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Formula for success

Foragist

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I don't recall reading any actual formulas for detecting success before, so I made one up. If there are other formulas, or corrections to my formula, please inform.
The formula is (A+L)GL+2A=S
Action(A), plus Location(L), times Good Luck(GL), plus Secondary Action(2A), equals Success(S)!
Action is the "go get 'em" part. Just being out there detecting.
Location means detecting in areas that are more likely to be harboring the item(s) you seek.
You have to multiply this by good luck to get your coil over the item you seek, and get some kind of signal. Then, you have to add the secondary action of actually digging that signal; not deciding against it.
One big variable in this formula is the good luck part. Sometimes, once you get the (A+L) part right, the picking is so easy, the only luck involved is being the first one to detect there. Other times, you need big GL to get your coil over, and get a signal from the treasure.
I suppose the other big variable is in the Action parts. That's where skill, experience, and equipment provide the variables.
Considering the variables, I guess there would be a more complex formula. This is just my boiled down version. (A+L)GL+2A=S
 
No offense, just my personal view, but I don't personally put much value on the "luck" part, if you cover the ground thoroughly and the target is there and you have a reasonably good detector you should find it.

I look at the biggest factor as being location because no matter how good your detector is, if it ain't there you can't find it :digginahole: :lol:

The detector might be the 2nd biggest factor as some detectors might find targets other detectors miss.

Just my 2 cents worth :lol:
 
5 P's to live by... Proper Planning Prevents Poor Performance. I think location is roughly 90% of the equation :D Gary nailed it, if it isnt there, you just won't find it! Good luck and happy hunting :cool3:
 
Oh boy! You have to crack that can don’t you Blaise?:lol: It’s fun to make the equation, but the devil is ALWAYS in the details. When you don’t KNOW the details, you can only follow assumption. I’m not a big “luck” guy either, and you know I mean that in the most respectful of ways. I would much rather be “good than lucky”, which is in direct opposition to the normal saying...
Id love to elaborate but I have to get my boys to school! We’ll continue this later mister!:yes:
 
OK, OK. I'm still rethinking this. I guess it can be boiled down to just A+L=S, with the values of A and L being directly proportional to S. So, to be more Successful, increase the values of your Actions and Locations. "Action", though, is a huge category. It's not just your time in the field, but also includes your physical and intellectual skills, research, efficiency, equipment, attitude, thoroughness, etc.
Then there always might be some luck involved; or straight up blessings or curses. So, lots of variables. Many you can control. Some you cannot. There lies the devil in the details.

Anyway, I was hoping this equation has been worked out before. Somebody must have hammered out a formula, and put it in a book, or magazine, or one of these forums.
Silly, yes, but a simple formula can be helpful in how you think about improving success.
So mine is now A+L=S. Anybody else have, or know of another?
 
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I think Good Luck is a big part.
I have done research to find a location likely for older items (L) and did find something to first time there (very small A). Continued going to full cover the area (larger and larger A) but find nothing, nothing and more nothing.
GL could simple be a random number.

Another factor that should be in the equation is E (experience). This includes knowing the detector used (what it is telling) and correct setup (adjustment) for the location and desired targets.

I guess A could cover technique used, hitting smaller higher likely spots or grid'ing the entire area. Or should take be another variable, T.

What about D, discrimination setting or cherry picking verse dig all.
 
Luck is still a big part.
Consider to new detecterist first time out finding a gold coin or more.

L & E are very low but success was huge.
 
Those who find things call it skill and those who wish they found those things call it luck. Sorry, but luck won't get you very far in this hobby.

My best spot ever was found through research and walking 3/4 of a mile through heavy underbrush. In other words, I went where no one wanted to go or even thought to go. I have hit this spot for two years and still find a couple of 1700's flat buttons every time I go there.

My reward for doing the research and fighting the nasty woods? A 1785 bar cent (colonial coinage), late 1700's flintlock plate, Rev War era stirrup, 4 colonial shoe buckle frames, at least 60 flat buttons and so on.

Bottom line, don't rely on luck and don't put down others finds by saying they're lucky. Luck had very little to do with it. Get off your butt, do the research and go where no man has gone in the last 100 years. Just my take on luck...
 
I don't know what the proper break down of the formula would be, but some kind of combination of location, skill, equipment and persistence. Persistence is a big part of it IMHO. Lots of people tend to give up after not finding much in a few outings. You can't find it if you're not out looking for it. If you continue to hunt, the good finds will come. Not a matter of if, but when. A little luck definitely doesn't hurt either.
 
No offense, just my personal view, but I don't personally put much value on the "luck" part, if you cover the ground thoroughly and the target is there and you have a reasonably good detector you should find it.

I look at the biggest factor as being location because no matter how good your detector is, if it ain't there you can't find it :digginahole: :lol:

The detector might be the 2nd biggest factor as some detectors might find targets other detectors miss.

Just my 2 cents worth :lol:

right. hunt a LOT, hunt very carefully and grid correctly. that's the formula. :D
 
I don't recall reading any actual formulas for detecting success before, so I made one up. If there are other formulas, or corrections to my formula, please inform.
The formula is (A+L)GL+2A=S
Action(A), plus Location(L), times Good Luck(GL), plus Secondary Action(2A), equals Success(S)!
Action is the "go get 'em" part. Just being out there detecting.
Location means detecting in areas that are more likely to be harboring the item(s) you seek.
You have to multiply this by good luck to get your coil over the item you seek, and get some kind of signal. Then, you have to add the secondary action of actually digging that signal; not deciding against it.
One big variable in this formula is the good luck part. Sometimes, once you get the (A+L) part right, the picking is so easy, the only luck involved is being the first one to detect there. Other times, you need big GL to get your coil over, and get a signal from the treasure.
I suppose the other big variable is in the Action parts. That's where skill, experience, and equipment provide the variables.
Considering the variables, I guess there would be a more complex formula. This is just my boiled down version. (A+L)GL+2A=S

Variable isn't luck, it's probability of encountering a drop.

You've also forgotten the minus part. You have to subtract chance of occurrence if the area has been or is heavily hunted. Your formula should include whether or not your area is virgin or a heavily detected.

Bottom line is, no matter what formula you come up with, it's like trying to predict the weather. You can get close, but there's too many variables to account for what will actually happen.
 
It's all in research and finding places that have never been hunted or very sparingly.
 
I like math, especially when theres some numbers involved! So I would humbly submit sometimes just the sheer Volume of targets pulled will make for some amazing finds..Forget skill or luck, just ping and pull....Even for simple shallow Cladslammers, you pull enough coins, a few are gonna be silvers and rings and whatnot...bycatch benefits just by working the numbers......

The Water Babies will attest to this factor, just ping and pull no matter what the signal...leave no target behind...of course location is critical and assessing the age and types of junk that comes up to adjust additional Effort and Focus to a specific location...but then just the sheer Volume of targets pulled, a guy is gonna get the gold sooner or later..So L+E+V+F=S

Developing a really Speedy retrieval method is the primary skill for a guy going on the Volume pattern...pull 100 targets quick, you can get twice the hunting/finds in half the time as most others out there..and you can learn twice as fast about what the dirt is teaching you..so its compounding your finds and compressing the learning curve exponentially...ya see?

This is a Big Planet, Time for all of us is Short, and these coils are so small..How much good time do we have left to physically swing coil? Who knows, so cram all the effort into it and pull some metal....:laughing:..
 
You hafto walk over that very same spot the guy lost the coin 150 years ago..And out of the thousands of people who already walked over it you happen to be the one swinging a metal detector..Luck, Fate or divine intervention..pick one but skill is probably the least of it unless your swinging a V3i or some other complicated machine that takes a degree to master...Not much skill imo for most machines that blurt out a high tone and say 85 or 90 on the vdi
 
You hafto walk over that very same spot the guy lost the coin 150 years ago..And out of the thousands of people who already walked over it you happen to be the one swinging a metal detector..Luck, Fate or divine intervention..pick one but skill is probably the least of it unless your swinging a V3i or some other complicated machine that takes a degree to master...Not much skill imo for most machines that blurt out a high tone and say 85 or 90 on the vdi


The skill part is finding a location that has old coins or relics, hasn't been detected by anyone before you and going over every square inch so you don't miss anything. If you think you're going to blindly wave a coil anywhere and big silvers are going to come leaping out of the ground, you're going to be very disappointed.
 
OK, I'm going to just forget the mathematical equation thing. Want success? Hone your skills, and put in the effort. Thank the Lord for your luck along the way. This applies to many more endeavors in life than just metal detecting.

There are many ways to "hone your skills" in metal detecting. Research skills are especially good for hunting older coins, relics, etc. It takes skills just to select and purchase the right equipment for your uses. Skills can be developed in how to use each piece of equipment, and how to decide which pieces to use for different locations, etc. Even without much research, deciding on locations is a skill. [Generally speaking, making good choices is a highly valuable life skill.] Mud-P makes a good point about the skill of efficiency. Also, skillful retrievals can increase your physical ability to dig more targets and cover more ground. So hone your skills, and keep going detecting. Your success will increase!
 
It don't take much skill finding places listed on maps or in books or talking to people. It takes more skill finding places not listed anywhere.

I know of a guy that was running and tripped over something and went back to kick what tripped him and found an arrowhead in the area. So would you call that skill that he tripped there or luck that he found the arrowhead in the area where he tripped.
 
Don't forget other key components to a formula of success,
"P" Permission, gaining access to that turn of the century Victorian house with that sprawling lawn, with 150 year old shade trees at the far end.
"R" :research: Research, Old historic photos,
fourth of July, celebrations were also held on that lawn from 1884-1914
Wait, now comes a unforeseen variable,:oldguy: won't give you "P"
:frustrated::foottap::mad:
Now It's time to revaluate this formula of success......:newidea:
witch might lead to a new part of the equation....
" T " :sneaking: Trespassing
 
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