you are trying to recover and possible claims against you.. Hunt with a reason, not just a story though if you can flesh out a story and it rings true all the better.
Depending on what you define as treasure you may not touch one for many years and what you will need depends on the what and where.
Telling anyone what you are after can be counterproductive if it the last clue they needed or follow you.

 

[lookindown]

Use T NET and youtube to research the kind of treasure hunting you want to do...Welcome to the best treasure hunting site on the net.

 

[BigWaveDave]

Take a thousand dollars or two, go to your local banks, and order half dollars by the box. A lot of members here on Tnet search for silver halves... among other treasures, then, when you are done, you can return the common halves to a "dump bank"...do this over and over, (its called stacking)....the guys in the CRH forum will be happy to help and guide you....good luck!

 

[Diggin-N-Dumps]

Go to your local beach..Locate a treasure chest..BAM! Done,,its that easy!

 

[dirtdigginfool]

Just like the other guys said, like Frankn and DFX Dave..research for what type hunting you want to do,,ie: relics, coins, etc...Then set a budget and do your research for your equipment, as there are a lot of GREAT starter machines for $250.00 and up..the sky's the limit. Think about what areas/spots/sites you have at your convenience to detect at, and make sure to check your local ordinances and laws regarding metal detecting in your area. And don't be discouraged when you dig a bunch of trash at first, that is part of the learning curve. You gotta dig trash to know what your machine is doing and you gotta swing swing swing dig dig dig...and the good stuff will come. You know the old saying..."your worst enemy is a blank piece of paper"...so get the ball rolling and if you have any more questions, jump back on and the T-Netters will be more than happy to help. I have just started back into the hobby this year, and I am totally ate up with it! It never gets boring, as it seems I get a little surprise every time out, just dug my second silver Washington quarter yesterday and I am STILL on cloud nine about it! So good luck, I hope you heard something that helps...ddf

 

[adamn]

All I can say is WOW! Thanks to everyone for sharing so much useful info. Defiantly going to do a lot of research and hopefully I'll buy a decent detector in the near future. Thanks again to everyone that posted on here.

 

[Rawhide]

Treasure is not for the meek, be brave what ever you do.

 

[Argentium]

adamn , All I can add to the excellent advise given already is ENJOY this wonderful adventure ! The wide variety of categories here
at T-Net can educate you to many types of treasure hunting - whether it's Beaches , or shipwreck stuff , or Civil War relics , or
Bottle digging , Gold Prospecting , Cache hunting , pretty much whatever your "thing " is - someone here can assist you in going
after it . Have fun !

 

[Old Silver]

If you want to hunt for caches, research is your main objective. The actual hunt will be determined by what you find in old records, etc. Talk to old people. Bring up the subject of how people once buried/hid their money. You might be surprised at what they tell you. I guess it's too late to warn you, but this will get into your blood and you won't be much good for anything else. This doesn't really affect me, because I wasn't any good for anything else to begin with.

If Charlie P (NY) tries to convince you of a treasure hoard in his basement, don't fall for it. He has absolutely no proof.

 

[mtsheron]

I got started with a detector and a digging tool.................oh, and the pinpointer that came with the detector.

 

[Higgy]

The best advice I can give is listen to what has been said by my esteemed colleagues in this thread, but I'll reiterate some of it.

Read read read - study study study. Read printed treasure-hunting books and read all you can here.

Watch videos. Youtube videos from Nuggetnoggin and Beau Ouimette are entertaining and informative, and there are many more available besides these two.

If you will be into detecting, study your detector, and put some time in. I personally feel (not wanting to get into a debate about first detectors) that the Garrett AT Pro is the best detector a newbie can get. Why? Because its super simple to use at first, and you wont outgrow it too soon. Many seasoned detectorists love their ATP.

Above all, JUST DO IT. Don't sit around dreaming about it. Don't make up excuses not to go out. If you go fishing and never toss your line in the water, you will never catch a fish, right? Same goes for detecting. If you dont put a coil over it, you will never find it. DO IT.

Same applies to any other facet of this hobby. If you are researching caches and treasures, then do it. As with everything else in life, the more you put into it, the more you get out of it. Just look at a fine example of a recent banner find, just look at the awesome Pine Tree Shilling that was recently recovered by Ahab8. A perfect example of how thorough research can really pay off.

You got lots to do, so get going!

 

[doc-d]

It would seem MD/Treasure Hunting is NOT an occupation, it is a hobby. The true treasure is the exercise, the fun, the people and dialogue you have on forums like this………reading the posts, there are good days and bad….research can bring you to more good days than not……luck is not a strategy……
There is much to learn that is freely shared…...