Is it the Hunter, the Machine, or the Site ?

[sprchng]

The man behind the machine makes all the difference in the world. Take the time to learn just about any new machine and with todays righteous new technologies you'll rock. Just 1 example-local club had a contest with 20+ folks with experience and the VERY best of machines and my son was 12 with a Radio Shack $12.95 unit he got for a buck at a swap, and he beat all their finds and still wears the gold panda to this day...No closet queens need apply as ya gotta get out there and try,try and try again. Then your golden-lots of luck to one and haul just have a ball-John

Luck trumps location

 

[slingshot]

They ALL beat laying on the couch and posting on forums all day long.

 

[Miser67]

Is it the hunter, the machine, or the site?

Yes.

Most important is the site, followed by the hunter and then the machine.

 

[Elton]

Machine ......... Site......... Ability to use the machine.

Your last statement is really dead on. No Detecting..No finds...doesn't matter which machine your not using... Good post my friend.

 

[MI-AuAg]

Right now where I am, it's 12 degrees, 22mph wind, with a wind chill of -7. Weather advisory for heavy winds 2-4" more snow.

Unfortunately, circumstances dictate that there will be a lot of "not using" any of my machines. Many of us suffer that affliction. All is not lost. The next few months I will be doing my research to find those all important sites, for next season!

 

[Larry (IL)]

I guess I don't understand your logic Elton. Are you saying that if you have a good detector, whether you know how to use it or not, and hunt a non-productive site is better than going to a productive site with an inferior detector that you DO know how to use?

Machine........... site............ ability.........

 

[kt]

Depends on who is doing the detecting.

If "I" find something, it is purely because of my wicked elite skills. But if "you" find something, well, you just got lucky.

 

[Elton]

No not really saying that. I'm just saying if you have a good machine, a non stellar site, and you have a somewhat good ability with it, and understand it's language..Your odds are better Larry.
If you take a machine that only goes 3" deep ..you won't find many 6" coins (LOL)... and if you have no ability. Blind luck will dictate what you find at the 3" level.

Maybe you didn't read my post right.. I said Machine, site and ability........... No matter your ability if there is nothing there..You won't find it. With a better machine sometimes you can make some magic..and tweak it for a little better performance.......... if you have the ability and understanding of your particular machine..I know for example you can take a DFX and make magic happen on some not so good sites as well as very good sites..... and with your ability with that machine (DFX) you can find a few finds that most of us would swear wasn't there.

 

[still looking 52]

As they say in the real estate business. LOCATION! LOCATION! LOCATION !

 

[ironsight]

Mi-AuAG Wrote:
Without question, location, location!
I think most of us seek that quality UNDETECTED site. To the first searcher goes the real treasures. High treasure to trash ratio.
To those who choose a "hammered", "detected to death", "played out" site, then, by default it becomes man and machine. Now you're sifting through 50 yrs of leftover trash, trying to find a rare undetected good target, in a high trash to treasure ratio environment.

IMO, the above is the best answer.

I've detected virgin/semi-virgin sites and got loads of silver from them.
Also detected virgin/semi-virgin sites and got anywhere from a few keepers to zilch.
And I've re-detected pounded sites with past keepers and its always a 'diminishing returns' type of thing.
I detected sites by all research, logic and gut feeling with my trusty $1500 detector and got zilch keepers.

 

[kingingkunsan]

Wow what a great topic/question. LOL. Let me try to answer. I had a Radio Shack Discover 1000 for my first few years of detecting. I only found clad. Was it the site(s)? The machine? or the hunter? That prevented quality finds. I learned all that I could of that machine so it was not the hunter. Next we move to site. I lived in a home that was built early 1900 and had never been detected. No silver was ever found with that machine. I did find a wedding band that paid for the machine. So you could argue the site was good. But I bet there was much more left behind. Because the machine, I learned a few years later, unfortunately after I moved, did not detect very deep. They are all important but the machine has to be first on the list. You can be at the best site and miss great finds with a horrible machine. But at a bad site you will still have a chance of finding something with a great machine. As long as you are a dedicated hunter Wait does that make hunter #1. Hell I just confused myself. LOL