Tot lot detecting trick:thumbup:

[Goldstrike]

This may be a redundant idea for those that already do it but at the same time, this simple trick might benefit some newbies out there! When I detect a park tot-lot, I'm always aware of my past finds that have come from the mounds of bark or sand, or other material that you'll find there that can hide not only clad BUT also a ring or two!.
There are mounds that build up under the slides, the steps, around the bases of the swing supporting poles and the spring mounted rocking horses, ducks etc; and the many pieces of play equipment they install for the kids to play on.
What usually happens is we naturally shy away from all the equipment by 1ft or 2ft or maybe even 3 feet to avoid all that metal triggering a multitude of mixed tones. What I do is swing my leg under and around the supporting post or from under the bottom of the lip of the end of the slides and scoop it away 1ft-2ft THEN swing your coil or your pin pointer and you will hit targets like I have and on occasion retrieve rings which I have in the past.
I always make sure all the bark, sand or whatever the fill is, is returned back to where it was before.
The Sterling silver ring that I included in this post came from the one of those piles of bark on a tot-lot in a local park where I live and I definitely know I would not have detected it if I hadn't scooped the bark away first!!

 

[dubmurphy]

Great tip Goldstrike. Simple tricks like this will surely increase one's finds over time.

 

[Goldstrike]

Thanks d.m. I should have added that I always detect tot-lots, and if fact anywhere where there is a lot of metal poles, metal fencing around ballfields, bleachers etc; with my small Excelerator 6" coil. You can get real close to the metal with the proper settings and retrieve stuff that others will pass up.

 

[dubmurphy]

Yeah I really want to get a smaller coil, partly for that reason and for trashy spots. I have just had the stock coil the last couple years and although it works great I have always been frustrated at not being able to get within about a foot of fences and metal poles without it going haywire on me.

 

[Clad2Hunt]

That is a great tip. I use a different MD when Im "Bumping Poles". It has a 4" coil and I can get right on the poles and fences. I have found over 50 rings that way. Only 2 were gold but lots of silver and coins that others miss. Have used the 6" on the Safari to hunt stone walls and picked up some of my oldest coins.

 

[Goldstrike]

Thanks Clad2H...glad to know you've had similar success as myself with this little hint/trick. Some guy's use too big of a coil in the trashy parks around the tot-lots but I prefer either the 6 inch or the 4inch. I have a little technique in how I swing near all the metal that helps to avoid the nulling out when it gets too close to fences etc;. During the period it does null out, even though it's only a second or two, you can easily miss targets as well, even though I set mine on 'High Trash Density' purposely to id targets as quickly as possible.

 

[kschae4]

Very helpful tips GS. With just the pro coil for the Safari, I usually avoid the tot lots...but when I do, I go to the bench and select the BH with the concentric coil.