Just bought a metal detector. I know there has to be rver's that spend their free time detecting. Do you stop at police stations in the town you are going to to check on local regulation or do you just go to the parks and start detecting?

Duane and Louise

I just do it. 5-6 hours a day. It is always easier to get forgiveness than permission. I will only not do it if there is a sign saying not to.

Hi - one thing to keep in mind. In the state park where we are located, the park officials banned metal detectors because people kept digging holes in mowed areas of the park. So, I would suggest keeping to unmowed, or wooded areas unless you are just looking for stuff ON the ground rather then in the ground.

Hello;
I do every chanch I get, Just do it, ask if on privet property.
State and Federal parks frown on it, but there is where I ask.
Happy digging
Scratch & Goose

My husband has an older one, but good and I plan on getting him a new one before hitting the road fulltime. White's or Garrett? Suggestions would help me. Thanks!

Buy him a Tesoro. They are lifetime guaranteed. If it stops working they will fix it for you. Go to ebay and buy a nice used but not abused one of an upper class model. Dont pay more than 1/2 price of new. The dealer pays 60% of new retail. Their nicer ones retail for about $700-$800 and you should be able to get it for about half. Forget about the ones you see in walmart etc. If you want to really have a good one and are going to be serious about it most any brand's better ones retail for about $700-$1800. Then you really have something to enjoy.

quote:

Originally posted by Jamey Heatherly:
Buy him a Tesoro. They are lifetime guaranteed. If it stops working they will fix it for you. Go to ebay and buy a nice used but not abused one of an upper class model. Dont pay more than 1/2 price of new. The dealer pays 60% of new retail. Their nicer ones retail for about $700-$800 and you should be able to get it for about half. Forget about the ones you see in walmart etc. If you want to really have a good one and are going to be serious about it most any brand's better ones retail for about $700-$1800. Then you really have something to enjoy.

I understand metal detectors - we've had a good one for years and I expect to pay around $12-$1500 dollars for his. I think he's wanting a White's. Trying to surprise him for our 40th anniversary. Thanks for your input, I'll ck. it out.

I do some metal detecting where we stay for the summer and fall in MT. I have a Garrett detector, but I'm not sure of the model.

They discovered gold in 1862 just across the river from where where we stay, and had the largest open pit dredge in operation until just after the second world war. The are many old mines and claims and lots of neat things to explore way up in the mountains.

I do some panning also, and would like to get a small sluice box and a couple other "goodies" to increase my odds of making the "big" find, but so far it's just fun.

We're located about 35 miles north of Yellowstone Park right on the river, so if anyone of you happen to be in the area and want to spend a day prospecting sometime, just give me a holler. I'd be lots of fun even if we only get a few small gold flakes (and I do mean small, 'cause that's all I've found so far!).

Other than gold fields, where do YOU search? He's hit playgrounds, under the swings, etc. when we were in Texas (not RVing) and has found rings, coins, etc. What's the biggest thing you've found? (This question is to everyone.) He found a diamond ring for a friend who lost it once.

Just outta uninformed curiosity,...

If you did find some gold nuggets or flakes, where would you sell them? And would they buy by the ounce or gram or some other measure?

Just from the little reading I've done, one isn't likely to make a good living at prospecting but it could perhaps be a bit of pocket change in exchange for a fun hobby.

(If I ever find myself in your neck of the woods, MT_Flyfisher, it might be fun to get together and do some detecting/panning/exploring.)



Have fun!

Brian

Gold is measured by the troy ounce which is slightly heavier than a ounce, it can be sold at a number of different locations.

Howdy!

One place to research for medal detectors is on the forum at treasurenet.com. It has very good info about medal detectors and and types of treasure hunting (beach, coins, gold, etc...) I researched the forum before buying my detector a Tesoro Super Lobo. Like the lifetime warranty part and its light weight.

"Happy Trails"
chiefneon

This message has been edited. Last edited by: chiefneon,

Before you buy anything, check out Minelabs detectors. They hold more patents than the rest of the companies. I just bought an Xterra 70 at the Excapade in Gillette and I love it. It came with two coils, carrying bag and a great DVD. It is very lightweight and the batteries seem to last forever. I paid $800 including shipping.
Ray

if any of you are near Quartzsite AZ this winter, look up the Quartzsite Metal Detecting Club. They have a great coin hunt once a month in the town park. I have an x-terra 70, nice machine, good for coins, relicas and looking for gold. I sold my Tesoro lobo super trac, all I ever found was bullets!LOL. Hubby is our metal detector person, I just go along to socialize, and try not to get dirty..!LOL.The club also has gold claims for the members to use. Thats where we get "our gold". Just enough to make life interesting! Hubby is a dealer here in Canada, so we love being in Arizona in the winter,detecting and dry washing..We have a room full of detectors! I think he's a dealer so he can have the newest/latest technology! Surely there's a method to his madness!!!
Dona

quote:

Originally posted by D&E Johnson:
if any of you are near Quartzsite AZ this winter, look up the Quartzsite Metal Detecting Club. They have a great coin hunt once a month in the town park. I have an x-terra 70, nice machine, good for coins, relicas and looking for gold. I sold my Tesoro lobo super trac, all I ever found was bullets!LOL. Hubby is our metal detector person, I just go along to socialize, and try not to get dirty..!LOL.The club also has gold claims for the members to use. Thats where we get "our gold". Just enough to make life interesting! Hubby is a dealer here in Canada, so we love being in Arizona in the winter,detecting and dry washing..We have a room full of detectors! I think he's a dealer so he can have the newest/latest technology! Surely there's a method to his madness!!!
Dona

This is a question to all the detector folks out there. We are up in Northern Wi., and there are just tons of old buildings that are falling down or have fallen down and there doesn't appear to be anybody around them. Like they are abandoned. I feel kind of funny just going and hunting around them without some kind of permission. I looked for "no trespassing" signs and don't see any. No fences. No humans. What is the general rule on this sort of thing? Should I just go and hunt and hope nobody shoots at me? I don't want to make anybody mad.
Ray