Am I doing it wrong?

beachrumbum

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 16, 2018
Messages
474
Location
Near the equator
I'm in need of a ego boost or some firm advise. I've been hunting since April on the gulf coast but have only found two gold and a couple silver. I'm only a weekend and after work guy because work gets in the way of everything:laughing: but I would think that with as many hours as I have put in I would have gotten a bit better at finding hot spots. I do somewhat blame my poor start on the garrett sea hunter that I was using, my particular machine was not so sensitive to gold and in fact never found any, my only gold was with my new excall II and the atpro. We have been very sanded in from the last storm and red tide destroyed a lot of fun. Are the retirees beating me to it because I'm at work? I go after work sometimes also or maybe its just conditions and a bad spell? Maybe I just stink at detecting? Hopefully this storm does the opposite of what the last did.
 
Be happy you have a coast to even hunt. I hunt Lake Michigan beach in northern Michigan. I think I’ve dug my whole beach. No more signals left. I’ll trade you spots for a week
 
Lots of things are against you. Other detectorists, new drops are trash metal, beaches are hit over and over again. If you are trying to find a lot of gold it won't happen.
 
Lots of things are against you. Other detectorists, new drops are trash metal, beaches are hit over and over again. If you are trying to find a lot of gold it won't happen.

I'm in a local club and see whats being pulled, I'm definately not on par there....its not just about the gold but. Lets face it, it is a motivator to find something. Swinging for 5 hours with nothing to show stinks. But you do have a point, being a debby downer wont help and think right now were juat so sanded in nobody is finding much. I get what your saying about trash metal too, I have found a lot of junksten rings, at least 10. Maybe I'll change location and get to where the wealthy play more.
 
Go on a hunt with someone and ask them to see if you're doing anything wrong. I am sure guys that swing their coils 6" above the ground think they're doing fine. :roll: I know that my swing speed is faster than it should be. (But I'm OK with that). When I am out hunting and I see other hunters I take note of the areas they hunt and their patterns and I will try to go totally opposite. When hunters have good conditions that they can hunt in the water, the wet sand will get ignored. During this time the wet sand may have subtly opened up to goodies even though you may not have obvious indicators of erosion like scallops and cuts. Mix it up and go against your normal patterns.
 
Several years ago, I detected with a detecting partner that consistently found over 100 gold rings a year. However, one summer in the height of finds, he went over 90 days without finding a single piece of gold. Everyone around him found gold, but not him. It happens. 40 years ago 5 or 6 rings a day was the norm, today 5 or 6 a month is not common. Hang in there, swing low and slow, dig the deep targets and you will find what your goal is.

May the ring of gold be in your ears and its glitter in your scoop!
 
I'm in need of a ego boost or some firm advise. I've been hunting since April on the gulf coast but have only found two gold and a couple silver. I'm only a weekend and after work guy because work gets in the way of everything:laughing: but I would think that with as many hours as I have put in I would have gotten a bit better at finding hot spots. I do somewhat blame my poor start on the garrett sea hunter that I was using, my particular machine was not so sensitive to gold and in fact never found any, my only gold was with my new excall II and the atpro. We have been very sanded in from the last storm and red tide destroyed a lot of fun. Are the retirees beating me to it because I'm at work? I go after work sometimes also or maybe its just conditions and a bad spell? Maybe I just stink at detecting? Hopefully this storm does the opposite of what the last did.

Don't feel bad, I found one gold and one silver ring this year, while hunting the first day in the USA and Canada... your time will come ;)
 
Don't just think about where the rich people play today, think about where they played YEARS ago, some spots might not even be recognizable as what they used to be but the goods are still there!
 
Well, maybe you do just plain suck at this Sport? I know I do! What I lack in Luck and Skill I have to make up in sheer Angry Motivation! :laughing:

At least you gotta big inbound weather event coming up...So give yourself a good hard slap, get your gear in order, plan and plot on where to go, clear your calendar and go get Revenge!

Gold like Wealth is a cruel Mistress! Both have no respect for Effort or Intelligence! A job often proves to be a temporary and unprofitable nuisance! Time is short! This is a big Planet and these coils are so small!

One things for sure, Although its another fun hobby of mine, I cant find nothing sitting around in the house and whining here on the Forum like a little B! :laughing:
 
The last couple of years I was semi-retired and only worked as a substitute teacher 2 or 3 days a week. During that time I was killing it on the beaches! Then a year ago, to help out a friend, I went back to full-time teaching and like you only get out on weekends and maybe an after-work hunt or two. My finds dropped significantly. Only 2 gold and about 8 silver this year when before I'd have 3 or 4 times that.

Long story short, its about the time you put in and not so much about the quality of the time. Come May I'm done teaching and will be back out there on the beach daily killing it again so be fair warned, I'll be scooping up those finds long before you get out the door!
 
Well, maybe you do just plain suck at this Sport? I know I do! What I lack in Luck and Skill I have to make up in sheer Angry Motivation! :laughing:

At least you gotta big inbound weather event coming up...So give yourself a good hard slap, get your gear in order, plan and plot on where to go, clear your calendar and go get Revenge!

Gold like Wealth is a cruel Mistress! Both have no respect for Effort or Intelligence! A job often proves to be a temporary and unprofitable nuisance! Time is short! This is a big Planet and these coils are so small!

One things for sure, Although its another fun hobby of mine, I cant find nothing sitting around in the house and whining here on the Forum like a little B! :laughing:

I laughed and cried. I love this reply, the raw truth in it speaks to me. :laughing:
 
The last couple of years I was semi-retired and only worked as a substitute teacher 2 or 3 days a week. During that time I was killing it on the beaches! Then a year ago, to help out a friend, I went back to full-time teaching and like you only get out on weekends and maybe an after-work hunt or two. My finds dropped significantly. Only 2 gold and about 8 silver this year when before I'd have 3 or 4 times that.

Long story short, its about the time you put in and not so much about the quality of the time. Come May I'm done teaching and will be back out there on the beach daily killing it again so be fair warned, I'll be scooping up those finds long before you get out the door!

You convinced me! I have to quit my job!
 
I laughed and cried. I love this reply, the raw truth in it speaks to me. :laughing:

You got the Excall II and an Atpro! Both very strong and certified rigs!

Heres your Gold finding Mantra....: "I'm the Right Man, in the Right mind, with the Right Gear, at the Right time!" This is helpful to set a steady cadence as you swing..you gotta have some sort of steady affirmative rhythm to recite as you hunt!

I recite to myself:..."Oh, those Golden Grahams, Oh those Golden Grahams! Crispy Crunchy Breakfast cereal with a brand new golden treat! Try those Golden Grahams and have a Golden day!" Like a Human metronome of sorts! Tick tocking across a vast beach beating out a steady rhythm! :laughing:

A good Mantra to recite is probably more important than a good scoop! I dont know why we dont talk about this?

I wonder what mantra Felix recites? 'La Cucaracha' probably, on account of he finds a lot of rotten pennies!? :laughing:
 
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I beach detect for two or three days a week. Depending on how much my old body can take I am there for 4 to 6 hours each visit. When surf is calm enough I will spend a lot of time in the water.

So far this year I have found a total of 4 gold rings. I have found two junk metal class rings. Both of them were returned to the owners. Two of the gold rings have been returned to the owners.

So for all my many hours of detecting in the high heat and humidity I have a total of 2 gold rings that I can claim as my own.

Yes I have a lot of competition on my three local beaches but rings etc have to have been lost or the best metal detector in the world will not find them
 
Honestly the treasure of the day is that all you kind and certified detectorist have taken the time to respond to my post. I thank you all.
 
I wonder what mantra Felix recites? 'La Cucaracha' probably, on account of he finds a lot of rotten pennies!? :laughing:
Somebody had more than there share of funny for breakfast! :laughing:
 
I'm only a weekend and after work guy because work gets in the way of everything:laughing: .,....Are the retirees beating me to it because I'm at work?

Yep, you have great machines so unless your technique sucks, they are probably beating you. So are the snow birds, so are the locals, so are the newbies... :laughing: :no: :mad: :shock:

Competition is fierce in FL. I hunt the east coast from the FL/GA line down to Vero. Seems every lil' beachfront/roadside park has at least 2 guys in it detecting. I've taken a few Sun evenings and Mondays to hunt places and have been really surprised to see just how much competition we have.

Every Sun that I've head out, folks are are on the beach with flashlights before day break. When I hunt in the evenings, I may leave at midnight and see guys unpacking their flashlights and detectors in the parking lot to start hunting. Monday mornings...same routine, but I see a lot of folks scuba diving with detectors.

I'm seeing more and more folks gridding out areas, like with actual wooden stakes to "mark their territory". Also seeing a lot of couples where one has a VLF and the other is close behind with a PI.

This year I've made more money flipping used machines than I have detecting. :D
 
Somebody had more than there share of funny for breakfast! :laughing:

:laughing: Love it! Its Oktoberfest up here all month!! Once a year OktFest comes around and gives me a viable and traditional excuse be pissed to the gills by noon! The rest of the year I am in training...!

after an early morning hunt, its Brats, Kraut, and Beer! Then right up on the Forum! :laughing: We call it the 'Soliel Upper' Breakfast! Eins! vrie! drie! McFingerslaugh!:laughing:

I'm about 6 ways full of drunken giggle soup funny this am!..Will be ramping up all month!:laughing:
 
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Sometimes its just plan dumb luck. I see those posting a good bit about hitting it on their lunch break and coming home with gold on all their fingers. Well i sure aint doing something right either then.

Right now...... like you said Red Tide kept thousands off the beach now for months...... but the hunters are still there cleaning every little targets... i know i am. If you are chasing recent drops.... they can be any where. So you need to change it up ..... you cant just run the trough. Hit the shallow...... or wet sand...... or even waist deep. Or like you said...... rotate beaches. There is an argument for WHEN you hunt ...... some like mornings because no crowds and you can work a beach and the water. Some like mid day with the people.... but that often leads to someone coming up to you saying ..... will you help me find my ring.:lol: evening hunter...... well they may get the recent drop before the NIGHT crew come on..... yes there is a night crew too, and before the morning guys.

everyone will tell you hunt here ......thats where i get the gold. Well the reason they never hunt anywhere else is ..... they got the gold there a few times. But dont limit yourself or you will go home more times than not with the mumbles because conditions didnt give it up.
 
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