Summer Series #3: Paid Hunts Are They Worth The Money?

First, I just want to say thanks to those who are currently following me. I think I have around 42 followers right now and its only been a week. I'm not sure if 42 is a good number but hey its better than zero. Regardless, I'll continue to blog here on Steemit and move away from my old platform. I really love this platform and its been easy and smooth transition so far. I still have a lot to learn. I would like to give a big shout out to @brandonfrye who put out some really amazing content that convinced me move over here. Thank you.

Back to the Summer Series...

As a treasure hunter/adventurist/metal detectorist you are always trying to find the best permissions or sites that will produce the best results. Yes a lot of your time should be spent doing research to figure where those sites could be and because you put in the time, more times than not you will be rewarded. But what if the research was already done for
you but you had to pay a fee to hunt on the site. Would you pay it?

Lets talk more about organized "Paid Hunts".

What are they? No, I'm not talking about the paid hunts that are seeded where someone plants coins and prizes in the ground and treasure hunters from all around pay a fee to spend the day or two fighting interference from each others machines just to dig up something that was planted 2 inches or even thrown on the ground. Those hunts are a lot of fun too but I'm talking about something completely different. The hunts I'm talking about are really different. These hunts are held on historic sites and have the potential of producing some amazing colonial and civil war relics. If you are into that type of relic hunting then these type of hunts might just be for you.

Last November I wrote about my experience after attending 2 of these hunts. My blog post is still out there and I'll link the post here but I want to pull out a couple of sections from it and provide more insight since I've been on 2 additional hunts since then but there were a couple of sections that are still very relevant to this blog post (Full Disclosure: I'm NOT plagiarizing anyone except myself so please don't flag me). Its important for any new folks just getting into the hobby to be aware that these types of hunts exist but I don't recommend rushing off to sign up for the next one...at least not just yet. Keep reading there is more you need to know.

These hunts just might kill you (ok not really but..)

These hunts are no joke. They are usually held on hundreds of acres of land with hills, creeks, rivers, rocks and so on. The hunts last all day for 3 days and you have to really prepare yourself to make it through those 3 days. Drink plenty of water and bring a lunch. If you don't, plan on being miserable especially if you become dehydrated which could develop into a heart condition or something even worse. Don't take that risk. Come prepared and come in pretty good shape. After all, you spent a lot of money to get there (more on that later) so you should enjoy the opportunity and experience.

Will you find anything?

Are there good relics to be found at these paid hunts? Absolutely! I've been lucky enough to attend 4 of these hunts and I saw a lot of nice bullets, plates, buttons, etc. found. One guy found a U.S belt plate 10 feet from where I was standing. Personally have I found a lot relics? Not really but I did alright. The relics are there to be found but they aren't in every square inch of the property. You will have to work hard to find them and work you will! I will usually hunt the full 3 days until dark each day. There were times I wanted to just lay down and take a nap (and you can) but you only have 3 days to find the relics so most of us never stop searching but you will be exhausted by the end of day 3. Even during the last hunt I attended, I had to convince some of the guys with me not throw in the towel after day 2. If you aren't in shape, don't head for the highest hill. Take your time, pace yourself, and stay hydrated. I can't stress that enough but bring a lot of Motrin. :)

The cost...these events can get a little pricey!

So whats the cost to attend one of these hunts? Assuming you get picked to attend the hunt, all of the hunts I've attended cost $250 each, then you have to add in the cost of a hotel. My cost for 4 nights at a local hotel was around $60/night and it ended up costing me around $250. You can reduce that cost by 1/2 if you room with someone. Plus, you need food for each day. I try to stay cheap and bring my lunch meat, bread, snacks etc. but I probably spent $50 on my own food. You will probably want to eat a nice meal each night so plan on adding in approximately $15/night or $60 for the 4 nights. At this point you are somewhere around $610. The price continues to rise if you add in your gas to get to and from the hunt sites and your drive to and from the hotel. If you are coming from California (and someone did) that really adds up. I guess the bottom line is that it can get pretty expensive and if you don't have the right metal detector or gear then add those expenses in as well. The cost can really get out of control. Just be smart about it.

There is a lot to consider before signing up

So if you are new to this hobby and you've heard some of the stories of about "paid" hunts and the kinds of relics some folks find, just keep in mind that you probably won't walk away with buckets of relics. If you can fill a small case of bullets and a couple of buttons then you did pretty well. A lot folks walk away bitter with nothing to show for it but they also came to the hunt with high expectations. For me, these hunts have turned into more of a reunion weekend with friends. I enjoy hanging out with some the guys/gals I've met over the last few hunts. I also watch and learn from the seasoned experts and the old timers who know what they are doing. Listen to them and take their advice. But most importantly, enjoy yourself. If you do get lucky enough and get picked for one of these hunts, you are in for something special and the chances are you'll want to attend another one. Here is a video I made of the last paid hunt I attended that took place near Culpeper Virginia early this spring. It was a great hunt.

Let me know what you think. If you have any questions feel free to drop me comment and I'll answer them. Good luck and happy hunting!

You can also find me on these other platforms:

Mental Metal YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6_3Cp_6QbSK1qR4e9P2IGQ
MDM Diggers YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtLlnzki0zVjT-h4vLn1Wxg
Facebook Group: Metal Detecting Maryland https://www.facebook.com/groups/578119975677496
Twitter: @mentalmetal314