New detectorists; here’s how to avoid junk in the trunk. You’ve done the research, ordered your metal detector, and now you’re ready to begin your quest to find treasure beyond your wildest dreams.
But before you head out, hit the pause button for a second, newbie. Don’t go out into the field with unrealistic expectations. Instead, learn from my first hunt mishaps.
I was over-the-top excited because I had wanted a metal detector for years before I finally bit the bullet and purchased one. So excited to be finally realizing my dream.
I went outside with my detector in the dead of winter and tried to pry the frozen ground with a cheaply made garden trowel whenever I got a signal. It wasn’t easy, but I managed to dig several targets before I quit because of the cold. The only thing I found during that first hunt was a handful of nails. My dreams of treasure would have to wait for another day.
But it doesn’t have to be like that for you. If you know what to expect, you can turn your first hunt into a money grab where you unearth coins and jewelry. Here’s some tips to help you make sure your first hunt goes better than mine did.
Make sure you do your homework.
While I waited for warmer weather, I read my detector’s manual, which I hadn’t done before I went for my first hunt. I had been too anxious to start hunting to be bothered with a manual. That was my first mistake.
If I would have read my manual, I would have learned about discrimination, which is a setting you can use to eliminate some of the junk signals you get. And believe me, the first thing you’ll learn is that there are far more junk signals than precious metals out there. So do yourself a favor and learn about your machine. If you’re too excited to do it right away, that’s fine. But once you’ve put the effort into studying it and tinkering with it, you’ll save yourself so much time and aggravation during hunts.
Dig a few targets without discrimination.
Before you crank up your discrimination mode, you should dig a few targets that will likely be junk. I’m not trying to waste your time with this advice – it’s a good idea because it will show you what a junk signal sounds like.
You’ll want to know the different tones your machine will make when it finds various types and sizes of metals. A great way to do this is to put a few samples down on the ground. Go for a variety. If you have gold jewelry, a few coins and an aluminum can, that’d be a good start.
Don’t skimp on your digging tools.
Buying a metal detector is a big investment, but you don’t want to start pinching pennies when it comes to the trowels and shovels you need. Don’t buy a cheaply-made plastic or lightweight metal trowel at a local store just because you can get it for a dollar or two.
You’ll need something stronger than that if you’re going to dig up something that is six inches down and possibly embedded in rock, gravel or tree roots. If you try to use that cheap trowel, it will snap or bend during your first hunt.
Look for a digging tool, like a knife or shovel, that is made especially for metal detecting. I learned this lesson the hard way after I broke several cheaply-made trowels and had to abandon some other digs because my plastic trowel wouldn’t dig deep enough into the hard ground to retrieve my target.
These days, I never go on a hunt without my Lesche digging knife. It has saved me so much time on hunts – it cuts through the ground as if it’s butter.
Find a mentor.
Metal detecting clubs are a great resource for new detectorists. They offer a place where you can learn more about your hobby for a small annual fee, which is generally under $30. Some have monthly hunts at no additional charge, which is great if you don’t have many hunt sites available to you.
Learn how to correctly dig a plug.
If you want friends and family to allow you to hunt on their properties, you need to perfect the art of the plug cut. There are several methods you can use to cut your plug – you can go circular or square. You should practice this so when you are invited to a person’s property, they won’t be able to tell where you have been digging. Keeping a yard neat will translate into more hunting opportunities from friends and family. If you tear up a yard, you’ll never be invited back.
Don’t give up!
Everybody has bad hunts – days where we spend hours outside and have nothing but nails and pop caps to show for our efforts. The key is to not let it stop you from going out next time, because you could be just one hunt away from finding some incredible treasure.