Look before you beep -

[steve in so la]

What a heading ! Something I have developed in my mind over the years is to look and study the site before jumping right in. You older detectorists know this but I thought it may give some ideas to the newer people.
When I get to a site I try to think about where things went on. An old church = where did the bake sale take place; where did they park the cars or horse & buggy ; where would you go if you were a kid and had time to play there?

At old forts & camps = where did they have huts & such; where's the water supply; where did they put lookouts; where did they dump the trash ?

In house yards where was the traffic around the place; where did they hang out the laundry; if the lawn is high what about the edges of it where it frequently drops off; is the old lawn around the tree trunks low like it should be?

Sometimes 5 minutes of looking around and thinking just might pay big dividends for you, Steve in so az

 

[Pete in MI]

Had a time once I failed to use my brain before 'beeping'. It was an old school house (1800s) near a busy intersection. There was the usual tall poles for the traffic signal lights and a lone wooden pole not far from one of those - several yards away from the building.

I first started around the front, hitting the step area goin out towards the street. Checked alone the north side of the building - working counter clockwise around the building. Wasn't having any luck at all. I got around to an alcove of the building near the south side of the building - the side facing the traffic poles and the lone wooden pole. Got a signal and started digging. I hit the item - not a good thing because if it was an old coin a scratch could change its value immensely. Digging around and deeper to avoid yet another hit I finally found the item. It was an electrical wire like that used inside a building but it was underground and outside - and - upon further checking - ran straight to the wooden pole - up the pole and connected to a box that was connected still to one of the traffic signal poles.

Apparently someone decided to provide power to the old building - not following the electrical code and had I cut into the outer plastic sheeting I'd have been shocked with 110 volts (minimum). A check going back the other way showed the wire coming up out of the ground, up the wall to a box attached to the building - with the little rotating wheel inside showing electricity was on and running.

So looking before you beep is not only important in possibly finding the best locations of where items may have been lost but also to look for hazards and dangers - be it animals, reptiles, insects (like the playground infested with sand wasps I once encountered), buried electrical wires, etc.

Glad you brought this up Steve. May God keep us safe at all times - even when we fail to protect ourselves with common sense. I have heard it said God watches over fools and (forgot what the other was He watches over). Don't be foolish folks - use the best detecting tool you have - your brain.

 

[steve in so la]

Michiganites !!
Good point about safety Pete, Steve

 

[MI$$OURI BETTY]

n/t

 

[Mike Chgo area]

n/t

 

[Mike from MI "Iron Brigade"]

That is a great tip ol wise one! I like to also think about where things happened!

 

[steve in so la]

old CW forts & camps it's fun to try & imagine what went on. After I dig a few things near each other I think about what may have gone on. Steve

 

[Mike from MI "Iron Brigade"]

I will email you a pic.