Skip to main content

Metal Detecting in Manitoba: The Good, The Bad, and the "Is That a Bear?!"

 Alright, so if you’ve ever been metal detecting in Manitoba, you know one thing for sure—this place is WILD. And I don’t just mean the finds. I mean actual wild, as in you might be hunting for a 1930s quarter one minute and suddenly locking eyes with a deer who looks just as confused as you are. Or worse—something bigger that makes you reconsider if that signal is really worth digging.


But that’s what makes detecting in Manitoba so great. You never know what you’re going to find. Could be an old Hudson’s Bay token. Could be a smashed beer can from someone’s fishing trip in 1998. It’s basically treasure hunting with a side of mystery and occasional mild terror.


Treasure, Trash, and Tales from the Dirt

I’ll never forget the time I was out near an old homestead, getting a strong 82-84 signal on my Garrett. My heart was racing—silver? Maybe even a big ol’ silver dollar? Nope. It was a perfectly intact, vintage spoon. Exciting? Debatable. But hey, at least I could technically use it.

Then there was the time I thought I hit the jackpot—huge, solid tone, deep in the ground. I was already planning how I’d spend my gold coin fortune… only to pull out a rusty horseshoe. If luck is real, I was hoping it kicked in immediately.

But for every piece of scrap metal, there’s always that one find that keeps you coming back. A silver dime that makes you forget the 17 nails you just dug up. An old military button that gets you wondering who lost it. Or even a classic Manitoba token from back in the day when 5 cents could actually buy something.

Where to Hunt in Manitoba?

If you’re new to detecting or just looking for some fresh ground, Manitoba is packed with solid hunting spots. Old fur trade routes, abandoned homesteads, ghost towns, and of course, the beaches—because for some reason, people love losing their money in the sand. (Seriously, thank you, beachgoers. We appreciate your donations.)

And don’t sleep on your own backyard—you’d be surprised how many treasures are hiding under the grass just a few steps from your door. Just, you know, maybe don’t dig up your neighbor’s lawn. (Or do, but don’t tell them I told you to.)


Want More Stories?

Metal detecting in Manitoba is an adventure—sometimes weird, sometimes frustrating, but always worth it. If you want more crazy finds, tips, and probably too many spoon stories, check out more articles and stories at OK John Metal Detectors. 



Until then, happy hunting—and watch out for coyotes.

– Robin




Comments

Post a Comment

Popular Post

Finding Canadian Coins with the Garrett Vortex VX9 (Because They Don't Want to Be Found)

So, you just picked up a Garrett Vortex , and you’re ready to hit the ground running—literally. You’re pumped, visions of lost treasures (or at least a handful of loonies and toonies) dancing in your head. But after an hour? Nothing but bottle caps, old nails, and a weird piece of metal that might be from an alien spacecraft… or just a rusty bolt. Canadian coins are weird . If you’ve ever tried detecting them, you already know they’re basically the ninjas of the metal detecting world —sneaky, hard to find, and way too good at hiding in plain sight. That’s because, unlike American coins that behave nicely for metal detectors, post-2000 Canadian coins are mostly nickel-plated steel , which makes them way harder to pick up. Why is the Vortex VX9 Struggling to Find Your Loonies? Blame the nickel. Nickel is terrible. It has low conductivity, which means your detector has to work extra hard just to notice it. Add in the steel core that a lot of Canadian coins have, and suddenly, your Vo...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Great Coil Exchange: From Tiny to Gigantic on the Equinox 800

 Alright, so here’s the deal—I’ve always been a stock coil kinda guy . My Minelab Equinox 800 came with the standard coil, and I happily swung it around for years, digging up everything from silver coins to… deeply disappointing aluminum can shards. Then, two seasons ago, I thought, Hey, what if I go smaller? So, I slapped on the 6” coil , hoping it would help me snipe out coins and relics in trashy areas. And guess what? It totally worked. That little thing was like a surgical tool —weaving between bottle caps, iron nails, and whatever else people have been littering since 1884. I was pulling better finds, but… not necessarily more finds. Depth? Meh. Coverage? Laughable. I basically had to grid an area like I was mowing a lawn with nail clippers. Go Big or Go Home (or Just Keep Digging Forever) So this season, I’m flipping the script. Goodbye, tiny sniper coil. Hello, absolute monster. I went out and picked up the Minelab 15” Coil (3011-0464) —which is roughly the size of ...
Post a Comment
Read more