Keep a metal detecting field log that you will use

One page for the outing

The log is not a trophy list. It is a repeatable account of the permission, conditions and coverage, including empty searches. That lets you avoid accidentally returning to an excluded field, compare settings under similar soil conditions and preserve the history behind an object months later. It complements the individual find record and the longer-term collection catalogue; it should not duplicate either in full.

Before leaving home, make a session ID such as CG-26-014 and associate it with the landowner agreement, permission map and the fields to be searched. Confirm whether a tenant also needs to authorise access and whether any scheduled or other protected areas are excluded. Our permission-agreement guide explains the distinction between land consent and statutory restrictions.

A copyable field-log layout

Use whatever you can operate with cold or muddy hands: a waterproof notebook and pencil, a phone form saved offline, or both. Check whether location tracking is accurate enough for the object record; an approximate track is useful for coverage but cannot replace a precise findspot. Keep the detailed map private and ask before publishing a permission location.

Record settings only when they explain a decision

A detector may have dozens of controls. Note the mode and the few settings you changed because of noise, iron or mineralised ground. Write the reason and outcome: “sensitivity 22→18 after repeated false signals near fence; quiet on clean ground” is more useful than a screenshot of every menu. Ground balance and sensitivity settings can help you interpret the later comparison.

Coverage deserves a similarly honest note. If you intended to grid the east half but spent two hours near a gate, record that. An empty area that was actually searched is different from an area merely marked on a map. See how to grid a field for a repeatable walking pattern.

Give the find its own line immediately

At the hole, assign a unique find ID, take an in-situ image if safe and record the precise position, depth and any association. Link images by filename or sequence. “Old coin near hedge” cannot be repaired into a trustworthy location after you have visited three hedges. Do not rely on a GPS track alone. For a possible group or archaeological feature, stop and follow the grouped-finds guidance.

The pouch gives numbered slips and closed containers a place away from debris. It does not keep the record accurate automatically. Put each label with its find as soon as recovered and reconcile every container against the log before leaving the field.

Close and back up the session

At the gate, check that holes are filled, sharp rubbish is safely taken away, finds are numbered and the permission area is secure. At home, transfer wet paper notes to a durable copy without discarding the originals immediately. Back up the log, map and original photographs in at least one separate place. Flag anything for an FLO and note when and how you contacted them. The Code of Practice provides the wider responsible-detecting frame; your log is how you demonstrate it in a particular field.