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Club hunt.

E

Eddie in Poulsbo

New member
Well, not much to brag about as far as our club hunt went at the bible camp yesterday. We had about 16 people show up and there was a lot of clad coins dug, a few silver rings, but no silver coins. We were all surprised that the silver wasn't being dug. The weather was perfect and we had a good time and I'm sure we will be back there again in the near future. I myself dug over 120 clad coins, one silver ring and a cheap necklace. Even though my new Platypus coil couldn't find the silver this time I am very impressed with this coil. It is well balanced, my arm didn't get sore and it pinpoints very, very well. I was digging plugs about three inches across and the coins were right there. My buddy Lee had a plug about eight inches and still couldn't locate the target. I used my Platypus and Lee was only two inches off from where his target was. Sorry fellas, but I was hoping for better results on this hunt and a picture to post, but I guess we can't be lucky all the time. Maybe next time...:) HH.

Eddie
 
It isn't the end of the world or anything when you don't find what you were hoping to find, but it kind of sucks when you don't make them too. At least you had fun with the other guys and hopefully next time your luck will change.
 
Next time you'll get'em good. So you like the pinpoint. I know it cut my plug down to about 3" across from the larger one with the stock coil. When you do the wiggle walk the exact dead center is under the name platypus on the top of the coil and about a 1/2 in front of the name. Works everytime and even on the deepies.
 
Let's hope the next time we hit that place some silver will come to light. I really do like the way that coil pinpoints and you are right on John about the wiggle walk.........: ) HH.

Eddie
 
I know what you mean James. It's really kind of a let down, but I can honestly say that I have had more good hunts than bad ones and I won't lose any sleep over this silverless hunt. There is always the next one..........:) HH.

Eddie
 
Hey Eddie,

How did you find the stability? Were you able to run it as hot as the stock coil? Got mine replaced a couple of weeks ago (something wrong with it) and really haven't had an opportunity to check this one out (aside from the fact we're in a deep freeze here and the ground is frozen solid) How many days til Spring??? :)
 
The stability was a little better then the stock coil, but I think every coil will be different considering where you are at and what kind of soil conditions your in. I started out at 24 and ended up using 17 sensitivity the rest of the day. I think spring will be here when the ground thaws out...........:) HH.

Eddie
 
Not to be a wise guy, but how do you retrieve a target say at 6" or more without digging a plug? I suppose you are going to tell me that you use a probe or a screwdriver and just pop those targets right out of the ground? You may call digging a plug destructive and I agree that it may not look pretty, but there is a right way and a wrong way of doing it. Our club takes pride in the way we handle our hunts and for the most part we do a very good job of filling in our plugs and I don't feel we are being destructive as do the folks who run these private places we hunt and that's why we get the privilege of getting to come back year after year when other clubs can't. Now, if you have a secret way of getting your targets out of the ground without digging a plug I would love to hear about it and I'm sure some other fellows on this forum might be interested as well. HH.

Eddie
 
Plugs are definitely the only way to retrieve a target at 6"+ depths. If you don't do this and use a probe to try and wiggled the coins out of the ground, you can bet that by the time you get it out of the ground, that the find will have scratch marks on it or even worse damage done to it. There is nothing wrong with the plug method unless you are digging plugs 8"+ in diameter. Then it tends to start looking bad if there is alot of them in a certain area together. But otherwise, you really can't see them if place back properly into the ground. And if you think plugs are bad, we up here have 2 different guys that just don't have the common sense like most other detectorists. One of the guys that I know sometimes goes around and takes a potatoe sack and throws the complete plugs into it and then goes through the finds when he gets home, leaving the holes open. The other guy I know would sometimes dig plugs the size of the WOT Coil due to not having a probe and common sense of trying to pinpoint the targets. So COME ON, there is nothing wrong with normal plugs. I just wish I could catch these 2 guys doing this stupid crap up here, I would take their detectors and smash them for these guys. They actually deserve worse because their just making people mad at all the other detectorists that are down-right decent folks.
 
Nicely put James and we have some idiots here in Washington state who also don't know how to dig a plug and make it look nice when it's all said and done and it's people like that that gives us all a bad name!!

Eddie
 
Yeah, I know what you mean. Some people think that your enemy #1. They just don't know or are just plain stubborn to want to grasp what the concept of metal detecting is all about. I think some people think that you are getting rich off of the finds we make. If that was the case, then I wouldn't have to get up in the morning and go to my day job. Also, some of the people have been screwed over by the small percentage of detectorists out there that just don't ask permission to do private property or just don't care about the way they dig their plugs and don't forget about the ones that just dig up the junk and decide to look around and then throw it on top of the ground. If your not going to take the junk finds and properly dispose of them, then that person should not even own a metal detector.
 
Well, at least we know that there are two of us who agree on this. I don't know who Fossicker is, but I sent him a private message and I doubt very much that he will respond. I don't mind criticism, but to say that all plugs are out dated and destructive is ridiculous!!

Eddie
 
n/t
 
Hi Folks,

Interesting comments about plug cutting, Pictured below is my plug cutter, it was made for me by a friend and cuts a 3 inch plug about 9 inches deep, made from stainless steel and does a very neat job, as it's pressed into the ground the plunger raises and allows you to press the plug back out. However I have read a lot on the forum about hunting parks and recreation centers in the States and it seems that you guys are allowed to cut plugs in your parks, unfortunately here in Tasmania in the land of OZ, they frown on that sort of activity in our parks and we are only permitted to search with a screwdriver, I also use a pair of long nosed medical forceps to get at the deeper stuff, the powers that be reckon that there were too many relics being taken from our parks by metal detectorists, they would rather have the items left in the ground to rust and corrode away, it's an unfortunate attitude but not a lot we can do about it. Having said that, the parks are still pretty productive as you can see from the following Pics.
Also guys how about a few more pics of places you hunt, gear you use and things you find, keep the pics down to 640 x 480 pixels for easy downloading.

All the best........Boony
 
I have only been detecting starting my fifth year and although your plug cutter looks very nice and may work well in places that you are allowed to use one of those plug cutters it's not the way I would make a plug. I was shown the proper way to make a plug cut was to leave a hinge on the plug because that way it doesn't kill all the grass roots and leave a round, yellow dead spot of grass a few days after you are long gone. I'm not knocking your cutter and it may be quick any easier than digging a hinged plug cut, but if I wanted to come back to a place again then I wouldn't use it and that might be another reason why any kind of digging is not allowed at places you hunt. HH.

Eddie
 
What Eddie says is true about the hinged plug technique. The grass will maintain growth for the most part but still some will die but not as bad as just cutting a circle and pulling the complete plug out. I wish for the most part that the people responsible for making the rules and laws for metal detecting would realize that the history in the ground is not going to be there forever and would get some common sense to at least let detectorists dig the artifacts and put them in a display in a museum or what have you so the next generations to come will have these precious finds to look at and appreciate. But you have to do what the law says so just go out and find what you can and keep up the good work in Tasmania.
 
Eddie,
I read your private message with great interest. If you want to insult me to cover up your own stupidity that's fine by me, but please do it on the form so the others can see what a pinhead you are! I still stand by what I said to you. "Digging a plug is out of date." After your smart ass remarks in your private message I shouldn't bother to enlighten you, but for the other fine folks who come to these forms to debate and learn I will explain the correct method of retrieving your target. First let me say that using a Probe and a Screwdriver does not make you a "Tree Hugger" Eddie. Only a fool like you would make such a stupid statement like that. But I'm glad that you have touched upon that form of recovery. Here in Seattle and many other places across this great land of ours, this is the only means of recovery that is allowed in many of the major Parks. If you don't know the proper techniques of probe recovery you will be asked to leave and not come back! If you don't believe that Eddie, go to one of the many King County Parks which is in your reach and start digging plugs. Oh yes, bring your club along with you - that will make it more amusing to the Park Rangers. In order to hunt King County Parks you must hold a yearly permit which costs $15.00 + you must show them up front that you know the proper retrieval methods with a Screwdriver and Probe. I know that probing is not the easiest method to learn so a lot of people try to avoid learning what is necessary. Another drawback is that there isn't a lot of people out there who can teach others the correct method to learn this method. But enough about Probing for now. Let's get to the "Meat and Potatoes" of this subject - cutting plugs. I know that most detectorist enjoy using the plug method - especially when you encounter a deep target that is out of reach of by any other way. Unfortunately plugs in many instances cause too must damage - especially when working sensitive areas like well cared for lawns. So how do you get around this? Simply by using the tried and true Slit Method. I'm sure that there are folks on this form who know this procedure and it is the method that I teach to my students. (Yes I teach Metal Detecting.) It goes something like this. After you have pinpointed your target (another whole subject) trace a line about 6" or so that passes right over the target sweet spot. Next take your digger (preferably a Japanese Garden Knife) and thrust down at a 45 degree angle along each side of your line to just past the grass root line. Next, take your hands and push your fingers into the cut and fold back each side of the sod. If you have done this correctly you will be looking directly at the bare earth above your target. Now put you soil collecting cloth next to the cut then thrust your knife straight down around your target and then pop the dirt plug out and onto your cloth. if you went deep enough your target will be in that plug. Retrieve your target fold your cloth in half, pour the dirt back into the hole then fold the 2 flaps that you made back together. Now stand up and step on the slit with your shoe. Finished! There are many advantages to this method and you can do it as fast as digging a plug. I have used this method in the most sensitive places and you can't tell that I've ever been there. So there you are Eddie. I have to go now - I have some more trees to hug before I go to bed!!
 
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