Am I really THAT old? How much time do YOU spend detecting?

[erikk]

That is the secret-ya gotta keep moving....

 

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[detectordave]

The thing I don't get is if you layoff MDing for two or more days when you startup again every bone in your body hurts

HH
Joe

Absolutely! Also when the snow finally stops here and I get out the first few times, my thighs hurt for weeks.

 

[M-Squared]

Dave...

I typically spend approx. 6 hours per week devoted to metal detecting. Unfortunately its only one day per week since I work in excess of 40+ per week and spend most of my free time with the family.

M-Squared

 

[dave-enc]

Dave, bobbie and I are both 47. October-May we detect 8-10 hours on saturday, sunday maybe 6 max. June-August no more than 4-5 hours a day that includes drive time. The summer heat down here really gets to Bobbie badly. We only detected 2 spots today cause we got started late and she has not been feeling good.
hh
dave+bobbie

 

[cntrydncr1]

Detectordave, I'm with you. I'm even older! LOL but after 2 1/2 or 3 hours my knees are screaming. I've been getting out 3-4 days a week and average 2 hours each time out. I'm supposed to be taking a break to try to get my knees back to normal but i'm so obsessed I just won't quit!! I found my first real ring today and was so excited. It is a very lightweight 925 but looks impressive! Trying to decide where to go tomorrow....so many places so little time!

 

[Stormin Norman]

I'm only 17, but most of you people detect alot more then me, i'm lucky if i get out once a week and search for an hour

 

[DFX-SE Gregg]

Maybe there is a reason some detectors cost more! Just a thought!!!

I always wonder about those 200 coin days too!!! My biggest was just over $5.00 in clad at a local school - just lucky that day.

I probably spend a few hours a week - usually on the weekend, but sometimes I will go to a local school after work for a quick fix.

In 6 months I have accumulated maybe $50 in clad, a diamond necklace, a few rings and one gold nugget ring. Right now the heat is killing me!!!! I have always hated the heat and wondered how I would do during the summer... well is stinks! I wear headphones, and I just sweat buckets because of them (very unladylike - lol). I'm still at it though until the temp gets into the 90's with 100% humidity - then I will take a break or hit the beach only.

 

[DFX-SE Gregg]

I'm 46 and can search for 8 to 10 hours. When the weather is warm,i'll take frequent breaks for water.Easy to forget to do that when you're making good finds.

I am with you 8-10 but when i am going for my oncea week 100 coin day...I go over the limit!

 

[DFX-SE Gregg]

I hope i am still able to detect at 63...FANTASTIC!!!

3 to 4 hrs is a good hunt for me out by 7:00am back by 12:00 eat lunch take a power nap 20 to 30 min. can go the rest of the day. I started the power nap thing about three years before I retired then it was only 10 to 15 min but now I play I mean work so hard I need that little extra.
when I go hunting with the young kids (30-40yrs old) yes I can do the 6 or 7 hr thing but boy do I feel it the next day I'm going to hate it when I get their age top coin count is about 50 the ground around here gets hard in the summer. I'm going to get a ground shark and see if that helps should get it monday.

The thing I don't get is if you layoff MDing for two or more days when you startup again every bone in your body hurts
Been retired just over a year now turned 63 March 17 and MDing gets me away from the house out in the fresh air it matters not to me if I find a coin or a pulltab its all fun to me as long as I have my good health good friends and family
what else do I need.

HH
Joe

 

[mirage hunter]

LOL!! Your wright! I am a 2 to 3 hour hunter myself!! I am 42 also!! and I like to go out in the evenings for awhile!! But if I find an old house to hunt with permission and it is hitting good!! Well!!!! I might be in traction for a while the next day because I wont leave!!

 

[Prober]

I just turned 66. I sometimes md from early morning until 7 or 8 at night...yesterday it was 8:25. The only rest I take is for lunch which sometimes I don't take until 2 or 3 in the afternoon. Driving to the next site is kind of a break too, so I probably get 3 to 12 more breaks if visiting lots of parks. I find it difficult to take a day off. I'm retired & my wife still works so I'm home alone, nothing to do except honey do stuff & who wants to do that? haha
I must admit, a couple days ago when I laid down my back was killing me. I'm thinking I should take more breaks, but the next dig could be gold or diamonds! Today I didn't start until 11 and came home by 1. Then left again about 1:30 went to the store and hunted until 7 something. On the way home I found 3 more places to hunt so I will probably get out in the morning about 8 or 9 and go until I finish them; then if its still early I'll try to find some more parks/playgrounds to do. I think I'm an addict! LOL

 

[Peg Leg]

I am 70 years old and still like to MD the beaches when I can but with only one leg this does slow me down. But I STILL go to look for shipwrecks.
I have never MDed all that much but I was planning to hunt at the Pea Ridge Battle Field-NOT the actual Battle Field itself but across the road that does NOT belong to the Government.
I started to check the area out when a Storm came up but I did get reactions to and old very large Oak tree that was dying it was a very BIG OLD Oak tree.
Oh I lost my right leg 3 yers ago but it may have slowed me down but has NOT stopped me.
Peg Leg

 

[The Standard]

i'm 29 but i still limit my hunts to 2 to 3 hrs. 8 hours seems like a job to me, and i already have one of those. but hey, if you are enjoying it, keep going.

 

[cryptodave]

I've done many many 8 to 10 hour days... All in fields. I don't find 200+ coins a day, because that is not what I am looking for. I am looking for the old stuff, and after spending hours upon hours of research on a site, I spend hours upon hours detecting it too!
Now when I first started to get heavy into detecting and started trying these long days, it hurt. I would need ben gay and a good rub down from the old woman, but now I'm fine. The trick is take your time, take plenty of breaks and eat at least one meal.... And find stuff that your interested in, something to keep the ol' adrenaline pumping and the excitment level up.

 

[detectordave]

Just to update. We have done a few 3 hour hunts now lol. Been slowly increasing as the legs get stronger. Its amazing to me the hours people put into this hobby. I guess if you include research and of course treasure net, I put in some very long days. Just wish I had the stamina of some of you people! Good luck to all and HH, dave.

 

[N.J.THer]

I'm getting jealous. I'm 38 which I think is still young and my longest hunt was about 2 hours. The body feels fine but my schedule is just way to full. I work all week, sell real estate on the side and the weekend is filled with family obligations. I'm going to buy the wife a detector...hoping that if she gets hooked I can stay out longer..lol.

HH

NJ

 

[DFX-SE Gregg]

Having a detector that feels like an anchor is what caused the ben gay!

I've done many many 8 to 10 hour days... All in fields. I don't find 200+ coins a day, because that is not what I am looking for. I am looking for the old stuff, and after spending hours upon hours of research on a site, I spend hours upon hours detecting it too!
Now when I first started to get heavy into detecting and started trying these long days, it hurt. I would need ben gay and a good rub down from the old woman, but now I'm fine. The trick is take your time, take plenty of breaks and eat at least one meal.... And find stuff that your interested in, something to keep the ol' adrenaline pumping and the excitment level up.

 

[weasel606]

wife and i have hunted 3 to 4 hours go home eat and go back out for another 3 or 4 hours , it go's by so fast we dont realize it, but boy we sure are tired by the time nightfall comes

 

[Lasivian]

I can stay out alot longer since I converted my XLT to run on external batteries.

Down here it's usually the heat that drives you off, not body aches.

 

[Natman]

Hi all,

I'm 46, and I detect every chance I get! I do lawn service part time and MD in my spare time, along with getting everything that needs doing done around the house, so needless to say there are days I feel like one giant ache!

The time I spend MDing depends on weather conditions, my motivation factor (this is based on if I start finding some good items right away or being somewhere for an hour and not finding squat), and my physical well being (if I feel up to a good long hunt). I've hunted for 45 minutes and for 4-5 hours at a time..on hot days (like today) I prefer to hunt at dawn (which could be 6 a.m.) and hunt for about 2 hours or so.

When I get to the wood chips or an old private yard and they start producing good stuff, my MDing subconscious takes over..I get into what I'm doing so much just to have the chance of a thrilling find. If you've ever dug up something really great, you know what I'm talking about..not only do you remember it forever but you'll want that excitement to keep happening to you..that's what drives me to detect even when I'm downright exhausted.

I usually don't even think about anything else except what I'm doing when I'm on an outing, then once I've had enough I go home and don't feel too bad..until the next day . It takes about 2 hours after getting out of bed for me to actually begin to move about normally..my main concerns are my hands and legs..my hands are stiff (and sometimes actually hurt) from using the digging tool, and my legs from all the standing, squatting and walking..my thigh muscles take the most punishment. Thank God for hot baths and Advil

As some of you have said, you always hear about who found what, or how many or how much, and there's nothing wrong with that, however what you ultimately end up with is based on some skill, some luck and how determined you are to keep at it until you finally stumble upon that "big find", whatever that may be.

Nat