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Do Packed Shells Confuse Detectors?

Dirty Nails

Elite Member
Joined
Apr 19, 2018
Messages
938
Location
Chesapeake, Va
I'm in my rookie season metal detecting and I've been learning as I go strictly from the forum and from being in the field. I have a Garrett Ace 350 and I've noticed several times now that the machine gets confused by shells in one specific situation. Any time I'm on a sand/gravel parking lot and road that has densely packed oyster shells mixed in, the machine doesn't like it and gives me false readings. Other shells don't confuse the machine. Shells scattered across a beach don't bother it. The problem is strictly packed oyster shells. Has anyone else observed this phenomenon? :?: Thanks.
 
Excalibur no problem just seems to loose depth compared to sand and this is Almetal / PP...

One thing, a pain in the butt to dig until I got the 720i scoop.
 
All of the gravel/shell parking lots in St. Augustine have 4-10 ft long metal surveying posts driven into them at various locations. Add that many folks drop their trash, so sliver size pieces of foil and aluminum are scattered everywhere. It can be a challenging area to hunt.
 
In case you come across...blue blooded crabs and horse shoe crabs I believe can also set off detectors due to the copper in their blood. One of the tidbits I remember reading on here over the years. :smart:
 
In case you come across...blue blooded crabs and horse shoe crabs I believe can also set off detectors due to the copper in their blood. One of the tidbits I remember reading on here over the years. :smart:
I have dug blue crabs and small horse shoe crabs but always in the winter when they borrow down. Heck of a thing when you look into the scoop and a big blue crab climbs out! :shock:

The OP's problem might be that some oyster roads have metal lattice under them to hold the shells. Just a guess.
 

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