what kind of digger do you use? some help please

[kneedet]

ive been hitting some deep targets(especially pulltabs ) in the park and was wondering if life would be easier using a small shovel instead of my lesche tool or am I not doing it right. Some videos people make it look so easy, but can you really always rely on the depth gauge on the xterra? What do most of you do as far as the digging part? I also use the pro pointer which helps once Ive dug the hole, but its been in the upper 90's here and very hot digging

 

[TURNMASTER]

Do you really wish to be seen using a shovel in your local park??? Depth reading will vary with the targets position in relation to the coil. The more accurate you are with your sweeps the more accurate the reading will be.

Jeff

 

[kneedet]

Well that's one of the things, i really dont want to be seen with a shovel in the park, but what does everyone else do? dig a hole for ten minutes with a little trowel?

 

[bob.oz]

You do not need to be digging to China,most targets are only inches deep,limit your ambitions and dream finds for now and...Turn down the sens,use 4 tone mode, stay off all metal for now,use program 1 or 2 , work on easy targets and pin pointing.by easy targets i mean quarters,dimes,Penny's,and nickles( which usually are a solid 12)...those pull tabs your digging should be bouncing all around the 12 unless there right on top......if your using the 5x10 gold coil ,sweep it over target in PP,listen for the solid tone and pull back on the coil till the tone stops.your target will be at the tip of the coil. Get used to the more common tid/tones first .....Summertime,with the heat and mosquito's, is a bad time of year to land hunt in Fla,I beach hunt at night or very early morning,the parks can wait till Fall,or a windy overcast day.HH bob.oz

 

[GTzer]

Big part of MDing is the recovery. Shovel in a public place could very well work against you and other MDers-access wise. Using a small trowel like digger is easy in moist soil with few roots and rocks------and difficult in hard packed, bone dry soil with the latter. It is part of MDing.
I use either a Gator Digger from Kellyco or sometimes a more narrow type. I put a rubber log end (like you would see on the bottom of a cane/walker) on both tools. I keep them sharp and move them with a side to side wiggle when pushing into the ground. Most of my plugs are cut 3/4 round 3-5'' deep. I flip the plug -still attached to one side. If I don't find the target with that attempt-I place a rag on the ground next to my coil and place the loose soil on the rag as I continue to dig. I alternate with the pin pointer and digging until I get the target.
Compared to my analog Whites (used for 29yrs) I can't say that Mine labs really give an accurate depth. Too many 6" indicated targets are on the bottom of a 3" plug. Pin Pointing with my 705 is sometimes dead on. Other times-as noted by Digger- the target is in the back left hand portion of the plug. If the target is not anywhere close to where it's supposed to be---many times it will be much deeper and not a coin.
When you are done: pour the dirt from the rag back into the "hole" and flip the plug back over and tamp it with your foot. In grass you shouldn't be able to tell that a target was recovered. Cutting a 3/4 plug as opposed to completely removing a plug will usually preserve the grass so it doesn't die.
Part of MDing is choosing sites in relation to conditions. I live in a clay-unrealized area. In the summer it's like cement. After rains and in cooler weather it is much easier.

 

[chuckciao]

I had the same dilemma until I bought the Predator Little Eagle shovel. My yields have skyrocketed since using it.

 

[mapper65]

dig a hole for ten minutes with a little trowel?

People need to keep in mind is that there are many park where you are not allowed to dig at all. We have to be thankful and respectful when a park allows detecting. I've been in a few parks that they say you can only use a screwdriver or ice pick. I always use a small hand digger and nobody has ever said a word.

I've never had it take me more than a couple of minutes to dig my target with a hand digger in any park and I've had a few times where I've been handle deep recovering a target. Granted, it's not always easy digging but you have to deal with that as best as you can. If the ground is too hard then get a good idea where your target is and come back after a rain. If you are good with your detector and possibly a Pro Pointer would should be able to minimize the size of your hole and when your done, nobody will be able to tell that you were there.

I will say that I just received my Predator Piranha shovel yesterday. There have been places where all bets are off and you can dig with whatever you want. In that situation why not use something larger to dig. If you are out in the woods somewhere why not make things a little easier on yourself but remember to cover your holes. You never know when hunter may be the next person to pass through and you don't want them twisting their ankle.

 

[kneedet]

thanks for all the great advise. i will also look at those predator shovels

 

[oldmancrash]

I use my lesche tool. I live in western Montana and to say it is rocky is a understatement. But I keep digging away. I have at times spent several minutes digging before I find the target. Usually junk but oh well one of these days I will dig to China and there will be that special something to reward me. Never thought of using a shovel up in the mountains to make things easier. Hummm

 

[DirtAngler]

No matter what you use, if it is hot and dry it will not be an easy dig. If it's dry, it's best to stay off manicured grass areas until you get some rain. In dry conditions, no matter what size hole you dig, the grass will die unless you water it.

 

[Loosecanon]

The first thing I do after finding the target with the MD is scan it with the Pro Pointer, most often the Pro Pointer will detect it telling me it is very close to the surface. At this time I can scratch the surface with the digger and retrieve the target with minimal impact. My first silver ring was laying right at grass root level and did not have to dig at all.

 

[chuckciao]

I totally agree and use your technique now after digging many plugs only to see my find very close to the surface!