Does Any One Hunt with the Wire Flags

[kafratman]

I was wondering if anyone metal detects using the little wire red flags. Instead of digging right after I get a target i just put a flag on the spot and continue hunting. I usually carry anywhere from 20-30 in my pouch. Then come back and dig the spot. These work great.

 

[Mega]

I occasionally do a similar setup when working a scattered hoard site that the deep ploughing has dragged up some coins,instead of red flags i use line marking paint but of course not on grass only,then when i have about 20-30 signals the i use the Nexus and dig the targets.You can then try and see if any pattern is forming and then try and locate the hoard container.Bigger tractors these days means that deeper ploughing takes the tops off the hoard containers and then scatters more coins.

Also carry some small red cones and use the instead of flags or the spraypaint method,some folks use coloured tent pegs,as long as its a visual indicator you could use anything you like really.

 

[daddyflea]

I was wondering if anyone metal detects using the little wire red flags. Instead of digging right after I get a target i just put a flag on the spot and continue hunting. I usually carry anywhere from 20-30 in my pouch. Then come back and dig the spot. These work great.

Why would you want to do this? Why not dig it right then?

 

[Tom_in_CA]

I was wondering if anyone metal detects using the little wire red flags. Instead of digging right after I get a target i just put a flag on the spot and continue hunting. I usually carry anywhere from 20-30 in my pouch. Then come back and dig the spot. These work great.

Why would you want to do this? Why not dig it right then?

This was my thoughts too. Seems like time is lost by isolating the target, flagging it, .... only to come back later and have to dig ? What's the point ? You've just doubled your walking-around time.

The only time I've utilized flags is if some buddies and I are comparing signals (typically for turf-skill-strategy). Then we each compare to see the comparative abilities between machines, fiddle with settings, etc.....

But otherwise, no: I dig right then and there when I get the signal

 

[fowlercharles]

Hi kafratman, for myself the target flagging would separate my connection from the ongoing process of getting the "feel" for my dig site which grows with each target as it is dug and each time the site is hunted/walked. For me the flagging would simply kill the thrill of the hunt. Mega's use of flagging helps him find a particular target when he either knows or suspects that one is near, and the flags paint him a picture to see. Maybe if you can acquire the feel for a site using the flags it would work same way. I just like to find it, dig it , enjoy it and learn from it , and let the "feel for it " process all come together as a picture in my mind as I walk the site. Just the walking from target to target and the digging gives you "feel " and lay of the land that you might miss when concentrating on only finding targets to flag. Just my thoughts! HH, Charlie

 

[Mega]

Hi kafratman, for myself the target flagging would separate my connection from the ongoing process of getting the "feel" for my dig site which grows with each target as it is dug and each time the site is hunted/walked. For me the flagging would simply kill the thrill of the hunt. Mega's use of flagging helps him find a particular target when he either knows or suspects that one is near, and the flags paint him a picture to see. Maybe if you can acquire the feel for a site using the flags it would work same way. I just like to find it, dig it , enjoy it and learn from it , and let the "feel for it " process all come together as a picture in my mind as I walk the site. Just the walking from target to target and the digging gives you "feel " and lay of the land that you might miss when concentrating on only finding targets to flag. Just my thoughts! HH, Charlie

Charlie,you got that in one my friend,thats exactly how i use this method,i dont use it for everyday use,but if i am working a site and then start finding alot more coins than normal in a small area then this can indicate either a purse drop or a pot/container hoard,then after you have marked the area you can then start seeing a pattern appearing of the way the coins have been dragged by the plough and this i find help you too try and locate the 'mother lode' as deep ploughing is done in the same direction each year,you can get a pattern appearing like 'tear drops' if that makes sense.Its just a method of trying to locate a large target from the scattered coins and for the most part its a tried and trusted method.

Of course i dont use it for all my detecting but just when you start finding the scattered coins in a tight radius,what 'indicators' you use is upto the detectorist this could be flags,pegs or anything that is visual,of course it takes much longer but when you suspect a possible hoard is in the location then that area is methodically detected anyway for either more scattered coins/artifacts or the hoard itself.

Anything that help you in the hobby is a bonus,i even use a small drone as well on some sites as this can give you a additional assistance from a different angle,and get a live video link from above and linked with the coloured markers gives you a 'massive' advantage,has this method actually produced any of my decent finds,the answer is 'yes' and well worth the extra effort,what one has too remember that here in the UK say 2000 years ago the main method of keeping wealth safe and secure was digging holes in the ground and also with detectors going deeper and ploughs also going deeper,each year more hoards are being discovered then you can understand that the extra effort and why i use these methods.

 

[MI-AuAg]

I occasionally do a similar setup when working a scattered hoard site that the deep ploughing has dragged up some coins,instead of red flags i use line marking paint but of course not on grass only,then when i have about 20-30 signals the i use the Nexus and dig the targets.You can then try and see if any pattern is forming and then try and locate the hoard container.Bigger tractors these days means that deeper ploughing takes the tops off the hoard containers and then scatters more coins.

Also carry some small red cones and use the instead of flags or the spraypaint method,some folks use coloured tent pegs,as long as its a visual indicator you could use anything you like really.

Hello Maga,

When I purchased my CTX yrs ago I thought it's onboard GPS feature would be ideal for you folks across the pond who do hoard searching. It's ability to mark your find and see the scatter pattern on the screen, to backtrack to the original source is very good for that purpose.

In my case, here in the U.S., I use it when searching old homestead sites, where there is no remaining visible remnants of the buildings. Recording position/type of find helps me locate the buildings, when I find a cluster of square nails, and other artifacts associated with a bulding, I concentrate my search in that vicinity. With no onboard GPS on your machine, I would think a simple handheld GPS would serve you well, same result as your flags, without the need to carry them around. Simply dig your target, record it's location and continue. Your pattern of finds would be recorded, if it's a multi day search, the info is always there until erased.

In regard to the OP's use of flags, I can honestly see no upside to it. If you want to track your finds, the handheld GPS would work fine. Simply to flag a find and dig it later, seems a bit of a waste of effort. At that point any target information such as depth, type of metal would be unknown, unless scanned again. If it's a public location, it would most certainly draw attention to you. I just don't see the benefit?

 

[HanoverDigger]

Takes away from digging time IMHO. Plus having to carry extra items. Do whatcha gotta do I guess.

 

[Hoser John]

Flags nope never just a red/blue/white poker chip dropped , a dozen at a time. Then bucket , shovel and away she goes into the sluice box and like magic I get ALL the gold, not just the nugget that was big enough to set of my unit BUT all the gold flakes and fines too. Never hunt ,pick and play trying to find "it" as weight wise there is usually more in smaller gold than big and time is of the essence. Makes a huge difference at the end of the day as I have fed my family, pay my bills mining so must get the most bang for the buck asap and leave nothing never-John

 

[Dan-Pa.]

Personally takes something away from the hobby, but whatever works....Have heard this being done when ground was frozen and come back when it thaws...Helps cabin fever to a degree.....

 

[Elton]

Sounds about right to me !!..........

 

[still looking 52]

In a large open area I sometimes use small flags to keep myself on line, I'm able to cover the area without missing anything. If two people were hunting with only one detector, that marking process would be great, one could detect and the other dig(maybe my wife could dig).

 

[WV62]

I carry 2 or 3 white plastic poker chips when hunting silver coins with my brothers and mark any real good signals and when I can get my brother attention I will get him to come over and put his detector on the target.

We enjoy the dig after we get done making our productions. LOL

I have used a couple of flags to mark off my sweep line.

Ron in WV

 

[bootyhoundpa]

I never have but have thought if i did i would probably use something more on the lines of a plastic or wooden golf tee as that way you could color code them and write a depth number on them if applicable also could rescan signal without any metalic interference from the marker..

 

[Tinfoil]

Only when I am comparing detectors and different colors for different depths. HH Happy New Year. I know you had a Merry Christmas already. Jerry Aka Tinfoil

 

[mrwilburino]

The last thing I would want the park ranger to see is 30 flags stuck in the ground and me with a digger in my hand.