The Metal Detecting Checklist: What to Pack for Every Hunt

The short version

Detector, pinpointer, digger, finds pouch, water, sun protection, and permission.

If you have those six, you can hunt.

The full version

Gear

• Metal detector + spare batteries / charged battery
• Pinpointer + spare battery
• Hand digger (and/or small shovel if terrain allows)
• Finds pouch with a separate trash pocket
• Gloves
• Headphones (or confirmed wireless pairing)
• Sand scoop (if hunting wet sand or beach)
• Coil cover (clean / spare if hunting trashy ground)

Paperwork & permission

• Written permission for private property (photo on your phone counts)
• Park permit if your jurisdiction requires one
• Local rules screenshot for the site you’re hunting
• Phone numbers for the park office / land manager if relevant

Personal

• Water (more than you think)
• Sun protection — hat, sunscreen, sunglasses
• Snack / lunch
• Charged phone
• First-aid basics (one bandage and an antiseptic wipe weighs nothing)

Habits

• Fill every hole.
• Pack out every piece of trash you dig up — yours and anyone else’s.
• Be polite to anyone who asks what you’re doing.
• Leave the site looking better than when you arrived.

A printable version

This page is intentionally short, with checkboxes, so you can save it to your phone or print it. New owners of MetalDetectors.co can extend it with a downloadable PDF and an email-capture flow.

Where to go next

• Essential Metal Detecting Accessories
• Metal Detecting Laws
• Beginner Guide