Logbooks or journals

bruinvikes · Jan 21, 2020

I’m curious to know if any of you keep logbooks or journals with your finds. Do you log each individual hunt, individual hunting location, only good finds? If any of you care to post a pic of a page or two of how you keep your logbook it would be greatly appreciated. I’ve been pondering the idea lately, and I didn’t say a word about it to anyone, but I received a gift recently to log my finds. I found it very ironic that my wife bought the journal without me even mentioning it and that it was on the back of my mind, lol.

waltr · Jan 21, 2020

I use an Excel spreadsheet with several sheets that contain:
1- log of when, where, how long, notable finds and coin value.
2- list of good coins found including pre-82 one cent, and non-clad coins.
3- Clad totals per coin denomination.
4- lists of all US coins types minted for reference.
5- details of notable finds from researching them.

neilbert · Jan 21, 2020

I’m using a Mac/iOS journaling app called Day One. Free-form text and title, multiple photos, tagging and a location for each entry. Free unlimited entries in a single journal.

GroundSweeper · Jan 21, 2020

Excel spreadsheet here too.

Jodo_Kast501 · Jan 22, 2020

I keep a paper log in a notebook. My entries look like this:

1/20/20 - Smith House (123 Main) - $1.37 - 2Q 6D 3N 12P
1962 silver dime, WWI Hat Badge, '33, '34, '58 Wheats

I only record spendable clad, so coins wrecked by a lawnmower or unspendable zinc do not get counted in my totals.

seagullplayer · Jan 22, 2020

I was thinking about this same subject this morning on the way to work.

I was planning to just use a notebook.
I also plan to document all my target ID's until I feel I have a handle on them.

Great question OP

snowcrustracer · Jan 22, 2020

neilbert said:
I’m using a Mac/iOS journaling app called Day One. Free-form text and title, multiple photos, tagging and a location for each entry. Free unlimited entries in a single journal.

I never thought of using this App to keep track of my Metal Detecting :detector:

I downloaded it when I made a attempt to hike the Vermont Long Trail. I was just using it to log my hiking trips. Silly me :cheers:

Thanks.

Scooterjim · Jan 22, 2020

seagullplayer said:
.
I also plan to document all my target ID's until I feel I have a handle on them.

Great question OP

I'm not sure documenting the numbers would help. Numbers matter, but i think it's more about how steady the numbers are and the subtle differences in sound between a quarter and a Corona bottle cap, exact same numbers, but there is a difference.

I make rainy day lists of city/county owned properties, but mainly for the addresses. Until recently they were on scrap paper and thrown away, but after trying to remember places I wanted to go back to and not being able to find the address I've started using a notebook. I don't plan on having much detail about finds, just if it's worth a return trip or not.
Detailed record keeping sounds to much like work for me.

ME&MYACE400 · Jan 22, 2020

I use the online photo album which shows my finds and dates thems.

Silversmith45 · Jan 22, 2020

I just use word. I put the date, where i was detecting and the detector used. Then I put the number of each coins found, keeping silver and other objects separate. I take and add pictures of unusual things I find.

bruinvikes · Jan 22, 2020

Interesting responses. Thank you all for your input!

pryan67 · Jan 22, 2020

I use the Journi app on my phone...take pictures of the good finds and upload them with some details.

k2gleaner · Jan 22, 2020

I was going to ask this very thing. I'm not good at remembering to journal. For a few weeks here, I was building up a little pile of silver and "whats-its" to post here and have not. Now, I'm forgetting which site they came from.

Fortunately, my photos automatically load into Google Photos. I can usually associate what with where from that.

The best part about Google Photos is context-enabled searching. I go to Google photos and type in "coin" and it shows me coins. Type "fish" and it shows me fish pictures. Type "gorgeous babe" and all pics of my wife show up.

Back to journaling. It'd be good for me from the standpoint of what locations I searched, what I found, when I went, and what area of the site was searched or left undone...

Redwaller · Jan 22, 2020

I record finds rather than hunts. Anything good or interesting I find gets it's own page in a Google Doc file. Usually I include date and location found, a picture or two, and any relevant information pertaining to what the object is, how old it is, that sort of thing. I have a similar system for keeping track of research I do to find new sites to detect.

georgeinsc · Jan 22, 2020

I view loging what I do as WORK. I spent 20 years in the USN (Communications) and had to log everything that transpired. Also had to record periods that we did nothing.

So i do not enjoy keeping records. The only thing I log is the date, finds and where I was.

Any more than that is Work. I detect for fun But to each his own.

Muskrat · Jan 22, 2020

I log in a notebook the date, good finds, clad and location.

Swing4TheRing · Jan 22, 2020

I used a log book for quite a while as I was curious what the most common dates of each type of coin I found would be. It was kind of fun to see, especially if you're a stats nerd like I am, same goes for tracking sports stats...

diggin4clad · Jan 23, 2020

I keep a log of each hunt, keeping track of how many of each coin I find, total number of coins, how much the clad was worth, where I hunted, date of the hunt, silver finds, wheat cents, and how long each hunt was. I also make a photo of all the various oddball finds. The front page shows the silver finds and total clad for the year. The back page is a running total of finds since 2010.

FreeBirdTim · Jan 25, 2020

I used a log book for quite a while as I was curious what the most common dates of each type of coin I found would be. It was kind of fun to see, especially if you're a stats nerd like I am, same goes for tracking sports stats..

I received the same log book as a Christmas present. Not sure if I'll keep doing it, since I detect every day in the nice weather. Might be hard to keep up.

Here's a typical page. Nothing fancy, but it's better than nothing, I guess.

bruinvikes · Jan 25, 2020

Thank you for the replies and pics! Some people are fans of logging hunts and some people think it’s more work. I personally have never logged my hunts or finds in the past, but since I received a metal detecting logbook as a gift I figured I’d ask.

Thank you for the responses and keep them coming.

Logbooks or journals

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