Long Hunt. Long Post.

[cwilk]

I did my favorite hunt which is a huge 150 mile drive in almost a perfect circle. Along the way are around 20 good spots to treasure hunt. Today was the first time I made the journey where my clad finds didn't cover the cost of gas. Only because of gas prices, which you probably figured out. I needed 190 coins to make it an even 1000 for the year which was my goal. I used my new AT-Pro for 6 hours of total detecting which killed the factory batteries. Only got 14.75 hours out of them. How long are you other AT-Pro users getting out of a set?

First spot was pretty early and it was still cold out. I had an old timer following me around for most of the hunt. He had gone to the school in the 40s and with his "help" I managed 2 wheats, the silver 1954D quarter and 61 clad coins. He was a good hunting partner and I was happy to have met him. We both agreed, by the way, that we probably would have both been better off if the government had shut down last night. Enough US politics, this is a treasure hunting post after all.

Site two is one of my favorite spots. It was nice and warn when I got there. Felt great! About midway through I scored that big ring. It sure looked gold. It rang up around dime and my past experience told me that it would have to be 18K gold to ring up there and the more I looked at, the more I knew it was gold. I figured that one find had paid for my new stick in only four hunts! When I washed it off in a stream I saw it was marked China and 925. Now I was depressed. Not only was it not gold but being marked China meant it was probably junk. Shucks, the way they forge things it might not even be a ring! Enough global politics, this is a ............ When I got it cleaned up and tested I saw that it was quite nicely made, 14K gold plate over sterling silver. That is the first ring marked China and 925 that I've ever found that is actually silver! Add another 67 clad to the running total.

A quick stop at a good site where there were too many folks bothering me so add 28 clad coins to the total.

Another good site for silver was my next stop and it started getting cool out again. Add to that only 32 coins away from my goal. After an hour I stopped to count coins. Just in time. I was at 189 for the day. Next coin would be 1000 in 2011. I got a nice signal. It was deep and I saw the edge of a silver coin. I then saw the coin. Too small for a dime. A half dime? I was excited. Well, I saw the words United States but didn't recognize the coin until I flipped it over. A silver Philippines 10 centavos. What are the odds? A very cool find and it was coin number 1000 to boot. I decided to call it a day and headed home.

I stopped one more place. Natch. Found 20 clad coins for a total of 210 coins for the day. Plus the ring. Plus all the other junk. Here are some of my usual lousy photos:

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THERE'S MORE? What a fine day I had. I finally feel like the new season has started. I think 6 hours is pretty close to the most I've ever detected in one day. It is too long, for me anyway. The AT-Pro is a very forgiving machine but as I got tired, and sloppy, I was finding far fewer coins. I have a terrible sunburn on the back of my neck. Yes, I am a red neck! My fingers are torn to shreds. My feet are aching. If this was a Chris' medical condition post I would go on. Sadly it is a treasure hunting post which ends now.

Chris

 

[Joel-Winnipeg]

You were very busy 6 hours is a long time this early in the season.
Lots of clad finds and silver to boot !

 

[cwilk]

I'm thinking it was too much too, Joel. I'm going to bed early, and will probably stay in tomorrow. Maybe not!

Chris

 

[INCH]

Thats alot of miles to travel. Thanks for the Pics . U sound so dedicated to finding the goods. Wish I had the free time to hunt like U, but I'm strapped down with work and other stuff. Its all worth it when U can post it on here and let people C what U made out of a days hunt Digging A lot of crap and a little cream, thats what keeps me going............

 

[Jerry-Wi]

My arm and back are sore from just reading about it Awesome hunt!

Jerry

 

[cwilk]

It is a lot of miles to travel but I enjoy the drive almost as much as the detecting. I try to do that hunt around twice a year. Last time I did it I got three traffic tickets in one day. That sucked!

I have always found silver and usually more in clad (dollar amount anyway.) I did the whole work 80 hours a week thing for 20 years. I was a good saver/investor and when I burned out I found I had enough socked away to work a whole lot less, and do more of what I enjoy, If I had kids I'd still be at it, I'm sure.

Thanks for the compliments. It's all cream you know, just depends on how you look at it.

Chris

 

[cwilk]

Well let me tell you. I won't be treasure hunting today! I so hope it rains!!!!

Thanks for looking at my loot. (I originally wrote junk but that sounds so nasty!)

Chris

 

[RickIowa2009]

I rather have a sun burn verses frost bite! Happy unting, And thats a cool looking ring! I am glad we can dig now!

 

[MNCoinhunter]

Nice haul Chris.. !!

 

[fongu]

WTG. That was a good day except for the pain and suffering. I found 2 cents at my local church yesterday which brings my total up to 23 cents for the last 3 outings. I also overdid it trying to get to this stream back in the woods and can relate to the pain issue. This spring was visited by schoolchildren during lunch, when this church was used as a school and for baptisms. The spring was boarded up and they laid the debris from the spring out in rows. I just pray the silver coins were not buried under the windrows. I will bring my weedeater next time. I've never seen so much briars and undergrowth. I find pennies all day long, but dimes and quarters continue to elude me. A neighbor invited me to search an old homestead on his property and said I could keep anything I found after I offered to share any finds 50-50 with him. The only thing he wants is to find his gold wedding band that he lost digging a trench. Unfortunately, it was late and I had to get home and clean up for church services. Hopefully this week I will get to his location. This homestead is over 100 years old and nothing is left to show a home was ever there, but I have good feelings about this. The only problem I have is I don't want to look for this ring unless he is present, because some people might accuse me of finding his ring and keeping it. I don't believe he is like that, but I have learned the hard way that people can get crazy when gold is involved. I may be paranoid, but I am not a trusting soul. You had a great day and taking an old timer with you helped you a lot and probably made his day. I am ordering an Ace-250 for our Pastor today and hope he and I can do some metal detecting together. When he's not with me, I'll have a backup detector. I was going to get the Ace-350 with the DD coil, but was afraid it might be too complicated for him. The Ace-250 with the 6.5 X 9 coil and a sniper coil and headphones should take care of his needs and mine. I also plan to let other members of our church use the Ace and introduce them to the hobby. This has already opened doors to two other locations. After emailing John Edmonson for some advice I have decided to add the 5 X 10 DD coil to my Gti-2500 and I also want a 4.5 Scorcher coil for a trashy area I have tried to metal detect that is grown up with saplings and briars. Another old homestead.
TThanks for sharing Chris. I always enjoy your posts. HH

 

[mudpuppy]

n/t

 

[DMC]

Nice Hunt, Grate Fines and keep up the good work!!!

 

[cwilk]

Thanks for the thoughtful reply. Hopefully the ring isn't in the bottom of the trench, too deep for your detector to sniff it out. If I were you I'd think about an AT-Pro if you can swing it financially. If I read your post right, you're buying it for others (pastor) to use. I think after you swing it a few times you will want to use it a lot! The DD coil is great and compliments the imaging coils of your 2500. Enough so that you'll have two different, and powerful, detectors in your arsenal. That said I love the Ace 250 as well. There is not a 200 dollar machine that even holds a candle to it. Good luck.

Chris