For a beginner detector, what would be the top three mistakes?

[WilliamH]

#1 Mistake.... buying the detector.

Now you'll want a pin pointer... in six months the detector you bought isn't good enough so you tell your wife your going to buy her one too so the two of you can spend more time together (Now your a compulsive liar)
You score your first big find and seriously consider quitting your job and MD'ing for a living...... After that yard work doesn't get done but that's fine because most of the grass is dead from your plug holes and from there it just spirals further out of control but that's water under the bridge now. Enjoy your new hobby/addiction.

I am at the point I want to get a pin pointer and get the wife one/compulsive Liar. I love this addiction.

 

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[joe_dirt]

Don't leave without extra batteries.

 

[SADS 669]

My three tips?

1) Practice
2) Practice some more
3) Paractice on good and bad targets until you understand every sound your machine makes.

As Gary Player said " the more I practice the luckier I get"

 

[Petrie502]

Don't get discouraged. One thing that cannot be explained very well is the amount of time and practice that is really involved in understanding the sounds the machine makes. Most people think that they are just listening for it to beep and don't understand why they are not finding good things. Especially low end machines have lots of falsing and it takes practice to understand what a good signal is.

As you get more experience you will get what its telling you. I hunt lots of parks because it is a challenge, I may only get a wheat back every now and again but sometimes its good silver. Those places keep me primed for when I get the chance at a great spot. I have seen places with hoards of treasure hunters and after about a week they dwindle to nothing then the good finds come for those who wait till the surface trash has been cleared.

Sure there is beginners luck but consistency only comes with time.

A lot of these newguys don't understand just how much time goes into research for good sites... They watch these shows that film a week and only show 30 minutes of good finds and run out and buy machines thinking um I can do that, and hey ITS GREAT FOR BART..lol but then they end up selling used machines on feebay after said failed trial runs, so DONT BE THAT GUY>>>>

 

[Jcostin]

Great thread!

 

[lumbergh]

#1 Mistake.... buying the detector.

Now you'll want a pin pointer... in six months the detector you bought isn't good enough... seriously consider quitting your job and MD'ing for a living...... After that yard work doesn't get done but that's fine because most of the grass is dead from your plug holes and from there it just spirals further out of control but that's water under the bridge now. Enjoy your new hobby/addiction.

This is so true. Only caveat for me is that I'm not even going to try to convince my wife, she thinks I'm a giant dork for loving this (which is fine, more treasure for me to find! ha ha)

 

[steve1357]

As Gary Player said " the more I practice the luckier I get"

Actually it was Ben Hogan I believe in an answer to a reporter's question...

 

[Shiny_Jim]

1. Don't wear shorts (this is just a personal preference)

2. Don't carry more gear than you can keep track of. (real easy to leave something)

3. Wear sunscreen (Use sunscreens with broad spectrum SPF values of 15 or higher, I would use at least 30 SPF.)
*Wear clothing to cover skin exposed to the sun; for example, long-sleeved shirts, pants, sunglasses.

 

[Lester Olive]

#1 Mistake.... buying the detector.

Now you'll want a pin pointer... in six months the detector you bought isn't good enough so you tell your wife your going to buy her one too so the two of you can spend more time together (Now your a compulsive liar)
You score your first big find and seriously consider quitting your job and MD'ing for a living...... After that yard work doesn't get done but that's fine because most of the grass is dead from your plug holes and from there it just spirals further out of control but that's water under the bridge now. Enjoy your new hobby/addiction.

Man, that's about the best i have ever heard any one sum it up.

 

[SADS 669]

Actually it was Ben Hogan I believe in an answer to a reporter's question...

Actually I was wrong, sorry....... But Gary Player is the golfer 100 percent, however, he actually said " the HARDER I practice the luckier I get" I always thought it was the more I practice.....dde0a

 

[Nickleanddime]

I'll give you a few more than 3 lol

Do read your manual
Do read your manual again
Do read your manual once again.
Do go in your back yard with your detector and read your manual again.
Do cut plugs. Don't dig "holes"
Do sweep all the dirt you can back into your plug hole.
Do replace your plug.
Do your best to leave the area looking as if you were never there.
Do fill in your holes if you do dig one. Holes are ok to dig on the beach or in the woods where you don't have to worry about digging a hole, but ALWAYS fill in your holes.
Do swing parallel to the ground.
Do swing slow.
Do dig every target because I've had rings come up as pulltabs, nickles, quarters and even pennies. I've also had deeper signals change when you get some dirt out of the plug hole.
Do take your findings even if they are trash. Just throw the trash away.
Do look at old maps of the areas you want to hunt.
Do show land owners what you find if you get permission to hunt on their land. It's not worth it to hide the "good" stuff. You may lose out on a hunting spot if you do.
Do offer said land owner their pick of the findings and don't be upset if they take the "good" stuff.
Do be happy that you could find it in the first place.
Do try to return any items that you can if possible. You'll find that returning a ring will make you feel a LOT better than keeping or selling it.
Do get a sturdy digging tool. I use a small 30" shovel with a 6" head and I love it. I paid $7 for it at home depot.
And the most important Do there is.... DO POST YOUR FINDINGS ON TNET!

Don't wear steel toe boots. You'll be chasing signals all day.
Don't arch your swing.
Don't get frustrated. You will most likely get frustrated at times. Swing through it and remember that you can't find "good" stuff every time you hunt.
Don't just wander onto people's land withought asking permission.
Don't let idiots get to you. You will have kids reaching in your holes, they are just either curious excited kids. You will have people harassing you about digging in the parks or taunting you about beeing poor. They are just idiots that don't have a clue. Ignore it and keep on swinging.
Don't forget that it's a hoby and not a job. Have fun with it.

HH

Great advice especially about hiding your finds from the landowner. Nothing more disrespectful. If you hide something it means 2 things, one your greedy and 2 what else dishonest would you do, trespass maybe? Remember treat them as you want to be treated, don't be greedy it takes the fun outta it. Have fun out there and be honest you'll have tons of fun not having to worry about getting caught doing something wrong.

 

[Red James Cash]

1...Use common sense
2....Use some more common sense
3...Listen to all of the above.

 

[Clayton Bardwell]

Forget the spf 15. It's spf 30 or higher. Ask me how I know . . . 3 stage one melanomas later. "Wear a hat!" Says my cancer doctor. That's your best protection and cover up just as Jim suggests.

 

[Clayton Bardwell]

1. Don't wear shorts (this is just a personal preference)

2. Don't carry more gear than you can keep track of. (real easy to leave something)

3. Wear sunscreen (Use sunscreens with broad spectrum SPF values of 15 or higher, I would use at least 30 SPF.)
*Wear clothing to cover skin exposed to the sun; for example, long-sleeved shirts, pants, sunglasses.

Forget the SPF 15. It's SPF 30 or higher. Ask me how I know . . . 3 stage one melanomas later. "Wear a hat!" Says my cancer doctor. That's your best protection and cover up just as Jim suggests.

 

[Dtektor]

...and no matter what you read, if "good stuff" ain't there, you ain't gonna find it!! HH

 

[Hustlin78]

Great Thread guys. Lots of useful info for me to learn as I am just beginning.

 

[DirtDigger74]

Thanks ya'll. Got my unit today, still in the box. Fix'n to get time off.

 

[SADS 669]

Thanks ya'll. Got my unit today, still in the box. Fix'n to get time off.

Hey DD,

That's a really big cigar in the photo😊

 

[DirtDigger74]

I'd like to talk but working... TTYL

 

[Pointman]

I have two, forgive me if they have been mentioned already:

1. Don't anticipate that you are going to get rich from detecting.
2. Do wear gloves. Sooner or later you will put your hands on glass or get into stickers.