By Jim Winter
newseditor
@themonroetimes.com
MONROE -- Secrets lie buried everywhere. You just have to know how to look.
Ever wonder what lies beneath the surface in your backyard, or at the local park or along rail corridors?
There's an easy way to find out, and it's a hobby that's become much more technologically advanced in recent years: metal detecting.
Gone are the days of digging dozens of varying-size holes in the yard, only to find pull tabs and rusty nails. Metal detectors have come a long way and even the lower-end models, which start at around $100, can provide hours of treasure hunting and interesting results.
My wife and I moved into a home in Stoughton built in 1867. With a metal detector Igot as a gift some years ago, I hunted in our backyard, as we were just one block from downtown, hoping to find some interesting stuff. Did I ever.
First came chicken wire, then some old coins. When I got to a small hill in the back corner of our property, I hit the jackpot. My metal detector couldn't stop beeping. I pulled out all sorts of metal items, the biggest being a hub of an old wagon wheel. (Stoughton at one time was home to three wagon wheel factories.)
That discovery led to things which wouldn't register on the detector -- glass bottles and, my most interesting find, a very old leather shoe. We've since moved out of that home, but I've often thought about going back to the home and asking the owner if I could continue to excavate the hill.
Metal detecting doesn't have to be an expensive hobby. Detectors start at $100 and can go up to $1,200 or more, depending on what features one wants.
But more expensive doesn't always mean better. I was able to find everything I have with a low-end detector.
Metal detecting as a hobby is divided into five types:
* Coin shooting -- looking for coins after an event, like a baseball game, or simply looking for old coins.
* Prospecting -- Looking for valuable metals like gold and silver.
* Relic hunting -- Looking for historical artifacts.
* Treasure hunting -- Looking for items that are rumored to be hidden.
* Beach combing -- Hunting for lost coins, jewelry, etc.
Choosing a detector
Selecting the right metal detector can be confusing. There are many different brands and models to choose from. Someone considering taking up metal detecting as a hobby should ask themselves a few basic questions:
* What will I be hunting for?
* Where will I be hunting?
* How much do I know about detecting?
* What am I paying for?
An excellent place to educate yourself about what metal detector would be right for you is http://www.treasurequestxlt.com/detecting/choosing_a_detector.shtml.
Detecting tips
Now that you've purchased a metal detector, you're ready to go hunting. The best place to start is in your backyard.
Most detectors are built with some discrimination that helps you bypass most objects like nails, foil, pull tabs, etc. But the more you discriminate, the less depth you are going to have.
Don't start in an area that makes your detector beep every time you sweep.
When you get used to pinpointing a positive hit, it's time to dig and see what you've found.
Dig a hole of around 2 to 3 inches wide and 3 to 4 inches deep. If it's a small item you've found, chances are it will be in the part you dig up. If not, run the detector over the spot again to see if you're off to one side or another, or if you haven't dug deep enough.
Digging to your target takes practice, but at the start, dig up every hit you get. It may make your yard look less than perfect, but the practice will pay off when you move to a more lucrative site.
Don't get discouraged
Once you become experienced with the sounds different hits make, you will be able to bypass what you want, saving your knees, fingers and soap in the process.
Not every dig is going to yield a coin from Revolutionary War times. Not every hit is going to yield an item at all.
Remember, even if what you find is not a treasure, it's trash you can take out of the earth.
