Now that you have your gear, you need to find a location to metal detect. Any successful metal detectorist will tell you that research will save you time and energy and can greatly increase your chances of finding treasure
Visit your local library. There you can find information about nearby places. Most libraries will have a section that references materials with each city’s establishment date, the first buildings, popular locations, and maps of no longer used roads. Try using old maps and even new maps. Google Earth and other online maps are a wonderful reference for finding long-forgotten locations. If you come across a location that is private property be sure to contact the owner and request permission to metal detect their land. Also be aware that metal detecting on federal lands, historical sites and native American Indian burial grounds is a felony.
Search online for metal detecting forums or message boards. Usually these have metal detecting finds stories and can be a great resource for finding places to metal detect. You can also find great advice and tips for metal detecting beginners this way. It’s also a great way to make friends to go metal detecting with.
Online map resources: