Howdy Sounder in South Texas,
And welcome to Tnet!! I remember when I first started, I knew Nothing and had very little to go on except the desire to have a hobby I could do easily anytime I felt like it. This is a hobby that I found also takes my mind off of other details of life I would like to leave behind for awhile or to say it another way, I find metal detecting relaxing. When I found my first silver coin I was excited but when I found my first gold ring I was HOOKED!
Research into the area you have to detect in is really helpful, library's and title/deed offices can be quite useful. Also just paying attention to what is in front of one can be eye opening. For instance, you are walking/driving along and you come to a tree. It is after all just a tree but is it a normal tree for the area, is there more than one, were they placed there to define anything like a driveway or a well or does it indicate a homestead? Rocks could also be a tip off if they were part of a wall or if they are the only ones for miles around. Odd plants or simply bumps or depressions in the ground can also be clues about human beings having been there a long time ago.
So, welcome to metal detecting slash treasure hunting. One should not expect to become financially independent from detecting but one can have fun with this hobby and every now and then one will find something of value either psychologically or financially or both or just from being out with the detector taking a break from the 'other things' in life....63bkpkr
