January, February and March have offered up several mild days this year. Those months are a fine time to get out and do some metal detecting. Last year my next door neighbor bought a metal detector and three weekends ago we set out to hunt the aforementioned field. We found several other items that day: pieces of plows, rifle casings, shotgun casings, pull tabs, etc. But his son stumbled upon a nice arrow head—a tremendous discovery.
I’ve enjoyed this pastime for about six years plus. A very satisfying—and addictive—outdoor hobby. So, I wanted to take a moment and share some things I've learned and let you know about this wonderful activity. Here goes:
What You Need
Buy a decent metal detector. No, you don’t have to buy high-end with all the fancy bells and whistles. My Tesoro Silver uMax has all the basic features and performs great. I purchased mine for around $300. The main ability you want from a detector is a discrimination setting to filter out “junk” metal. And good sensitivity settings. Some use dials and sounds to do this and others employ electronics with digital readouts. Shop around for a quality product. Go check out Tesoro’s website to learn more about detecting and their products: http://www.tesoro.com/
You need a small, but strong shovel. I carry an army shovel found at your local Army Surplus Store. Nice fitting gloves help you dig and sift without cutting your fingers. I also carry a carpenter’s nail pouch around my waist. This is where all my finds, along with junk metal are stored. Don’t just throw junk metal back down. Otherwise, you may be digging it back up in the future. Plus the property owner does appreciate you cleaning up a bit.
Another handy accessory: a set of headphones. These plug into the metal detector and allow you to search without anyone hearing the sounds, but you. I use this at the beach so I won’t disturb my fellow vacationers.
When to Go
I prefer the late fall to early spring timeframe. Bugs are still gone and vegetation is still dormant. While you're there, mix in some shed hunting and preseason scouting for turkeys.
A recent rain makes the soil easy to manage. Also, if looking for arrowheads, the rain helps wash dirt away from the artifact.
Where to Hunt
Always, always follow the laws. Most state parks and federal lands will NOT allow metal detecting. There are stiff fines for not observing these rules.
I try to look for old home sites or abandon roads. A few years ago, I found a stash of wheat pennies buried along an old logging road. In the mix was a 1902 Indian head penny. Other great sites: old outhouses, campsites, farm sites, church grounds, plowed fields, places where social events were held, historic travel routes, etc.
The beach is another great place. I usually find modern coins there. Occasionally, one might find a ring which has slipped off a wet finger.
Most times, you will be searching on private property. See the next section for metal detecting ethics.
Metal Detecting Etiquette
Leave the land like you found it. Dig small undetectable plugs. Stay away from emasculate lawns and expensive landscaping. Some metal detecting hobbyists leave a bad taste in others mouths because they leave huge potholes behind. Never leave trash. Also, don’t fail to tell the owner about those tire-blowing nails you found and that you removed them.
Never trespass. Get permission from the property owner. Make sure you have an agreement about your finds. After all, it is their property. I’ve found that owners can be very curious about what might be buried on their land. Be truthful and they will be inclined to invite you back.
For more, look at Tesoro’s Metal Detectorist Code of Ethics.
Take a look at some pictures of my Tesoro and my finds. Happy treasure hunting!
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