z118 link=topic=13923.msg146842#msg146842 date=1375971523 said:
Angel, with the utmost of respect, I might be inclined to argue this point... or maybe just refine it a bit. To me at least your statement above is a bit like Tiger Woods saying Anyone can shoot 7 under par if they are familiar with the course, know their clubs, and practice often. While knowledge, patience, and familiarity with the equipment are absolute musts and will improve anyone's results in any sport or hobby, I still tend to suspect that you posses a certain je ne sais quoi that gives you an innate skill and overall superiority in metal detecting. Some folks are just gifted in music, some in writing, and some in sports. Well, I think you are just gifted in detecting. Insanely gifted.
Hopefully, I don't just think this as a way of making myself feel better that I am not able to personally see results like yours. I think there are plenty of folks (on this forum especially) who love the hobby as much as you, hunt in the same general areas or types of areas, use the same equipment, and practice (or at least try) the same patience and discipline. The fact that your results are generally so astounding to all of them (myself included) I think bears out my theory that you are a detecting savant.
Again, this is not to say that the practice, patience, and knowledge will not give everyone better results, or that they are not huge factors in yours. Nor is it to say that anyone should give up on dreams of emulating your success in the hobby. And I have no doubt that in no other activity in the world is the foremost master so open, encouraging, and generally fantastic as you are to others in this hobby. For that I feel quite fortunate and offer my deepest thanks. Your posts serve to inspire and motivate me more than I can say. But, I won't find myself disappointed when I don't have overall results like yours because to some extent I just don't think it's possible for me, even if I hunted in the very same spots as you. Although I have no doubt I love this hobby as much as you, and try to practice the same patience and discipline (try being the key word), I just don't think I am gifted in the same way you so clearly are when it comes to detecting.
I hope these thoughts are not negatively received, as that is not my intent. But this is something I've thought about quite a bit, and would welcome other folk's thoughts as well.
EDIT: I posted this before I saw some of the other comments going on in your other amazing posts. Again I apologize if my thoughts sound anything like some of those. I honestly feel badly sometimes because I see how people can often react to your amazing finds with a bit of negativity or some dismissive excuse or reason for your success. I think people are just inclined to want to explain to themselves why your success so far exceeds their own. And in doing so they tend to dismiss the discipline, patience, and practice you put into the hobby. Please understand I am not doing that, and I very much hope it doesn't sound that way. I just tend to think that in addition to all of the best practices, skill, and patience you employ in this hobby you have an additional gift that exceeds others' (or at least mine).
Matt, thank you very much for such a thoughtful and, as your dad has noted, eloquent words. You have no reason to apologize, nor reason to believe that your comments would be taken in a negative way. Far from it actually.
I must at this point apologize, since it appears that I may have given the impression that comments made by members in which they express dismay at not having similar opportunities to detect sites such as found on the East Coast or large cities in general bother me.
That is not the case at all, I assure you. I actually understand how they feel and I would not impute wrong motive on their part. I would be feeling the same way in their shoes. What does bother me though are comments made by a few
who clearly insinuate and/or suggest to others that the success of a given detectorist is only due to where the detectorist lives, or that they are detecting private property or parks not open to the general public, or even that the coins are not actually found. It is never because the detectorist may have acquired skills that allow him or her to be successful.
These individuals are the type who refuse to believe that there are still plenty of old coins to be found. They fail to see that it requires work, dedication, and patience to find such coins. We are far from the 70s and 80s when silver coins were relatively plentiful. Much of what remains today is masked by trash, iron, or just simply deeply buried. Since their own experience has not allowed them to 'taste' this truth, they resort to denigrating and minimizing the success others are having.
I'm not sure what to say about being gifted. :embarrassed: I simply consider myself to be an experienced detectorist. Nothing more. :yes: I have always believed that success can be had by those who put in the work and time to learn their machines, learn and understand how to 'read' the sites they hunt, and to do research. Take for example the many successful relic and cellar hole hunters we have here. The finds they post are outstanding! They very clearly know their stuff, but the knowledge to find such items didn't come to them by simply sitting at home moping and complaining about the success others were having. The same can be said of the many here, yourself included, who consistently post finds of silver coins, gold rings, and many other desirable finds. They took the time to key in on how their machines work, how they react to metal under all types of conditions, and how to interpret the signals they hear. All of that takes work, time, and patience. I do enjoy reading such posts, even if I am not always able to comment.
Again, Matt, thank you! You have my deepest respect. I mean that quite sincerely.
bob_e99 link=topic=13923.msg146843#msg146843 date=1375972192 said:
Z said it quite eloquently and I totally agree with him (and not because he's my son). Unlike him though, I tend to get quite frustrated when I don't match your finds :hairpulling: even when I realize that I will never reach that skill level.
I'm working on both though :yes:
Thank you Bob. :yes:
milco link=topic=13923.msg146849#msg146849 date=1375976868 said:
Amazing hunt and super find on the 5c Canadian!
I do love findings those tiny coins too. Thanks! :beerbuddy:
HEAVYMETALNUT link=topic=13923.msg146850#msg146850 date=1375977572 said:
:drool: another awesome day! |:cheering:
Thanks Dave!
erfect10:
) :detecting:
