This was just my first real hunting trip after playing around in the back yard. I have what I will call a recreation field that I did some work for and they were ok with me doing some detecting when no one was out using it. I am fairly sure there will be no real good finds at this spot other than clad or maybe get lucky and find a ring or something, but it is a fantastic place to learn how to read signals and figure out what to dig. This is my first post here, but I have been reading tons of tips from all of you and was able to score a lot of junk coins while only digging 3 holes with actual garbage (only had about 90 minutes or that number would probably be way up). But anyway....my first attempt.
Warning: nothing here worth looking at
- Thread starter bunkeru2k
- Start date
pjcd
Full Member
Neat stick pin.
TCosbyJr
Forum Supporter
Hello and welcome to the hobby. Looks like you did great.
I've hit a few places where I was lucky to find even a single decomposing modern penny, and others nothing all. Those modern pennies are are worse than can slaw - at least the pieces of aluminum cans if collected can be sold as scrap.
The little pistol looks like the metal ones I use to get from the 25 cent toy vending machines by doors as a kid in the 80s. They of course switched to plastic eventually and the metal ones were few, but sucked in kids to buy several to try and get one.
I've hit a few places where I was lucky to find even a single decomposing modern penny, and others nothing all. Those modern pennies are are worse than can slaw - at least the pieces of aluminum cans if collected can be sold as scrap.
The little pistol looks like the metal ones I use to get from the 25 cent toy vending machines by doors as a kid in the 80s. They of course switched to plastic eventually and the metal ones were few, but sucked in kids to buy several to try and get one.
Skippy SH13
Forum Supporter
I've never found a gun. You've got me there.
Good hunt, for a back yard! Beats what I found in mine!
TNTGross
Elite Member
It's a good start with so few holes dug. Love the little gun.
ToySoldier
Forum Supporter
Keep at it!
kingman mikey
Elite Member
Might be toy gun from "clue" game. Cool.
WUVIE
New Member
It is my opinion that almost all finds are fun. Keep digging. You never know.
I was definitely happy finding anything at all. So many good tips here and on some of the youtube channels about how to find good tones and discrim out some of the trash. I just kept looking for good repeatable tones and hit them from different angles when I had a possible good one. I just need that practice and the pinpointing practice for sure as my holes could be a bit...off. Luckily this was mostly bare dirt on the spots I hit. Where exactly would the pinpoint mode be on the coil when you are getting a signal? I had assumed it would basically be the center of the coil, but that did not seem to be the case. I am running an Ace 300 (I am frugal until I get addicted to something).
TCosbyJr
Forum Supporter
The pinpoint location on the coil for concentric coils is ideally in the very center, and DD coils tend to run a few inches away.
In reality the eight detectors I've owned all varied some on where I assumed it would pinpoint from. Also if you are using discrimination it will vary as the detector is processing the signal and depending on what it is deciding to alert to (masking the signal or not from it's current "view") - using the dedicated pinpoint mode is suppose to get around that though if you are using it.
It is simply trial and error to learn your machine and coil a bit. Working on technique of swinging from two angles 45 or 90 degrees apart (think of an X or cross) will help zero in. See posts from this thread about the very thing.
Made it back out to my spot for another couple hours tonight. Learned the lesson about scanning the hole after getting trash out....copper shotgun pellet was masking a deeper quarter in the same spot. Also managed to find my first wheat which was a bit surprising in the location. It was literally 2 feet from where I turned on the detector standing there checking to make sure it was ready to go.
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Silver Saver
Full Member
- Joined
- Aug 24, 2017
- Messages
- 235
Good amount of quarters you snagged there! Grats on the wheat cent! Looks like you're doing a great job for your first times out, digging up the goodies and not getting tricked by trash. Good hunting!
Foragist
Forum Supporter
Good news is, you're doing great! Bad news is, you are addicted! 
Pinpointing with your coil takes practice to get more accurate, but shouldn't take too much of your detecting time. Yes, the strongest signal would be at center coil, but the outer sides of the coil will read strong, too; making it confusing. Running too much sensitivity, or other nearby targets can make it difficult. Learn the wiggle-back method for quick pinpointing of clear targets: Use quick, short, side to side motions(the "wiggle" part) while drawing the coil back toward you; away from the target.(the "back" part) Where the signal stops, the target should be right at the front tip of your coil. Try this on those quarter and dime signals, and you'll soon be popping them accurately in a few seconds. Practice, practice.
Practice improving your speed as you clean out the easy clad, then go over it all again nice and slow, listening for those deeper, old coins.
Pinpointing with your coil takes practice to get more accurate, but shouldn't take too much of your detecting time. Yes, the strongest signal would be at center coil, but the outer sides of the coil will read strong, too; making it confusing. Running too much sensitivity, or other nearby targets can make it difficult. Learn the wiggle-back method for quick pinpointing of clear targets: Use quick, short, side to side motions(the "wiggle" part) while drawing the coil back toward you; away from the target.(the "back" part) Where the signal stops, the target should be right at the front tip of your coil. Try this on those quarter and dime signals, and you'll soon be popping them accurately in a few seconds. Practice, practice.
Practice improving your speed as you clean out the easy clad, then go over it all again nice and slow, listening for those deeper, old coins.
I can say that I am definitely learning the sounds on good targets that are 2-4" deep. Can almost tell if it is a quarter by how big the pinpoint signal is on the really strong repeatable tones. The one thing that has been tricking me the most are those rocks at the top. I have hit a solid 5-6 holes where I get very good signals and it ends up as those. I don't even have a clue what they are.
And yea....I get addicted to things like this quickly and my wife is going to LOVE it when I have to upgrade machines to start learning how to shoot for rings and other things deeper.
And yea....I get addicted to things like this quickly and my wife is going to LOVE it when I have to upgrade machines to start learning how to shoot for rings and other things deeper.
Foragist
Forum Supporter
Maybe hot rocks? Weird to be finding that many "hot rocks", though. I'm thinking you are running a high sensitivity? For basic coinshooting, you don't need to be in the high end of the sens range. Try turning it down to about half strength. BTW, the "wiggle-back" method works without using the pinpoint button.
You have a good start, but with some regular field time, in good locations, you can get Ace 300 paid for. Keep track of your clad amounts and other valuable finds, and when you reach the amount you initially spent, you can claim "it paid for itself", to give yourself an edge in the upgrade argument...uh...discussion. It may take a while, but that machine is plenty good enough to do it, and by the time it "pays for itself", you will have learned enough to justify an upgrade. Better yet, save up enough clad to pay for any upgrades outright! But for now, I'd say you have a fine machine. No need for better. You didn't mention a handheld pinpointer. If you don't have one, I'd think about that being the next upgrade.
You have a good start, but with some regular field time, in good locations, you can get Ace 300 paid for. Keep track of your clad amounts and other valuable finds, and when you reach the amount you initially spent, you can claim "it paid for itself", to give yourself an edge in the upgrade argument...uh...discussion. It may take a while, but that machine is plenty good enough to do it, and by the time it "pays for itself", you will have learned enough to justify an upgrade. Better yet, save up enough clad to pay for any upgrades outright! But for now, I'd say you have a fine machine. No need for better. You didn't mention a handheld pinpointer. If you don't have one, I'd think about that being the next upgrade.
Congratulations and welcome to the forum!
In case I missed it, what type of machine are you using?
Also, from what part of the country do you hail?
In case I missed it, what type of machine are you using?
Also, from what part of the country do you hail?
I have the sensitivity down a couple of notches but not all the way down to half for certain. I will experiment with that when I start seeing more of the rocks and test it with some known coins to see what I get. I was doing the wiggle last night on several of them before hitting with the pinpoint mode. I can see where that can be just as easy with good targets...I was using the pinpoint on those kind of to determine the size of the item. The first nickel I dug up I was almost not going to dig it. I felt like it was just a piece of aluminum....but it kept bumping up to 46 so I told myself I would dig the trash just to see what the trash was there.
I guess if i keep this for a good long while I just have to find enough clad to justify a good shovel to make life easier. I have a junky mini-shovel and a radius root slayer soil knife (which has been way better than the garret digger). I do have the Garret AT pinpointer which I love and hate at the same time.
I guess if i keep this for a good long while I just have to find enough clad to justify a good shovel to make life easier. I have a junky mini-shovel and a radius root slayer soil knife (which has been way better than the garret digger). I do have the Garret AT pinpointer which I love and hate at the same time.
I am in SW Ohio....the land of heavy clay. I have an Ace 300 that I bought last year and just now getting around to really trying.
Been a while since posting, but been hitting my spot up when I can and finding the clad coins and minor tidbits....until tonight. Had a really slow start, with nothing but aluminum cans and pennies....then started hitting s stretch with nothing but quarters, probably 8 or so in a 20 foot section. the finally hit what seemed to be a dime and was able to pinpoint it super easy and dug a pretty small plug and boom.....the first gold for me. I am pretty sure I even know who it belongs to as he told me he had lost a ring at this site about 10 years ago.
