Tracking your finds

[fiveonomo]

Hello all,
First let me say if this has already been covered I apologize.
I am brand new and awaiting my new AT Pro from New England Detectors, should be here next week. While I was camping this weekend for some reason I wondered if it is a good idea to keep track of my finds, like on a spreadsheet or something. I think it would be neat to look back several years later and see exactly what you found and where.
Does anyone do this? If so can you post a link or an example of what you use? Thanks, from a brand new newbie.
Scott

[matmit]

I write down all coins and "unusual" items in a notebook:

Date Location .25 .10 .05 .01 TOTAL

That's it

[gameoftag]

I keep track of my coins/rings on a spreadsheet. I keep track of how many I find of each kind of coin (quarters, dimes, nickels, pennies, Wheats, Indians, Silver) all done by week. Also keep track of how many hunts I do and how much time I spent. Kind of neat to see what it all looks like on paper. Also have it listed in my 2012 photo album on here.

[chip w]

I use i-detect community. You can download the software. You car run and save reports and there is alot of information that you can add to your finds. This is what I have been using and it seems to be working well for me.

[fiveonomo]

WOW! As usual so much support here! I love this and I have not even received my detector yet. Anyway, thank everyone for your thoughts. Is the I-detect community a web site or something? How do I find it? Thanks.
Scott

[yardhunter]

I don't mess with spreadsheets, etc. That's boring & a waste of time. If you love detecting & photography, why not start a metal detecting scrapbook? All it takes is a camera, scrapbook & accessories & the willingness to do it. I only wish I started mine when I started detecting in 1980.
I started mine in 1998 & been working on it every since. When I started, I looked around the house for any detecting related pictures & pieced them together by memory. I've already forgotten sites I've hunted years ago. That won't happen anymore.

Today, I no longer do that. I photograph the finds, sites, & any related stories and within a day or two & update the book. I started it before the internet, however, with the help of a Kodak photo program, ( I use a Kodak M832 pocket size camera ) the internet and a digital camera, making this book interesting is a breeze these days.

OK, here's an example of page 140 from my book:



I try to put as much detail as possible because years from now you'll forget just where or what you've found at different sites.

Here's what was found at the site shown above:



Here's another example:



I would suggest not just adding pictures side by side, but instead...shake them up some. Add different size pictures & descriptions regarding your finds.
Be proud of them. You found them, now you can show them off without actually getting out the finds.

Below is an example I'm talking about......



If you can ID a find, by all means show it. here's an example of a token I found featured in Treasure Magazine:



OK two more & I'll quit.

The pic below shows several finds, where they were dug up at the site & what they are.

[img]

I keep several ziplock bags in the truck of finds for when I detect sites. I detect 2-3 different sites all the time. When I feel I've retrieved most of the goodies from a site, I take pictures, lay out all the finds & add it to the scrapbook.

Here's what a page looks like in both of my scrapbooks.



Together, the books add up to almost 200 pages of pics & finds. Just wish I started it when I started detecting. If that were true, I suspect the books would be 400 pages by now.
If you try this, start when you get your detector. You won't regret it years later.

That's how I keep up with my finds.
When friends sees these photos, they are amazed that much "stuff" actually comes out of the ground.

After reading almost 200 pages, they are convinced.
Good liuck...........see ya yardhunter

[gameoftag]

here is a link to my albums. I list goals, and where I am on my goals as well as pics with information.
http://metaldetectingforum.com/album.php?u=14413

[40acre1870]

Very cool Yardhunter... Looks great, thanks for sharing.

[fiveonomo]

Thanks Yardhunter, awesome post and thanks for sharing. You all have some great ideas, thanks. I found the I detect program, it looks nice. I guess I need to find something first and then I can worry about logging it down.

[sectshun8]

I have a small handmade paper leather bound "pirate" journal I keep things in. But most of the tracking ends up in my iDetect software from Ginkgoware. Still the best hobby related software out as far as I'm concerned.

[MetalMiner]

I made a spread sheet & log the coins I find, it automaticlly calculates the total coins found,Daily average, total days hunted,Total Dollar amount etc..I can email you a copy of the blank spreadsheet file.I've sent it to several people already. Just PM me your Email if interested

[Vito]

is what I use here. Filter can be set to the need you have and so.
Works very well for me.

[Jersey Digger]

If you have an Android phone you can download this free app. and track your finds here: https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...0ubWluZWxhYiJd

[KingTotsalot]

KT started with a notebook but quickly converted to an Excel spreadsheet, in which He groups specific sites hunts together by assigning a site number, and keeping them in chronological order (that's by date! LOL)...that way, He can look at some locations and say...its been a couple of months since I hit that totyard or oh, I hunted that site too frequently. It also lets me see how much coinage the site has given up and in the notes section I list if something was new or different about the hunt, like searched grass next to totlot instead of inside totlot.