Detecting by phases of the moom????

[joe dirt_1]

A recent conversation with a detector dealer in the southern part of the country brought this to my attention. I know hunting and fishing is better during certain moon phases and was wondering if metal detecting could be affected by the moon also? I don't keep a log of my finds during hunts, but at times some sites seem to produce nothing , then the next trip will produce a few nice finds. I know this sounds way out in left field but since i'm snowed in for the next 2 or 3 months I thought it was worth investigating. Could someone who records their finds check the dates and see if their better finds fall on certain moon phases? This is a very interesting concept to me and it may have some merit. What do you think....can the phases of the moon make detecting better or worse depending upon the stage of the moon? I plan on giving this a try when the weather clears up to see it there is anything to it.

Roger

 

[Wishful-thinker]

I detect the beaches at night when the tide is out,so i watch the moon charts for that. I know that's not what your asking but it does have merit.
I would think the sun would have more to do with it...solar flares emit EMI that may cause interference.Good question though.

 

[joe dirt_1]

Wishful-thinker, You could be right about the sun having more to do with it, but the gentleman I was talking to only mentioned the moon stages. I understand the moon affecting the tides for beach hunting, but it intrigues me about the possibilities of trying it for land hunting. I'm very curious to see what the other hunters have to say about it.....and hope they don't think I escaped from my padded room and should have people in white jackets looking for me...lol. Someone that keeps detailed records of their hunts could check it out pretty easily to see if their most productive days were at random or if they corresponed to a paticular moon phase.

Roger

 

[Craig]

You got me thinking also! My Garmin GPS has Moon phases for hunting & Fishing. I think I'll give it a try to see if my finds improve. Checking out my GPS the good days for hunting and fishing in my area are Jan 18 to the 22nd. the 21st being the best day. I went today for the first time in a month and did okay. GPS today, says it is an average day.

 

[dixiedigger57]

my friend in Georgia that helped me always said the old timers told him the phases of the moon had something to do with it, like fishing on the full moon, and fish bite three days before a front moves in. These were the BFO users, that age. maybe something to do with that technology. earths magnetic field or something. I know an old police stat was there was more crime on a full moon, maybe cause there was more light at night to see. i know the moon bats and vampires come out they say! so be careful hunting at night in the light of the silvery MOOOOON! if this weather doesn't turn warm soon and i don't get a day to hunt........ gotta go, their coming to take me away again!

 

[chuck ky]

i would say it wouldn't affect metal detecting. when hunting or fishing your dealing with creatures that can be affected by the sun or the moon. the treasure will always be in the same place no matter what the phase of the sun or moon is. of course it can affect the hunter and make his detecting game either off or on.

 

[morelic55]

You have to admit, a detector is a RADIO TRANSMIT & RECIVER, so, I have been wanting to conduct an experiment. Like the old "CB" days when radio skip was so bad from other countries. It has something to do with radio waves bouncing off the ionosphere and sun spots. Take a day when the "Skip" is bad and detect, record your finds, depth, sens etc, then do it at a time when the skip is quiet. I have had times when a thunderstorm was moving in and got CRAZY depth from my detector. Also I have had better luck at sunset finding new targets, just when you are ready to pack it in for the day!!

 

[joe dirt_1]

I just noticed I spelled moon wrong in the title of my post.......oooops.

 

[slingshot]

Karl Von Mueller, one of my favorite past authors, spoke often of atmospheric and other conditions genuinely affecting the performance of a detector. One of their favorite techniques was using a hand-generator connected to several long rods in a grid and electrify the ground and then search afterwards. He also stated that detection was often better a day after a good soaking rain..

 

[Furious T]

I have little doubt that the moon phases affect both animal and human behaviour....maybe our concentration is better (or worse) during different phases of the moon.

 

[jhettel]

Mark you are right about detectors being radio transmitters. Recently down in Rolla we had two Tejon's and they were really interfering with each other. I can say for a fact that within 50 feet of my hunting buddy the detectors were talking and we had to move apart.

 

[jhettel]

Wow are you kidding or what?

That was my first thought then I thought a little bit more.

Of course the moon has an effect on detecting. If you water hunt beaches then the tides that roll in are all caused by the gravity coming from the moon. The gravity pulls on the water thus producing tides.

If you ever hunted at night then a full moon is always the desired time to go.

Other than that, the moon has no effect on detecting.

 

[stasys]

my best hunts is always at nights in fool moon, I cant say that my finds are some how better, but I feel so satisfied alone at night in silver light that I dont know what can be better in this world. its very impressive to hunt in denst fog in the fields where seeing distance is very limited and different wild animals screaming makes me spooky and where not so much possible to say its coin or other round object, it gives metal detecting mysterious or different time definitions-some sort religion felling.
but my friends who hunt with me never understood my obsession with night fool moon hunting they always concerned to go home when sun is down :angry:. Stasys

 

[backlashd]

Well I have no idea if it actually has any effect, but if it can pull water I could see how it might affect VLF radio waves to some extent. From that angle I could probably be convinced, but like I said I have no idea...

 

[Paul of Harrisburg]

Is it the moon that controls the tides?
Aren't the tides water?
Isn't it moisture in the ground that causes some deep targets to be found when in dry ground they hide?
Hmmm....

 

[Topo]

very interesting topic to think about

 

[joe dirt_1]

Interesting hearing your thoughts on this.......not saying it makes a difference, but there could be something to it. Maybe enough guys will try hunting during different stages of the moon and see if any one is more productive than others. I'm gonna try it myself when the warm weather gets here.