Here's a test we can try.

[jabbo]

Wet soil Vs. dry soil. When you detect a deep non ferrous target in wet soil (or dry) don't dig it up but mark the spot and make some notes how your detector reacted. Days or weeks later when the soil is bone dry (or wet) try that same target again to see if your detector reacts differently, then dig it up. Compare target ID numbers, depth reading, signal strength, etc. to see how much difference there is and post the results here. Would have neen a good test during that long dry summer.

 

[Larry (IL)]

Good in theory, but if I left a marked target around here it likely would be gone weeks or months later

 

[Sailorman]

I know an old relic hunter who carried a bunch of 5 gallon water cans in his truck. He had certain spots that he swore he could find more targets in after soaking an area then taking a break to let it soak in. Haven't tried it myself but he certainly has a serious pile of finds from decades of hunting.

 

[bootyhoundpa]

even better yet ,set up a test garden in your backyard....record what you buried and where...this way you can perform the test every time prior to heading out in your local area.....thats what i do...i call it tuning up,gives me a better idea where my settings need to be for optimum performance...

 

[slingshot]

I remember Karl Von Mueller's articles about guys who electrified the ground with metal rods and an old hand crank telephone to find the deeper coins.