Need some detecting encouragement

[JustinG.MDguy]

I have to say I'm getting a little discouraged in the metal detecting world. I've had a Tejon for a little more than a year, (plus another machine for 3 yrs.) and still am getting to know it more each time out.

Basically, I've put in about 100 hours on it without finding anything good at all. I've hunted a civil war camp, a civil war fort, and at the beach
with nothing to show for it.

I'm determined to not rest until I dig at least 1 minie bullet! ( all you detecting veterans out there can start laughing now).
I know the Tejon is a great detector, but I fear that either I'm just the unluckiest detectorist out there, or I'm just not hitting the right places.

Don't really know what I'm asking here, maybe just for someone to tell me that they too had a rocky start, or that I'm not the only losing detectorist out there.

Thanks!

Justin G.

 

[tabman]

Just enjoy being out there detecting. The good finds will come.

tabman

 

[DiggerDug]

Just wondering, what are your settings when you hunt beaches and for relics?

 

[Larry (IL)]

I think everyone has had a rocky start, learning the art of metal detecting takes time, there is no substitute for experience. Do you have an experienced hunting buddy you can hunt with and compare signals? Look for a local club to get involved in and make friends with some of the "old timers" they have a wealth on information and many are willing to share and teach. Are the spots you are hunting been hit hard over the years and are you sure there are targets there to be found. Does your detector work OK in air tests? About the only other thing I can think of is that the target has to be under the coil for you find it and if you are not getting any good targets, you might want to find more likely places to hunt. For me it is private property, many have never been hunted before and very productive.

 

[mudpuppy]

maybe try hunting not so obvious locations? Like what another detectorist would consider secondary? Sometimes the habits of other detectorists are what you are trying to beat...the high sand up on the beaches is a good spot, near where everyone parks, or off to the side of the main beach. The periphery areas of totlots contain some goodies too, if you cant find anything near the equipment, try sweeping the open zones. Try to think differently. you are really competing against other swingers at this juncture in time...so go where they might not have any inclination to look.
I'll show you this for inspiration, it was off to the side of a beach, where nobody would think of sweeping, but where somebody who wanted a little privacy might go.
Mud

 

[Elton]

Problem is we only post good finds.

As a result people get the idea it's an everyday occurance.. Just "AIN'T "so...

I also suspect your hunting pounded to death areas.... If you went hunting 365 days.only about 25, 30 of those days will actually garner mind blowing excellent recoveries.Most will be new money, and fresh loss objects... Unless you hunt fresh areas you can expect the same old same old.......... BRANCH OUT !!

Research is the key..but not the guarantee you'll actually find Valuable items.. Good recoveries are also in the eye of the beholder.. I hunt coins..so Silver is the thing I want.. Gold is a dream find.

Relic hunters want old relics........... So. what ever you hunt is up to you... What you find will be based on Areas, available items in the ground, and Yep..Plain old Luck a lot of times..


You also have to learn how to detect.... Swing speed, settings, how you cover an area etc etc........... Don't give up... Keep looking, and if what your doing now isn't working change some settings, change your areas you hunt......... Dig all targets..try an ID machine ........Hunt private property with permisson.........

 

[fowlercharles]

Hi Justin, Hang in there Justin, and be sure you are not alone in having those long dry spells when nothing comes your way. I have been detecting since 69, and have had probably more dry spells than wet.. I'm in the middle of a dry spell now, and Yeah, I use mostly a Tejon too,but not always. May use 2-3 different machines on one hunt sometimes..Dry spells can really muddle a guy's spirit for the hobby alright, but Tabman, is right on whith his advice to you. Enjoy being ABLE, to be on the Hunt, and simply enjoy the experience.The finds will come! Meanwhile, we have to "tighten up" our skills a bit in case the discouragement causes us to become a bit unattentive to our surroundings. Take those deep breaths we always need , slow down some, and stay "tuned " to being alive and able to just be "there," and like Tabman said, just enjoy! God Bless, and HH, Charlie

 

[slingshot]

maybe try hunting not so obvious locations? Like what another detectorist would consider secondary? Sometimes the habits of other detectorists are what you are trying to beat...the high sand up on the beaches is a good spot, near where everyone parks, or off to the side of the main beach. The periphery areas of totlots contain some goodies too, if you cant find anything near the equipment, try sweeping the open zones. Try to think differently. you are really competing against other swingers at this juncture in time...so go where they might not have any inclination to look.
I'll show you this for inspiration, it was off to the side of a beach, where nobody would think of sweeping, but where somebody who wanted a little privacy might go.
Mud

I'm certainly inspired! Nice!

 

[POLEWAGGER]

Make a test plot or garden to do real world tests on different objects at different depths.
Controlled testing can trim many hours off the learning curve.
If you're not digging every 5 min in your current location then move on.
Don't have a pinpointer? Get one!
Go back to the sparse locations when you are sharp and confident.
It's GOT to be fun and rewarding or your interest will weaken.
Don't beat yourself to death looking for "this" and "that". Just go out where you can dig some hits and see what you find!

 

[Smudge]

Hey, chin up!

It took Mel Fisher 16 1/2 years to find the Atocha.

 

[JustinG.MDguy]

Thanks for encouraging advice everyone!

It's been raining in Maryland for the past couple of days, and I guess I'm just wanting to get back out there soon.
I'm going to try and get a buddy to detect with, or join a local detecting club. For me, it's just a time issue. I guess I should'nt expect
to find General Lee's sword or a 1700s gold coin every time out.

Digger Dug,

My settings have varied for beach/relic hunting. but mainly, I'm at sens 7-8, Discrimination just before iron. Alt Discrim. right before 5 cent.
My last time out, I switched from GB positive to slightly neg. and even. It seemed to stabilize the tejon well. I'll keep trying different combo's
until I find the right one. Any ideas/ suggestions would be openly accepted!

Nice gold Mudpuppy!

~ Justin G.

 

[DiggerDug]

Disc sounds right. Might want to going higher on the sens for beach and relic hunting. You might be missing the older deeper stuff. These guys are right though sometimes it's sunny sometimes it rains.
But there is always another day. I have been relic hunting in places I just knew for sure I would find something and come home very disapointed. Then hunt a old home place and find CW relics there. You just never know.
One thing is certain, if you don't put your coil to the ground you will defintely go home empty handed. Good luck.

 

[Ray S ECenFL]

Remember the immortal words of Mel Fisher " Today is the day ".

Also keep in mind that if you are not finding anything, Location, Location, Location. Lot of places to look. Parks, Beaches, Sports Fields, Fairgrounds, Churches, Private homes, Curb side grassy strips. Dirt Parking lots. Flea market parking lots. Your friends, relatives and neighbors yards. Camp Grounds. Any area where large groups of people meet.

Just remember to get permission if you are going to be on private property.

Happy Hunting

 

[Canewrap]

Know exactly how ya feel bud. I haven't found diddly in the 4 years I've been doing this, but I just don't give up easy. Gotta say that I've met some real interesting people and seen things that I wouldn't have otherwise (old houses, peoples collections, etc.) I figure that odds are I will find an unhunted area about the time I'm too physically worn out to do much but watch my son dig up the good stuff, LOL! Yeah, ya gotta do research at the library and find little read sources of possible sites or just find likely looking areas on an old map and check them out. Also, research the well known sites and then locate them on the ground and start thinking about where the picket posts might have been. Gotta get creative with your thinking and you'll start finding stuff. I finally start to feel like I'm getting the hang of th research just this year. Perseverence, that's what its all about.

 

[Shenandoah Digger]

Well you've started off right in that you know that it's a minie bullet, rather than a minie ball. When I started a long time ago here in Virginia, I hunted for a few years finding about nothing. And everyone I talked to was finding buckets of bullets and buttons, or so they said. I was hunting camps that had been beaten to death and finding nothing. Then I started hunting off beat places, basically anywhere in the woods or fields that I could get permission to go. And I started finding stuff. Not tons, but enough to keep me encouraged. And these are still the kinds of places I hunt today. I've made some super finds in places where no one else would probably think of going, because they are not known spots for relics. I don't know where you are in Maryland, but I'm sure you're close to places that have small or large fields that you could run a coil across. Just stop and ask. I keep my detector with me and if I see a spot I'd like to hunt for an hour or so, that's not someone's front yard, if I catch someone outside, I stop and ask. Generally they'll say to go ahead, even around here where no one would think of letting you hunt their yard, which I personally don't ask to do. Maryland's old, and lots of old stuff can be found there. If you get permission to hunt a small field or patch of woods, hunt it hard. I've hunted places where I've found nothing, not a shotgun shell, foil, or anything. Until I swept my coil across a CW ID tag that is. Didn't dig anything else but that. So someone walked there and dropped it. Good enough for me. The fun is in the hunt for treasure. The finds will come. Try not to get discouraged. You don't want to be in the 90% club. That's the percentage of detectors that are sitting in closets or attics. The owners started out with great intentions but didn't stay with it long enough to make one good find. If they had they'd have moved to the 10% club, which everyone on these forums is a member of.

 

[joe dirt_1]

Justin, you have recieved some very good advice from the experienced hunters on this forum. You have an excellent detector, all you need is to do some research to find a few productive spots to hunt. One thing I use for locating sites is old county atlas books. You can google these online and they
have a wealth of information of things that took place in days past in your particular area. Type in your county and state followed by say 1870 atlas, then read all the interesting things they tell about things that happened in your area. You will find old picnic groves, schools, churches, etc. that will
keep you busy digging nice coins and relics for a long time. Pm me if you have any questions.....HH..

Roger