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Thread: What is your top detecting Tip? Checklist

  1. #1

    What is your top detecting Tip? Checklist

    Hello all,

    Curious what your top tip would be. I envision this thread as a sort of checklist, but not quite. If you have what you think is a good tip or two, then put it in here. Ok, here goes, preceding technique...

    MINDSET - I have found that the better and more positive my mindset the better I hunt, the more intuitive I am to know where to hunt, the better I listen and focus, etc. Now, we can't always have the best of mindsets and sometimes we detect to get away from things but we clearly can still affect it. Just drinking a coffee seems to pick me up mentally. Planning the night before sort of pumps me up. ehehe You get the point.

    FOCUS - This relates to Mindset. When I am swinging I listen and hunt better if my mind is focused or at least just open and relaxed as opposed to thinking of a problem, Hey, is that a cop?, something else, etc. If you are 100% with what you are doing, very little is going to pass you by. But if you are only partially there, well then that speaks for itself. We can't expect the machine to do all the work. So, imagine you are a surgeon as a lot is riding on you!

    EMS


  2. #2

    Re: What is your top detecting Tip? Checklist

    Welcome to the forum
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  3. #3
    Global Moderator CyberSage's Avatar
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    Re: What is your top detecting Tip? Checklist

    Hey EMS!
    Great to see you posting on American Detectorist. Thanks for checking us out. I look forward to your post. OK, now to the question at hand. A few things that make for a good hunt...

    Research - Know the history of the area your hunting. An old picture of the park is worth more than a thousand words, it's worth some Silver as well! Talk with the old timers in the area. Visit the local museums and history archives. Look at your surroundings as you hunt, and use your imagination.

    Time - Try and plan for adequate hunting time for a given area. Move deliberately and at a slow pace. Don't hurry your hunts. Focus on small areas instead of the whole site. Go back and hunt instead of trying to cover to much ground. It's quality of time, not quantity that makes for good finds.

    Jack
    "Knowledge counts but common sense matters." ~ LouAnne Johnson

    Minelab E-Trac - Whites Vision/V3 - JeTco GTX Huntmaster - Whites Bullseye TRX - Garrett Pro-Pointer

  4. #4
    Global Moderator Fire Fighter 43's Avatar
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    Re: What is your top detecting Tip? Checklist

    Research, research,research I always have plan before I leave the house which means good research. I make sure it is a site that has potential for old coins and I have my permission granted before I leave to hunt. That way my time is spent hunting and not driving around looking for a site and then winding up in a park somewhere digging clad. I would rather dig one quality find during a hunt than a pile of clad.


    Minelab Equinox 800, 15”Coiltek, 11” & 6”coils

    XP Deus II , 11", 9” & 11x13 coils


    Detectors since 1977: Simplex, DEUS, CTX 3030, F75 Ltd, Etrac, Excal II, V3i, DFX, GTI2000, Eagle II, 6000DI, 6DB, AlaskanTR4B, Beachcomber

  5. #5
    Owner/Administrator Epi-hunter's Avatar
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    Re: What is your top detecting Tip? Checklist

    MINDSET - .... is absolutely everything.

    My state of mind is everything. I need to be challenged. I love detecting with someone who challenges me. No matter how hard I try when on my own... when I am with someone who challenges me, I will go the extra mile for better results.

    FOCUS - Like you said, it involves being able to focus AWAY from someone bothering you. That means you need permission to be at the site, reassurance of such, and being comfortable of that on your own. I like private sites (in public areas) and I can be in a better state of mind when I am not having to worry about others' thoughts.

    That is hard to accomplish in public parks, where I do most of my detecting.
    Minelab E-Trac/Sun Ray X-1 -- Minelab Sovereign GT/Sun Ray S-1 -- White's v3i/Sun Ray DX-1
    Fisher CZ3D -- Tesoro Tiger Shark -- Garrett ACE 250


  6. #6
    Senior Member
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    Re: What is your top detecting Tip? Checklist

    The most important thing in metal detecting is

    [size=1t]KNOW YOUR DETECTOR

    Learn the controls of your detector and what they do. Learn to adjust ( if the controls are adjustable) the controls to the different ground conditions and type of area ( trashy or iron items all over or beach...etc...) Learn the ID/VDI ( if your detector has those) and the sounds your detector makes on different targets. Learning how to search in loads of trash areas, on the beach, in and around tight quarters-------Knowing how to operate your detector at its maximum potential in many different settings will have your finds increase no matter where you are searching.

    Research, Mindset, Focus and Time are important...but without excellent knowledge of how to maximize your detectors operations, in any situation, you will be missing targets.
    Robbie
    author of "Find More Silver Coinshooting Parks and Schools" by Robbie Morin
    contributor to- Camp Logan: Houston, Texas 1917-1919-by Louis Aulbach, Linda Gorski and Robbie Morin
    _____________________________________
    Fisher F5 & F70 & Garrett Pro Pointer
    2005-2015 clad total--$2,631.68

  7. #7

    Re: What is your top detecting Tip? Checklist

    The most important thing is have fun.

  8. #8

    Re: What is your top detecting Tip? Checklist

    Dig anything that makes a sound close to what your hunting I have found silver next to nails with my Excalibur II that sounded like a small blip.
    Whites TDI pro, Minelab Excalibur II

  9. #9
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    Re: What is your top detecting Tip? Checklist

    Great tips for all of us newbies!! |)

  10. #10
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    Re: What is your top detecting Tip? Checklist

    This is my first full season detecting. I think one thing I have learned is. You can't hunt good, if you are tired. I get to the point. Where my arm doesn't even want to swing the coil anymore. If you get tired. Stop for a while and take a break. Have a drink, or a snack. Let your body rest. Figure out your next stratagy. Then go at it again! At the end of the day. You'll be glad that you rested.
    2012 count: 99 silvers, 3 V Nickels, 4 War Nickles, 2 Gold Rings, 17 Silver Rings, 6 Buffallo Nickels,2 silver braclets, silver cross: 2013 1 Silver, 2 Silver rings, 1 Sterling Neckless with heart charm

  11. #11
    Elite Member milco's Avatar
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    Re: What is your top detecting Tip? Checklist

    Research, research.....Know your machine, focus & patience,.....oh, and did I mention research!
    Minelab Equinox 600 & Whites Coinmaster, Garrett Propointer, Lesche Digger
    Oldest silver: 1853 Half-dime & 1876S Seated Quarter / Oldest coin: 1849 US Large Cent / 1854 Upper Canada One Penny Bank Token

  12. #12

    Re: What is your top detecting Tip? Checklist

    Quote Originally Posted by anotherpulltap link=topic=7703.msg88478#msg88478 date=1320634153
    The most important thing is have fun.
    so true!!! |



    Have the desire to learn, the patience and willingness to dig a lot of worthless trash for every one good find, and understand that you could go home empty handed after a long day of MDing.

    Minelab Etrac, SEF 8x6.
    Garrett AT Gold, 5x8 coil, Garrett PP
    Equinox 800

  13. #13

    Re: What is your top detecting Tip? Checklist

    research - know your targets and go to where they should be
    permission - public grounds can give up a few targets, but you need to be on private property to find the goods!
    know your detector - if you don't understand it WELL, you will only dig the shallow, easy things.
    Minelab E-Trac, Sunray X-1 probe
    White's SM2
    White's SM PI pro

    Check out my treasure hunting videos at http://www.youtube.com/user/TheSilverFiend

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  14. #14

    Re: What is your top detecting Tip? Checklist

    RESEARCH ::::: KNOW WHAT YOUR DETECTOR IS TELLING YOU :::: AND DOUBLE CHECK YOUR HOLES .....
    M6 / DX-1 / 6x10 DD & M6/DX-1/ stock coil
    Pontiac IL.

  15. #15

    Re: What is your top detecting Tip? Checklist

    Take a wet washcloth in a ziplock bag to clean off your hands when you're done.
    Also take along a small squirt or spray bottle of water to clean off the silver coins so you can tell what you have without scratching them. And most important......
    JUST GET OUT MORE OFTEN!!!!!!!!
    2018 silver coins=4
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    Clad=$21.31
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    CTX3030, DFX w/Bigfoot, Beachhunter300, E-Trac.
    Hunting Michigan wet or dry!
    Oldest coin ever = King George II half penny 1729-1754
    Oldest U.S. coin = 1834 L.C.
    Oldest silver ever = 1839 seated half dime

  16. #16

    Re: What is your top detecting Tip? Checklist

    #1 Coil getting too heavy? shorten the rod a notch,it makes a difference.
    #2 if possible,put all of your detecting stuff in a back pack.so when you leave home,you haven't forgotten anything. (Us old farts are allowed to forget stuff,,,hence the back pack LOL) .
    "I'm Your Huckle Bearer"

  17. #17

    Re: What is your top detecting Tip? Checklist

    Never get dejected. I have come home with zero[0] coins. Yet I am just as excited to go out the next time because I am convinced that at the bottom of the next plug I dig will be a worthwhile coin.

  18. #18

    Re: What is your top detecting Tip? Checklist

    #1 - Be sure that thing is switched on!

    OK. May be #2 right after Zip Zip's #2. lol


  19. #19
    Senior Member BOWSER's Avatar
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    Re: What is your top detecting Tip? Checklist

    no flies on you zip zip good advice thumbsup01
    If it wasn't for flashbacks, i would have no memory at all

  20. #20

    Re: What is your top detecting Tip? Checklist

    Get permission 1st. And not trying to cover the entire site. Domain awareness, knowing where you are. Looking up the area in maps and old papers, Talking to the area residents and getting ideas from them. It usually is not the first time someone has asked them about where to start looking. I've had clues to where I should look talking to folks in the parking lots of stores and golf courses. Many times I look at the parks around the town central squares and ball parks. Since I don't usually have more that 2-3 hours for a hunt I draw a map and go back several times to make sure I didn't miss much. Sometimes I get the idea that a area has been hunted many many times - I don't really care ! These areas are still hiding something for me.... I was at a old park near a old bandstand and two other MD'ers were right there in the same park. One of them told me that this place is empty I shrugged my head and proceeded to pull out a 1922 Peace dollar right in the same path he just got done searching. (thanks ace 350) - and most important of all NEVER give up.......
    Between my machine beeping and my tinnitus - my ears/brain are very busy. Using a Ace 350.

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