The founder of Metal Detecting WWII Battlegrounds, Chris, has been 'beeping' for artifacts since 2010, and he thinks getting into metal detecting does not have to be hard or expensive. "If you are a beginner, it's better to start with a low-price range detector ($200-$300)," Chris told Bored Panda. "Not only will you save some money, but these machines are also really easy to get the hang of."

According to Chris, more expensive machines require more time and practice to understand how to properly operate them. "Getting to know your equipment is essential to optimize your chances to unearth valuable objects. If you do not take the time to familiarize yourself with your equipment, there is a big chance that you will not find what you are after and frustrate yourself out in no time. So take your first steps wisely when you seriously want to get into metal detecting and you might just be off to a really smooth start."

The WWII enthusiast, who also documents his expeditions on YouTube, said a typical metal detecting session starts even before going outside. "Make sure you do your homework, your research. Pinpoint a good spot and try to arrange permission to detect the land you want to explore," Chris suggested. "Do yourself a favor, check the weather forecast, and gear up accordingly."

Only then do you go to the site. "You drive off to your location and walk the last bits. Time to set up your equipment. Don't rush and make sure you get all the settings right," Chris explained. 

Usually, he puts down his bag and metal detects around it to make sure his resources are always close. "If the spot turns out to be a bust, take your stuff and move a bit further away before trying the same principle again."

"Sometimes, I also keep my backpack on and walk a certain trajectory while swinging my detector in hopes of finding valuable objects. This is especially a good idea if the area you visit is vast and still unknown to you," he said. "You might discover something great right at the beginning. Or you might have to be patient and find something at the very end of the day. There are also times when you don't find anything. But that is just part of the game. You can not always be lucky and that is what it is all about in the end, being lucky."

"I usually unearth WWII relics because this era interests me the most [and I dedicate most of my efforts to it]. Sometimes, however, I encounter older objects, like coins or buckles that are hundreds of years old. This, of course, depends on the age of the land you are exploring."

Samuel Andrew Hardy determined that it is possible to estimate how many people are metal-detecting, how much detecting they do, and how many historic or cultural objects they find, by analyzing publicly available (open-source) evidence from online forums, social networks, and elsewhere.

In his 2017 study, Hardy established that there are around 2,288,188 licit and illicit detectorists worldwide (excluding the US) and each of them devotes 286 hours to detecting per year, digging up 314 material finds.

And while many of these people are not in it for the money, a report by media organization Business Africa found that for some amateur metal detectorists in Africa, the rewards could be life-changing.

For example, a treasure-hunter in Burkina Faso, named only Souleymane, said he had found enough gold to purchase three plots of land, three motorbikes, and three more metal detectors... in addition to putting his 10 children into school.

But according to Chris of Metal Detecting WWII Battlegrounds, the right mindset for this hobby is to not expect too much in terms of discoveries.

"When you go out on a hunt, you should look forward to spending a nice day outdoors," he said. "Look for a good company and you can be sure to have some good laughs. A partner also helps to keep each other motivated, especially if you are not finding much at first. Keeping a positive spirit like this protects you from disappointments."

"Usually, I make the greatest discoveries when I expect them the least. I found ancient coin treasures on forested hills where fierce battles took place during WWII while I didn't discover any WWII items there at all. So keep an open, positive mind and keep swinging that detector. Accept that you will not always find treasures, but there are more aspects that make a hunt exciting and fun."