Anyone here into metal detectors??? (houses, legality, airplanes)

[redhead]

Just got a metal detector; bounty hunter lone star; always wanted to check out this hobby so got it today; found a website that is like this but for metal detectors and didn't find anyone who was active on it from montana. so anyone here have any experience with metal detectors??

[sky1949]

I bought one few years ago, but haven't had chance to use it much. Got it mostly tor genealogical work, rather than treasure hunting. I don't exclude the latter as a possible use, however. I would like to do more of it. What is your interest?

[redhead]

just curious of what areas are better to search in; mostly, i know you need permission to look on private land, but don't know if places like public parks and national parks in montana are very safe to hunt in. safe as in rangers not bothering you.

[Gman2007]

City parks are a great place to start (depending on ordinances...). You'll find lots of coins in the grass and many older ones. It also give you good practice at carefully removing a plug of grass and learning how to put it back in place as to make it look like you haven't dug there - a necessity if you're going to hunt on private land.

If you can hunt in some yards of some old houses you'll find lots of old coins too.

I use an old bayonet knife to carefully slice around 3 sides of the whole I'm going to dig then fold the patch of grass over on the connected side. I then shovel the dirt out onto a cloth of some kind so it's all collected when I want to put it back in. Then, once the dirt is back in, you just fold the grass back over the hole and tap tap tap.

[ElkHunter]

The metal plates in my head prohibit metal detectors withing 500 ft. lol

Turn on a metal detector and I start break dancing. Not a pretty sight.

[Reziac]

Originally Posted by ElkHunter

The metal plates in my head prohibit metal detectors withing 500 ft. lol

Turn on a metal detector and I start break dancing. Not a pretty sight.

Elk, we knew you had a hard head, but dang it, you're supposed to wear the combat helmet on the outside!!

[Reziac]

Originally Posted by Gman2007

I use an old bayonet knife to carefully slice around 3 sides of the whole I'm going to dig then fold the patch of grass over on the connected side. I then shovel the dirt out onto a cloth of some kind so it's all collected when I want to put it back in. Then, once the dirt is back in, you just fold the grass back over the hole and tap tap tap.

Can you tell how deep to dig, or do you use a probe to figure that out?

I'd think a stiff bit of wire like the last joint of a car antenna would be handy for that.

What's the legality of ownership for what you find? I'd think in a public park it would be finders-keepers, but on private land it might belong to the owner, unless agreed otherwise. Is that correct??

[Reziac]

Originally Posted by sky1949

I bought one few years ago, but haven't had chance to use it much. Got it mostly tor genealogical work, rather than treasure hunting.

You may be surprised at what you dig up

"Hey sis, I think I found grandpa!"

.

[Gman2007]

Depending on the detector, they obviously have a limit of how deep they detect - a few inches unless it's something REALLY big! Some of the more fancy ones will even tell you how deep but mostly you can go off the sound. If you're going for coins, it's hard to use a probe - just a handfull of dirt at a time and wave it over the detector - if no beep then on to the next handful.

Yea, public area is finders keepers but on private property you have to work something out with the owners. Sometimes a percentage of what you find and sometimes other arrangements. I always take out way more trash than goodies. That's nice for the owners to see too that you're cleaning up their place of unwanted nails, barb wire, and other assorted metal trash!

I even have a gold detector. Haven't really used it much besides playing around but supposed to be good for finding pretty small sized nuggets.

http://whiteselectronics.com/?option...319&Itemid=137

[redhead]

thanks gman for the info. i stumbled upon lots of videos on youtube on digging so your info on digging a hole is just what i saw on youtube....so right on. ya figuring out how far down to dig is the big question.......and i also discovered it's no fun digging where there's lots of rocks and gravel. going to waite for the dirt to dry up more too before i go out again. we're supose to have dryer weather for a few day. and elkhunter is this why you travel by covered wagon cause they won't let you on airplanes????????? (but is that you or some friends of your???)