1734 Colonial-How to best search it!

[rm2ken]

I am new to detecting and I know of a Colonial house built in 1734 in New York. I know it hasn't been searched. What is the best way to approach this with my MXT?

 

[BarberBill]

I'd make a "feeler" run with the stock coil and if I ran into heavy trash I'd change to the 5.3 or the 4X6 shooter. At that point I'd mark off areas and try to hunt as thoroughly and patiently as possible overlapping my coil by a third or so and working my patches first length wise, then side wise, then diagonally. This takes time and persistence, but will give the most recovery of whatever might be there. Use good headphones and listen to the threshold very carefully as often a very slight rise in the audio will be all you'll get on the deeper goodies. Do I need to add keep the coil at ground level and don't raise it like a pendulum at the end of your swings?

Be sure to hunt along the edges of walks/driveways, steps etc. and in what might have been garden areas, and under where clothes lines may have been. Also any outhouses or where they were and the path to them. Give a good run around any large, very old trees as well. If there are any stone fences check along the fence and the fence itself. Others may add some other suggestions, but these should get you off to a good start. Have fun and keep us informed as to how it goes.
HH
BB

 

[fllawboy]

I would also look under any porches and look on the ground for signs of old foundations of other buildings that may have belonged to the house in the past, such as a barn, smokehouse, etc. I would also look for the old well if it is still standing and hunt around it. Also, if there is a stream near by the house I would look around it as well and find what would have been the logically path used in the past to get from the house to the stream. Lastly, I would also go on-line and look for tax maps, old maps of the area and any history you can find about the house. Good luck!

 

[Nancy-IL]

After hunting it a few times.... Go back again. It won't be hunted out. Go slow, keep your coil to the ground and listen to what your machine is telling you. Make pretend markers (grid) of the land. Walk East to West, then take that same section and walk North to South. Remove any trash you might find, and keep hunting S-L-O-W!

Boy does that sound like a great place to hunt. We were just in the northern part of New York about a month ago. Saratoga Springs??? While driving by some of the old properties we were in awe and thought how wonderful it would be to be able to detect them. At the time, there was about a foot of snow on the ground.

Good luck and keep us posted.

Nancy

 

[madaboutmike]

... and don't forget to explore trash areas. Don''t get put off if you find tin cans under a heap - a little digging might bring up an old bottle or two!

 

[rm2ken]

Thank you for all your suggestions. I feel confident of success of this historic site.
rm2ken