Threshold All-Metal vs Discrimination - Who uses what?

[pinenut]

Hey folks, just wondering how many of you hunt almost exclusively in threshold all-metal, and how many seldom use it. I know that trahy areas would drive some of us nuts in all-metal, but if our ears are really tuned to our Tesoro's language, we should be able to hunt much deeper (in theory). How many out there have learned the all-metal language and can spot those targets worth digging? I see the disc as more of a beginner's crutch... Am I wrong?
^_^

 

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[Terry Soloman]

No, Discrimination is a tool, not a "crutch." There are many times All Metal can and should be used i.e., cornfields; deep woods; relic or cache hunting - while Discrimination is used to coin and jewelry hunt in parks, picnic fields, sports fields, and the dry sand areas of saltwater beaches. Sometimes I only dig targets in an area that barely break the threshold in All Metal, "Whispers." Just depends on my mood and what my inner voice is telling me.

 

[Hobojo]

The beauty of a Tesoro is that they have one of the best Disc circuitry avalible. So I find along with Terry that it is something to be used and enjoyed, not a crutch.

 

[pinenut]

Interesting. So far, I've been using mostly disc settings on both the Tejon and Vaquero, but can't help feeling that I'm missing out on many deeper targets, and that I'm not learning the all-metal language as quickly as I should. Most of the areas I've been hitting so far are really trashy, hence disc mode. I'm amazed at how many bottle caps, screws, nails and metallic whatsits can be in a square foot of dirt.
Been waiting to search a long abandoned, forest camp area that's drawn on USGS maps from the 1930s. Hoping I can make more use of all-metal there. Pretty sure that area had been closed up by the time bottle caps and pulltabs became popular. ^_^

 

[kcm]

We haven't yet gotten started with our Silver uMax. How long you been at it Pinenut?

I hear TONS of awesome stuff about the Silver, but I sure drool a lot over the Tejon and Vaquero as well!! But we gotta "earn" the right to spend that money!

 

[pinenut]

We haven't yet gotten started with our Silver uMax. How long you been at it Pinenut?

I hear TONS of awesome stuff about the Silver, but I sure drool a lot over the Tejon and Vaquero as well!! But we gotta "earn" the right to spend that money!

I'm pretty new to detecting which is why I'm asking all kinds of whacky questions... Only been doing this for a bit over a month, but have found some interesting stuff, and enough clad to keep me going with batteries. I really do need to find some better places to dig, though. Plenty of interesting places up here, but unless there's a blanket of pine needles to search, most of the soil is tough and rocky. I need to head down the hill and search some old historic trails and ghost towns, then maybe I'll find that elusive silver. ^_^

 

[luvsdux]

I typically hunt with low disc. but do use all metal now and then as well.
luvsdux

 

[eyemustdigtreasure]

On my Gold Bug Pro DP with DD 11" coil, it does quite well getting deep targets, using All-Metal mode, however,
I use Discrimination most of the time, as I hunt parks, primarily, where targets are shallower and I need coverage.
The Gold Bug doesn't have tones where you could tell difference of soft and hard targets, just by sound. I use the numbers!

On my Cibola, no ground balance needed, but running with no discrimination,
I sense that it has been getting a bit deeper targets with my 8x9 con. coil.
It has tones where I can almost sort out the different metals. I'll use the discriminator
to check the "quality" of my target, before I dig...!

 

[Terry Soloman]

I'm pretty new to detecting which is why I'm asking all kinds of whacky questions... Only been doing this for a bit over a month, but have found some interesting stuff, and enough clad to keep me going with batteries. I really do need to find some better places to dig, though. Plenty of interesting places up here, but unless there's a blanket of pine needles to search, most of the soil is tough and rocky. I need to head down the hill and search some old historic trails and ghost towns, then maybe I'll find that elusive silver. ^_^

I take a needle rake with me in situations where there is a well traveled, or historic trail through pine forest (which I have a lot of experience in up in Northern Arizona). I rake off 20' x 20' squares, or pull the needles back five feet from the trail edge, and grid those areas.

 

[pinenut]

I take a needle rake with me in situations where there is a well traveled, or historic trail through pine forest...

Great idea for some areas. Not sure I'd want to hike along with rake though... There are some old mines up here and a well known trail that was used by "The Padres". Jeffrey pines all around. I'm planning a hike with the detecting goodies in a couple weeks; I'll find the "lost padres mine" yet.
Could be something interesting at an old camp that's a few miles in. That area shouldn't have too much (modern) trash, so maybe I can use all metal. Probably no headphones there though; there will be R-snakes, cougars (seen 'em) and black bears about. I don't feel like wrastlin' any of 'em. Maybe I can get my son to hike in with me...(no, not as bait). ^_^