If your direction is not in line with your internal compass

Two incidents have happened to me in the last few months that have caused me to re-examine my ideas about the detecting, prospecting community and my ideas and feelings about myself.

While I was out detecting around Rich Hill with a friend I noticed a gent struggling with his detector on the next ridge and after some time I saw him heading back to the parking area.

All of our trucks were parked pretty close together on the only available flat spot. after some time I decided to change coils and grab a snack so I heading back to my truck.

That is where I found him sitting on his tailgate looking pretty somber. I struck up a conversation with him thinking he was just having a bad day. After sharing with me that he was new to detecting and this was only his second time out with his detector he was ready to give it up. He then added something that floored me. “I recognized you from TV but didn’t think I could ask you for help cause I don’t own a Minelab.” I was, as I said floored; I just stood there for a minute running recollections through my head about helping people wherever and with whatever they detected with.

The second incident happened within the last few weeks when I received an FB message asking if I knew anyone that could help a small group of people learn about basic prospecting, mainly panning. The email ended with, “I know you’re only a metal detector user but if you could help us it would be appreciated.” I had to sit and look at the screen for awhile before I could respond to the email. We ended up talking on the phone and he had no idea that I did anything other than detect. That was truly a “taken aback” moment.

Anyone that knows me or has been out with me knows that I have trained folks on everything from gold panning to final recovery, smelting and just about everything in between. As far as detecting goes I started out by building my first detector when I was just a kid, not even a teenager and I spent my first few years detecting coin and relic hunting. I have not always been a nugget hunter. I had great mentors back then and some I still talk to and detect with to this day.

With all of this, I have come to the realization that I am a dyed in the wool field guy I need, no, have to be in the field giving back what has been given to me over the last few decades.

There is nothing as special to me as the feeling I get when I am out with someone and they find their first gold in a pan or dig their first nugget. It is that realization that has lead me to resign from Minelab. With everything in life if your direction is not in line with your internal compass then it is a trip and not a journey.

I do not regret a minute of the last six plus years. My internal life with Minelab has been fantastic to say the least. In all I have been associated with Minelab for over two decades and I cannot think of another company and people that I admire more. Bruce Candy is simply my hero as is everyone else in the engineering and development team for their innovation and foresight. I have the utmost respect for all of every member of the Minelab teams worldwide especially the regional managers.

I look at it as I am not leaving Minelab, just the workplace spot I have held for the last six years to spend more time in the field with all detectorists and prospectors everywhere.

See you out there!

Kevin Hoagland