Hobby dying

I have been detecting for years and it feels like the top has been reached and it’s going downwards now. Every beach seems to get beaten to death and parks sports fields have little left to find anymore.
 

Kj Upton said:
Am I wrong it seems the hobby is dying off. Too many newbies from YouTube videos, too many great machines and nobody carrying cash anymore. What’s your feelings on this?
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I've been a relic hunter for 40 years , I don't hunt school yards and parks , what folks post on youtube has no ill effects on the hobby for me. too many great machines? I upgrade as needed , my newest machine is 10 years old and does just fine , after all it was once all the rage. I just obtained permission on close to 3000 acres with plenty of history to keep me busy for the rest of my days. but I agree on the point that kids these days are not wired for outdoor adventure.
 

I know there are still permissions to be had around here but even those are getting further away. Lol I drove out of the city an hour to a place last month that I had researched and was told by the farmer that I was the third person this year To knock on his door. I am lucky that my profession allows me to travel the planet but even in places far away I still fall into dig holes both on land and water. Not trying to dissuade others from the hobby just curious as to what others have to say
 

Too many detectorists looking for attention and not treasure. Getting tired of seeing YouTube videos of pretty women detecting parks or beaches and finding nothing but clad. But they get 1,000 views a day because of the eye candy factor. Nothing will kill interest in this hobby faster than endless videos of people finding jack squat. ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ...

There's still millions of pre-1900 coins out there in the dirt. You just have to go where no one has been before or where no one wants to go. Spots that are a mile hike in the woods, swampy areas and so on. Taking the easy way out doesn't work for this hobby.
 

I do a lot of park Tot-lot hunting and kids and parents are always asking questions about the hobby and kids always want one for a gift, but I think once they get one and find a lot of trash they give up. YouTube spoils them to thinking every dig is going to be treasure. The video's are destroying the hobby in my opinion. If kids knew they had to dig a lot of junk before finding treasure they wouldn't quit. I think seeded hunts for kids would peak their interest enough to keep them interested.
 

When I started detecting 52+ years ago, places to hunt were a dime a dozen. Relics and other spoils were, too. As the years went on, the "let's see who we can sue" game became very popular in the courts. Hell, people will sue anybody and everybody over the stupidest things. As such, property owners became worried about liability issues if people got hurt on their property. Other relic hunters that would sneak onto the property and leave trash and open holes didn't help either. As the hobby became more popular, relic hunters migrated to more populated public areas such as tot lots, old picnic areas, parks, etc., where no permission was needed. Not that things can't still be found in those settings, but the bounty has certainly become diminished. Good, productive permissions can still be found if one wants to invest their time doing their homework and knocking on doors. Here is where newer people and some old timers give up. Rejection can be a powerful disuasion. Also, I have found that many younger people are minimalists and lack an appreciation for history ... two ingredients not conducive to metal detecting.
 

creskol said:
When I started detecting 52+ years ago, places to hunt were a dime a dozen. Relics and other spoils were, too. As the years went on, the "let's see who we can sue" game became very popular in the courts. Hell, people will sue anybody and everybody over the stupidest things. As such, property owners became worried about liability issues if people got hurt on their property. Other relic hunters that would sneak onto the property and leave trash and open holes didn't help either. As the hobby became more popular, relic hunters migrated to more populated public areas such as tot lots, old picnic areas, parks, etc., where no permission was needed. Not that things can't still be found in those settings, but the bounty has certainly become diminished. Good, productive permissions can still be found if one wants to invest their time doing their homework and knocking on doors. Here is where newer people and some old timers give up. Rejection can be a powerful disuasion. Also, I have found that many younger people are minimalists and lack an appreciation for history ... two ingredients not conducive to metal detecting.
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HOLY CRAPOLA.... NO WONDER YOU USE A SCREWDRIVER... when you started...
THATS ALL THEY HAD !

:P

:)
 

Well............
I think the hobby has been severely "tarnished"... and the hobby has been wounded and walks with a limp.
The do what they want crowd...
The dig crap and toss back crowd...
The trespass crowd...
The dig right next to sunbather crowd...
The leave holes crowd...
Shall i continue ?
Has left very few places where a detectorist is greeted with a smile and allowed to detect that has not already been pounded.
BUT... just remember...
People loose stuff everyday... and some things allude those who the sprits of yester years don't want to have it.

If you love to detect... Keep on truckin.
 

Kj Upton said:
Am I wrong it seems the hobby is dying off. Too many newbies from YouTube videos, too many great machines and nobody carrying cash anymore. What’s your feelings on this?
Click to expand...
Good-no actually great! I really don't care if the ashes are thrown out into the winds of time actually.
I've been digging in the dirt all my life basically, 60 yrs ago looking for arrowheads, nearing 55 yrs detecting.
Have always owned the best machines as time is the only thing that can't be reproduced so the odds are have the best equipment, for the time spent digging. (just my thoughts)

But the videos from the click bait(er's) are just that, (as stated) to gleam viewers to watch their amazing BS.

Certainly the public areas are getting beat. I drive by a school/park/church look at the green grass--then the reality check comes a knock'n--there's been folks looking at that same green for 50-60yrs now.

I smile to myself and just keep driving on-my 8000 plus acres of permissions are worn-but the endless dirt to roam isn't. Random drops are there and just waiting to be dug.

Plentiful-seldom-rewarding? ALWAYS-

Private permissions=A friendly wave from the land owners-a stop and chat once in awhile-a return of a tool/part they lost, a little gift to their Mrs a bell, crotal bell on a ribbon for the Xmas tree. A gift of maple syrup, a roast, or even some berries. When the permission come before the asking is great as the reputation of a person has gone out throughout the community.

Detecting getting old never just the body, for the mind that swings the machine it's a thrill still to plant the shovel into the dirt to retrieve what lays hidden.

So I really don't care what the world does regarding this passion-live or die I really don't care either way basically.
 

pepperj said:
Good-no actually great! I really don't care if the ashes are thrown out into the winds of time actually.
I've been digging in the dirt all my life basically, 60 yrs ago looking for arrowheads, nearing 55 yrs detecting.
Have always owned the best machines as time is the only thing that can't be reproduced so the odds are have the best equipment, for the time spent digging. (just my thoughts)

But the videos from the click bait(er's) are just that, (as stated) to gleam viewers to watch their amazing BS.

Certainly the public areas are getting beat. I drive by a school/park/church look at the green grass--then the reality check comes a knock'n--there's been folks looking at that same green for 50-60yrs now.

I smile to myself and just keep driving on-my 8000 plus acres of permissions are worn-but the endless dirt to roam isn't. Random drops are there and just waiting to be dug.

Plentiful-seldom-rewarding? ALWAYS-

Private permissions=A friendly wave from the land owners-a stop and chat once in awhile-a return of a tool/part they lost, a little gift to their Mrs a bell, crotal bell on a ribbon for the Xmas tree. A gift of maple syrup, a roast, or even some berries. When the permission come before the asking is great as the reputation of a person has gone out throughout the community.

Detecting getting old never just the body, for the mind that swings the machine it's a thrill still to plant the shovel into the dirt to retrieve what lays hidden.

So I really don't care what the world does regarding this passion-live or die I really don't care either way basically.
Click to expand...
Hear hear ! ! !
Well said Peppers... Makes me proud your part of the RCT ship. :)
 

Blackfoot58 said:
To get the next generation interested, it needs to be an app they can operate via their cell phone, maybe on a device similar to a selfie stick.
Click to expand...
The "LOOK AT ME ! ! LOOK AT ME" generation crack me up... without it... they feel they are / would be no one... sliding into obscurity.

If they only knew what most of the people looking are really thinking. heh
 

ticndig said:
I've been a relic hunter for 40 years , I don't hunt school yards and parks , what folks post on youtube has no ill effects on the hobby for me. too many great machines? I upgrade as needed , my newest machine is 10 years old and does just fine , after all it was once all the rage. I just obtained permission on close to 3000 acres with plenty of history to keep me busy for the rest of my days. but I agree on the point that kids these days are not wired for outdoor adventure.
Click to expand...
I second ticndig. Plus, nearly all permissions in my area have been detected multiple times before - but don't let that stop you - because you'll still find things. When you think there are no more permissions look at old atlases, aerial photos, etc. and chances are you'll come across homesteads no longer there that still contain buried artifacts. Plus researching finds never gets old - or donating them in educational display cases to the local historical society.

Kids these days may still be wired for outdoor adventure, however, it is up to parents/grandparents to start them young and limit time on electronics. That also goes for tinkering which helps develop mechanical/problem solving skills.
 

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