Myers Depot Metal Detectors

At some point, its gotta be me

L

Longshot

Junior Member
Joined
Dec 28, 2018
Messages
67
Location
South Jersey
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.
 
Last edited:
Longshot said:
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 hear 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 out the time in. I'm clearly missing something here.
Click to expand...
What you are missing is a few more years experience. The people that regularly find and post those finds usually have been at this for a long time and have learned not only their machines but the terrain features and where to hunt. Those that just occasionally find something good are just lucky enough to pass their coil in the right place at the right time. If they keep up at it long enough their luck will turn into skill.

Cliff
 
Yes, what Cliff said.....Plus: There may be someone hitting that beach hard, and cleaning up. Are you moving to different parts to see if there is more targets. Also, is this beach sanded in? If so, then targets will be few are far between. Try hitting an inland fresh water lake beach. You should be finding items with the EQ800......Good Luck
 
Thanks for the replies. I can't imagine somebody hitting up a beach like that. I can spend many hours on just a few blocks moving pretty fast... but maybe that's it.. the good stuff is only in select spots and I'm looking everywhere.

As for sanded in, generally not. They are usually quite shelly.

I was considering other beaches but they don't have nearly the amount of traffic as the one I visit..
 
100 hours in a year isn't a whole lot. When I was serious about it, I would hunt 3-4 times a week, 4-6 hours per hunt. Lets just say 3 hunts a week and 4 hours a hunt, that is over 600 hours in a year.

Also, experience is huge. Every beach has it's areas that produce more for various reasons, which you will have to learn on your own. Also, getting better with your metal detector, so you don't waste time digging bad targets, or chasing false signals.

Most newbies probably spend half of their time chasing false signals and rusty iron, while experienced hunters move on in a few seconds.

One thing that produced better results for me in the beginning, is to pick a spot that looks good (shells, low spot, pebbles, etc.), and grid it slowly. Wandering aimlessly has never given me good results, but I see so many hunters doing it.
 
You know times have changed. Many use to wear gold but now it seems phone's, tatto's and several other things are more important. ...It's there just not like it use to be....so it requires a lot more effort and Luck.. :pirate:
 
Crumble said:
100 hours in a year isn't a whole lot. When I was serious about it, I would hunt 3-4 times a week, 4-6 hours per hunt. Lets just say 3 hunts a week and 4 hours a hunt, that is over 600 hours in a year.

Also, experience is huge. Every beach has it's areas that produce more for various reasons, which you will have to learn on your own. Also, getting better with your metal detector, so you don't waste time digging bad targets, or chasing false signals.

Most newbies probably spend half of their time chasing false signals and rusty iron, while experienced hunters move on in a few seconds.

One thing that produced better results for me in the beginning, is to pick a spot that looks good (shells, low spot, pebbles, etc.), and grid it slowly. Wandering aimlessly has never given me good results, but I see so many hunters doing it.
Click to expand...

I do try to avoid the iron signals, but then I see these post where someone says "this is why you dig EVERYTHING!!" and post some ridiculous ring... making me think that I'm leaving the good stuff behind by not digging it all.. so I've been back and forth with it. I don't dig the absolute iron negative numbers. As for hours, I didn't do the math but also didn't realize how quickly it added up.. it was a lot, I was out there every day.
 
OBN said:
You know times have changed. Many use to wear gold but now it seems phone's, tatto's and several other things are more important. ...It's there just not like it use to be....so it requires a lot more effort and Luck.. :pirate:
Click to expand...

Come throw some of your rings in my beach please. At least I'd know the feeling, haha.
 
Longshot said:
I do try to avoid the iron signals, but then I see these post where someone says "this is why you dig EVERYTHING!!" and post some ridiculous ring... making me think that I'm leaving the good stuff behind by not digging it all.. so I've been back and forth with it. I don't dig the absolute iron negative numbers. As for hours, I didn't do the math but also didn't realize how quickly it added up.. it was a lot, I was out there every day.
Click to expand...

There are subtle things that tell you it is iron, or a good target, even if the id numbers are contradicting each other. If I swing over a target and it gives a good signal from one direction, but iron the other direction, I start looking at shape, size, and number of beeps. If it beeps one time from every direction, and sounds small, I dig it, even if it says iron from one direction. If it is giving 2 beeps from one direction, and gives iron/good target readings, I walk away. This can be done in seconds once you get used to doing it.

If a target gives one beep from every direction but rings in the low iron numbers every time (-1 to -10 on the NOX), I dig it, deep gold can fall in ID numbers.

I spend a lot of time using PI's where there are no ID numbers, the only ID you have is shape, size, and number of beeps. You can get a lot of info from just the sound of the target.

As you can see, there are a lot of subtle things that you start to learn with experience, it isn't just about looking at ID numbers.
 
Longshot said:
Come throw some of your rings in my beach please. At least I'd know the feeling, haha.
Click to expand...
I got plenty of junk rings I could do that..

12 years ago I started hunting the ocean, I did ok...about 25 gold a year but then all of the sudden every thing changed and the change slowly moved up the beach..different type of people were coming to the beach..the gold dropped to almost nothing...
I get text from my friends daily ..NO one has found gold this year, and these guys have been hunting the same beach for 20 years or more..Ocean city Maryland...

Lots of new hunter, combined with everything else..just not like it use to be.
 
Crumble said:
There are subtle things that tell you it is iron, or a good target, even if the id numbers are contradicting each other. If I swing over a target and it gives a good signal from one direction, but iron the other direction, I start looking at shape, size, and number of beeps. If it beeps one time from every direction, and sounds small, I dig it, even if it says iron from one direction. If it is giving 2 beeps from one direction, and gives iron/good target readings, I walk away. This can be done in seconds once you get used to doing it.

If a target gives one beep from every direction but rings in the low iron numbers every time (-1 to -10 on the NOX), I dig it, deep gold can fall in ID numbers.

As you can see, there are a lot of subtle things that you start to learn with experience, it isn't just about looking at ID numbers.
Click to expand...

Thank you.. yeah that take some time to master but definitely helpful. You are correct, esp regarding low numbers.
 
OBN said:
I got plenty of junk rings I could do that..

12 years ago I started hunting the ocean, I did ok...about 25 gold a year but then all of the sudden every thing changed and the change slowly moved up the beach..different type of people were coming to the beach..the gold dropped to almost nothing...
I get text from my friends daily ..NO one has found gold this year, and these guys have been hunting the same beach for 20 years or more..Ocean city Maryland...

Lots of new hunter, combined with everything else..just not like it use to be.
Click to expand...

Yeah, that is very true. Less people wearing gold for sure nowadays, and more people detecting, makes it tough.
 
Longshot said:
I do try to avoid the iron signals, but then I see these post where someone says "this is why you dig EVERYTHING!!" and post some ridiculous ring... making me think that I'm leaving the good stuff behind by not digging it all.. so I've been back and forth with it. I don't dig the absolute iron negative numbers. As for hours, I didn't do the math but also didn't realize how quickly it added up.. it was a lot, I was out there every day.
Click to expand...
Until you really know your machine digging everything is the best way to learn. For instance a gold ring may come up the same number as a pull tab. Sometimes a big iron object masks a small gold one. If you pass it up you just lost a good find. If you REALLY know all your machine is telling you it is possible to hear that ring along with the iron or that ring isn't a pull tab. The only way to learn that is a lot of time digging a lot of junk and paying close attention to the sounds. I know this for a fact but I'm still in the "lucky" stage. I just haven't been able to spend the time to REALLY learn my Nox but I've had some help from some more experienced folks. Maybe someday I'll figure it out but in the meantime I'm having fun digging everything (well almost).

Cliff
 
OBN said:
I got plenty of junk rings I could do that..

12 years ago I started hunting the ocean, I did ok...about 25 gold a year but then all of the sudden every thing changed and the change slowly moved up the beach..different type of people were coming to the beach..the gold dropped to almost nothing...
I get text from my friends daily ..NO one has found gold this year, and these guys have been hunting the same beach for 20 years or more..Ocean city Maryland...

Lots of new hunter, combined with everything else..just not like it use to be.
Click to expand...

Wish I hadn't read this. Yikes.. Maybe all the gold has moved on so that other beaches could have fun too. But on a serious note... this is not good. I'm always late to the damn party!
 
Longshot said:
Wish I hadn't read this. Yikes.. Maybe all the gold has moved on so that other beaches could have fun too. But on a serious note... this is not good. I'm always late to the damn party!
Click to expand...
If your only reason to get into the hobby was to make money then yes you are too late unless you are in a few select areas. You should have been in the hobby in the 70's when there was lots to find and few people doing the looking. As time goes on the good stuff is found and more people are looking so it has gotten harder. With the recent influx of people getting into the hobby it is just going to get even harder. That's why it is important to work hard on getting permissions for fresh ground. That too is getting harder since so many people have dug up yards and caused property owners to just say NO. It's very important to make a good impression when out digging. You don't want to give the hobby a black eye.

Cliff
 
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!!
 
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!!
 
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 !
 
Longshot said:
I was considering other beaches but they don't have nearly the amount of traffic as the one I visit..
Click to expand...

You have heard the word LUCK mentioned maybe this is not your LUCKY beach.

My hunting buddies all have their favorite beach LUCKY beach as they find rings there regularly, but every one has a different beach as their LUCKY beach.

The first is always the hardest.
Keep swinging
 
Longshot said:
Thanks for the replies. I can't imagine somebody hitting up a beach like that. I can spend many hours on just a few blocks moving pretty fast... but maybe that's it.. the good stuff is only in select spots and I'm looking everywhere.

As for sanded in, generally not. They are usually quite shelly.

I was considering other beaches but they don't have nearly the amount of traffic as the one I visit..
Click to expand...

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