Hunt goals

Do you guys set goals when you go home digging? Such as so many iffy targets, x number of pull tabs etc. when I go to a park or school my new thing is digging at least 10 pull tabs. Not because I want tabs but because of nickels and rings. My nickel count is definitely going up. I've probably dug more nickels this year than all my other combined.

My goal is to find what I missed last time and I alyways want to come home with at least one good find or have a fun time trying

LowBoy

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If you don’t dig it, then how are you going to know what you’re missing!
How can you have your pudding if you don’t eat your meat!

Good question.

My take is. I highly recommend everyone to dig at least one iffy/questionable signal on every outing. But before you dig one, take a little extra time with studying tone with coil sweeps, pivoting around the possible target, and maybe consider your detector settings (change). This to me is where the real learning is. Anyone for example can dig a 12-45 on say an etrac and a clad or silver dime pops out-no brainer.

This is also why I think it's best to really learn a detector in hard hunted sites---digging signals in a target rich environment---slows the actual in depth learning process.
This might be okay for a newby at first.

My goal is to have fun and maybe dig something interesting. I've been unlucky the last three hunts.

tnsharpshooter Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Good question.
>
> My take is. I highly recommend everyone to dig at
> least one iffy/questionable signal on every
> outing. But before you dig one, take a little
> extra time with studying tone with coil sweeps,
> pivoting around the possible target, and maybe
> consider your detector settings (change). This to
> me is where the real learning is. Anyone for
> example can dig a 12-45 on say an etrac and a clad
> or silver dime pops out-no brainer.
>
> This is also why I think it's best to really learn
> a detector in hard hunted sites---digging signals
> in a target rich environment---slows the actual in
> depth learning process.
> This might be okay for a newby at first.

Excellent TN,agreed that spending time with an unknown signal can really build skills. For example,today with the Explorer I was out of obvious good signals at a really late 1800s home in a small town in far southern WI. My buddy was using his ATPro with the 8.5x11 coil running flat out. I was using 18 manual Sens,factory coin program and the usual settings and stock coil. By the sidewalk going from the house to the garage I got a repeatable (both ways) 07-26. It was DEEP....that's the key. If it was on or near the surface,normally I'd pass,it's not what I'm looking for. At 10"(Propointer all the way in the hole past the grass line) I pull out a 1919 wheat and an 1894 Indian. I spent a solid two minutes with that signal analyzing it and seeing what it did. Because it was reliable and DEEP,I dug the hole. Best find of the day! Shortly before we left I was in the small front yard and got an 09-08 at 8". Again,closer to the surface and I would've assumed it was a pulltab or similar,but because it was DEEP,I had to check it out. And again,it was a couple minutes of listening and looking at number stability before I went for it. Right at 8" was a no date Buffalo nickel. What did I learn? Looking at a RANGE of numbers at depth along with repeatability will get me some good coins! If I was digging 5" quarters I wouldn't have learned anything,anyone can do that. Forcing myself to investigate those fringe signals will tell me something about how deep stuff reacts with the Explorer,and in the future will really make the dig/no dig decision quicker.
My buddy has swept the same sidewalk area many times in three trips to this house before I dug the Indian/wheat combo. He simply couldn't get any good indications with his setup,though he does pretty well in the 8-8.5" range,normally.
Sweep speed was critical today as well,adding to the learned skills. If I went any faster than about 1.5 feet per second on the sweep,the Indian/wheat broke up badly,could've been the orientation in the ground. The nickel hit better,it seemed to still have a good sound around 2 fps.
I haven't dug anything good with the Explorer yet that didn't have good repeatability and a solid range of numbers at depth. I was surprised to be running manual 18 Sens and to still get coins 10" down. That puts a lot of confidence in me about the ability of this machine.

Kevin

Kevin,
Some good info. Nice finds as well. Got to watch those minelabs---deep critters. I'll bet you're more excited now about your detector. And the depth meter on the minelabs---more accurate than many on coin sized items. I'll be watching and waiting for more nice finds coming from you.

Kevin,

Are you in the Madison/Edgerton/Janesville area? You will learn that (and probably already have)............... at a certain depth (for each site you hunt).......... that the aluminum trash ends at a certain measurable depth.................... and anything deeper/beyond this (site-specific) discovered/specified depth....is not aluminum trash (which is usually soda tabs). The ratio of the "quality" of finds will be greater. Then...................... this will lead you to dig more 'non-ideal' (non-cherry-picking) signals that are beyond the aluminum trash depth. Eyes will open! If you discover that (at a particular site)..... the aluminum trash ceases at...say: 7".................. and you have a detector that can reach depths to 9"...........,,,,,,,,,,,,.............. you will be recovering targets in the 7" - 9" strata ... with interesting success. This 2" window of opportunity (7" to 9" depth strata/range) is THE teacher. If you have a detector that is 11" capable..................... then you will have a 4" depth strata window-of-opportunity (now capable from 7" to 11" depth capabilities). That's DOUBLE the opportunity (2" depth strata window...vs...4" depth strata window). And................ you will also see the targets from the 10" and 11" depths........ are....... in general....... even older/more valuable. You will also see/witness/learn more about "up-averaging/down-averaging" .................... even on silver coins.

At this moment, my goal is not to die of a heat stroke. It's hot out there fellas, be safe.

The challenge of the hunt, somedays you get the bear and sometimes he gets you..

I like Tom's idea of certain targets only being so deep so if you find a target and it exceeds the usual or perhaps sounds different go for it...might surprise you.....

NASA-Tom Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Kevin,
>
> Are you in the Madison/Edgerton/Janesville
> area? You will learn that (and probably already
> have)............... at a certain depth (for each
> site you hunt).......... that the aluminum trash
> ends at a certain measurable
> depth.................... and anything
> deeper/beyond this (site-specific)
> discovered/specified depth....is not aluminum
> trash (which is usually soda tabs). The ratio of
> the "quality" of finds will be greater.
> Then...................... this will lead you to
> dig more 'non-ideal' (non-cherry-picking) signals
> that are beyond the aluminum trash depth. Eyes
> will open! If you discover that (at a particular
> site)..... the aluminum trash ceases at...say:
> 7".................. and you have a detector that
> can reach depths to
> 9"...........,,,,,,,,,,,,.............. you will
> be recovering targets in the 7" - 9" strata ...
> with interesting success. This 2" window of
> opportunity (7" to 9" depth strata/range) is THE
> teacher. If you have a detector that is 11"
> capable..................... then you will have a
> 4" depth strata window-of-opportunity (now capable
> from 7" to 11" depth capabilities). That's DOUBLE
> the opportunity (2" depth strata window...vs...4"
> depth strata window). And................ you will
> also see the targets from the 10" and 11"
> depths........ are....... in general....... even
> older/more valuable. You will also
> see/witness/learn more about
> "up-averaging/down-averaging" ....................
> even on silver coins.

Tom
That is exactly where I am. And everything you put in great detail is exactly what I'm banking on. I've thought, after reading much here and thinking about what depths I've found stuff at,that,as you said,there is a "magical layer of keepers". Ive dug deep tabs for sure. NEVER in an undisturbed site though! So the proverbial light bulb went off. Tabs at 6-7" from the 60s in original ground must mean...pre 60s coins must be under them. As you also said and I've definitely found,all of this is very site specific. I used to go out and just swing the coil anywhere when I first started,happy to find whatever it was that I found. Becoming an old coin hunter made me try to zero in on the EXACT details of the how,where and why....this extra thought and research was going to hopefully help to drag home more good finds.
I'm forcing myself to keep working with the Explorer right now,and I'm glad I am. Seeing the FE numbers go up and the CO numbers go down(not as much) on a deep target is very telling,something I don't have on the IDX.
Your input along with the others is always invaluable,I would need many years of experience to learn what I have in a short period with the kindness of this forum. Hopefully I can contribute one day as much as I've received....

My goals are more along the lines of yearly totals. And that means putting in the hours of research in addition to the hours of hunting. Once I hit the field, my goal is just to enjoy myself. Not that finding good stuff isn't fun......



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/26/2015 05:34PM by Champ Ferguson.

my goal is have the ground quiet when I'm done, been hunting 4 places for 8 years and they are still not quiet, and I dig everything, sometime it just junk, some times I luck out

Just to relax and see if can get a few more good targets from the old sites. hh

and also to take a few off the wish list, can take years if ever to find certain type of coins