Seen a guy hunting the beach yesterday

[Dancer]

and I'm puzzled. This man was hunting with a long handled scoop, looked like he was using a minelab & was working beach the pretty smartly. I was watching him while taking a little break. Now heres what got me, he's swinging that coil 4-6 inches off the sand ai a fairly good rate of speed. I consider myself a good hunter back home [in dirt] so I can't figure out whats going on with this way of hunting. Right now the targets are few on this beach and I have to slow it down some to get the deep ones. Now this guy knows this, so is he just swing for a home run or what?

 

[Anonymous]

sound like he's one of those guys that dont want to scratch the bottom of his minelab coil

 

[Cupajo]

It's a common sight to see some one hunting the sand at a fairly brisk walk with his coil swinging in a "Happy Face" arc several inshes too high off rhe ground.

Most of these folks I've noticed have had fine equipment and are old enough to know better.

Out in the water I've watched them moving so fast as to throw a wake in the water behind them.

I say, let 'em enjoy themselves as they see fit and leave the targets to me!

CJ

 

[01 medicated]

Happy Face arch,lol,yep seen em myself with all there new top o the line gear and if ya try to help em its like kicking a hornets nest.but all are not like that and really appreciate any pointers u can give em

 

[Jason in Enid]

It's a great technique as long as you are only looking for items about an inch under the sand.

 

[BH_Landstar_]

LOL, he's probably got the gain set on 1 as well so he don't kill the batteries !! <<<< with the coil going this fast

 

[goodmore]

I don't get it either. It is usually an elderly man with an older model detector. I always assume by the looks of the man and detector they are out here doing this all the time. But then I think doesn't he get tired of finding nothing.

 

[bcoop]

I have seen the same. I have been working a grid on the beach before and see someone come out of nowhere swinging like he is using a swing blade cutting weeds. In 5 minutes they would be so far down the beach I could barely see them while I am still working a grid digging coins etc.


BCOOP

 

[Dig]

Well you gotta remember some guys go metal detecting just to escape their wives....they're just glad to be away from home.

 

[dewcon4414]

True dig, but i dont plan on giving myself a heart attack at that pace and making my wife a rich woman. Ive had people come up to me on the beach even that i saw doing that and ask... how are you finding things? Then comes the long conversation about detecting like a golfer and just because it has a fast recovery speech. I dont know about you guys but my SE gets pretty darn heavy on a beach after 5 hours when there isnt a lot of targets..... so slow and on the soil is a big help for this ole guy.

Dew

 

[sandnsea49]

I too have seen the golf swing guy. He must find stuff cause he's out there everytime I am. I do have to chuckle. I don't usually help unless they are friendly and he is not, so I just chuckle and go on my way. But he sees me and my style of swinging and you think he'd get the idea from watching me.

 

[dirtdigginlady]

that many of us women go detecting just to escape our husbands but we're still smart enough to swing our detectors correctly ;-)

 

[thirdbornau]

Good on yer dirtdiggin, we ladies do pretty good. When we get to the beach i go one way my husband the other so i guess the feeling is mutual Ha Ha..

Maureen..

 

[mickfin]

Cupajo your right more 4R us, and Dig i gust split a gut their just happy getting away Vis a vers a 4R the Ladies,
But i see im to some times????? whats up with that???? Is their a reason to the super swing???? Dos anybody have a good answer????
I`m with Dancer lets get serious,
Mickfin,

 

[UtahRich]

When I first started detecting more seriously in the early 80's, some of the veteran detectorists would hunt this way claiming their 4 filter VLF detectors were able to get better depth by a faster, whipping swing. Was never a fan of it myself and was taught to keep the coil as close to the ground as reasonable and find a swing rate that matched the capabilities of my detector.



Rich (Utah)

 

[mudpuppy]

One of the very most helpful beach hunting reads is http://www.nmhra.netfirms,com/pulltab/ The Golden Olde, written by Norm Garnush...
Its probably a personallity trait too, like some people like to live bait fish, and others like to run and gun,throwing a plug...both are effective, but one covers a lot more area than the other.
I think both of these methods should be in everyones arsenal of skills, to be used as the situation dictates...

 

[Dig]

Well all kidding aside....I have noticed that when I do see these guys it is usually on the super busy beaches that I hunt. You know the ones, with like 9 guys out there hunting at the same time? So my guess is that the "speed demons" are trying to cover as much ground as they can and even though they are going "warp speed" ,I'm sure they find a ring now and again. I know for a fact that they miss things that would have been an easy find with a slower swing speed that would allow their machine the time to process and register the signal. When I am out I go slow and steady often rechecking minor variations I hear just to be sure. It pays off!

 

[Cupajo]

Thanks for the link mudpuppy!!

I didn't know the site was up as it had been more or less "retired" so I was told.

All ahead slow is the order of the day when using a PI machine in the water or on the beach!

I followed two hunters one day back in the '80s that were almost running to get ahead of me into the water.

In the length of time it took me to cover maybe a hundred feet they had travelled several hundred yards ahead of me so fast they were leaving two wakes behind.

Every time I recovered a gold ring I yelled out to them as I waved it in the air, that they needed to slow down!!

They walked back up the beach apparently unhappy with their hunt and never saying a word to me, got in the car and drove away.

I left a short while later with six gold rings, (One of my better days! One of the rings I had been searching for for a friend who had lost it as a 12 year old forty years earlier!!)

CJ

 

[mickfin]

I have a Hunting friend that gos fast but wen he finds something he slow Down in that area?? 4R me i go slow N low most of the time i get cared away but i try to stop myself,
This Hobby is soupost to be rellaxing????? Mickfin

 

[JOHNMARKHAM]

it shouldnt matter,this guy is having his own fun and enjoyment,one could enter into a conversation with him and then we might really know whats going on,imho just be friendly,we all enjoy our hobby our own way..
hh
john