Ever run into "Mister Master Detector"..... who isn't??

[Parkit]

I've run into this several times lately and really have no explanation for it. I don't think there is one.
What happens is that I'll be working a school yard or soccer field, one of the places where just about everyone who has a detector searches. I'll turn a corner and there's another guy with a detector, so I'll shut mine off and wait for the opportunity to introduce myself. As I watch I'll determine in about 5 seconds that this guy is new at it; no headphones, poor coil control, working in all-metal mode getting noises with every pass that he ignores, and he's digging giant holes not retrieving anything.

Then he'll see me, smile uncomfortably, and the first question he asks is "find anything?". I'll show the coins and trash, and his eyes kind of glaze over. Then the next phrase out of his mouth is "I've been coming here for years and years, I've pulled all kinds of stuff out of here!" Well you coulda fooled me.

This happened yesterday and I just wanted to know if anyone else runs across it. This guy yesterday had a Whites, I don't know what model because I didn't care, and I know for a fact that he hasn't been going to that particular location for "years and years" because I HAVE been going there for years and years and have never seen hide nor hair of him. And according to my log, from this place I've dug 2,096 coins; six silver chains, 17 rings, one mercury dime, a 20" gold chain, half a dozen wheats, an aquamarine necklace, 3 complete watches, silver charms, silver trumpet buttons and untold bottle caps, pulltabs and pop tops.

This guy yesterday went on to tell me of course about some of the other greatest finds he's made in faraway places, and I was just waiting for a "kind moment" to excuse myself and get back to it. As soon as I put my headphones back on he says "Hey, maybe you can show me a few tricks?". Uhhhhh, show the master a few tricks? Are you kidding me? Although dumfounded, I took his machine and saw that he was indeed in all-metal mode and asked if he ever used discrimination. Blank look. Well, you're sensitiviity is maxxed out, you need to lower that. "What's that pinpointing button?" he asks, so I show him how it works. "Oh, you have to hold it down?'. Yeah, you have to hold it down. And you might want to tighten that coil nut so the coil doesn't flop around like a fish. But you knew that already, didn't you.

Am I the only one that runs into Mr. Know-it-all who for some reason has to come off like Mel Fisher instead of just asking for some help??? Any of us who have a decent amount of time over the coil can easily tell when we're looking at a neophyte (one digging tool in hand, no spare batteries or tools or parts or bag on his belt, no water, spade-sized holes that miss the target anyway, etc), what's the DEAL???

Steve

 

[INCH]

I have once and Ive been detecting for only three months. I was reading your post and thought I would respond , because i was hunting a diveway a while back and this cracker jack pulls up gets out of his car and walks up to me and says" Howdy havnt never seen you around here, ive hunted all these old houses around here , I see you got a ace 250, just getting started detecting?, ive been wanting to hunt this property for years," He says all this and few other comments on detecting in about one minute. Then He ask me could he hunt the area to? So I said yes. I forgot the mans name, I know it wasn't MEL, but he did have a very expensive Fisher detector. He spent about 30 minutes in front of me and in back of me, to my side everywhere and then he was gone .He acted as if he was going to find stuff all around , He only found a few tabs a big washer, and some other junk. Ifound four pennies and two dimes in about the same time, but what i found doesn't matter to me , it was his attitude

 

[oldranger]

Im lucky so far I havent had the pleasure(?)
of meeting anyone lke that....the folks Ive
run into have either been new like me or they
were willing to offer adive to a newbie...

Im sure ill run into one sooner or later ..

HH

Ron

Rangers Lead The Way

 

[bearkat4160]

Pride.... is the reason for the self deception from what I can tell. uke: They sure do give detectorist a bad name too! Come accross a few myself.

Alan

 

[MrGee]

I started this obsession last March and I have yet to run into ANYBODY with a detector. Ohh, a bunch of people have approached me and said that they have "one of those" but it lives in a closet or their garage or the attic or...... I always smile and tell them that I understand why they lost interest cause I must have 20 pounds of rusty nails and pull tabs by now. I NEVER tell anyone about anything good although there have been a few times that I had trouble refraining from the happy dance and running up to the first person that I see and pulling out whatever it was that got me so excited. Fortunately I have a neighbor that is always very interested in what I'm finding but he always declines when I offer to show him how to use mine. He's interested but has no interest in trying it for himself. (Perfect!!)

It sure is getting dark early these days!
MrGee

 

[slingshot]

The funniest one I have met was as nice a gentleman as could be and his wife was a teacher at the school I was searching. I kid you not, his sweep was more like a golf swing. The coil came backwards in an upper arc to head level and reversed the action on the forward sweep. He was detecting maybe a foot at a time. I asked him if he had considered keeping the coil close to the ground and he said he knew what to do, he just wanted to have the target right in front of him at his feet! The amazing thing is that he had found several coins.

 

[Johnny Cache]

Haha, that golf swing is hilarious!

It's been 6 months for me, and I haven't run into any other detectorists...ever (other than a friend that I detect with, and my brother who I bought a detector for). One guy I met told me he and his dad "cleaned out the whole area" 25 years ago. I have been to several places that look like detector heaven, but yield zero coins...they must have been there. On the other hand, I constantly find places full of great things to find. I want to spread the word about this great hobby, but I also want to keep all the good places to myself lol!

When I first started detecting I was totally clueless, but quickly learned how to maximize my finds with proper coil control, proper target recovery and good research. It amazes me that you come across know-it-alls that have put many hours in, yet are really know-nothings. Oh well, let's hope they leave all the good stuff for us to find!

 

[Parkit]

Thanks for letting me vent, guys. I've run into a number of people using all different machines in the past 10 years or so that I've been in this area. Most of them are newbies, and MOST of them are humble, quiet types who seem to be giving it their best effort. I love giving them advice if they ask for it, and I've even given away good areas for them to search. I've come across only two other TH'ers who really had it going on, one who could probably beat me without batteries in his machine and another who was more into relics. This guy Sunday just torqued the meter for some reason, I guess it was how extremely obvious it was that he didn't have a clue but needed to regale me with how great he was. Then he asked for tips. Geesh. I'm sure he didn't follow any advice (not that I gave much), and with the noise he was making and digging he was doing I don't think he'll last long enough for me to run into again. I hope.

Steve

 

[Pyledriver]

I've only run into a couple other guys ever. One guy took great pains to tell me how he didn't know much about detecting and he wasn't sure his detector was working right...LOL.. I watched him for a bit and I guarantee you, he knew exactly what he was doing! I'm not sure of what he found, but he was being very slow and methodical, good coil control, etc. The other guy I ran into was water detecting and had a literal POCKETFUL of coins. Now he told me he hadn't found any jewelry but I'm guessing he lied about that because in that area, you don't find that many coins without pulling a jewelry item or two!

 

[Jimbo65]

If they're MD'rs, that's good enough for me. No judgement on my part.

 

[Canine]

I run into that all the time with my dog. Some people will give me an unsolicited education on how dogs work and how to train them- the whole while their dog is jumping on them, pulling on the leash, etc. I used to politely listen to them tell me what I already know, but now I firmly but politely end the conversation.

Most of the time, though, they ask me how to train for a specific task, but I quit giving an answer because they never, ever take my advice that they asked for. When they ask me, "How do you do that?" my answer is, "I just do." I don't do it in a rude way, but it does surprise most. Fortunately, they seem to take it well after the first shock of not jumping into a conversation.

Should I run into another MDer, I wouldn't be surprised to have similar interactions. I'll be polite, but will quickly be on my merry way.

And I'm sure others think the same things about me!

 

[widebody]

[size=large]canine,
please kill the bug on your screen. i darn near poked a hole in mine trying to get it.
i liken these people to chess players. you set up a board in an open place and pow!! experts from all over wanting to tell you how to move. regardless of what it is there's always a newbie and an expert. golf is another. hunting, fishing. canine has found a good way to handle folks. i haven't found any expert mders yet. just plain folks curious about what treasures i may have found. i tell ya this. when i find a treasure you won't have to ask about it. hope it happens soon. there's always tomorrow.

HH[/size]

 

[Dan-Pa.]

Unfortunately there are Detectorists and those that swing a metal detector....I really don't care all I worry about is those man hole size holes dug and honestly have reported them to ground crews at parks and the like as thats why areas no metal detecting signs are put on the high fences newly erected.One of those ought to be a law scenarios...

 

[skippers]

Canine, I have had a few gnats in my house in the last month. When I first saw your bug, I was ready to slap my computer screen. Cool avatar.

 

[scooper]

yes I have run into people like that.but just because he dosnt use headphones dont make him a bat detector. cause I dont use them cause they get in my way,oh wait a minute i"m not a pro either.

 

[JASONSPAZ1]

The only time I have no tolerance for fools like that is when they leave huge holes. I enjoy talking to other detectorists who know what they are doing and are responsible diggers. I have had to put my detector down before to go around and fix the huge craters others have left. As far as the story telling, I guess that is the same phenomena as fishing tales. I can have excitement through someone else finds even if I get skunked. I just can not tolerate moon crater hole diggers.

hh
Jason