Regardless if you’re new to the hobby, or an old pro, FILL YOUR HOLES! One of the fastest ways to generate some negative PR is to leave unfilled pits in school yards, parks and home yards. I even kick the sand back in when digging at the beach!
Imagine for a moment you know very little about metal detecting. Someone… (friend or otherwise) comes up to you and says “you live in one of the oldest houses in town! can I metal detect your yard?”. You think a moment, then say “well, sure…I guess” (not really sure what that means)… The next weekend that person shows up, grabs this strange looking device out of his pickup truck, and hangs shovels and other digging implements from his belt! You’re thinking “what’s up with the digging stuff?” Next, you see this person swinging this silent weedeater around the yard, then stop, stoop over and start DIGGING! You’re thinking.. “I hope he doesn’t kill the grass!”. In a moment, the fellow stands up, rubs the dirt off his hands and starts doing a jig in the yard. You’re thinking “he must have found something good! Maybe he’ll come show it to me!”… next the fella looks cautiously over each shoulder, then subtly slides the mystery find into his pocket. You’re thinking “well, maybe he’s too busy having fun.. he’ll show it to me before he leaves”. Next the detector guy picks up his stuff, and uses his foot to sort of push the dirt he dug up in the general direction of the huge hole he made. He then stomps on the hole, and starts swinging again. You grab your binoculars, and peering out of the window see that there’s this ugly brown dirty patch where there used to be gorgeous grass! You think, “well, it’s too late now…but I’ll know better NEXT time!….there won’t be a NEXT time!” Needless to say, when the detector dude gets ready to leave, you, the homeowner, asks “Did you find anything good?” Your friend the detectorist says.. “Naw, not much. Just mainly old pieces of junk!” He volunteers to show you what is in his apron, which is pulltabs and rusty nails. However, he neglects to show what got “slid” into his pocket.
Your metal detecting friend drives off into the sunset and you look over your once lush and beautiful yard… it now looks like someone has been lobbing mortars over enemy lines. The holes that did get “filled” are just dirt depressions… You think “never again!”
Here’s an excellent how-to video by SouthCarolinaTeacher.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTDKXethwnk
Now do you see why I say it’s important to fill your holes? 🙂 ….And fill them properly? We’ll have another article soon for proper recovery techniques that don’t “burn your bridges” when it comes to having hunting privileges.
Any other tips or pointers (or gripes 🙂 ) on digging? Post them below in the “comments” box!
