Any ideas how to hunt this site?

[dk dogs]

A friend of mine owns what is now a farm and what was a very popular town back in 1850-1900. There was a railroad post office bank etc there. I got the OK to go hunt it, but the ground was so full of trash that it made it almost impossible. I spend an entire day hunting there and digging 95% of the signals since I didnt want to miss anything that might be there. I guess what I am getting at you know there has to be items there, but how do you suggest hunting a place that is trash every step? I looked for signed of old houses buildings etc but came up with nothing. He pointed to the area were the town was and thats were I hunted. I did find one old button and a large bucket of trash. Any ideas would be helpful.
Thanks,
Dave

 

[silversmith]

Well first I'd forget "all metals" in a trashy place like that and go high level discriminate to start, just to feel out the area. You might find a map some where......sure would be worth hunting for one. You got a real winner there. I think if an opportunely like that was presented to me. I'd completely quit all other detecting and just dug the town for a couple of years at least. Document everything. Make your own map of the place complete with GPS data and all finds. Good luck and PLEASE be sure to include us (finds) in all your adventures. You may even be blessed with a gold coin soon! Adios, Ron.

 

[I a thr]

I hunt these types of areas much of the time. I very seldom hunt any where that the trash isn't a hit every 3-4". I use several detectors depending on the site which one I end up using or may use a couple different ones. For sure you will need a detector with good separation qualities. Then the next requirement is patients!!!!. I have spent upwards of 40 hours in one of these areas and found only 5 coins, but very nice finds in my book. So your time spent on research and your patients in search can pay off.

 

[Willy_MN]

Dave, check with the local historical society for old plat maps. If you've got a GPS and mapping software, often
you can scale the old features to known existing features in the area to get reasonably close with your GPS
waypoints. It's a good start anyway. I'm just starting out with MD'ing and the sites I've been working are pretty
trashy as well. I'm quickly learning to S-L-O-W way down and pick small areas apart. I'm with Ron on focusing
all of your efforts on that old town -- there's likely a lot of great finds there.

Good luck on that great opportunity and keep us posted. HH.....

 

[chuck101]

What up dk dogs!Chucky here.dk i am zeroing on same kind of spot,here are a few techniques i use,maybe something here will help you.I have a location that dates to 1700'S but unfortunately the main area of intrest is right were a school is now,and were i pinpointed the old structure to be,found evidence of structure right in middle of playground,talk about trash! not even getting in the middle of that until i get the 5.75 concentric coil for my vaquero,but for now this is what i did.I backed away from main trash area,which is the entire school yard,and started hunting were the trash is not so heavy,like way across the street,started hunting,which i did turn up finds (relics) relating to main area of focus,worked the perimeter of area,was able to use stock coil 9x8 because of less trash,and not as much masking effect on targets,so i was getting fairly descent depth,so i have coverd the perimeter pretty good,now i am just waiting until i get the 5.75 coil which i hope is soon like this coming friday.Then i am going right to main area with small coil to dig all good targets while in the range of tab disc mode,no way i can go lower i would have the whole play ground dug up! any way i should pick something out with the small coil,out of that trasy area,if i do i will check back in and let you know.This is only the technique i am trying,there are many ways to attack a problem like this,just use your imagination,and a few good tips from this great forum and we should all be a little more successful.Hope to be able to talk to you soon,good luck.Chucky.

 

[ndhill1976]

I would start off just digging solid signals and get off the all metal mode. Once you find something, maybe start digging trashy signals in that area.
Good luck

 

[Furious T]

You have already received some excellent advice and ideas. I've been hunting a similar sort of site, and I found out shortly after I started hunting it that 3 or 4 blokes had camped there for six weeks and gone right through the place with detectors. I persisted, using many of the techniques suggested above ie, different detectors, different discrimination levels, different sensitivity and different sweep speeds. It was three years before I started finding the relics that I was after, but from the time I started until now (I still hunt there occasionally) I found over 3500 coins, a couple of gold rings and assorted silver rings and jewellery. Not bad for a place full of rubbish and "hunted out". Good luck with your quest and dont give up. Sapper.

 

[Hombre]

This has worked for me before, use the smallest coil that you have for your detector, and look for an age indicator. This can be an old button, coin, token , old brass etc. If you are in an area where you are free to dig as you please, then get a shovel and a sifter and go to work on the area that you found the age indicator. It's a simple but effective way to work a good sight with lots of trash..................Hombre

 

[tab-nabit]

Trashy - small coils for better separation. At least your not trying to miss much by lots of digging. Some will discriminate out the iron and then get an idea of the area. Then adjust as needed depending on how it goes. Study the area for indicators on where it looks ideal and/or get any information about it's past. With an opportunity like that - I'd keep at it for some good coverage time.

 

[Elton]

n/t

 

[Cherokeefan68]

There might be a Sanborn map available for your town as well. After finding any kind of map I would grid the area out and use GPS to track your different finds.. In a little time you could build a pretty detailed "new" map of the town.. Good luck and keep us posted..

 

[Tom_in_CA]

You say you were "digging 95% of the signals since I didnt want to miss anything" Are you tuning out iron? By that I mean, that some people (on forums) reccomend "dig all", but what they really MEAN is, "dig it all except iron". You at least need to tune out iron, lest you go crazy.

There may be some exceptions to this, like where cleaned out CW fields or beaches mean that the only way to get that umph more inch of depth, is to dig all including iron. But for a site like you describe, you need to at least notch out iron.

If you are STILL deluged by junk, then cherry pick for awhile, editing in only targets above square tab. If you find some old age indicators, then you can lower the disc. and go back through your hunt site and see if other commensurate age indicators are there. I cherry pick all the time in junky parks (gasp). Yes, you will miss a gold ring or nickel. But the way I see it, is you would otherwise never find silver or copper, because you would be compelled to just give up, and hunt elsewhere (or be kicked out by park's personell for leaving divot/marks every foot).