What's the most challenging thing you experienced in treasure hunt?

[claypile]

We all had this one moment where we've had difficulty, may it be physical, emotional, etc. What was the most challenging thing you experienced that almost made you stop this hobby? What did you do?

 

[Mackaydon]

I've experienced many challenges but not one bad enough to make me almost stop this hobby.
Don.....

 

[pa plateau hiker]

Hauling 35 lbs of rusty iron uphill for a half mile, across a half mile plateau, down hill 3/4 mile to my truck. Told myself -never again- but I did several more times in different locations.

 

[bigscoop]

A massive widow maker in 2015, took a full year of dedicated rehab to get back to where I could get at it again. But things like that, I believe, aren't the biggest challenges. I think the biggest challenges in most cases is one's own head. The loss of confidence, the lack of motivation, expectations that were to high, etc., etc. It's pretty easy to find reasons not to continue with the hobby, but just like those true treasures, a little harder to keep finding reasons to continue.

 

[fistfulladirt]

The heat. I can’t deal with it, I stop hunting here in Michigan right around early May, start back up around mid October.

 

[Mattock]

Had to have my partner med vac out by chopper he was ok stopped him but not me.

 

[SusanMN]

Fellow hunters on a couple of occasions. Good finds can cause jealousy and make people act like jerks. Early on I found a small patch of old stuff and had a hunter “friend” that pretty much demanded I share the spot which I didn’t. On another occasion I mentioned a find and an area I was planning on searching further that day to someone I thought was a friend. I arrived to find this so called friend already there hunting.

 

[Centsless Detecting]

Everytime I dig one of those "Gold" bottle caps. Heart races then breaks in .6489 seconds...

 

[Trezurehunter]

For me, its Winter time in Illinois. I hunt as long as I can into the Winter, but sometimes chopping thru frozen ground is defeating. I just know when it's time to put the detector away for a few months and wait for late Winter - early Spring. Other than that, I really like Mackaydon's response. There's not much out there, that makes me want to stop digging.

 

[smokeythecat]

The heat and the arthritis.

 

[claypile]

Thanks for all your responses. I had fun reading them.

Sure those jealous people are also hard to deal with. Keep them out of your circle if you can. It's not worth it to give up something we love for people who secretly wish us to fail.

Yes, the weather could really be a factor. Sometimes, waiting too long makes us lazy to get back. But hey, I agree that there's not enough reason to stop completely unless it's health problems of course.

 

[SD51]

Sorry, but you asked...

My biggest challenge after over forty years of detecting is trying to understand how someone can think it's o'k to litter, i.e. throw crap on the ground every time they are outside! Maybe the can, bottle, candy and food manufacturer's should have put this on their products;

"IF YOU LIKE TO WALK AROUND KNEE DEEP IN CRAP, THROW THIS ON THE GROUND WHEN YOU'RE FINISHED WITH IT"! DON'T WORRY, THERE WILL BE SOMEBODY WITH A BRAIN THAT WILL PICK UP AFTER YOU!"

Now picture what happens when a litterbug gets a detector! Here's what happens to a park once these morons detect there and leave open holes and dug trash laying on the ground...

 

[claypile]

There's a lot of people like that sadly, and I also wonder why they couldn't think about what they're doing. I mean, that's common sense. Though I guess it could be natural, too, to care less and maybe just think the world revolves around you. I know someone like this like he has no regard for people, animals, or anything at all. He would literally trash everything he comes across. He was sent to see a therapist cause his family thinks he's nuts. Has anyone of you had experience with therapists? Would it really help?

 

[fistfulladirt]

What! Rockets are ok but no metal detectors?

 

[fistfulladirt]

Sorry, but you asked...

My biggest challenge after over forty years of detecting is trying to understand how someone can think it's o'k to litter, i.e. throw crap on the ground every time they are outside! Maybe the can, bottle, candy and food manufacturer's should have put this on their products;

"IF YOU LIKE TO WALK AROUND KNEE DEEP IN CRAP, THROW THIS ON THE GROUND WHEN YOU'RE FINISHED WITH IT"! DON'T WORRY, THERE WILL BE SOMEBODY WITH A BRAIN THAT WILL PICK UP AFTER YOU!"

Now picture what happens when a litterbug gets a detector! Here's what happens to a park once these morons detect there and leave open holes and dug trash laying on the ground...

View attachment 1918820

Yeah Hamburg. Too close to Hell!