A funny thing happened leading up to the first club hunt of the new metal detecting season. Snow! Granted, that’s not the rarest thing on the Canadian prairies at the end of April but it makes it no less frustrating. Besides, what’s the point in us collectively speed running climate change if we can’t lengthen the metal detecting calendar up north?
That weather delay did have a silver lining. Two, actually. First, the following weekend turned out to be gorgeous. Sunny, no wind, temperature climbing towards twenty degrees. Almost worth the wait. And second, it gave me a chance to wind up last season’s metal detecting season.
Yeah, I kind of forgot to tidy things up after the snow first fell last year. Or maybe I was subconsciously ignoring it. 2025 was, after all, far from our best year of detecting. And with the year before that being our least productive to date, following it up with an even less industrious year left me unmotivated to document our continued decline.
So, why were we so lacking in enthusiasm for our most recent hobby? Good question. At risk of regurgitating excuses, life did get in the way. In part, at least. A new part time job drew the attention of my son and his free time. As the instigator for us becoming detectorists, his absence did temper our collective zeal. But I can’t blame him for chasing guaranteed dollars over possible cents.
Then there were my own distractions such as building a shed and the beginnings of some dramatic backyard landscaping updates. The shed turned out great which was quite a surprise. But I am far more turtle than hare when it comes to such endeavours. Likewise with the landscaping.
Mostly, though, I think waning interest is most to blame and I’m not sure why that is or what to make of it. It’s no secret that this part of North America is tough for finding treasures. History with a metallic bent is relatively young here. Forcing excitement for 40-year-old pennies eventually wears a little thin.
Oddly enough, our 2025 metal detecting season got off to a decent start. No, not an old coin or, heaven forbid, a silver one. No gold jewelry. But at the inaugural club hunt I did dig up a cool, vintage toy gun. These types of finds may not be fully in my wheelhouse of interest, but those of a slightly older age than I sure get a kick out of them. And, hey, it seemed like a good omen of treasures to come at the time.
Sadly, it was not. The few times we did get out resulted in nothing else of note being discovered. There was a modest collection of clad gathered but none worth more than face value. No silvers and nothing close to my age, let alone older. Jewelry finds were even less inspiring both in number and composition. And of the few trinkets we unearthed, only an Eiffel Tower keychain garnered any awe simply because my other child had purchased the exact same item on a recent school trip to France.
As is always the case, the accumulated trash far surpassed our humble booty. Great for public safety, civic cleanliness, and club PR but hardly triggering any renewed excitement for metal detecting.
What does this mean for 2026? I have no idea. That part time job is no longer a factor so, perhaps more time is available to hunt. Finishing the landscaping started last summer, not to mention a plethora of additional home improvement projects, remain on my to do list so, perhaps not as much time as I’d like.
I will say this. On that first club hunt of the new metal detecting season. I found a cool, vintage toy gun. Maybe this time it’ll be a good omen and inspiration.