Dan(NM)
Well-known member
Got an early start today at the local zoo that I've been hunting on and off for the last 18 years. There's an area that was dirt and gravel that I've avoided for the last 3 years because it's near the entrance and hard as concrete. Well, last Sunday I decided to hit it and I'm glad I did, Sunday I found 8 wheats, 4 on or near the surface and a rosie just barely under the dirt. Today paid off even better I decided to hunt in the opposite direction from Sundays hunt, within 30 minutes I had 2 more wheats, but, these guys were deep 7-8" range. On my 3rd pass I get a solid hit 12-47 perfect tone and the target trace was lighting up in the coin range, repeatable signal both ways, open the screen, no low iron tones, rock steady numbers. I was running the CTX, fast on, deep on, manual sens at 22, target trace and ground coin with half the screen open. After digging down to about 7" in rock hard dirt, I ran the coil about 3" about the ground, still hitting good, pinpoint trace still hitting in the coin range. I stick my Periscope in the hole and make contact at 10", loosen the dirt and pop another plug and that's when I saw it.... Big Silver baby!!! Black as usual, but beautiful, I could have stopped right there and been happy as a camper. Within the next few passes, a couple more wheats and then another 12-47 hit, shallow less than an inch out comes a 1962 silver quarter oh yeah, life is good!! Another pass and bam a screamer of a hit, I'm thinking can, I start chiseling the rocks away and 4" down I hit a Samson Eight Lever brass lock, man, I'm stoked now, gotta keep going. I'm on my next to the last pass and I get a 12-34 hit, I'm expecting a pulltab or an aluminum screw top, I about fell over when a token comes to the light. Good for 5 cent in trade from Wm Goldbaum Oceanside Cal. I finished up the area and moved to the grass spots to finish up the day, I hit a junk ring and a religious token with several scriptures on it and 3 more deep wheats. I hunted for about 5 hours and was beat but very satisfied with the outcome. I'll be going back to the dirt with the 6" coil and open the screen up looking for some jewelry and nickle signals.
from looking at old photos, looks like fill was brought in at some point.
Sube and I live way too far away to be hawking your zoo Dan,but there's always other eyes watching...maybe best to keep it on the DL..
