Newb question

[ON_BH]

Hi All,
I am new to metal detecting and have just bought my first detector. I was looking for tips on proper digging techniques for unearthing those finds. I have found a couple of good places to start, but am nervous about digging holes in local parks. If anyone has any information they could share or point me in the right direction i would greatly appreciate it. After reading posts on here for the past few weeks i know i am in the right place. There seems to be many experience, educated detectorists around.
Thank You!

 

[clondike clad]

I will be putting up a tip on digging on www.firstontop.com.
You also can check out other tips that may help you.
I have over 30 plus tips on the site for anyone to look at.
KEEP THE COILS A SWINGING.

 

[Ron from Michigan]

ON BH, Before you go to the park search in your own yard.Beginner's usually have troubles pinpointing and operating their new detectors. The first thing I do with my new detectors is use them in my own yard to minimize unnecessary digging in the park.Another thing to consider, digging tools try to use a screwdriver shovels make park maintenance nervous.Most important go there to enjoy the park your not on a mining expedition just looking for lost coins.Remember also your a tax payer and have as much rights to be in that park as the dog walkers, runner's,or homeless. Ron

 

[Fred/in Fla.]

Welcome to a rewarding hobby, ON__BH. As you have probably already determined, digging holes can cause alot of concern with park officials. Don't dig on playing fields, ie: baseball, soccer,and football. This is frowned on by Parks and Recreation. Never leave a hole unfilled, even if you found it and was not you who dug it. Haul out any trash you digup and dispose of it in a trash recepticle. Cause no harm to the landscape. If you dig a horseshoe shaped hole and 'flip' the dirt/grass plug back away from you, the grass will be less likely to 'die' as a result. Keep a 12in square piece of cloth with you and place extra dirt on this so a to easly replace it back into the hole. Then, after recovering your find, place extra dirt from the cloth into the hole and hinge the trap-door back into place and tamp back into place. Most holes dug in this manner will be hardly noticed when finished. I might suggest you do-not go into your local parks carrying a huge spade-type shovel with you. Get a well made little flower-bed spade shovel. Most holes and finds will be relativly shallow and easy to retrieve and you wont need to dig a huge hole to get to it. Watch other detectorist and pick up on their good habits. Be careful out there and have fun.H/H Fred/in Fla.

 

[Ron from Michigan]

ON BH, Just curious what metal detector are you using to get started with your park hunts? Ron

 

[ON_BH]

Thank you very much for your quick responses. I went and bought a bounty hunter discovery 2200 from radio shack. After doing some research i found that this was a good machine for beginners. I havent been able to give it a real good run yet. However, i took it down to a close by beach for 30 mins and found a half dozen bottle caps and a dime. The feeling from pulling that dime out was great....even though it was just a dime! I live in Ontario, Canada and i have never seen anybody metal detecting anywhere! I'm a little nervous of people coming up and asking me what I'm doing...
Anyway,
Thanks for the help guys, I've been lucky to have found this forum

 

[Ron from Michigan]

ON BH, Good Hunting and enjoy the new hobby. Ron

 

[Dan-Pa.]

Fred in Fla along with the other posts offer some good info. The place to practice is in your back yard and gosh you have to learn to pinpoint accurately before you dig...In local parks coins usually are shallow and might try this method..Buy a screwdriver at a flea market cheaply, paint the handle a bright color in case you drop( anything but green)file off the two sharp edges at the point and mark the handle so you know when its flat..You can probe with the tip( takes practice) once you find the coin, carry a small knife and make a small slice in the grass towards you from the position where it is probed, remove where you probed, slip the scewdriver in the slit and under the coin keeping screwdriver flat and simply pop it out. Works great for shallow coins and does little damage to grass and after a while you will know when you probe a rock or coin..Welcome to a great hobby and remember it takes time and practice to become proficient...

 

[Ron from Michigan]

ON BH, I think a Bounty Hunter 4 inch sniper coil will work on your Discovery.These small coils work great for parks with lots of trash,and the Bounty Hunter sniper coil is very inexpensive around 30.00 US. Ron

 

[ON_BH]

I knew i came to the right place! Thank you very much for then info guys!

 

[ivansalis]

if ask (i assume you are hunting legally in the area--check local laws on parks and public lands(go online & get a print out of it and carry it on you) & get the ok from private land owner if you want to search there ahead of time) if its a legal public place to hunt and a buzy body/ nosey type person-- ask what you doing? just say "looking for a lost ring --sorry i can't talk more right now but I'm busy trying to find it" (really you are looking for one aren't you?--so thats no lie now is it?) they will then look at you as a "white knight" type so then you put the headphones on and go back to detecting and hopefully they will go away leaving you alone, however even if they call a cop trying to cause a hassle ---you can honestly say to the cops that indeed you WERE trying to find a ring ,plus any other items of value that you might find.nothing illegal with that,now is there? then show em the print out and say that the other person was " illegally harrasing you while to were peacefully doing a "legally allowed" pastime and ask the officer to "talk" to them and explain to them that they should not bother you anymore. p.s if it kids asking nicely tell them I'm metal detecting and show them a bit could wind up be another metal detector convert--- however if their the just being a pest type punks-- trust me you can tell which is which-- just go with the lost ring -i'm buzy trying to find it no time to talk bit Ivan

 

[TuckyTector(InezKY)]

n/t