I haven't been on the forum since Friday as I needed a break.
I will also answer pm's sent to me over the weekend as time allows.
I don't show finds nearly as much as I used to and only get a small percentage of what I find posted...but I just don't like to post every few days because I don't want to get on people's nerves. Just my personal choice....and I apologize if I've posted too much for some of you.
However I do like to post some of the more memorable hunts or finds such as this hunt was.
I decided I was going to try for GOLD...but got skunked as expected. However......................................................................
Out of nowhere came my FIRST EVER NICKEL GRAND SLAM....Shield Nickel....V-Nickle...Buffalo Nickel...Jefferson Nickel.
All in the same day of hunting with my Explorer SE...along with a ton of can slaw...the usual BS aluminum crap...and a very sore back.
I actually found a 5th Nickel variation to make it a grand slam PLUS ONE...as I found a silver war nickel with my E-Trac that same night. Not sure what finding all 5 nickel variations in one day would even be called...so I'll just stick with the Nickel Grand Slam of 4 different with my Explorer.
I rarely hunt for nicklels with my SE because I am not good with low conductor sounds... but since I started digging them with my ctx because I set it up to sound as silver over the numbers 10 thru 14...I figured I'd try to better learn them on my SE since it's the detector I prefer hands down. I also figured the more nickel hits I tried...the better my odds of finding some gold were.
I've been concentrating on using both smartscreen and digital while doing so.
What I mean by this is that I do not dig all lower conductors..ONLY the ones that fall in my "numbers" range for nickels...which would obviously increase my chances for some gold as well.
As you'll see from the "crap" pic below...I tried a few hits NOT in the number range while "gold chasing"...and found a few too many pulltabs.
I also like trying nickel hits on my E-Trac because I feel the digital numbers are pretty darned accurate on a nickel.
On silver, injuns', and wheaties I hunt 100% by sound alone...but gold and nickel hits are out of my realm...hence some digital use.
Anyway I figured I would revisit 3 of my faithful spots that have given up a lot of silver, injuns', and wheaties over the years...but are still full of lower conductor hits...and try to dig some gold. I figure if I keep chasing low conductors...maybe some yellow stuff will show up sooner or later.
I didn't have to worry about wasting time digging clad, wheaties, or even taking a shot at a deep. iffy, high hit...'cause there aren't any here any longer...seriously.
The only thing I had to contend with was all the BS items that sound like a nickel...and that includes nearly everything but the kitchen sink.
Well trust me...I dug plenty of it...and emptied my pouch once before even taking the pic of all this crap I dug.
[attachment 244236 nicklecrap.jpg]
The first good target I hit was a shield nickel down 8".
[attachment 244235 nickleshield.jpg]
About an hour later (and 20 pulltabs) I popped out a V-Nickel down only 4"??? I was hoping to see some yellow stuff pop out...but it didn't happen.
[attachment 244234 nicklev.jpg]
Later in the evening I got nickel #3 ...a buffalo down over 7".
[attachment 244233 nicklebuff.jpg]
NO gold...but it was at this point I realized I now had the first 3 of 4 pieces needed for a nickel grand slam......ME????
Now I'm thinking I have over 2 hours of daylight left to find a common Jefferson nickel...but after 2 parks still didn't have one in my pouch.
After finding the first three...shield...V...and buffalo...I got into a rare, nickel finding frenzy and forgot I was even searching for gold.
I decided to head to a third spot which had once held some carnival action and I remember back in the late 60's. I rember I was in kindergarten or first grade and it had a nickel pitch booth where you tossed a nickle and tried to get it to land in some various glassware in the center. The reason I remember it is because my mom and dad would play it and furnish our cupboards with new glasses and goblets each summer.
Anyway within 45 minutes I had found 4 jefferson nickels to complete my first ever NICKEL GRAND SLAM.
[attachment 244232 nickleslam.jpg]
Me EVER finding a nickel slam is one I something I wouldn't have guessed in a million years I would ever accomplish.
Here's a pic of all the nickels I dug in the same day with my Explorer SE to complete the Nickel Grand Slam.
[attachment 244231 nicklesallslam.jpg]
Here is a pic of ll the nickels I've dug in the last two weeks TOTAL.
[attachment 244230 nicklesall.jpg]
All the nickels to the left of the Grand Slam + 3 Jeffersons found with the Explorer SE....were found with the ctx and E-Trac.
I actually got 2 nickel "trifectas"...Buffalo...V...and Jefferson with the ctx and E-Trac combination and each trifecta was found on a different day with each machine.
Nickels pictured to the left as stated found with the ctx and E-Trac include 5 Jeffersons....3 V's....2 Buffalos...and 1 silver war nickel which was dug the SAME evening as my grand slam
What makes this so memorable is that I was able to accomplish my improbable slam with my Explorer SE by complete ACCIDENT ...because I was hoping to pop out some gold instead.... and in fact that's what I was trying for. I'm sure as heck not complaining though and I can honestly say finding a nickel slam was not in my wildest dreams.
What a SHOCKER...and just one more reason why I LOVE this hobby and the jot it brings me.
The only other keeper coin I found all day was this deeeeeep injun' that came from a measured, true 11" deep and had a pulltab in the hole at the 7" to 8" level.
Seems like I have to dig a lot deeper to find my coins when I'm using my SEpro than I do when using my ctx3030...JMHO-------Bryce
[attachment 244237 injun11.jpg]
After a long day of hunting...Hercules enjoyed some relaxation on his new Harley comfort blanket.
[attachment 244238 ootieharley.jpg]
I will also answer pm's sent to me over the weekend as time allows.
I don't show finds nearly as much as I used to and only get a small percentage of what I find posted...but I just don't like to post every few days because I don't want to get on people's nerves. Just my personal choice....and I apologize if I've posted too much for some of you.
However I do like to post some of the more memorable hunts or finds such as this hunt was.I decided I was going to try for GOLD...but got skunked as expected. However......................................................................
Out of nowhere came my FIRST EVER NICKEL GRAND SLAM....Shield Nickel....V-Nickle...Buffalo Nickel...Jefferson Nickel.
All in the same day of hunting with my Explorer SE...along with a ton of can slaw...the usual BS aluminum crap...and a very sore back.
I actually found a 5th Nickel variation to make it a grand slam PLUS ONE...as I found a silver war nickel with my E-Trac that same night. Not sure what finding all 5 nickel variations in one day would even be called...so I'll just stick with the Nickel Grand Slam of 4 different with my Explorer.
I rarely hunt for nicklels with my SE because I am not good with low conductor sounds... but since I started digging them with my ctx because I set it up to sound as silver over the numbers 10 thru 14...I figured I'd try to better learn them on my SE since it's the detector I prefer hands down. I also figured the more nickel hits I tried...the better my odds of finding some gold were.
I've been concentrating on using both smartscreen and digital while doing so.
What I mean by this is that I do not dig all lower conductors..ONLY the ones that fall in my "numbers" range for nickels...which would obviously increase my chances for some gold as well.
As you'll see from the "crap" pic below...I tried a few hits NOT in the number range while "gold chasing"...and found a few too many pulltabs.
I also like trying nickel hits on my E-Trac because I feel the digital numbers are pretty darned accurate on a nickel.
On silver, injuns', and wheaties I hunt 100% by sound alone...but gold and nickel hits are out of my realm...hence some digital use.
Anyway I figured I would revisit 3 of my faithful spots that have given up a lot of silver, injuns', and wheaties over the years...but are still full of lower conductor hits...and try to dig some gold. I figure if I keep chasing low conductors...maybe some yellow stuff will show up sooner or later.
I didn't have to worry about wasting time digging clad, wheaties, or even taking a shot at a deep. iffy, high hit...'cause there aren't any here any longer...seriously.
The only thing I had to contend with was all the BS items that sound like a nickel...and that includes nearly everything but the kitchen sink.
Well trust me...I dug plenty of it...and emptied my pouch once before even taking the pic of all this crap I dug.
[attachment 244236 nicklecrap.jpg]
The first good target I hit was a shield nickel down 8".
[attachment 244235 nickleshield.jpg]
About an hour later (and 20 pulltabs) I popped out a V-Nickel down only 4"??? I was hoping to see some yellow stuff pop out...but it didn't happen.
[attachment 244234 nicklev.jpg]
Later in the evening I got nickel #3 ...a buffalo down over 7".
[attachment 244233 nicklebuff.jpg]
NO gold...but it was at this point I realized I now had the first 3 of 4 pieces needed for a nickel grand slam......ME????
Now I'm thinking I have over 2 hours of daylight left to find a common Jefferson nickel...but after 2 parks still didn't have one in my pouch.
After finding the first three...shield...V...and buffalo...I got into a rare, nickel finding frenzy and forgot I was even searching for gold.
I decided to head to a third spot which had once held some carnival action and I remember back in the late 60's. I rember I was in kindergarten or first grade and it had a nickel pitch booth where you tossed a nickle and tried to get it to land in some various glassware in the center. The reason I remember it is because my mom and dad would play it and furnish our cupboards with new glasses and goblets each summer.
Anyway within 45 minutes I had found 4 jefferson nickels to complete my first ever NICKEL GRAND SLAM.
[attachment 244232 nickleslam.jpg]
Me EVER finding a nickel slam is one I something I wouldn't have guessed in a million years I would ever accomplish.
Here's a pic of all the nickels I dug in the same day with my Explorer SE to complete the Nickel Grand Slam.
[attachment 244231 nicklesallslam.jpg]
Here is a pic of ll the nickels I've dug in the last two weeks TOTAL.
[attachment 244230 nicklesall.jpg]
All the nickels to the left of the Grand Slam + 3 Jeffersons found with the Explorer SE....were found with the ctx and E-Trac.
I actually got 2 nickel "trifectas"...Buffalo...V...and Jefferson with the ctx and E-Trac combination and each trifecta was found on a different day with each machine.
Nickels pictured to the left as stated found with the ctx and E-Trac include 5 Jeffersons....3 V's....2 Buffalos...and 1 silver war nickel which was dug the SAME evening as my grand slam
What makes this so memorable is that I was able to accomplish my improbable slam with my Explorer SE by complete ACCIDENT ...because I was hoping to pop out some gold instead.... and in fact that's what I was trying for. I'm sure as heck not complaining though and I can honestly say finding a nickel slam was not in my wildest dreams.
What a SHOCKER...and just one more reason why I LOVE this hobby and the jot it brings me.
The only other keeper coin I found all day was this deeeeeep injun' that came from a measured, true 11" deep and had a pulltab in the hole at the 7" to 8" level.
Seems like I have to dig a lot deeper to find my coins when I'm using my SEpro than I do when using my ctx3030...JMHO-------Bryce
[attachment 244237 injun11.jpg]
After a long day of hunting...Hercules enjoyed some relaxation on his new Harley comfort blanket.
[attachment 244238 ootieharley.jpg]
Nice job Bryce............ actually a nice bunch of nickles with that Great Indian Penny for Show !!
I hope everybody realizes what a big deal this really is I am really stoked for you. We've been on so many hunts together you've probably found enough silver to fill the back of my pickup truck full and then some, and only when you got bored would you ever even think about digging a low conductor just for the heck of it unless we were at some really really old house or field. So congratulations on a fantastic day, you truly are the best.
Now we are even