The question of how long a person has been detecting-- Food for thought

Lets see ... I have been metal detecting since the early 70's.
Like reading books about it, like talking to other hobbyists and hunting with most of them, and share inf with my hunting buddies.
I never thought it mattered much about who knew more or had more experience.
I just swing my coil and dig the beeps that sound like something good.

Over the years I have bought, used, and sold many metal detectors.
Quite frankly I know I did not use them long enough to learn all they were capable of telling me.
I found stuff ... old stuff ... new stuff ... lost stuff ... and hidden stuff ... and every find made me feel good about life.
Even the days that I got skunked and ribbed my my partner I felt good about it.

To think that I would spend so much money and time hunting for something that was lost only for that item to lose most of its value to me the day after I found it just dont really make sense to anyone else. To see someone else find something that excites them ... excites me cause I understand that feeling to.
If you dont have that feeling I can not really explain it to you ... if you do then no explanation is needed.
The fun is in the finding!
I enjoy it. I will continue to do it till I die or they make it illegal.
I will share what little I know with anyone that asks ... yes ... even where I found what I found.
I will give my opinion on any metal detector I have ever used and its up to you to decide the value you place on that opinion.
If and when my hobby becomes work, or competition, or a need to inflate my ego ... I will sell all my detectors and buy a new fishing rig.
Yes ... I enjoy fishing also ... mostly catch and release ... imagine that.
However, I might not be so willing to tell you my choice fishing spots.

Rereading this post,though it will give you a headache, reverifies what is well known: Keith is Still Da Man.

Well said, willee!

Dean

I'm sure some folks have innate talent with metal detecting the same way some folks have more natural ability with guitar playing. But, I do it for my own fun, not to please crowds or make a living, so am not going to worry too much about how much better some others may be at the sport.

Something I have been thinking about more lately is the way that coin hunting is going to become a thing of the past--we may be the last generation. We already see how silver has practically disappeared, displaced by clad that rots in the ground in just a few years. Well, coins themselves are going to disappear. People who hunt tot lots are already noting that kids don't carry the coins they used to--replaced by cash cards in many places--and society in general is moving fast toward a cashless society. I don't particularly like it.

I have been in the metal detecting- treasure hunting hobby since 1969. Not a pro, just a hobbyist. Know enough to be dangerous.
Those early days of virgin grounds with unreal amount of finds are gone.
I remember school grounds giving up pockets full of coins that I would have to go back to the car multiple times to dump out. Silver everywhere.
But, many of us were stupid...finding silver like crazy, while "disc'ing" out foil, pulltabs etc. leaving the gold behind. Gold was worth much less at the time too. Some of those
high grade coins we found were worth a lot more than the gold.
Remember one beach water site I worked for 10 days with a TR detector. One gold ring every 15 minutes, approx 8 hours per day. They ended up paying for my living room furniture back then.

DeepTech Vista X with 3 search coils.
Works for me

Dubious Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I'm sure some folks have innate talent with metal
> detecting the same way some folks have more natura
> l ability with guitar playing. But, I do it for m
> y own fun, not to please crowds or make a living,
> so am not going to worry too much about how much b
> etter some others may be at the sport.
>
> Something I have been thinking about more lately i
> s the way that coin hunting is going to become a t
> hing of the past--we may be the last generation.
> We already see how silver has practically disappea
> red, displaced by clad that rots in the ground in
> just a few years. Well, coins themselves are goin
> g to disappear. People who hunt tot lots are alrea
> dy noting that kids don't carry the coins they use
> d to--replaced by cash cards in many places--and s
> ociety in general is moving fast toward a cashless
> society. I don't particularly like it.


Got any more good news???----Beach hunters are noting there's nothing (high value items) on the beaches anymore also, people are going to cheapo jewelry.------Guess it's time to sell all our detectors!------Man, I can remember back in the 70's they were saying that there is NO good places left to hunt---well---we're still going!------You did make a point (of sorts) though---"downer" that it is.-------One thing I will say---I think it's "high time" to concentrate on detectors/coil combos with excellent response/separation capabilities.----Trash--the last great (detecting) frontier???

I think the bigger problem for Public property hunters is spots being closed too Detecting. Man just 15 Years ago everywhere was open. I never dreamed it would get like Today at least in My area. I am shocked some still have spots left to Detect unless private Property. It's just a matter of time before beaches will be closed. Of course People with lots of Private Property sites will do fine.
The coins are still there in the trash just not like they use to be. The Problem is being able to hunt those sites.

Harold I think time has got away from you friend. 15 years ago it was 2003 and many public places were shut down then, or had limits on them when and where you could go detecting. It gets depressing to think that it's actually more like 30+ years ago when a person could go to all public areas and detect without a hitch.

Well in My Area the killer was when We lost 80,000 acres
Of Forest Preserves. These were all Picnic groves at one time. That was the last 5 Years or so. We still have Chicago parks but they are not as close or peaceful.
The Preserves You could hunt during The day and have them to Yourself and Keep Your car in eyes veiw as Chicago is bad about vandelisim. It was a fun time.
I didn't know how good I had it. I guess lucky We still got the Chicago ghetto parks as most everything else in Forest Preserve land or developed so research is No help in this area.
The Crazy thing about it is Cook County is in the Red Big time. We even tried to get a Yearly Permit system and they refused? We were willing to pay up to 100.00 a Year.
This County deserves to go Bankrupt if they are that Stupid.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 05/14/2018 04:20PM by Harold,ILL..