Winter detecting

[Athens]

Good afternoon,
I haven't posted in a while, and plan on putting this summers finds together as to post them for all to enjoy.I did want to ask everyone's opinion on Detecting during the Winter season,I live in New England and it's useless trying to dig lol,A friend of mine who detects said I should be out there marking targets now as frost has brought items upwards and they will sink back deeper in the spring.Every find I have ever had has been in the top layer of soil ,which is rocky loam, usually 3 to 12 inches deep,the bottom layer is hard pack gravel and is very easy to see the difference,I use a Garrett at pro which will read into gravel area,so is it worth trying my friends suggestions,or save my energy for the spring? Thank you everyone hope everyone is well.

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

How to Research for Treasure Hunting and Metal Detecting From Lead Generation to Vetting - Grab it through Amazon!

[vpnavy]

I moved ya from HELP! over to METAL DETECTING for more exposure.

NOTE: Forum HELP! contains guides tutorials on how to use the new TreasureNet.com software.

 

[VTColonialDigger]

I'm from New England also (Vermont). I don't think that the level of frost movement would be enough that you'd have any significant depth advantages during the winter. One of the best places to go detecting in the winter though is the woods. The leaves on the forest floor act like insulation from the frost. Often when everything else is frozen up, the woods can still be diggable. The only obstacle tends to be snow. If you can't dig from frost, snow, etc, you can always put time into research, which will result in more exciting outings and finds in the spring and summer months.

 

[Athens]

I'm from New England also (Vermont). I don't think that the level of frost movement would be enough that you'd have any significant depth advantages during the winter. One of the best places to go detecting in the winter though is the woods. The leaves on the forest floor act like insulation from the frost. Often when everything else is frozen up, the woods can still be diggable. The only obstacle tends to be snow. If you can't dig from frost, snow, etc, you can always put time into research, which will result in more exciting outings and finds in the spring and summer months.

Thank you so much for your input,I'll definitely try some wooded areas, I agree that it probably would not matter as my detector goes deep enough. I would not have thought about that.Im waiting patiently for it to thaw out .Thanks again 😁

 

[OBN]

Different soils or bottom matrix's, different results. Water hunter only and I've talked about this many times, frost heaving or the water freeze's solid some spots I see targets closer to the surface. How much? Some spots its several inches. I'll be finding out soon as the water gets back above 40F how the past frozen period has affected all.. (37F now)

 

[Athens]

Different soils or bottom matrix's, different results. Water hunter only and I've talked about this many times, frost heaving or the water freeze's solid some spots I see targets closer to the surface. How much? Some spots its several inches. I'll be finding out soon as the water gets back above 40F how the past frozen period has affected all.. (37F now)

Thank you for your input,I'm very interested to see what your results are.I don't usually hunt to deep in water usually stream beds.Does frozen water or snow give different readings than normal unfrozen soil? Very interesting

 

[49er12]

Other than being cold, lol. Going into the woods the ground shouldn't be frozen because of ground cover, here in Pennsylvania we do often and low level lakeside waters are an opportunity that you can't do soon.

 

[OBN]

Thank you for your input,I'm very interested to see what your results are.I don't usually hunt to deep in water usually stream beds.Does frozen water or snow give different readings than normal unfrozen soil? Very interesting

I'm not sure for I hunt in all metal. I do know when I hunted the land, wet dirt always meant more depth.

I have a few stories about the frozen waters, I do know the current under the solid ice plays a big roll in moving the bottom, but I believe the bottom is subject to heaving. The years all freezes up solid for a few weeks I have my best years. And I'm hunting beaches that closed many years ago, late 1960s. This year we had about a good week of frozen solid brackish waters, hope to find out come March what this year will be like.

 

[49er12]

Winter detecting, other than being cold, low level water allows for detecting you’d otherwise not be able to, woods ground doesn’t freeze depending on the coverage. So yeah a few benefits.

 

[Urien of Rheged]

What you guys need is a gulf stream like we have in Britain. With one of those you get to be as far north as Canada and Russia but without having to bother about snow and ice which only tend to affect in January and usually then it's only a week or two.
Keeps temps relatively mild too tje downside being ot rains maybe a bit too often but rain doesn't hinder any digging and with waterproofs on is no problem really.
I find in summer the ground can get too hard and it gets too hot and sticky out in the field and we have cleggs (horesflies) in the country. blood suckers that usually target livestock but seem to love me more and cause nasty bite marks that can then cause swelling amd sometimes infection.
Gimme winter all day every day

 

[49er12]

In Pennsylvania we can’t even get sunshine for days, depressing.

 

[ConceptualizedNetherlandr]

This morning I opened the front door to a bunch of fresh blowing snow, cold harsh winds & low temps. I have detected winter. Right there. I will not be playing this game today.

 

[pepperj]

2 ft of snow. Only had 4/5 days where it touched about freezing since New Year.

 

[ConceptualizedNetherlandr]

I feel for ya bro. I haven't been out of the driveway since mid January. About ( almost exactly ) 100 yards from front bumper. I haven't even been limping out to the mailbox for a while ... Other way out back is 3/4 mile of terrain... so yup - NOPE!

 

[ConceptualizedNetherlandr]

And this explains why we are on the net

 

[ArfieBoy]

Snowing here in northeastern Oregon as I write this. I don't do cold very well anymore, so NO for me!

 

[OBN]

And this explains why we are on the net

100% correct on that!

Five years ago I use to be out in that cold (below 40F) water but at 73 years old now I have less desire, at least until the water hits the warmer 40s. So that leaves out about 3 months of no detecting.. Jan/Feb/Mid-March

 

[49er12]

Absolutely I don’t recommend anyone going detecting themselves for obvious reasons, especially in the winter and that goes for hunting .