Another newbie

[Unaka]

Hi!

Thanks for allowing me to join and for the help from the moderator.  I'm really excited to find your group. I've been fascinated by metal detecting since I was a kid and never could talk my folks into getting me one.  Then as an adult I just got busy with other things - work, life and spent my free time hiking and fishing. I'm from Maryville, moved to Northern Arizona for about 12 years then just moved back to East TN a little over a year ago. I'm in Clinton now. I do a lot of fishing now, but otherwise not finding anything else to do here. I'm looking at purchasing a metal detector soon, but still looking for best deal for something that will work half way decent yet not cost too awful much. I had all these ideas of where I wanted to hunt, but after doing more reading am disappointed to see apparently its illegal to detect in TN just about everywhere save your own property.    Since I rent that's a bit of a problem.  Still debating whether its worth the money now to purchase a machine. I just thought I might be really good at it seeing how I've always found stuff while out walking in woods, fishing and even sightseeing. I find a lot of fishing tackle people just leave behind almost every time I go to lake. My best find to date though, well other than a wad of $20's in a parking lot, was a Barber quarter laying in middle of doctor's waiting room about 2 years ago. I haven't a clue how that could have got there since obviously the building was not that old. No one else wanted it or said it was theirs, so I took it.

[Larry]

welcome to the site Unaka, come out to the club meeting and get to know the folks, Toms detectors is a good place to start. He's one of our members and is a Whites dealer

[Scruch]

Welcome Unaka..... and OHHHHH.... wait a minute. It's not ''illegal'' to hunt anywhere, if you get permission from the property owner, or controlling agency! Schools, parks and playgrounds are just a few of the place's you can hunt. Come on out with us, get a feel for it, and then decide on which machine you feel most comfortable with. Most of have more than one detector, and I'm sure you could borrow one to try out. And again, WELCOME!

[BarberDimeMike]

Welcome Unaka.  There are many places to hunt.  Like Scruch said get permission and you will be surprised what you might dig up. 

[Boaz]

WELCOME to the forum

[Unaka]

Thanks guys for the welcome!  I'm just bummed because TVA just denied my request as I thought detecting around area lakes I fish would be fun. There's really no other place in my area other than one ballpark which I'm not sure is ok and a couple parks and I'm not sure who to contact to get permission for those but they will probably say no too as it seems TN has a law against everything.  So is it illegal to pick up fishing tackle that I see on the ground around "Their" lakes? I wonder if they mind me picking up all "their" trash that I've been doing? I now also wonder if it is illegal to pick up walnuts at their lakes since otherwise they just lay their for the lawn mowers to run over and bend their blades?

[Unaka]

Welcome Unaka..... and OHHHHH.... wait a minute. It's not ''illegal'' to hunt anywhere, if you get permission from the property owner, or controlling agency! Schools, parks and playgrounds are just a few of the place's you can hunt. Come on out with us, get a feel for it, and then decide on which machine you feel most comfortable with. Most of have more than one detector, and I'm sure you could borrow one to try out. And again, WELCOME!

Where is Toms detectors? What towns are you guys in?

[Boaz]

we are in lake city here 

[Scruch]

Welcome Unaka..... and OHHHHH.... wait a minute. It's not ''illegal'' to hunt anywhere, if you get permission from the property owner, or controlling agency! Schools, parks and playgrounds are just a few of the place's you can hunt. Come on out with us, get a feel for it, and then decide on which machine you feel most comfortable with. Most of have more than one detector, and I'm sure you could borrow one to try out. And again, WELCOME!

Where is Toms detectors? What towns are you guys in?

I, and most of the club members are in the Knoxville area. And Tom's number is: 865-579-5757, and he's at 2802 Tipton Station Rd., 37920

[Scruch]

Unaka, maybe I didn't say it right. Schools, parks and playgrounds that are city or county owned ''ARE OK, AND LEGAL'' to hunt! It's privately or State/Federal owned grounds we have to get permission to hunt. The two that I know of for sure that we can't hunt are State Parks and Federal land, which, of course includes TVA. Other than that, we really have no limitations. Again..... it all falls to the property owner. So, cheer up!! Would we be doing this if it were that restrictive?

[Treasurehound]

Welcome to the forum. Good luck and post your finds.

[Unaka]

Thanks folks for the warm welcomes! Sorry I just got a little bummed  because I got all excited at the prospect of detecting then come to find out there are all these limits as to where you can detect. Sure I understand national parks, private property and businesses are off but I was all gung ho to scan the lakes while I fish especially with catfishing where you have to just sit and wait on them.  So to learn TVA and TWRA are off limits to detecting was a bummer.  I personally think they should want me on their land since I already clean up trash which is a never ending job thanks to a lot of slobs out there, but I also put out a fire on TVA property this summer during the drought. I don't know if it would have gotten out of hand or eventually just went out since it was a campfire, but it might possibly have saved some houses and powerlines. Having lived out west I've seen the devastation abandoned campfires do. I'm watchful and care for the land so seems like they would welcome me digging up all those darn cans and pull tabs. LOL

I believe I will go ahead and get a detector. I visited dad today and asked if I could detect his yard as I had learned so many places are off limits. He said "sure you can, in fact I want you too". I was said "huh?" ..."you WANT me to?" He said yeah there's a gold ring out in the yard somewhere I lost it about 18 years ago when I was working outside and never could find it".    I'm really interested in checking out his yard not only because I want to find his ring, but when he moved in years ago we found all these odd iron thingamajigs in the yard which we never could figure out what they were other than some kinda tool or farm implement. He still has most of the thingies so maybe I should post and see if you all know what they are.

Now can you all guide me in a decent detector? I don't have much right now so would like to keep it under $200 otherwise I'd love an Excalibur.  I had almost decided on a Coinmaster till I saw a comparison video between it and a Garrett and saw its limitations as it passed over certain metals especially after a few inches in. Had tried to win a Compass on ebay but didn't get it. I take it Bounty Hunters are the kiddie detectors? Can you all advise pros and cons? Also can you take a non-underwater one in the rain or dip the coil underwater or must you keep them totally dry? I will stand out in the rain and snow like an idiot and fish so I figure I will end up detecting in it too. Oh and weight is also a factor because of bad back.

[Mr. Vision]

Welcome to the forum.Your going to have a blast here.I've been working out of town,but hope to be in for the Dec. meeting.

[Boaz]

thank for the head up MR. V now we time to run 

[Unaka]

Well I finally got my detector and have been out a few times. Not much luck. Getting lots of stares. Was denied permission to hunt at my apartment complex which is a bummer because there are 2 totlots and a volleyball sand court.    I'm trying to learn proper digging techniques and try as I might haven't accomplished a proper soil slitting technique and not coming up with coins shallow enough for coin popping. I got a Lesche, still the ground here is difficult to dig isn't it? Would appreciate any help and would love to have a detecting partner. Boaz would you be up for this as it looks like you are only a few miles away from me in Clinton.

[Scruch]

Glad you finally got a coil to hit the ground with. What did you get? And, yeah, hunting commercial properties is dicey at best. But don't despair, now that you have a ''machine'', it just get's better, especially if you hook up with the right hunt-pardner!!

[Unaka]

Glad you finally got a coil to hit the ground with. What did you get? And, yeah, hunting commercial properties is dicey at best. But don't despair, now that you have a ''machine'', it just get's better, especially if you hook up with the right hunt-pardner!!

Got the Fisher F-2 with 8 and 4" coils and the pinpointer. I'm having a hard time with the 8" locating things and the pinpointer seems useless. I wish I could find a hunt-partner but can't even seem to make a friend in this town period. I'm still looking for a fishing partner too! lol

[Scruch]

Unaka.... give me a call: 865-919-6881

[Scruch]

I gave you my number to see if you wanted to hook-up and go hunt. If you don't call, don't complain about ''no pardner's''.

[Unaka]

Uh sorry! I just got the message this morning but then was gone all day. Now its 11pm so its kinda late to talk. I was fixing to go to bed. Is Sunday ok to talk and what time?