What am I seeing in the videos...

[grumpyolman]

I work freshwater lakes inland and detect on the land. When I watch the videos of you lucky people who are in the warm beautiful blue water I am envious. But, why is it I see you all wandering all over the place making big Zs in your search patterns and obviously missing a lot of potential hunt area? You have miles of beach so there is not shortage of that. I know there is a good reason for it but I haven't read why and thought somebody might want to share with a landlocked water hunter the method to the madness of the random pattern you seem to follow. When I find some loot, I mentally grid out the area and work it hard and hope I don't do the "Z" swing thing. Thanks...Jim

 

[Quartzsite]

I've noticed that too... When I hunt I look like I am on some strong downers ! Shuffeling my feet and moving pretty slow , overlapping every swing . When I have finished an area you see lines and lines of shuffel marks in the sand all the way down the river bank .

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

[OldBeechnut]

In my video's you only see a bit of what is really going on, with Max..he works a z or s pattern , But he has certain areas...that he works harder then others. {I won't tell Max} ..Just got back from Florida, got a video coming of Junklord, he hunts a very tight area..not leaving much area missed if any {Beach and his fresh water mud hole}. Will make sure that is in the Video for you.....for me I hunt different every time out.Sometimes wide open amid sometimes tight. But I must say I have seen several that just kind of wonder around out there...........Here are a few of my GPS Tracks....

 

[deerman]

n/t

 

[Willee - Texas]

That gives you the graphic image that you posted?
Do the points represent target locations?

Willee

 

[grumpyolman]

GPSs can make those marks three ways. The first is the operator hits the 'mark' button and a waypoint (or coordinate) is recorded. It can be at a target find or anytime the operator wants to note his/her position. The other two are done either with a time setting or with a distance setting. If you set the GPS to fast, it'll record locations every minute, 3 minutes, etc. however you set it. If you want a really fine track of what you are doing you can also tell the GPS to mark a waypoint every "X" number of feet, yards, etc.
What you see above is what's called a track. A track is where you have been. A route is where you want to go. Operationally, you could choose an area that you really want to hunt and look at that area on a quadrangle map. You could calculate where you want to go and tell that to the GPS and then tell it to GOTO. Follow the cursor and you are now on the route you selected.
Our Search and Rescue group mapped out some trails for the local park folks that they didn't have anything other than a crude drawing of where they were within the confines of the park. If the satellites are in the right area and you don't have a ton of brush over your head, those things can be accurate within 5-10 feet. We combined those track with mapping software that also calculated altitude gain or loss so park goers could determine if it was more than they wanted to do or if they were up to it. More than you wanted to know...Jim

 

[TheHawg]

One moves up and down the beach in an "S" in order to find the "sweet spot" (the distance from the high water mark) where the ocean has deposited most of the "stuff". Very often most of your stuff will be found a certain distance from the high water mark. Then you hit that "line" hard.

Having said that, I haven't been able to find much this summer. It's a wonder I can find my truck.

TheHawg