How To Metal Detect

So you have done your research and purchased your metal detector. Now what? Metal Detecting enthusiasts will tell you that the best metal detector is only as good as the person using it. The key to gold prospecting, finding coins and jewelry is research, planning, tenacity, persistence, and patience in the field.

The More You Know
Start with research. Where to use your metal detector? Where are those gold nuggets, rare coins and priceless jewelry? The idea is to find old battle fields, army forts, wagon trails or a ghost town in your area; places where people once lived which are excellent places to prospect for gold, find old coins and uncover valuable jewelry. The local library is filled with books and documents on the local history of your community containing "golden nuggets" of information.

There are also local metal detecting clubs where you can network.

Your city's office of land management will have old maps and aerial photos of the spots you researched in the library. You can go to the Internet and Google the GNIC, Geographic Names Information System, or Topozone for topographical maps of an area. And the best time to do your research is in the winter when it is cold out and the ground is hard.

The Best Time to Use Your Metal Detector
Experts say the best time to use a metal detector is in the fall. It is cool, vegetation is waning, and the earth is soft. But be prepared when you go. Make sure you have a kit with batteries for the metal detector, shovel, pick, first aid kit, a can of bug repellant, bottled water, and snacks.

Lastly, make sure you ask permission as the land you want to explore is owned by someone. Don't forget your metal detector, have fun, and good hunting.