Dig Wars, full first episode and teaser clips from the first 3 episodes.

Chicago Ron · Jun 18, 2013

vpnavy · Jun 18, 2013

Outstanding and thanks Chicago Ron.

gunsil · Jun 18, 2013

Hi Ron, thanks for the links. BUT could you please talk to the producers to allow you folks to do a little segment about proper digging etiquette and ethics so the newbies spawned by your show and others can see what pros act like. It might also make John Q. Public a little more at ease when we ask permission or are seen doing our thing. It shouldn't take more than a few minutes of air time and I know for sure that every person on this forum and others is desiring the same thing.

Chicago Ron · Jun 18, 2013

I would like nothing more, We unfortunately have no say on what makes it in the show.
Here is a link to the blog I did yesterday. The ?Reality? of Metal detecting on TV. | Chicago Ron

dholland02 · Jun 18, 2013

Could I put a request in for more of u ans ur partner. You guys r very professional, and a lot less if that annoying husband and wife.

HutSiteDigger · Jun 18, 2013

It is a shame Ric Savage has ruined it for most... Lot of diggers stay away from the digging shows due too what Savage has done to the community of relic diggers but the ratings are high so i'm assuming lot of people like watching planted relics/fairy tale stories. Anyway good luck with it... Just remember What goes around, Comes around.. May not be today, tomorrow, months or years from now but if anyone is planting relics and acting like they dug it on national TV then how is this making for a better world for the relic hunting community? i guess we live in a fairy tale/lying world these days but apparently when it comes too TV the fairy tale/lying boosts the ratings out the roof!

I think Dig Wars is way more reality and legit so far than Ric Savage!!

lookindown · Jun 18, 2013

Nothing wrong with this show...Ill watch it...thanks for the link Ron, I missed it when it first aired.

Rawhide · Jun 19, 2013

Thumbs up on the new show. Xfinity on Demand lets me watch it as I please.

Terry Soloman · Jun 19, 2013

Hello Ron,

You say in your blog, “The “Reality” of Metal detecting on TV.”, that there has been “a huge response to the show through email and social media, and the overwhelming majority so far has been very good.” I would call that a spin job. If you took the time to read the responses to the show on all of the metal detecting forums, the response has been overwhelmingly negative.

You say that all of the cast members are concerned about showing the “real side of detecting,” but you, “..were not chosen to do a show on metal detecting instruction or ethics. We were chosen because we are each good at what we do, and we have personality.” To me that sounds like you are saying “to heck ethics and showing America what our hobby is really like, let’s just take our shot at hunting sites nobody else will ever have a chance to hunt, make some money, and possibly get some cool equipment endorsements.” Is it acceptable to abandon your ethics and concerns as long as the money and perks are good enough? Sounds a little like prostitution.

You point out that, “Episodes are only 21 minutes long, they simply can’t cover all the rules, or even all the good finds we made, let alone all the garbage. Yes, there was garbage!” So between the entire cast, you can’t convince the producer and director to show a 30-second shot of the garbage targets you removed from the sites you dig, or talk about the importance of using the right digging tool or cutting a plug in a public park? Or is it more important to just “go with the flow?”

I was offered a gold prospecting reality show in 2010 Arizona Gold Adventures set to become America's next Reality TV star! | Sep 14, 2010 and turned it down after we were shown the pilot. It would have portrayed placer gold prospecting just as badly as “Dig Wars,” portrays the hobby of metal detecting. Here was our response:

Arizona Gold Adventures Rejects “Reality" TV Show Offer.

White Plains, NY – Arizona Gold Adventures http://www.GoldProspectingLessons.com (AGA), has opted out of a proposed “reality” television show based on gold prospecting in Arizona. “We have learned that so-called reality television is heavily scripted,” explained Terry Soloman, COO for Arizona Gold Adventures. “AGA would have no control over story lines and be under a lot of pressure from producers to find big gold every week for the cameras. That is definitely not the reality of modern-day gold prospecting,” said Soloman.

AGA hosted Steinbrecher Productions in early September, as they videotaped interviews and gold prospecting sequences featuring AGA prospecting instructors and students in the placer goldfields on and around Rich Hill, in the Weaver Mountains of Arizona. Steinbrecher Productions, whose clients include LMNO Productions (producers of “The Meteorite Men”), sought out Arizona Gold Adventures and its gold prospecting school, for the pilot episode of a proposed reality TV series featuring real life Arizona gold prospectors.

“I am disappointed,” remarked Soloman. “This would have been a very positive thing for AGA, Arizona, and the residents and businesses here in Central Arizona. The deciding factor for Arizona Gold Adventures however, was truthfulness. Our entire staff felt we would weaken our character and damage our credibility if we began planting multi-ounce gold nuggets for guests to ‘find’ on camera each week. We thought the show would portray the real excitement and dangers of modern gold prospecting, focusing on the research, equipment, natural beauty, the personalities and the real highs and lows of looking for - and finding gold,” said Soloman. “We were wrong.” ###

I sincerely hope you, and the rest of the paid “talent,” can regain enough intestinal fortitude to challenge the producers to get a bit more “real,” and turn this abomination around before you all become just another big “boom baby.”

lookindown · Jun 19, 2013

Terry Soloman said:
Hello Ron,

You say in your blog, “The “Reality” of Metal detecting on TV.”, that there has been “a huge response to the show through email and social media, and the overwhelming majority so far has been very good.” I would call that a spin job. If you took the time to read the responses to the show on all of the metal detecting forums, the response has been overwhelmingly negative.

You say that all of the cast members are concerned about showing the “real side of detecting,” but you, “..were not chosen to do a show on metal detecting instruction or ethics. We were chosen because we are each good at what we do, and we have personality.” To me that sounds like you are saying “to heck ethics and showing America what our hobby is really like, let’s just take our shot at hunting sites nobody else will ever have a chance to hunt, make some money, and possibly get some cool equipment endorsements.” Is it acceptable to abandon your ethics and concerns as long as the money and perks are good enough? Sounds a little like prostitution.

You point out that, “Episodes are only 21 minutes long, they simply can’t cover all the rules, or even all the good finds we made, let alone all the garbage. Yes, there was garbage!” So between the entire cast, you can’t convince the producer and director to show a 30-second shot of the garbage targets you removed from the sites you dig, or talk about the importance of using the right digging tool or cutting a plug in a public park? Or is it more important to just “go with the flow?”

I was offered a gold prospecting reality show in 2010 Arizona Gold Adventures set to become America's next Reality TV star! | Sep 14, 2010 and turned it down after we were shown the pilot. It would have portrayed placer gold prospecting just as badly as “Dig Wars,” portrays the hobby of metal detecting. Here was our response:

Arizona Gold Adventures Rejects “Reality" TV Show Offer.

White Plains, NY – Arizona Gold Adventures http://www.GoldProspectingLessons.com (AGA), has opted out of a proposed “reality” television show based on gold prospecting in Arizona. “We have learned that so-called reality television is heavily scripted,” explained Terry Soloman, COO for Arizona Gold Adventures. “AGA would have no control over story lines and be under a lot of pressure from producers to find big gold every week for the cameras. That is definitely not the reality of modern-day gold prospecting,” said Soloman.

AGA hosted Steinbrecher Productions in early September, as they videotaped interviews and gold prospecting sequences featuring AGA prospecting instructors and students in the placer goldfields on and around Rich Hill, in the Weaver Mountains of Arizona. Steinbrecher Productions, whose clients include LMNO Productions (producers of “The Meteorite Men”), sought out Arizona Gold Adventures and its gold prospecting school, for the pilot episode of a proposed reality TV series featuring real life Arizona gold prospectors.

“I am disappointed,” remarked Soloman. “This would have been a very positive thing for AGA, Arizona, and the residents and businesses here in Central Arizona. The deciding factor for Arizona Gold Adventures however, was truthfulness. Our entire staff felt we would weaken our character and damage our credibility if we began planting multi-ounce gold nuggets for guests to ‘find’ on camera each week. We thought the show would portray the real excitement and dangers of modern gold prospecting, focusing on the research, equipment, natural beauty, the personalities and the real highs and lows of looking for - and finding gold,” said Soloman. “We were wrong.” ###

I sincerely hope you, and the rest of the paid “talent,” can regain enough intestinal fortitude to challenge the producers to get a bit more “real,” and turn this abomination around before you all become just another big “boom baby.”

The show is nothing like the Ric Savage show and you know it. Its a good show and there is nothing wrong with it. Its good detecting entertainment and its not going to RUIN the hobby anymore than you SAVING the hobby by not doing your show. Most everyone takes reality shows for what they are...entertainment.

dholland02 · Jun 19, 2013

One thing they do all have in common Is there is atleast some annoying people ib them.

montanagold · Jun 19, 2013

Well Ron, welcome to the reality of doing a reality show. I recall it like it was yesterday when I was working so hard to defend the boy of the show diggers and as I recall some came from you. Truth is nobody here knows what it takes to do a reality show, they can spin off stories about how they turned down some great offer to do a show because they didn't like the way it was produced but we know the truth. There are way more supporters than nay Sayers out there and there always will be. Fellow detectorists are some of the worst critics. But we know what opinions are like:0) push on brotha and enjoy the opportunity that has been givin to ya. My diggers boys have both quit their jobs and are working on the second season. Livin the dream!

fella · Jun 19, 2013

montanagold said:
My diggers boys have both quit their jobs and are working on the second season.

SWEET! Can't wait to miss it again!

jeff of pa · Jun 20, 2013

last nights show .

Sad they had to hunt in the snow & frozen ground

& the comment the digger's shovel can't be Broke ? I would break it :laughing7:

as for being afraid of the Hunters ? they were using shotguns,
& probably a good distance away. Shooters don't scare me,
although with it being hunting season isn't bright orange the law ?

Editors take note :laughing7:

I can't believe they missed Larry's Comment

he made his speech about warming his battery up calling it snuggle time.

& I take it he either had to do several takes, or he was proud it only took him one.
But at the end I'd swear he swore :laughing7:

The editors didn't edit out him saying " f**k**n Nailed it ! that was funnier then crap "
had to replay it 3 times & that is what I here

of course I don't know..
is that allowed these days ?
maybe tv's getting an open mind, I don't know

theseeker · Jun 20, 2013

Ron, how did you/producers get permission to dig Antietam and Fort St. Phillip?

ivan salis · Jun 20, 2013

love the show --like that they show you folks refilling and packing down the dirt * ( proper style) and the fact that everyone uses the "same" finds value person and that the "prices" are not puffed up to out of this world range --all in all , a good solid show

guessing the overlook farm is not part of the main battlefield but "private land" that adjoins it ? how did you manage to hunt ft. st . phillip and the overlook area ? those are to die for spots to hunt. drool ,drool.

as far as showing the "trash" that was dug goes anyone that has ever metal detected for more than 5 min knows --there will be trash * lots of it count on it (no need to show it)-- I see you "back filling " your holes very good

fella · Jun 20, 2013

theseeker said:
Ron, how did you/producers get permission to dig Antietam and Fort St. Phillip?

Simple...$$$$$$$

CASPER-2 · Jun 21, 2013

Terry Soloman said:
Hello Ron,

You say in your blog, “The “Reality” of Metal detecting on TV.”, that there has been “a huge response to the show through email and social media, and the overwhelming majority so far has been very good.” I would call that a spin job. If you took the time to read the responses to the show on all of the metal detecting forums, the response has been overwhelmingly negative.

You say that all of the cast members are concerned about showing the “real side of detecting,” but you, “..were not chosen to do a show on metal detecting instruction or ethics. We were chosen because we are each good at what we do, and we have personality.” To me that sounds like you are saying “to heck ethics and showing America what our hobby is really like, let’s just take our shot at hunting sites nobody else will ever have a chance to hunt, make some money, and possibly get some cool equipment endorsements.” Is it acceptable to abandon your ethics and concerns as long as the money and perks are good enough? Sounds a little like prostitution.

You point out that, “Episodes are only 21 minutes long, they simply can’t cover all the rules, or even all the good finds we made, let alone all the garbage. Yes, there was garbage!” So between the entire cast, you can’t convince the producer and director to show a 30-second shot of the garbage targets you removed from the sites you dig, or talk about the importance of using the right digging tool or cutting a plug in a public park? Or is it more important to just “go with the flow?”

I was offered a gold prospecting reality show in 2010 Arizona Gold Adventures set to become America's next Reality TV star! | Sep 14, 2010 and turned it down after we were shown the pilot. It would have portrayed placer gold prospecting just as badly as “Dig Wars,” portrays the hobby of metal detecting. Here was our response:

Arizona Gold Adventures Rejects “Reality" TV Show Offer.

White Plains, NY – Arizona Gold Adventures http://www.GoldProspectingLessons.com (AGA), has opted out of a proposed “reality” television show based on gold prospecting in Arizona. “We have learned that so-called reality television is heavily scripted,” explained Terry Soloman, COO for Arizona Gold Adventures. “AGA would have no control over story lines and be under a lot of pressure from producers to find big gold every week for the cameras. That is definitely not the reality of modern-day gold prospecting,” said Soloman.

AGA hosted Steinbrecher Productions in early September, as they videotaped interviews and gold prospecting sequences featuring AGA prospecting instructors and students in the placer goldfields on and around Rich Hill, in the Weaver Mountains of Arizona. Steinbrecher Productions, whose clients include LMNO Productions (producers of “The Meteorite Men”), sought out Arizona Gold Adventures and its gold prospecting school, for the pilot episode of a proposed reality TV series featuring real life Arizona gold prospectors.

“I am disappointed,” remarked Soloman. “This would have been a very positive thing for AGA, Arizona, and the residents and businesses here in Central Arizona. The deciding factor for Arizona Gold Adventures however, was truthfulness. Our entire staff felt we would weaken our character and damage our credibility if we began planting multi-ounce gold nuggets for guests to ‘find’ on camera each week. We thought the show would portray the real excitement and dangers of modern gold prospecting, focusing on the research, equipment, natural beauty, the personalities and the real highs and lows of looking for - and finding gold,” said Soloman. “We were wrong.” ###

I sincerely hope you, and the rest of the paid “talent,” can regain enough intestinal fortitude to challenge the producers to get a bit more “real,” and turn this abomination around before you all become just another big “boom baby.”

Terry - I had mentioned in another post - I was offered a water hunting show
I actually sign a contract= but had it altered first - probably why I dont have a show
the contract stated - I will have absolutely no say in what is filmed - what is aired
and pretty much said I would shut up and do as Im told and speak when spoken to
I can tell you this - I know that Ron and the cast were able to speak their mind about the values
so they would not look like a joke like the others - theirproducers wanted to place values that were 5X and 10X
that of the appraisers- this is one thing the cast would not move on
they have shown at least one hole re-bury an episode I think
i wish they would show us - all items found at the end of each episode - trash and other goodies
I know they did 6 episodes - already in the can - so there is no - adding or subtracting to these
if they get picked up for another season - then maybe they can tell them what they found wrong with it (believe me the cast had things they wanted in and wanted out- but did not happen) and can tell them what others thought was wrong with too
I wish it was an hour long so they had time to show the does and dont too
but for the time they got and the people theyhave to work for - I think they are doing pretty darn good

CASPER-2 · Jun 21, 2013

...Another thing - I went to like 12 other forums and mostly saw positive responses
the negatives were from the same guys that just dont want to see a TH'ing show from the start and havent since
production people solicitated here for cast members
some other negs were from a few guys that are loners and never have hunted with a partner
yes other people had little things here and there - wanted to see junk taken out
wanted it longer - wanted to see more holes dug - wanted more techincal talk - I was crtical of a few little things too -- in another post
but a lot of people said it was still better than the other 2
the only way a show will ever be the way TH'ers want it to be (the ones that want to see one) is if one of the detecting companies directs and produces one and they get an hour an episode
I was offered a water show last year - length was never mentioned - but I cant imagine trying to show techinque - do's and donts - proper use of tools and still get a bunch of finds in - plus the talking parts - heck I have a snorkel in my mouth most of the time - so I'd be pulling it out every time I got a good find to tell them what I got - plus they want te entertainment factor in there - probably a few bikinis - some wild life -( in some cases the same thing)
It would have been tough

and there is supposed to be another coming out too with another duo

garren · Jun 21, 2013

CASPER-2 said:
I was offered a water hunting show
I actually sign a contract= but had it altered first - probably why I dont have a show
the contract stated - I will have absolutely no say in what is filmed - what is aired
and pretty much said I would shut up and do as Im told and speak when spoken to
I can tell you this - I know that Ron and the cast were able to speak their mind about the values
so they would not look like a joke like the others - theirproducers wanted to place values that were 5X and 10X
that of the appraisers-

Wow Casper!...I doubt our projects were related but it does seem coincidental. I was also asked to do a show based on water hunting. The production company that contacted me had some big shows on the Travel Channel and Animal Planet. There was a lot of communication but the whole project hinged on "the other guy". I guess he said no because it was dropped. At that point I offer up a new concept and shift the whole project to land based hunting. They liked it and communication started again. They had me work on episode ideas and build some teams, then it was time for contracts. The contracts, however, never arrived and now I'm kinda glad they didn't. I have a feeling they would have looked similar to yours and I would have had a problem with that too. Then, if you've ever thought lightning doesn't strike twice, a second production company contacts me and uses me in an existing reality show. This time I'm not playing the part of a treasure hunter and its only a one episode appearance. Watch for me this Fall on A&E. I'll be the "expert" they come to for the appraisal. :laughing7:

. I might post more info about it when they tell me I can. Since they already filmed my episode I've now experienced the reality of filming a reality show. The producers do, in fact, push for you to overact or act silly then push and push for you to over-inflate values. Overall it was a fun learning experience and the people I worked with face to face were super nice. It's the editors I didn't meet that I worry about... LOL ..With the amount of footage they took and the way editors can manipulate clips, I'm almost afraid to watch it.

Dig Wars, full first episode and teaser clips from the first 3 episodes.

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