Written by the TreasureGuide for the exclusive use of the Treasure Beaches Report.
It is often a good idea to alter your search strategy as you learn more about a site. On one of my most recent trips to the beach I was covering a lot of ground and not getting any good signals. I was using discrimination mode to do a quick check even though I'm more of a dig everything kind of guy, but in that situation, I decided to quickly switch to non-motion mode. I then dug a few coins very quickly despite the fact that there were a number of detectorists that had already covered the area where I found the coins. I didn't see the others dig anything and thought they looked like maybe they were newbies and just threw out a few coins to see if they could detect them but after looking at the coins better, I could tell th coins had been on the beach for at least a few days. I don't know why the others missed those coins. They weren't real deep. Anyhow, the change of modes appeared to help me. I didn't bother to switch back to discrimination to see if I would have found the coins, so I can't say for sure that the change of mode made the difference, but it appeared to. I know there are times when it definitely will make a significant difference.
When you start a hunt, you might be looking for one thing or expect certain conditions but as you hunt you gather information maybe decide to make some changes. You might find that there are more of less targets than you expected, or that you are finding older or newer or different kinds of targets than you expected. Or you might find something very nice and decide you better tighten up your search because there might be more really good things to be found. You might decide to change how you are doing things. Maybe you change your search strategy, change metal detectors or, as I've been mentioning lately, change your search mode.
I've described what I call a step-search before. A step-search is when you search in steps or stages, analyzing the situation and then making changes at each stage of the hunt. When you are finding good targets, step-searches involve making adjustments to keep finding more after the easier, targets have already been found. You can make adjustments and use a step search whether the first step was very successful or unsuccessful. In one case you make adjustment to find more, and in the other case, you make adjustments to make your first finds.
On inland sites, a Step Search strategy can be conducted over a longer time period, maybe over days or weeks. The step- search strategy can also be used on the beach or in the water, but since conditions change more rapidly there, you never know how much time you will have. In the water and on the beach front, conditions can change very suddenly and quickly. .
You can hunt the same way all the time if you want, and it seems to me that some people do that. They never change modes, settings or strategies. They hunt the same way all the time no matter what the situation is. Now that I have so little time in the field, I have to make the most of my time. I have to hunt efficiently, which for me means making adjustments.
Switching detectors is often a good idea. If the area is very junky, for example, but you suspect there might be good targets mixed in with the junk, a good discriminating detector might allow you to pick through the junk. If I had tons of time and no better sites, I'd might spend a lot of time cleaning out the junk, but I usually don't have time to do that anymore, so I go about things differently.
Remember, in the water or on the beach front, a productive area might remain productive for only a short time, maybe an hour, or a day or a few days but it can suddenly shut down. You have to take that into account.
Like they say, insanity is doing the same thing and expecting a different result. If you are looking for a different result, it might be a good time to try something different. The one things I've been talking about a lot is if you've been using only discrimination, why not give non-motion mode a try.
I'll often start with a little sampling to get a general assessment of the site. If you are really hurried, you might start in discrimination mode. It depends so some extent ho well you know the stie to begin with. It is not necessary to dig everything during the first session, but you do want to get a good sample of what the area might hold. Then, depending upon the analysis, you might switch your detector and/or settings to focus your search. Or in junky areas, you might want to start by removing any large items or iron, for example. Analyze and adjust to the situation, also taking into account your goals.
As I said in my Math for Metal Detecting post from years ago, one high-value target can be worth more than a lot of low value targets. That is one thing to take into account.
See The Treasure Beaches Report Direct From Florida's Treasure Coast.: 8/6/15 Report - A Different Way To Use Your Scoop Very Effectively. Swimming Beach Finds Today. Intuition Experience By One Reader.
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| Source: MagicSeaWeed.com. |
Looks like we'll have a few days of bigger surf.
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Good hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net
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