BELL COUNTY, Texas — You always hear crazy recovery by metal detector stories. But, recently detecting has become more about pleasure instead of treasure.
Metal detecting is an international hobby of interest and it's only becoming more popular in Central Texas.
The Longhorn Diggers of Central Texas are helping it grow.
"I started this club to get people out of the house, get them doing something and to enjoy the metal detecting part of it," said Lawrence Rivenburg, president of the club.
The metal detecting club has grown to more than 250 members as the hobby has gained attraction.
"I went out one time and first time I was hooked, I had the bug," said club member Randy Savell.
Savell has been a member for more than two years. He hunts an average of three to four times a week and at the monthly club meetings.
Members are digging up artifacts, culture and history all across Central Texas on their own time.
"I like to find old abandoned homesteads like out on public land where there used to be a home site. Those have a tendency to reveal artifacts and antique type things," Savell explained.
Members have found everything from a cannonball to coins from the Roman era, but it's not always about the find, it's about the thrill of the search and friendship that comes along.
"Invite each other to go hunting, sometimes we go hunting in groups of as many as three or four of us will get together and hunt in a particular spot together," said Savell.
The members also help with recovery efforts like lost rings.
"We do different things to help people get their equipment and their stuff back to them to make their lives a little more enjoyable," said Rivenburg.
With their detectors, shovels and pin-pointers in hand, they will always leave the ground better than they found it.
The club meets monthly to discuss everyone's findings and do a seeded hunt for 45 minutes to an hour.
Longhorn Diggers of Central Texas also do cache hunts four times a year. A recent hunt took over two months for a member to find because it was hidden so well.
You can join the club for free here.