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At some point, its gotta be me

How many beaches do you have in your rotation? For me that was the key, hit one, if conditions are bad move on, continue until you find the conditions you want and work slow, the goodies will come...
 
You need to hunt ocean beaches after storm erosion. When mother nature takes out the sand , with on or cross-shore-winds, high tides, high swells, etc.... And you see cuts , scallops, steep slopes on the inter-tidal sand (evidencing erosion), THEN is the time to hunt the wet sand zone. Let mother nature do the work for you . She'll remove all that pesky light-weight aluminum, and leave the inter-tidal zone a natural riffle board of heavier targets.

And yes, dry sand hunting s*cks. At least if you've ever been in a zone, no bigger than a basket-ball half court, digging signals (all heavy-dense-objects) as fast as you can for 4 hrs. straight (multiple coins per basket-scoop), you will never go back to dry sand hunting again.

The surfer/mariner web-sites will help you determine when those times are.

Trouble is, those times/zone are infrequent. Doh ! Ok, that's when I do land hunting. Doh !
Tom's advice here Longshot is spot on. The only problem with this advice is YOUR lack of experience which you will gain in TIME. Your hardcore competition already know these power points and will clean it out before you. Get out early on the high tide and work it down to low. Watch the beach and sand movement. Think positive , it will happen for you !

I think the only place that reminds me of the "Golden Age of Detecting" is where Steve hunts in Asia. Damn beach is carpeted....
 
Hello everyone

Last year was my first year in this quite addicting hobby. I live in South Jersey, not too far from the shore.. I spent well over 100 hours on the beach last year and found 3 small pieces. I've read as much as I could on here about hunting the beach, but I've got to be doing something wrong at this point. This year has started right where I left off and I don't want to quit... but the frustration is mounting.

I walk the water line, both in the water and the wet sand near the water line. I also look for any erosion and check those areas out. Sometimes I get these weird readings and I dig with no results or it eventually disappears, or I typically find a coin or bottlecaps.

The beach usually has people but I don't usually try to dig dry sand, as I pretty much am seeking gold and silver. I will check it out now and then as a last resort.

I see people posting gold and platinum ring counts for just one year... so I know that it's me at this point. These guys don't just get lucky. Its not time spent either, because I put the time in. I'm clearly missing something here.

You are in an area with a lot of competition... I seethe video's all the time from guys from South Jersey...

Hit the beaches during storms don't wait, beat them to the punch...
 
...Hit the beaches during storms don't wait, beat them to the punch...

Correct. 99% of the question is NOT 1) what beach ? 2 ) what machine and settings, 3) How much junk-to-dig before a goodie.

Instead, 99% of the question is WHEN , not WHERE ! :cool: Once conditions are made right by mother nature, then that exact same beach that only gave up 3 pieces of foil the week before, will be awash in heavy conductive targets. Sometimes in the exact same place you stood the week before, where it was sterile.
 
You need to hunt ocean beaches after storm erosion. When mother nature takes out the sand , with on or cross-shore-winds, high tides, high swells, etc.... And you see cuts , scallops, steep slopes on the inter-tidal sand (evidencing erosion), THEN is the time to hunt the wet sand zone. Let mother nature do the work for you . She'll remove all that pesky light-weight aluminum, and leave the inter-tidal zone a natural riffle board of heavier targets.



And yes, dry sand hunting s*cks. At least if you've ever been in a zone, no bigger than a basket-ball half court, digging signals (all heavy-dense-objects) as fast as you can for 4 hrs. straight (multiple coins per basket-scoop), you will never go back to dry sand hunting again.



The surfer/mariner web-sites will help you determine when those times are.



Trouble is, those times/zone are infrequent. Doh ! Ok, that's when I do land hunting. Doh !
I wish we had that kind of surf and sand movement here in Texas. We are lucky to get even a small cut on the beaches after a hurricane. Our beaches are mostly a flat wide expanse of sand.

Cliff
 
Beach hunting is long and hard and over time you will see patterns develop.
I did not see what MD you are using but try to become one with it.

Even when I spent alot of time on a beach I would have made more at a Min wage job.

GLHH

Sent from my Armor_3 using Tapatalk
 
While it's true that people aren't wearing as much gold these days as they used to this should not discourage you. You are not only looking for fresh drops but also things that were lost decades ago.
This is why beach erosion/sand movement is so important as Tom points out. Things that were lost a long time ago could sink and stay covered by several feet of sand until the right conditions come around and the targets all of a sudden become within reach of a metal detector. The problem is that if they don't get found in a timely manner they could get buried again and stay hidden for years more.
Timing is everything with this type of detecting. The biggest mistake a treasure hunter can make is assuming that all the good stuff has already been found. As my friend Sandcrab says, "There will always be plenty of gold chains out there waiting to be found" (although I think he is being sarcastic) :yes: GL&HH!
 
I recall reading a thread some years back that ended (well, as much as any thread can) saying that its about 150 hours of beach hunting to 1 gold ring. Yeah, i know theres a metric ton of variables to that, but i think its a fair ratio to hang a noobie's hat on.

As said, Slow Down. Listen to ANY change in your threshold tone.

STUDY the posts from guys here that know what they are doing.

Learn more about sedimentology and how sand moves on a beach.

Hunt the dry sand- thats where a lot of the fresh drops are going to be. You'll also have more targets to learn what different items sound like- especially trash targets like bottlecaps.

I am only a casual beach hunter as i live well inland, but i am a geologist and the beach is a constantly changing environment re sediment particles.
 
Longshot, I'll pray that your luck turns for the better. I'm moving into my third month MD and have found a lot of clad, trash and a few pieces of costume jewelry. No silver or gold rings OR coins. I'm not discouraged yet and hope to turn the tide as the summer wears on. Good luck!!

Thank you.. I also wish you better fortune.

It's kind of like fishing, you know there is always the guy that catches and then the guy that goes for a boat ride! You just have to keep at it and you will find your share. I use to have a friend I would work the beach with but it became so competitive I lost the guy as a friend. Just stay with it and enjoy!!

Yeah, I'm usually the guy fishing with the wrong bait.

You need to hunt ocean beaches after storm erosion. When mother nature takes out the sand , with on or cross-shore-winds, high tides, high swells, etc.... And you see cuts , scallops, steep slopes on the inter-tidal sand (evidencing erosion), THEN is the time to hunt the wet sand zone. Let mother nature do the work for you . She'll remove all that pesky light-weight aluminum, and leave the inter-tidal zone a natural riffle board of heavier targets.

And yes, dry sand hunting s*cks. At least if you've ever been in a zone, no bigger than a basket-ball half court, digging signals (all heavy-dense-objects) as fast as you can for 4 hrs. straight (multiple coins per basket-scoop), you will never go back to dry sand hunting again.

The surfer/mariner web-sites will help you determine when those times are.

Trouble is, those times/zone are infrequent. Doh ! Ok, that's when I do land hunting. Doh !

I look forward to that day of heavy signals everywhere.

The key words here are "moving pretty fast"....slow down and you will find more!

Yeah, I agree that I'm trying to probably cover too much ground.

How many beaches do you have in your rotation? For me that was the key, hit one, if conditions are bad move on, continue until you find the conditions you want and work slow, the goodies will come...

1 beach .. the neighboring beaches have no visitors

Tom's advice here Longshot is spot on. The only problem with this advice is YOUR lack of experience which you will gain in TIME. Your hardcore competition already know these power points and will clean it out before you. Get out early on the high tide and work it down to low. Watch the beach and sand movement. Think positive , it will happen for you !

I actually do think positive every trip I take. The ride home is a different story! Haha

You are in an area with a lot of competition... I seethe video's all the time from guys from South Jersey...

Hit the beaches during storms don't wait, beat them to the punch...

Storms as in rain, correct? You don't go out in thunderstorms do you?

Correct. 99% of the question is NOT 1) what beach ? 2 ) what machine and settings, 3) How much junk-to-dig before a goodie.

Instead, 99% of the question is WHEN , not WHERE ! :cool: Once conditions are made right by mother nature, then that exact same beach that only gave up 3 pieces of foil the week before, will be awash in heavy conductive targets. Sometimes in the exact same place you stood the week before, where it was sterile.

Yeah, i need to work on the when part.. right now its more of a mood thing. I like to go every day when I have the fever.

While it's true that people aren't wearing as much gold these days as they used to this should not discourage you. You are not only looking for fresh drops but also things that were lost decades ago.
This is why beach erosion/sand movement is so important as Tom points out. Things that were lost a long time ago could sink and stay covered by several feet of sand until the right conditions come around and the targets all of a sudden become within reach of a metal detector. The problem is that if they don't get found in a timely manner they could get buried again and stay hidden for years more.
Timing is everything with this type of detecting. The biggest mistake a treasure hunter can make is assuming that all the good stuff has already been found. As my friend Sandcrab says, "There will always be plenty of gold chains out there waiting to be found" (although I think he is being sarcastic) :yes: GL&HH!

Yeah, and I get ancy when there is a nearby detector.. like it's a race to the good stuff.
 
I recall reading a thread some years back that ended (well, as much as any thread can) saying that its about 150 hours of beach hunting to 1 gold ring. Yeah, i know theres a metric ton of variables to that, but i think its a fair ratio to hang a noobie's hat on.

As said, Slow Down. Listen to ANY change in your threshold tone.

STUDY the posts from guys here that know what they are doing.

Learn more about sedimentology and how sand moves on a beach.

Hunt the dry sand- thats where a lot of the fresh drops are going to be. You'll also have more targets to learn what different items sound like- especially trash targets like bottlecaps.

I am only a casual beach hunter as i live well inland, but i am a geologist and the beach is a constantly changing environment re sediment particles.

I agree. Its funny how many hours we will put in to find a ring.
 
I occasionally find a ring in the surf in my area. My best ring finds have been on the slope of the beach. Most of them in the mid slope. I love a good slope on a beach and I will grid the heck out of it. Don't give up. I found ONE 14k ring last year.
 
Targets don’t grow, they have to be lost. Look at the people that go to your beach; see if they wear jewelry in the water. They lose rings because of cold water and/or slippery suntan lotion. If all that goes in the water are small kids you won’t get much. If rich tourists that normally go in the water but do so at your beach you may get really lucky.
Also periodically test your detector on a nickel target at your beach.
 
"1 beach .. the neighboring beaches have no visitors"
Don't depend on fresh drops, people have been loosing stuff as long as they have had it!
Get in to the history of your area, where did people go 50 years ago? Lots of places change drastically over the years. What was one a booming restaurant/dance hall might now just be a park, gotta research and find some new spots...
You're in south jersey and you say 1 beach?
 
"1 beach .. the neighboring beaches have no visitors"
Don't depend on fresh drops, people have been loosing stuff as long as they have had it!
Get in to the history of your area, where did people go 50 years ago? Lots of places change drastically over the years. What was one a booming restaurant/dance hall might now just be a park, gotta research and find some new spots...
You're in south jersey and you say 1 beach?

One beach in my rotation that is more or less populated and a reasonable driving distance, not one beach in South Jersey. Aside from this local beach, its about 50 minutes to the next populated beach. All the others that are "local" are either dead, "private" or not the safest place to visit regularly.
 
I think exclusive would probably be a better word. Some towns are basically houses up against the beach and nothing to attract tourist. I don't really see much potential in those. There's some other towns that are pretty inviting but i never see many people there. I could be wrong and maybe I've just caught some of these places at bad times. But when i've detected there, i didn't even find clad.
 
Its a different year too. Beach closings and restrictions of overseas visitors ... and even many of the locals who have places here in Fl because of the virus didnt go home. Beach re-nourishment and pushed in sand adds to your trouble. Beach hunting shouldnt be frustrating if you just go out to enjoy what you find rather than making it a competition with those who seems to ALWAYS find gold. There are some very good hunters up your way who tell you where they are finding gold.... high, low or middle of the beach. You have a good machine, maybe you dont have it set up right. Find a buddy to hunt with who also has your machine...... someone with experience. Time on the sand does make a difference as well.
 
I was feeling like my 6 gold rings this year wasn't much chop but maybe I'm a bit lucky.
Definitely get out there quick after a storm. My last gold ring was after a big storm and there was about 4 other guys hunting the beach.
Yes theres lots of people new in the hobbybut they will lose interest when they find nothing
 
I think exclusive would probably be a better word. Some towns are basically houses up against the beach and nothing to attract tourist. I don't really see much potential in those. There's some other towns that are pretty inviting but i never see many people there. I could be wrong and maybe I've just caught some of these places at bad times. But when i've detected there, i didn't even find clad.
Don't discount those. The people that can afford those properties wear a lot of jewelry and they use the beach too.

Cliff
 
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