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night hunting....please share!
- Thread starter SuperUgly
- Start date
deliveryboy
New member
In Arizona the weather is nice at night, I enjoy night hunting more night than day, because less people to bother me and its peaceful. If you have a Garrett propointer it has a light built in so digging the targets are just as easy.
fowlercharles
Member
Hi Wraytex , and I would agree completely. Likely many more reasons agin-it than for it, Creepy crawlers and mosquitos at night especially , and also for us Down South folks, unseen Fire Ant Beds. Their nests are many times not evident even in broad daylight, until you suddenly find you are standing knee deep in them and by then you are in serious pain, a bunch! Winter time with a full moon,possibly would be the safest time for night hunting, providing you thought it was worth the cold.. Of course, when I was a kid, and didn't know better,,, yeah right,,, the hazards never kept me from literally belly crawling through a farmers watermellon patch 30' from his bedroom window while rolling a big fine watermellon ahead of me. That ,I also learned (rifle shots all around) was not such a good idea either. HH, Charlie
Ive been planning a few night hunts in areas that are technically legal but might result in folks asking a lot of questions. Hunting them at night would will releave me of explaining that its legal and I have a permit, etc. However, someone lurking around with a small headlamp at night might draw the attention of Law Enforcement and I will end up explaining my self to them instead. Still, I find it easier to show a cop what Im doing is legal than a nosy citizen.
I am going to place a rifle scope mount on the upper shaft of the detector to mount a mini-maglite to it. I'll use a red lens to keep it low profile. I'll let you know how that works...
I am going to place a rifle scope mount on the upper shaft of the detector to mount a mini-maglite to it. I'll use a red lens to keep it low profile. I'll let you know how that works...
Please do ,.let us know .. historical places are tempting , but I'm going to think of other places to go. Need to break the ice and get more organized for any kind of night hunts. Anyone ever been question by police at night? If so what happened and how did the conversation go?
I night hunt beaches without a light, just scoop up the targets and sort of hand feel them for ID. Of course the tones sort of tell you what you can expect. I've been snuck up on by a few beach cops, well, not snuck up on exactly, but they came to see what I was up to. I do carry a bright LED light for to shine in somebodys face if they approach me for bad intent. The beach cops sometimes say the beach is closed at night, but I am prepared to have a nice little chat about how its probably a good idea for them to have a few good eyes down here in case there is some crises that needs to be handled or reported. I've not been seriously tossed off...You can hunt by tones alone, and keep your head up and on a swivel, theres generally enough ambient light get accustomed to walking along and even seeing things like cans or towels or somesuch. It is cooler and comfortable and nobodies around. Headlamps would draw too much attention, plus they limit your vision to the little patch of light right in front of you, and its a good idea to wear headphones to keep quiet.
Mud
Mud
Rick in Pa
New member
I will hunt beaches at night, but not alone. Too many unsavory types. Land hunting for me is usually parks, and most of those are closed after dark due to the unsavory folks again. I do use a red light at beach at night and that helps a lot. Since I use a excalibur at the beach there is no meter to watch.
Mojo-trout, you bring up a good point that it's sometimes good to hunt at night (or ... at least .... in low traffic odd-ball times), NOT because a person thinks he's necessarily doing anything illegal, but simply to keep from having anyone assume that, or question that, or quizz you about whether you'll do harm, etc... Or to stop some busy-body from morphing something ELSE they *think* applies to your activity: usually the dreaded alteration and defacement junk (even though you know you'll leave no trace). So rather than even go down that road of semantics, I too hunt a lot at night. Because our hobby is an oddity, that draws stares and looks from passerbys, right? And our hobby has admitted connotations, right? So why swat hornet's nests? Why risk that someone will want to make a rule? Isn't out of site out-of-mind? Why do so many md'rs think that because it's not technically illegal at some particular place, that therefore they can go at high noon waltzing over people's beach blankets?
Detecting is a little like nose-picking: not necessarily "illegal", but for pete's sake, we all have a little discretion in our timing.
Don't use any headlamp or lights. Because otherwise, your eyes will become focused/adjusted to *just* that beam of light. And pretty soon, everything outside that beam will become blind. Instead, let your eyes become focussed on the regular star light, moon-light, etc... That's good enough to see where to swing your coil, walk, etc... And then you can have a tiny penlight stored in your apron to see the dates on coins or whatever.
Detecting is a little like nose-picking: not necessarily "illegal", but for pete's sake, we all have a little discretion in our timing.
Don't use any headlamp or lights. Because otherwise, your eyes will become focused/adjusted to *just* that beam of light. And pretty soon, everything outside that beam will become blind. Instead, let your eyes become focussed on the regular star light, moon-light, etc... That's good enough to see where to swing your coil, walk, etc... And then you can have a tiny penlight stored in your apron to see the dates on coins or whatever.
Just an FYI note. I was hunting the yard of a house that will be demolished soon for a new freeway. On this block there are 4 houses left, 2 are still occupied. It was 1:00 in the afternoon and as I headed back to my car, one of the people from the occupied house came out and met me. He was literally screaming obscenities at me about detecting there at night, waking him and his dogs up,etc,etc.
After I convinced him it wasn't me, he finally calmed down. This guy had been drinking and he was pissed. Maybe not at me directly, but at some detectorist.
If you're out at night, be aware. They live..
After I convinced him it wasn't me, he finally calmed down. This guy had been drinking and he was pissed. Maybe not at me directly, but at some detectorist.
If you're out at night, be aware. They live..
norfolkneil
New member
Lol night hunting is looked down upon in the UK its called night hawking a big no no but fun
MarkCZ
Well-known member
Night Hunting!
In the past I have done a LOT OF IT! (not much these days.
The Right Place, (Legal area to hunt, a place you feel pretty safe to be in at night)
But also conditions!
I found that in the mid summer heat with all the solar energy metal detectors run MUCH better (quieter) from about 1:00am until about 6:00am, they also run deeper. Solar energy charges the ground minerals.
Bugs, well OFF spray works for that.
Light,
LED headlamp works great, Wire in a mercury switch to the head band and adjust it to where the light comes on when you look down, but goes off when you look up, it works great! (I just gave away a VERY GOOD idea to patent)
White search coils are better than black.
Ear Buds are a must! (or open air headphones at lest)
Okay, my story!
One night I was night hunting the city curbs, it was drizzling rain and it was bout 1:00am.
I made a couple of mistakes to start off with,
1- I started hunting where I parked my car, instead off walking down to the next block, somebody in one of the houses saw me.
2- I had on tan pants and a white nail apron.
About 45 minutes into the hunt a Police officer pulls up and puts his spot light on me, I walk over to the car and he is laughing so hard he couldn't hardly talk. He says,
'Your Not going To Believe The Call That Came In On You'
'He said the call that was dispatched over the radio to him was a report of someone sweeping the sidewalks at 1:00am, in the rain, in their underwear' (he just drove away, I moved on down the street)
True Story!
Mark
In the past I have done a LOT OF IT! (not much these days.
The Right Place, (Legal area to hunt, a place you feel pretty safe to be in at night)
But also conditions!
I found that in the mid summer heat with all the solar energy metal detectors run MUCH better (quieter) from about 1:00am until about 6:00am, they also run deeper. Solar energy charges the ground minerals.
Bugs, well OFF spray works for that.
Light,
LED headlamp works great, Wire in a mercury switch to the head band and adjust it to where the light comes on when you look down, but goes off when you look up, it works great! (I just gave away a VERY GOOD idea to patent)
White search coils are better than black.
Ear Buds are a must! (or open air headphones at lest)
Okay, my story!
One night I was night hunting the city curbs, it was drizzling rain and it was bout 1:00am.
I made a couple of mistakes to start off with,
1- I started hunting where I parked my car, instead off walking down to the next block, somebody in one of the houses saw me.
2- I had on tan pants and a white nail apron.
About 45 minutes into the hunt a Police officer pulls up and puts his spot light on me, I walk over to the car and he is laughing so hard he couldn't hardly talk. He says,
'Your Not going To Believe The Call That Came In On You'
'He said the call that was dispatched over the radio to him was a report of someone sweeping the sidewalks at 1:00am, in the rain, in their underwear' (he just drove away, I moved on down the street)
True Story!
Mark
MarkCZ
Well-known member
Hey "Elton" I need your help!Elton said:
For some reason I'm not getting forum notification of added post to ANY topic I have selected to "Follow Topic" and "Email me about replies to this topic"
My email address hasn't changed for years?
Same computer for over six months,
One day it just stop working?
Can something be reset on the forum side?
Help!
Thanks.
We can kick this over to PM's if you have some ideas.
Mark
Dirtdigger33
Active member
I used to love to night hunt. When I did I chose well to semi-lit areas and never felt the need to sneak around. Only once have I been approached by a cop and he ran my Id just to put it in the system in case there were any complaints or problems with vandalism. They had some problems in the past with vandalism at this school. Other than that they just watch me for minute and then drive on. Maybe it is because they know I am not going to be doing anything stupid or it might have to do with the fact that we have a retired police chief in our area that detects as well. My best advice is don't do anything that raises suspicion and try to hunt with a friend. First there is strength in numbers and second they can be a witness if false accusations are brought up. I like to hunt with my compadre when I go night hunting. It is simple to use. Finds me my best stuff and I don't have to dig much to find my target.
My best story of a night hunt was when I found my 1st war nickel. I was hunting alone. well not entirely alone. i had my compadre with me. i got a good signal, dug down and popped out a shiny nickel. I knew immediately by the mint mark on the back i had found a war nickel. Also i found a silver bracelet with a turquoise stone in it one night. Night hunting can be fun. just be safe and follow any rules and regs. Good luck and HH.
My best story of a night hunt was when I found my 1st war nickel. I was hunting alone. well not entirely alone. i had my compadre with me. i got a good signal, dug down and popped out a shiny nickel. I knew immediately by the mint mark on the back i had found a war nickel. Also i found a silver bracelet with a turquoise stone in it one night. Night hunting can be fun. just be safe and follow any rules and regs. Good luck and HH.
I did a night hunt along the sidewalks in a small Idaho town over the weekend. My only light was from the pinpointer but it was a cloudless night and there were intermittent street lights along the route. I had several people walk by me (it was a Saturday night) but no one said anything to me. I found a few wheaties and a few dollars in clad.
Overall, it was a weird experience. Although I thought I would be more relaxed, I was actually more tense because of people walking toward me at night and the fear that someone would see me out their window and call the police.
Maybe it just takes getting used to. I'll do it a few more times and see where my comfort level goes.
Overall, it was a weird experience. Although I thought I would be more relaxed, I was actually more tense because of people walking toward me at night and the fear that someone would see me out their window and call the police.
Maybe it just takes getting used to. I'll do it a few more times and see where my comfort level goes.
kingingkunsan
Member
If you decide to go on a night hunt I have a little advice.
I recently did this for the first time and the lessons I learned I can pass on.
Invest in a quality head lamp. This will allow you to see as you sweep the coil and keep your hands free. At minimum have a flashlight available. The reason for this is, no matter how much light the moon is giving it will still be difficult to see the target and filling the hole neatly once complete is next to impossible without a light.
Finally, anyone that notices you is going to think you are up to no good if you are going totally stealth. Seriously, what would you think if someone was wondering around your yard or a neighbors yard in complete darkness? Can you say CREEPER JMHO
I recently did this for the first time and the lessons I learned I can pass on.
Invest in a quality head lamp. This will allow you to see as you sweep the coil and keep your hands free. At minimum have a flashlight available. The reason for this is, no matter how much light the moon is giving it will still be difficult to see the target and filling the hole neatly once complete is next to impossible without a light.
Finally, anyone that notices you is going to think you are up to no good if you are going totally stealth. Seriously, what would you think if someone was wondering around your yard or a neighbors yard in complete darkness? Can you say CREEPER JMHO
Sure, no one's going to be able to read the dates on coins with nothing but moon-light, but a penlight could be brought out for just when you need it for that. As for a continaul headlamp, I disagree with you though. Your eyes will end up becoming to "just that beam of light", and you'll grow blind to everything else around you. In addition to just being a "beacon" for everyone to see, and they ask themselves "gee, what's that guy doing over there?" I guess if a person's vision is so poor, then moon and star-light are not enough to walk around, then sure, maybe they need light "just to walk in the night". But for me (and I suspect most people), they can walk just fine, see enough not to bump into trees, etc... And I see enough to cover my hole, stomp it back, ruffle it, etc... The only time I turn on my light is to see what coin I just dug up.