The reason I DO NOT rely on numbers........

[Burien]

yup! and why i DIG everything!!!!!

[Harley-Dog]

Originally Posted by Coyote65

I use the E-Trac for depth, the unmasking capability's for deep silver coins that others have missed but mainly because of the tones/sounds they are incredible to listen to and I focus mainly on the tones first then look to the id numbers for what possibly has my E-Trac singing such a lovely tone. I dig everything on most hunts but do tend to cherry pick the best signals if I'm pressed for time, I let the site and time decide what I dig, if I have all day I take my time and go slow however if I have only a hour or two say before work or whatever time constraint may have me short on time I cherry pick and only dig the best tones/signals and make a mental note on any iffy targets. I jot down my mental notes when I get back to my Jeep and try and return another day for those iffy signals. Now some this will bother for fear they left something valuable behind and someone else will come in behind them and find it. I on the other hand say good for them my loss and their gain, I never worry my self so bad I lose sleep over it. This type of worry and behavior only leads to ones health concerns and not good on the body. I enjoy detecting and getting out, the exercise and finds are rewarding but the real reward is simply doing something you love to do and not taking it so seriously it causes you health concerns. Happy Hunting everyone and try and enjoy it and don't take it so seriously.

I have to agree 100% with this. Yes, I would love the luxury of no time constraints and be able to dig EVERY signal, but when I only have a small window of time, I too, cherry pick with my E-trac. Every one of us, I'm sure, have "passed over" valuable tagets and have left them for the next guy (or for ourselves on another day). The one great thing about this hobby is that there will ALWAYS be good targets to dig; no place will ever be completely hunted out.

[Detector]

Sound thinking.... But!

As for myself, I did my time of "digging everything" years ago and no longer enjoy digging 50 pieces of !!!! to find a penny. Since I'm in it for the enjoyment I prefer to make my time count. Not that I think digging it all is a waste of time, but a waste of my time.

The real key here is first having a good reliable target ID detector, and more importantly knowing how to use it. A lot of time on any detector will not only teach you to correctly ID good targets, but also it will teach you how to correctly ID bad ones as well. Of course you can never be 100% sure what is under that coil without digging it up, but you can reach a point where you can be very comfortable with your decision to dig or not.

For those with all the time in the world I say go for it when it comes to digging everything that beeps. Myself I've gotten a bit more selective in my old age.

[tabdog]

Originally Posted by Plug Martian

Because coins are what I want to find. I'm not saying that if I find a relic of some kind that I'm not happy. It's just not what I'm focused on or interested in. I don't own an E-trac and probably never will unless I win the lottery. If I do get to hunt with one I will set it up to focus mostly on coins. I know I will pass up some good targets due to the variables but I will spend more time digging targets that have a higher probability of being what I am looking for.

Then again, I am a new guy. Maby in a year or 2 I will completely change my mind.

Hunt Happy!
Plug Martian

30 years ago, I felt about like you described. I was here and there
and really no where for 27 years.

A few years ago, I got burned out on coin hunting. I was just about
to give it up.

Then, I entered the most productive period of metal detecting in my
life.

Now, coins are just there. A clad penny is close to a pull tab, and
a wheatie is not much better.

Silver is nice, but gold is a rush. Silver coins are artifacts that are
very impersonal. I sell my silver and gold. Now, a mini ball or a nice
button is much more desirable to me. I may give away an artifact,
but I never sell them. They mean too much to me.

Coins are least of my concerns while detecting. Just being out and
digging any kind of trash is worth more than the silver.

Think on that one for a second,,, let it soak in,,,,,

That's RIGHT!!!

The real treasure is the hunt itself,

[tabdog]

Originally Posted by Detector

Sound thinking.... But!

As for myself, I did my time of "digging everything" years ago and no longer enjoy digging 50 pieces of !!!! to find a penny. Since I'm in it for the enjoyment I prefer to make my time count. Not that I think digging ti all is a waste of time, but a waste of my time.

The real key here is first having a good reliable target ID detector, and more importantly knowing how to use it. A lot of time on any detector will not only teach you to correctly ID good targets, but also it will teach you how to correctly ID bad ones as well. Of course you can never be 100% sure what is under that coil without digging it up, but you can reach a point where you can be very comfortable whit your decision to dig or not.

For those with all the time in the world I say go for it when it comes to digging everything that beeps. Myself I've gotten a bit more selective in my old age.

Boy are people different.

After the first VLF detectors came out, I started discriminating and
and could not get off that train for almost 30 years.

A few (maybe 4 years ago), I got off that train and started digging
almost everything IN GOOD SPOTS.

I dug so much, my ear became much improved. (100,000 plus targets)

Now, I still dig more than others, IN GOOD SPOTS.

It is a waste of time that gets me find of tha month a lot at our
metal detecting club.

Heck, it got me find of tha year.

When I was selective, I never found gold, or nice artifacts with
a metal detector. I did better just using my eyes.

I hope this will be find of the month for February,



I found that at a club hunt.

Others got deeper with their Whites and Minelabs and Garretts,

but Tabdog may steal tha prise by wastin his time on trash even
though he could just barely get around and could not hunt as long
as others because of his bad health.

Wish me luck, maybe I'll win a nice prise.

Happy Huntin,

[Coyote65]

Originally Posted by tabdog

30 years ago, I felt about like you described. I was here and there
and really no where for 27 years.

A few years ago, I got burned out on coin hunting. I was just about
to give it up.

Then, I entered the most productive period of metal detecting in my
life.

Now, coins are just there. A clad penny is close to a pull tab, and
a wheatie is not much better.

Silver is nice, but gold is a rush. Silver coins are artifacts that are
very impersonal. I sell my silver and gold. Now, a mini ball or a nice
button is much more desirable to me. I may give away an artifact,
but I never sell them. They mean too much to me.

Coins are least of my concerns while detecting. Just being out and
digging any kind of trash is worth more than the silver.

Think on that one for a second,,, let it soak in,,,,,

That's RIGHT!!!

The real treasure is the hunt itself,

I agree the real treasure is in the hunt, and each of us has their own targets they enjoy digging, for myself old silver coins is my personal enjoyment at this stage of my life and stage of my detecting hobby. As you stated things could change between now and a few years from now, we all grow in life and change is one constant throughout our lives. Right now I read about several who find enjoyment finding those musket balls/bullets from past wars. To be totally honest for myself that's of no interest in my life at this time, I would however be excited to dig a belt buckle or a bayonet but that's just me and also the location I live and particular areas I hunt. I know we all have our "unicorn" objects we like to find and I'm sure over time this may or may not change as we grow or if we relocate and find different types of hunting grounds.

Back to the real enjoyment is in the hunt though, I find metal detecting a joy and will take a day out digging items and detecting over a day in office, working, or being a couch potato any day of the week, but that's me and I wouldn't expect everyone to be like that because that's what makes us all individuals. There is really no wrong or right way there is only what's right for each us as individuals. Happy hunting and may all your hunts be rewarding.

[Coyote65]

Originally Posted by Detector

Sound thinking.... But!

As for myself, I did my time of "digging everything" years ago and no longer enjoy digging 50 pieces of !!!! to find a penny. Since I'm in it for the enjoyment I prefer to make my time count. Not that I think digging it all is a waste of time, but a waste of my time.

The real key here is first having a good reliable target ID detector, and more importantly knowing how to use it. A lot of time on any detector will not only teach you to correctly ID good targets, but also it will teach you how to correctly ID bad ones as well. Of course you can never be 100% sure what is under that coil without digging it up, but you can reach a point where you can be very comfortable with your decision to dig or not.

For those with all the time in the world I say go for it when it comes to digging everything that beeps. Myself I've gotten a bit more selective in my old age.

While all of us may have different experience levels using the E-Trac or any detector time using the detector is key and I think exactly what was meant when most of us mentioned cherry picking targets, by knowing what the detector was telling us. I don't dig anything I'm absolutely confident is something I'm not interested in but there is still a target occasionally that makes you scratch your head even with a ton of time under your belt using a detector "iffy signal" I dig it if for nothing else out of curiosity's sake when I have the time, and why I mentioned I let the site and time dictate how I hunt. The site by whether it's a park, old home site, old church, school or tot lot. Gives clues to what may or may not be there and time do I have time to investigate this "iffy signal" I don't think there is any one of us that is 100% confident in every target they run across no matter what their experience level is or how many hours they have on their detector. Happy hunting and enjoy the hunt.

[Detector]

It is interesting how your priorities can change over the years.

I spent the biggest part of my beginning hunting relics. My thoughts were where I live I can't expect to find a lot of really old coins, but I can find relics. Well I've got boxes and boxes of relics. Bullets, buttons and buckles galore to the point where they don't excite me any longer. Heck, I can take you to places where you don't even need a metal detector and can fill you pouch full of miniballs and 45-70 shells. Now old coins are more of a challenge.

Now what I enjoy is do research to find some old spot and then going there and recovering the goods. Now thats what I call fun and a challenge. I also really like seeing that shiny gold stuff come out of the ground.