Is metal detecting still fun?

[smokeythecat]

They used to give permits out for a fee of course. I don't know why they stopped.

 

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[sprailroad]

It's still fun. Not necessarily safe anymore. Baltimore City just banned all detecting on city property.

Let's see, Baltimore City. City Property. To many shootings or muggings? Might have banned detecting in order to save detectorist. Baltimore, New York City, Detroit, Chicago, out here Portland, Seattle San Francisco etc. etc. etc, just saying...

 

[pepperj]

To each his own I guess. I love those click baiting videos. the older you get the more you will come to rely on those youtube detecting videos. A lot of times I do usually due to health reasons, I will log onto youtube and search for those metal detecting videos and watch all those guys and gals swinging their machines, running across a target then kneel or drop to all fours and start digging. Then after digging a good sized hole, pop back up off the ground with all the youth and vigor that comes with a younger age.

Then I drift off in my memories of days gone by when dreaming of those times when I could hunt for hours, through brush up to knees, up and down hills digging all those iffy targets in hopes of hitting it big or at least finding something other than trash. But now a days, when I do go out, I'm carrying a 4ft shovel so I don't have to bend down or get down on the ground in hopes of being able to get back up again.

I get asked if I had seen this metal detecting show or that one?
Nope-The only reality I dig is my own.
Never watched a complete detecting show even.
Videos now there's the good, bad, and the ugly.
Skip all introductory BS.
Skip through looking at high lights, go to end to watch wrap up.
I don't like the drama queens.
Don't care who they are, in viewership/subscribers.
Click bait-will never waste my time.
Why watch BS?
When there's a real world out there that has real dirt.

Educational ones are good, if they know what they're doing.
Some are just throwing crap out there to see if it sticks.
When the content provider produces crap it really sucks.

Folks waste countless hours of time. Miss potential keepers because of some crap produced.

Time tested and true method is just plain enjoying the time spent digging.

(Written from laying flat in a hospital bed)
Life can flip really fast, enjoy the time we have digging.

 

[robertk]

Life can flip really fast, enjoy the time we have digging.

Amen.

 

[mtdoramike]

I get asked if I had seen this metal detecting show or that one?
Nope-The only reality I dig is my own.
Never watched a complete detecting show even.
Videos now there's the good, bad, and the ugly.
Skip all introductory BS.
Skip through looking at high lights, go to end to watch wrap up.
I don't like the drama queens.
Don't care who they are, in viewership/subscribers.
Click bait-will never waste my time.
Why watch BS?
When there's a real world out there that has real dirt.

Educational ones are good, if they know what they're doing.
Some are just throwing crap out there to see if it sticks.
When the content provider produces crap it really sucks.

Folks waste countless hours of time. Miss potential keepers because of some crap produced.

Time tested and true method is just plain enjoying the time spent digging.

(Written from laying flat in a hospital bed)
Life can flip really fast, enjoy the time we have digging.

Which is great when you are physically able, but when those times are past, but you still have that itch or yearn of what used to be and the only way to scratch that itch living vicariously through someone else then you may become more appreciative of those detecting shows or youtube videos. To me, it's nothing more than watching those documentaries of state parks, which I love to do because I know that odds of me visiting all of the state parks in the country are slim to none. But watching the videos is like being there without leaving the comfort of the recliner. Covid kind of changed the way I look at life now a days. I had planned this grand and probably my last grand metal detecting hunt and was leaving Florida to head out west to detect the deserts of Arizona. Then Covid hit3 months before we were to leave on this grand trip. I ended up losing about $5000.00 from plane tickets, equipment, caught covid, a relative passed away from it. So I got in the habit of watching guys detecting in Arizona on youtube during the lock down and never looked back.

 

[Bucket Lister]

To each his own I guess. I love those click baiting videos. the older you get the more you will come to rely on those youtube detecting videos. A lot of times I do usually due to health reasons, I will log onto youtube and search for those metal detecting videos and watch all those guys and gals swinging their machines, running across a target then kneel or drop to all fours and start digging. Then after digging a good sized hole, ....

Not me! Even with knee pads, I have to plop my

down next to the "good sized hole" and get comfortable as comfortable as possible.
Missus thinks I look like a kid playing in a dirtpile/sandbox. Passersby think I've had a heart attack.

 

[pepperj]

Which is great when you are physically able, but when those times are past, but you still have that itch or yearn of what used to be and the only way to scratch that itch living vicariously through someone else then you may become more appreciative of those detecting shows or youtube videos. To me, it's nothing more than watching those documentaries of state parks, which I love to do because I know that odds of me visiting all of the state parks in the country are slim to none. But watching the videos is like being there without leaving the comfort of the recliner. Covid kind of changed the way I look at life now a days. I had planned this grand and probably my last grand metal detecting hunt and was leaving Florida to head out west to detect the deserts of Arizona. Then Covid hit3 months before we were to leave on this grand trip. I ended up losing about $5000.00 from plane tickets, equipment, caught covid, a relative passed away from it. So I got in the habit of watching guys detecting in Arizona on youtube during the lock down and never looked back.

Sorry for your loss.
But to sit and rust out instead of wearing out is a tad depressing.

Gee here I am laying here rocking out the burning on the ankle.
3 hrs from just getting a shower.

A step back sure isn't the end of the road.
Hope you start living again, all the best.

 

[RobNC]

I still enjoy detecting. But there are hassles to it:

1. Worrying about trespassing and someone getting irate, calling the cops, or maybe even shooting at you
2. People staring at you like you're a martian.
3. The ubiquitous homeless ppl who seem to be wherever I want to detect!!--and the threat to safety that they impose.
4. Many days it seems like all I dig is copper pennies. They are everywhere!!
5. Hunting partners leave without an explanation.
6. All the good spots have been hunted out completely and finding a new spot is very challenging. Furthermore, to get to a good spot it seems one has to drive further and further out

I could probably go on. But we'll leave it at that. It's just a rant

Having felt one or two of these myself I'm going to answer them by each question. (Please be aware these are my personal thoughts on these issues.)
1. The trespassing thing, worrying about someone getting irate, coppers and such= Only go to places that you have permission for or areas you KNOW to be "open" for detecting. People get irate when they open their eyes in the morning- you can't fix stupid and mean so just scratch that one off- that is their issue. Cops? *shrugs* "I didn't know and will leave now and not come back" Cop reply :"Well, there is nothing wrong with it, this is a public place." If someone shoots at you shoot back twice as hard with a larger caliber.

2. People staring= We've discussed this. Some people do not have the mental capacity to understand what you are doing, how you are doing it, or why you would do it. Their life is too dependent on what is online, on TV, etc. and must be shown or told how to breathe. They are just watching you to learn what they can. If you let ignorant people's behavior bother you then they won. Get a nice dark pair of shades and wear those. Then you can stare back and they will be none the wiser.

3. Homeless people and the danger they pose? Dude, you have a nice digging tool with you, a long rod to swing, and probably boots on. There is no danger to you. Situational awareness is your friend. If it looks bad, feels bad or sounds bad get on out of the area. If they approach know it before they ever get to you. When you see them coming throw you hand out like a stop sign and make it very clear "BACK OFF". If that fails, make sure your hand is on that digger. A good flogging does wonders.

4. Complaining about copper pennies? I thought you wanted to find things? Accumulate them, melt them down, sell em, coinstar em. Yeah it's a penny but it is a copper one, and they stopped making those back in early 80's. Yep, bring em on.

5. Hunting partner leaves without explanation? Simple solution here too. If they didn't think enough of you to at least throw a hand up and say to you "Hey this place sucks, I'm gone" then that never was a hunting partner. Good riddance to them. No more poaching your sites when you are not there and bringing their real buddies in to mop up. Again, this is a win they are out.

6. Hunted out sites/Further travels to perceived better places= This is perhaps the most convincing argument to a lot of people for getting out of anything or rage-quitting. There are some that say places are hunted out and if they don't speak it they think it to themselves. The truth is you are mentally defeating yourself this way. If it is in your mind "this place sucks, it's hunted out" then you are not going to try as hard there as you would a new-to-you site. It's just human nature and thinking. Even if you find "a copper penny" the site was not hunted out. It perhaps didn't produce gold rings, platinum rings, silvers at every swing or magical coins that fell from the skies since the last time you hunted it but guarantee you there is still SOMETHING there. And yeah it might be a ZINC penny. But that is still one you'd have. Nah dude don't work against yourself. It's not about how much something is worth it's about the journey to find something period. Change your methods, settings, work a different area of the site, crank up sensitivity and listen for whispers. Nah, only hunted out if you BELIEVE it in your mind.
Driving farther to get to good places= Of all those miles extra you drove to perceived better places how many times did they pan out like you thought? Was it worth the extra gas and time? If the answer is NO then you actually lost more going to that wonderful new place than hitting that old hunted out spot. If the answer is YES, you did better then consider it a win there, and be prepared to continue hunting it until it is "hunted out" and be right back around to this same thing again.

I'm not cracking on you. I think it is normal to think some or all of the things you brought up at some point. That is just part of metal detecting. It's how you can turn around the thinking and consider that maybe it's you having very high expectations. That's ok but nobody that has done this any amount of time can truthfully say "I got rich doing this and I don't have to work anymore now". Nope! This isn't about that at all or finding things to impress others. It's supposed to be about finding that little moment of when you and the machine start to really click and you just FORGOT about that stupid person that ran their mouth to you at work yesterday... Find yourself a good place to hunt and don't take other new "partners" there you are not really familiar with. It's supposed to be about you finding enjoyment and peace, not being annoyed. If this is not scratching that itch then maybe you need a break from it for a couple weeks or so. You WILL come back and you WILL find things in the most "hunted out" spot you know of. Why? Because you came back with a more open mind..

 

[7up2000]

I think every hunting partner I've had left because I would find 10 silver coins and they would find 0--even though they'd spent $2500 for their machine and I was using a $750 machine. How did I do it? They did 90% of their hunting in city parks--while I would avoid city parks. I would look at old maps, take notes when driving around town -- try to think outside the box. I would try to think of areas other detectorists hadn't thought of.

Yes, I would let them know when I found something cool. It's nice to be able to share with someone else my finds. I wasn't bragging. I get excited when I find a mercury dime or silver quarter. But I could see where maybe it could have gotten on their nerves--thinking I was bragging when I really wasn't. In hindsight, I should have toned it down.

I would find silver coins in washes while they would avoid them like the plague. I would travel to old towns and find silver coins while they thought I was wasting my time. I would try and pass on tips I found during research, but with them, it was in one ear and out the other. Go figure.

 

[7up2000]

Maybe OP has just had it too good for too long...

There might be some truth to this. I've been detecting a total of 10 years. It took me 4 months to find my first silver coin, but then I went on an amazing hot streak where I averaged a silver coin or more every month for about 2 years. Then I had a 6 year period where I found very few silver coins(I think the longest I went without finding one is 1-1/2 years). Then about 1-1/2 years ago I went on another incredible hot streak where I found 2 in one day, 3 in one day, 2 in one day--and singles on several other days. I was also coming up with silver rings and bracelets. As a matter of fact I just found another Mercury on Sunday:

school find -- 1916s Merc

1 hour 20 minute hunt at a school. Figured it to be built maybe 1960s. I wasn't finding too many coins: 1 quarter, 1 dime, and 4 pennies. Then over at the rock garden got a faint, clear signal at about 2.5". Surprised to see the Merc come out: 1916s. I'll clean her up and sell it on ebay...

www.treasurenet.com

I do have days where it seems I find every single copper penny dropped in the last 20 years and the hobby gets frustrating. And yes, I find my share of bottle caps, pull tabs, washers, nuts, can slaw, rusted metal, and deep large metal objects masquerading as a shallow coin-sized target.

 

[RelicFinder77]

Im not faced with any of the problems you've listed , I have fun and enjoy relic hunting deep in the woods . uncovering history one beep at a time. leave the crowds and hit the woods.

Exactly

 

[Bucket Lister]

There might be some truth to this. I've been detecting a total of 10 years. It took me 4 months to find my first silver coin, but then I went on an amazing hot streak where I averaged a silver coin or more every month for about 2 years. Then I had a 6 year period where I found very few silver coins(I think the longest I went without finding one is 1-1/2 years). Then about 1-1/2 years ago I went on another incredible hot streak where I found 2 in one day, 3 in one day, 2 in one day--and singles on several other days. I was also coming up with silver rings and bracelets. As a matter of fact I just found another Mercury on Sunday:

school find -- 1916s Merc

1 hour 20 minute hunt at a school. Figured it to be built maybe 1960s. I wasn't finding too many coins: 1 quarter, 1 dime, and 4 pennies. Then over at the rock garden got a faint, clear signal at about 2.5". Surprised to see the Merc come out: 1916s. I'll clean her up and sell it on ebay...

www.treasurenet.com

I do have days where it seems I find every single copper penny dropped in the last 20 years and the hobby gets frustrating. And yes, I find my share of bottle caps, pull tabs, washers, nuts, can slaw, rusted metal, and deep large metal objects masquerading as a shallow coin-sized target.

I think with a metric of success being how many silver coins you find, you're going to be increasingly frustrated. 🤔

 

[Bucket Lister]

Time tested and true method is just plain enjoying the time spent digging.

Amen (in the secular sense, and before I saw
robertk's reply #24).

 

[brianc053]

I think every hunting partner I've had left because I would find 10 silver coins and they would find 0--even though they'd spent $2500 for their machine and I was using a $750 machine. …

Even if you weren’t shoving your finds in your partners’ faces or directly criticizing their choice of detector, do you think maybe some of this attitude might have been conveyed to them through your tone or indirectly through your words?

I don’t know you so forgive me for commenting, but reading your two recent posts made me feel
like you were bragging. A lot.

I’m glad you acknowledged that you could have “toned it down”. Run with that - that’s my suggestion.
- Brian.

 

[7up2000]

Even if you weren’t shoving your finds in your partners’ faces or directly criticizing their choice of detector, do you think maybe some of this attitude might have been conveyed to them through your tone or indirectly through your words?

I don’t know you so forgive me for commenting, but reading your two recent posts made me feel
like you were bragging. A lot.

I’m glad you acknowledged that you could have “toned it down”. Run with that - that’s my suggestion.
- Brian.

First of all, I don't have an "attitude". So keep your bully comments to yourself. In my previous post I said twice I wasn't bragging. So you missed that part. You make an assumption that I criticized their detector--which I would never do. And, Brian, I never asked for and don't need your "suggestions".

There have been other disrespectful comments made and I will ignore them, report them, or add them to the blocked list as needed.

I think some of the replies we're seeing is the reason we are losing a lot of members. Be disrespectful to other people and they probably won't come back.

 

[7up2000]

I think with a metric of success being how many silver coins you find, you're going to be increasingly frustrated. 🤔

Your opinion.

 

[7up2000]

4. Complaining about copper pennies? I thought you wanted to find things? Accumulate them, melt them down, sell em, coinstar em. Yeah it's a penny but it is a copper one, and they stopped making those back in early 80's. Yep, bring em on.

Melting down copper pennies is actually a Federal offense.

 

[7up2000]

When you see them coming throw you hand out like a stop sign and make it very clear "BACK OFF". If that fails, make sure your hand is on that digger.

Referring to me as "Dude"(try to be more respectful of other posters).

I like the idea about putting your hand out to say stop. I carry the hammer around more often. It's more of a deterent than the digger.
Some of your other arguments I couldn't make sense of.

I did say in my original post, it was just a rant and wasn't expecting the vitriol and some of the long-winded replies. I actually thought I would get more relatability in replies. Some people said, "I can't relate".

In general, be respectful of others on the site. And maybe people will stick around.

 

[ARC]

If anyone here detects with the fuel of finding something of value.
Then fuel will be on empty soon... and it will run out.
You could go years without finding anything of significant value.
And when i say "significant value" i mean something that equals a value to your time money and efforts to finding said item(s).
Some... will never recoup those things in the entire life of their detecting.
Just how the crow flies.
Location location location.
IF your not in a good one... AND IF your not in this for the love of it... then you will be more frustrated than not.
Face it.... the places we all detect grow smaller... more hunted... and increasingly off limits even in the good locations.
Thinking outside the box seems to net the best results in this now competitive hobby / craft.... which is what i call it.... a craft.... for me its not a hobby.
You guys worrying about the bums... Go where the bums aren't... you will dig less trash anyway.
When your relaxed things can happen.
When you are frustrated... nothing good seems to follow that.

Go with the intention of digging nothing good... keeping expectations to a minimum.
Leave smiling no matter...
For...
You at least did it... you gave a try... which is satisfying in itself.
Savor this.
And also...
Savor the feeling that you left the place in better shape than before you got there.
(which i hope you all do)

 

[pepperj]

If anyone here detects with the fuel of finding something of value.
Then fuel will be on empty soon... and it will run out.
You could go years without finding anything of significant value.
And when i say "significant value" i mean something that equals a value to your time money and efforts to finding said item(s).
Some... will never recoup those things in the entire life of their detecting.
Just how the crow flies.
Location location location.
IF your not in a good one... AND IF your not in this for the love of it... then you will be more frustrated than not.
Face it.... the places we all detect grow smaller... more hunted... and increasingly off limits even in the good locations.
Thinking outside the box seems to net the best results in this now competitive hobby / craft.... which is what i call it.... a craft.... for me its not a hobby.
You guys worrying about the bums... Go where the bums aren't... you will dig less trash anyway.
When your relaxed things can happen.
When you are frustrated... nothing good seems follow that.

Go with the intention of digging nothing good... keeping expectations to a minimum.
Leave smiling no matter...
For...
You at least did it... you gave a try... which is satisfying in itself.
Savor this.
Savor the feeling that you left the place in better shape than before you got there.

Sound advise.