What are your physical limits?

[Sanderling]

I was reading a post in this forum where the author said his physical limit was 2 hrs. This made me wonder what others physical limits might be. I can usually tolerate about three hours on the beach. However, if I am having fun and finding targets I can sometimes go 5 hrs. Conversely, if I am not finding much then 2 hrs is plenty. One guy I hunt with says he will go until he falls over if he is finding good targets, although I have not witnessed that lol. Inland digging, however, is a totally different story - 2 hrs max for me.

 

[Grubstake]

Mine is zero, after 13 heart attacks in 10 years, 11 stents, a 5 way bypass, and Diabetes, I can no longer go, I used to nugget hunt all day, and that's from 5 in the morning until 5 pm, but my health got the best of me. Grubstake

 

[bob.oz]

Think you got to consider age, I'm 60
Beach hunting these summer days are tough, but always start at sunup and average 3 hrs. maybe an hour more if overcast.
Water hunting, I usually start at sunup or b4 sunset and do 5 to 7 hrs, this morning I went 7:30 to 2:30 for $1.95 and 2 rings, one junk and a 925

 

[Grubstake]

Yep, I'm on the high side of 67, If I knew I was going to live this long!, I'd taken better care of my body, 7 years in the army, 2 years in Nam, there years in Germany, 25 years driving longhaul truck, and working for my uncles roofing company in between, have done me in. Grubstake

 

[OldBeechnut]

Average about 4 to 5 days a week at 3 to 4 hours, if the hunting is good then I have gone to 6 hours but that is rare. And this is in the water hunting so less stress on the body. At the ocean wetsand, the most is 3 1/2 hours and I am dead tired. Most of the time after a hunt I will clean all up, shower and catch a 2 hour nap before the GF gets home.

One thing for sure, I Thank God every Night and Morning for feeling great and being able to get out and enjoy.

 

[rottonr]

At 52 my limits are about the same as what you listed (3 hours). I will say I can do that 2 and three time a day 3 hours at a time while on vacation, at least for the first couple of days. I go until i get noodle arm.

 

[goodmore]

Let me just say that people that have never beach hunted have no idea how physical demanding it is. 3 to 4 hrs and I am usually shot. It really depends on the digging. I carry 2 bottles of water which is about the weight limit. People where I work usually laugh when I tell them how physical demanding it is. I have a spare Sovereign and scoop for those that dare to ride along.

 

[mike k.]

Age 60 6-7 hours per day twice a week in the great lakes Canada from may to December ,with wet suits and chest waders . You get more physical exersise with the bigger waves . Sometimes no gold !!

 

[GeorgeinSC]

Many factors are part of the equation as to how long i can detect. At the beach I find that working the wet sand is much easier than working the dry. Working the water uses more energy than working the wet sand. The heat can certainly cut down on how long I can last. During the summer i work the beach and the dirt in the winter. 4 to 5 hours on the dirt is enough to send me home.

Yesterday I worked wet sand and water from 6 am until after 1 pm. I was exhausted by the time I got to my car. I had emptied my two liter hydration pack. I usually hunt twice a week for five to six hours

I am old (75) and SLOW so I can last longer.

 

[Sanderling]

Thanks for the responses. Age certainly is an issue as is any physical disability i.e. bad knees, back, etc. In my case I am 64 and have drop foot of the right foot due to an injury in 2004. Really blessed to be able to get out and hunt at all after that accident. Grubstake's post also makes me appreciate being able to get out there. Goodmore makes a valid point about how demanding beach hunting can be. That 4 lb. detector can feel like you are swinging an anchor after a couple hours. The heat also takes a toll. We have had heat indexes of over 100 for weeks here. Thanks all and happy hunting.

 

[sdesic]

OK guys, anyone working here ?
I have job mon-fri 8-17 and can't get time that I want in hunt.
I am 40 and I hunt one day a week 6-7 hours in water (scoop or snorkel).
If I am on vacation I can do 3-4 days a week.
In the fall up to January I do some beach detecting on dry and can do 2 days + few short hunts
up to 25 hours a week.

 

[Champ Ferguson]

I typically go about 4 hrs on a beach hunt and 6 on dirt. Usually because I am finding things in the dirt and that keeps my interest level up. Its easier to call it a hunt when I'm not finding anything. But on the beach (always accessed on vacation, and therefore I don't have to drive to it) I usually do at least 2 short hunts a day, more if the tide/weather is right.

On dirt, my limit also seems to be based on haw many targets I am digging. When I start to get over 100 keepers(coins, etc), I start to feel it in my back. Obviously that varies with the trash level at the site.

 

[biglry]

Retired and at 66 yrs old with 8 foot surgery's, smashed chest and neck surgery fusion in my past I'm still hitting the beach 7 days a week for a min of 2 hrs and 3 to 4 hrs if I'm feeling good(I live a mile off the beach). I wear a wet suit when in the water over my waist and that cuts my time to 2 hr max, but if hunting on wet sand or calf deep water I can stretch it to 3 hrs no wet suit. I don't do much dry sand as it is to hard on my feet, the towel line is usally where I stop.
I use a 720i stealth scoop with carbon fiber handle and it is also my walking cane. My Excal is chest mounted with a carbon fiber shaft so I've cut the weight down on everything as much as I can. I carry 20 oz of water a leatherman tool and finds pouch velcroed on my chest mount, nothing else. I hunt rain or shine at what ever time the low tides are...1 am or 1 pm makes no diff to me. I'll even put on rain gear and hunt during a storm as long as there is no lighting. Today I was on the beach at 4 am till 7 am. I will say this dedication has been very fruitful as I'm at 107 rings this year alone.

 

[dewcon4414]

Im in pretty good shape for 64. 22 years in the military. Ive been a runner most of my life and ran maratons and combat runs. I do from 5 to 8 hours .... then a little run when I get home. Physically im in good shape..... very lucky.

Dew

 

[foggynotion]

I am 59 and retired from my career. Now I am self-employed cleaning swimming pools four days a week (Mon-Thur) On Friday , Saturday and Sunday mornings, usually starting around 4:00 am and going until 8:00 or 9:00 am, I water hunt in the Gulf Of Mexico. I usually have total solitude until 6:00 am when the walkers and joggers start pouring onto the beach.I love being in the water in the dark. I find it comforting and I love the solitude and quiet. I see many amazing shooting stars and beautiful sunrises. I have close encounters with sharks ( only twice) and dolphins and manatees and manta rays. I never have have to stop for a physical reason. I always stop because I suddenly feel like I have had enough and want to go do something else.

 

[Grubstake]

When I started having my heart attacks, I just kept on detecting, mostly nuggets shooting, because, I live in the motherload, and there is lots of gold nugget to be found, since my 5 way bypass, I just collet guns, and do a little reloading, Target shooting, and gave up detecting altogether. Grubstake

 

[fongu]

Grubstake, you deserve a rest after all you've been thru. Glad you realized it was time to take it easier and just concentrate on the hobbies you can do. All you members take care of yourselves and remember nothing under the dirt is worth ending up there trying to recover it when you don't feel well.
I can usually go about 1 hour on land and 2 hours in fresh water, but that's a long way from 2-3 hours on land a few years ago and 4-6 hours at the lake/river. I could do more when I took pain medicine for my back injury, but it affected me so badly I had to stop it about a month ago and can't do much as I want to, but thankful for short trips. Don't think I could handle the surf at the beach with the waves like some of our members do. If I'm lucky, 1-2 detecting trips a month and sometimes none at all. Once in a while, I get to go 2-3 times and that's great. You take what you get and thank God for your blessings.

 

[Grubstake]

Yes, lucky for me, I get social security, and I'm 100% service connected for my heart and other things, so, I have enough to live on, without going gold nugget hunting, although I loved it and found pounds of gold, over the years, and I use to beach hunt too, the wife has a box just full of gold and diamond rings, I'd never be able to afford to buy her. I've had a real good run, found nuggets people can only dream of, and made my wife a happy camper with all her rings. Grubstake

 

[woody]

You guys are amazing!. Even with bad hearts, knees , backs, etc. you are out there trying . I'm a few months from 80 and about 2-3 hrs. does me in. I'll take a nap for about 1 hr. and then go again but then I can't seem to concentrate like I did in the morning. I do a little beach hunting on the Georgia coast but mainly hunt relics on my farm. Right now it's too hot to hunt. Right now we are in a drought. 1/10 inch in the last month. My only real physical problem is about 4 lbs. of titanium rod in my lower back. In the afternoon I swear the weight doubles. Hey, we're vertical and that's what counts.

 

[riveraiders60]

2 to 3 hours. Cant handle that deep sand. Water better. People show up, I leave.