Newbie...issues detecting in the woods

M

mtnjak

This is my first post to a site like this and my first detecting I did today with my new Bounty Hunter Quick Draw II. My wife and I went to our engagement spot for a picnic. I took the detector just for fun and ended up finding my first treasure - a pull tab. Yahoo. Anyways, it was spot on accurate in location and depth. Feeling lucky, we went home and I began hunting in our woods.

We have 5-1/2 acres in East Peoria, IL. and a walking/biking path. To make it easy, we started on the path so as not to get into too much brush and weeds. The detector was behaving eratically high/low tones here and there. I used my pouch tool at first but then I was getting 8 inch depths so I grabbed my full size spade. Every time I dug - nothing. We continued this off/on for about an hour in several spots. It's almost as though there was a mole with braces playing games with us! I thought I found a spot and then dug down the suggested depth. Then I grabbed the detector again and sure enough the spot moved! It kept "moving" and I kept getting lower tones indicating iron/pull tabs (mostly the far left on the indicator). Occasional higher tones on the middle to right (25 cents area). The depth readout was usually around 4-6 inches. There are no power lines or antennas anywhere near our place. We are 300 feet to the nearest house.

Feeling a little discouraged now I'm wondering if anyone has any tips they can lend to a beginner? I did adjust the sensitivity and had it turned all the way down (counter-clockwise) at times. If I turned it up (clockwise) the reading depth would go up to 8 inches. I don't know if there could be something buried pretty deep or not. I'm using the stock 8" coil.

Finally, could it be possible that the detector could be reading old buckshot from shotgun hunters? If so, that could be hard to i.d. being so small. We do have quite a bit of deer where we live. The lot is at the rear of a small subdivision. Before the subdivision was built, it was a farmer's field with wooded spots at the rear of the field (where we are) next to several 50-75 foot ravines. I just assume that people have probably hunted here at one time in the past.

Jason
East Peoria, IL
 
Jason-

I had a similar problem with my BH one day. It turned out to be the cable was coming loose at the top where it plugs into the unit. I also wound the cable tighter. Not too tight. My cable is very sensitive and just touching it will give a signal. If it hangs too loose you might have the same trouble I did with false signals.
 
I have had that trouble too. I've noticed that big pieces of rusting iron will cause my detector to do this. Then once I start to dig, either it moves, or is deeper than what the detector said. I'm guessing there may be alot of junk deep in the ground, unless it is hot rocks, or something like that. I am fairly new, so this might not be the case with you. But, I am sure someone with more experience than me can probably help you pinpoint your problem.
 
I don't know your machine but it might be that you have the sensitivity up and if your soil is highly mineralized it is causing the erratic signals.
 
This probably isn't your problem, but since we're on moving targets....a bobby pin in a tot lot can have you going stir crazy as you kick the wood chips around and the "treasure" keeps moving on you. ;) LOL

If it's not your machine, it would have to be something in the ground there, right everyone? I'd say you could eliminate the ground theory( or prove it?) by trying somewhere else. a tot lot, the beach on a lake...etc.
 
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