What type of discrimination would you use?

[MDmom2]

I'm new to metal detecting and still learning, so forgive my (maybe) elementary question. I have a old homestead on my property that is believed to have burned down in a wildfire in 1947. Other than that we don't know much about it. I typically take my kids out in the yard "treasure hunting" with me, but have yet to make my way into or around the foundation simply due to the safety of my kids. There's an open well built into the foundation and some poison ivy I just don't want them getting into. I have an opportunity on Monday to finally get in there. So to get to my question...in a place like this, what would you use for discrimination? We've already found some broken horse shoes and a beautiful dandy button in the yard (along with lots of other unidentified items), so I can't wait to see what's waiting for me to find closer to the foundation itself. I have a Fisher F22 and a Garrett pro pin pointer if that helps to know. Thank!

 

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[MDmom2]

To add... I don't want to spend my time doing nothing but digging up old nails but also don't want to missing something very cool. However, when we moved in (way before I had any intent to detect here) we found a rather large bucket of nails. Makes me think someone may have already been there.

 

[lastleg]

I am technically against discrimination. That is I try not to pick a frequency indiscriminately.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

If the place burned down in 1947, then that pre-dates pulltabs, and most foil/aluminum. So why not just knock out only iron on your disc. scale ? But if you find yourself getting too much low conductive junk, you can always up the disc. to knock out foil (no coins read in that range anyhow), and even up to tabs. The only coins you'd miss are nickels. You'd still get $5 gold, and all other coins.

As for jewelry-to-be-lost by being selective: old homestead sites are NOT very good at prospects for jewelry, in the first place. I have hunted scores of them, with a strip-mine (only disc. iron), mentality, and rarely ever get gold jewelry. Anything's possible, and there are always exceptions, but .... if gold jewelry were your goal, then you'd be much better served by going to any swim beach in your area anyhow.

 

[MDmom2]

Thank you for the reply. I decided to go out this morning while my little one napped in the stroller. I've decided to go even for the iron. Found some oxen shoes! I don't really care if I find anything specific (jewerly coins etc) I'm looking for interesting stuff. I'll be researching oxen shoes tonight.

 

[Loco-Digger]

I have been detecting "as a passion" for the past 16 months. Being that you are relatively new to the hobby, I would discriminate both iron and foil. I occasionally detect in all metal, but my norm is to discriminate 1-25 on my F75LTDSE. If you want to find gold jewelry you will need to dig a lot of trash.

 

[CincinnatiKid]

Crank disc waaay up and "cherry pick" every high tone.
Or use zero disc and remove all undesirable targets, which will eventually reveal the deeper goods.
Either way yur gonna dig lotsa holes.
Have fun!
GL
Peace ✌

 

[gollum]

Discrimination is AGAINST THE LAW! I don't always discriminate, but when I do, it's sexual............discrimination!

 

[EccentricInTexas]

Depends on how trashy the site is.

 

[ConceptualizedNetherlandr]

Depends on how trashy the site is.

Isn't that what mike said?

 

[mikeraydj]

I think it is more important to learn the sounds your machine makes. I bought a F5 last year and in my second season of using it the sounds are starting to make sense. I am now realizing what a deep sound is, what a non circular object sounds like and so on. I also learned to pinpoint an object before making an ID. I usually only discrim out iron. If I am getting tired I will crank up the discrim to only accept dimes up to silver. I have also learned that if I get a quarter signal to sweep and slowly lift the coil, if the numbers start falling off then it is a bottlecap, if they don't it's a good target. My trash ratio has really fallen as I learn what my machine is telling me. Sometimes I have found that it pays to play the hunch. Your machine is telling you trash, but there is something about the sound that is telling you dig. I have found some good stuff that way.