Targets are scarcer

[scott.f]

I hunted the beach here today for a couple hours and got some coins, a couple of junk ear-rings, a plated copper ID bracelet, some sort of medical lapel pin and of course a bag full of pull tabs, bottle caps and bits of aluminum. Still, it was a fun time. There was a huge flock of pelicans, seagulls, terns, and egrets feeding in the shallows just off the rocks when I arrived, quite a sight.

Here's the loot for today....

HH all

 

[Sanderling]

I agree that targets are getting scarcer, but it is still nice to spend a few hours at the beach even if you are just herding seagulls as you swing the coil.

 

[pasttom]

Even over the last couple years this seems to be true. Sunrise, sunset, people watching and just the glory of the beach ecosystem make the worst day of detecting better than...
well you know.
Man I pity the poor bikers, joggers, golfers, etc. But, I am glad they are not out detecting on my beach!

 

[Goldstrike]

If you go back on the forums, this one in particular, it seems like the past years were way more productive, especially on the beach's. There are a few reasons I think why this is so. I don't know what the stats are but this hobby continues to grow in popularity so it stands to reason, there are a lot more detectorists swinging coils! Also, we are in the Winter months with cooler temps; and so far less people are going to the beach loosing stuff.
The weather plays a big part too. If there are fewer storms and weather disturbances, the sand remains in place and again, the amount of good targets drop. Could it be that there are more beach re-nourishment action by the beach cities around the U.S. coastline? Could it be that people used to own and wear more expensive jewellery in the past? I don't know if that's true or not. I still think that the major reason why "targets are scarcer" is that there are more people embracing this hobby resulting in fewer finds. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Dancer]

Well I'm hunting the panhandle of Florida. I drove down to Ft. Myers last year. About 6-7 hours. The weather seemed tropical compared to here. By 10 in the morning the beach was too crowded to hunt. I got a couple of bucks by than had to quit. Great beach to hunt, but what it cost to stay 3 days, gets me a month up north. By the time spring break starts here, where I stay go's from $30 a night to $250. So it's see you later. I'm not going to complain though, I could be scooping snow.

 

[GeorgeinSC]

I spent one week last January in the Port Charlotte area. We hunted beaches up and down the west coast. Water was too rough to do any wading as the wind was out of the North West. Lots of folks on the beach but the finds were scarce. In a week I wound up with a few dollars in clad and one sterling silver ring. We spent more money getting on some of the beaches than what we found.

My brother in law reports that conditions are much the same this year as far as finds are concerned.

I had planned on going down again this year but had surgery on my left hand in Dec and I am still having to see a therapist once a week. Not being able to properly use my thumb makes handling a scoop just a little difficult. Hoping to get rid of the splint that I have been wearing for six weeks some time this week.

MY beaches locally are sanded in something awful.

 

[Minas man]

Last year was the year, instead of a Tesoro Vaquero in the dry sand as in previous years I would hit the West Central Florida Gulf Beaches with a Minelab Sovereign. Well the targets were few and far between in and out of the water with 35 cents being one of the big days and one broken piece of silver jewelry. I Hunted a minimum of 2 hours a day.
I do like getting out on the beach and do not want to be a belly achier but my expectations will be a lot lower this year.
Are tattoo's the new Jewelry?

Minas man

 

[KinTN]

...Are tattoo's the new Jewelry?

Minas man

THAT is a chilling thought.