So many of us freshly retired seniors, abruptly cut off from our jobs and our society of work friends, go into a sort of shock. Enmeshed in our funky daze, we lose our sense of purpose and wind up becoming depressed, withering, couch potatoes. It is an insidious trap from which many of us never escape—let alone recognize. If caught in that forlorn predicament, it is critically important to get off your keister before it turns to mush and get back into living. Produce! Do something, anything, that challenges your mind and body. There are a gazillion activities that will fit the bill and zap that old spark of purpose, joy, and accomplishment right back into your life. However, I am here to highlight just one that I love and know well—metal detecting.
What Do I Know About Metal Detecting?
For many years I hunted gold with my metal detectors in the western United States, including Alaska. I loved the life and became pretty good at it. I never got rich, but I was usually able to target and dig enough gold to pay my way, keep a few dollars jingling in my pockets, and, even through the leanest of times, relish the chase.
However, gold nugget shooting is only one little facet of metal detecting, and it’s certainly not for everybody. There are so many other precious prizes on which to specialize, such as:
• Coins
• Relics
• Caches
• Jewelry
• Meteorites
• Lost Mines/Treasures
What Makes Metal Detecting Such a Great Hobby for Seniors?
The Metal detecting hobby has proven to be rewarding for seniors and all age groups. Granted, not every senior set adrift by retirement will desperately glom onto metal detecting as if it were his life jacket. However, it has proved a welcome pathway out of the doldrums while improving mental and physical fitness for a significant percentage of seniors; maybe it can be for you too.
Realize also that aside from the obvious health benefits of exercise for the mind and body already mentioned, there’s a financial side worth considering. Many of your targets will have a monetary value that will add even more reward to your hobby—potentially a lot more. That’s the lure and the adrenaline rush that keeps you motivated. You never know what your next target’s gonna be. You name it, metal-detecting hobbyists have found it, and they’ve only scratched the surface. Gold veins and nuggets, gold and silver coins, jewelry, artifacts, buried treasure and caches are all among the treasures that await. In some locations, you’ll dig a lot of trash that will test your resolve, but hang tough and dig ’em if you don’t want to risk missing a fabulous find—for upon the resolute rain the spoils.
That’s my two cents worth; however, there is so much more to learn about the rewards, personal and social, that our society of metal detecting has to offer seniors like me. Below, to further enlighten and welcome seniors into our hobby, are links to in-depth posts where loads of valuable tips and expert advice can be freely accessed. You’ll be guided through the weeds so that as a beginner coming into our hobby, you will make smart, informed, outfitting choices, and learn how to best develop your metal detecting skills.