Newbie! Hope this is where to post this. Got a list...

[scooper77515]

Hiya everyone.

Just purchased a Bounty Hunter Tracker IV/TK4-PL (yes, very entry level, got it from Sam's Club online, and still on order, to be delivered on Thursday).

Anyway, I am 39 yrs old, and been wanting a detector since I was in middle school. We live just off of Lake Houston in Houston Texas, and are avid boaters, but the lake has dried up this summer during the drought, and is down 8'. This lake was dammed and created in the 50s, so I have been out finding bottles and other items that were dropped before the dam was built, and got an interest in "treasure hunting" and decided to FINALLY buy a detector while the water is down. Pic of the lake near my house is attached.

Anyway, my wife's family has property on the Trinity River river bottom, and they have an old slave cemetery on the property somewhere, as well as a dump they used for many generations, so those are a couple places on my "List" to check out when the winter weather comes along.

Also, our cousin lost a gold-nugget ring in front of his grandmother's house several years back and Christmas, and it was never found. I know pretty much where it is, so that will be my first stop, and try to pay this machine off on the first day

Anyway, any suggestions regarding where on the wife's family property to look around? It is several thousand acre cattle ranch been in the family since given to them during a spanish land grant WAY back in the late 1700s or early 1800s. Should be plenty of stuff to find out there.

 

[Bucksport]

Welcome to the forum. Do a search on the tracker IV and you will find lots of great info here. I have the same machine as you, so set it in tone mode and set the disc just high enough to make a pull tab sound off with the low tone. If it is an older house search everywhere. Go very slow and overlap your swings. Dig all the repeatable sounds first and then go back later and search it again. Since it is a family home you will have plenty of time to search it over and over. Don't get discouraged in the beginning. Many people do, and that is a mistake. It will take you many hours to learn your machine. There are many great people on this forum with fantastic info. The first thing you should buy is a pin-pointer. That will cut your search time in half. Always fill your holes. Try not to get obsessed with this hobby.....wait...that is a good thing Sounds like you have a prime virgin spot to hunt right off. Make sure you post pics for the rest of us to drool about. HH and enjoy

 

[scooper77515]

yes, I think I am lucky to have access to such a historical and large undisturbed area to play in. The family has had MANY hobbies, but I think I am the first with at metal detector.

First couple trips will be local elementary school playground around the monkey bars and swings, where I KNOW there will be items to find (no pull tabs) just so I can learn to use the machine without distractions.

I also plan on bringing along a double-pouched pack...I don't believe in turning over pull tabs and bottle caps, and leaving them on the ground. They will go in my "trash pouch" and any treasures I may find will go in the other. I wouldn't toss a broken bottle or razor blade onto the ground or beach, and I sure as heck won't leave behind an unearthed pull tab!

 

[MrPopTop]

Yup, BH Tracker 4 is a fine machine down to 6 inches. Won't take long to pay for itself either.
If you are still into it you will want a good cheap deep machine, I suggest Garretts AT Pro.
And a pin pointer as soon as you can.

 

[scooper77515]

Yes, A buddy of mine is pointing me toward this machine as a first. I want a $100 or less machine to see if this hobby will hold my ADHD interests (I am sure it will!!!).

 

[slingshot]

To turn it into a good ID machine,, go to tone and slowly increase the disc. control from the off or lowest position until a nickel loses ALL of it's high tone and you get a smooth low tone-make sure there are not other metal objects like rings on the testing hand. Now, a coin will give a high tone, a tab a mixed tone (except for the sta-tab which falls in the nickel range),and a nickel a low tone. Be aware that some rings fall in the tab zone. If I were hunting for that ring, I would put it in disc. mode and turn the disc. ALL the way down (bottlecap). Make sure you overlap the coil. It has a little better depth in this mode, as the signals are easier to hear.

 

[scooper77515]

I have been reading around this forum, and saw a similar description for "tuning" my machine. Not sure if you were the author of that one as well.

It is good to get a little feedback on how to use a simple method for fine-tuning the machine.

Thanks!

I will be sure to let you guys know if I find that ring or anything else cool!

 

[scooper77515]

It is 4:15pm, and FedEx website says it is on the truck on the way here. I am getting antsy. I wanna go out and PLAY with it!!!

I hope it gets here before dark.

Yes, I sound like a little kid. Feel like it too! Hope the feeling lasts with this thing!!!

 

[salmonriverhotrock]

My Great Grand Dad had a huge cattle ranch down around Victoria in the Mission Valley area. After he died of Anthrax, his Boys (large family) all got a part of the ranch but some drank their shares away or lost them while the others responsibly worked their land. It tore up the family cuz the ones that lost their land wanted land from the ones who still had land. Anyhow, after Grand Dad passed, my Dad and his two brothers each got a 1/3 of that land each. While my Grandmother was still alive, the Boys kept the place but after she and one uncle passed, the two remaining boys and the cousins sold off what they had. Sure wish the family still had it. I still recall where the old dump was the family had used. Back in them days, what ever from the house that would not compost in the huge garden, got hauled way out in the pasture to a hole. There have got to be a hoard of bottles and collectibles out there. Things were still so undeveloped, I remember drinking water that came from a cistern that caught rain water.

Having been born in Brian next to Collage Station, I know there is very little public land in Texas for the public to use. The coast area and a bit inland however would be a gold mine I would think if a guy can get permission to hunt private lands. Back when Galveston and Port Lavaca were destroyed by the hurricane many years ago, debris and bodies were scattered all over the place and inland a number of miles. If you ever get a chance to read about it, it was down right nasty and the consequences of looting were death on the spot. Able bodied men were forced at gun point into servitude and for fear of disease, many bodies were stacked and burned for there was also an abundance of wood from destroyed homes and buildings. Many executions took place when body robbers were found with cut off fingers, trying to collect rings from the dead. Many looters came down from the northern areas of Texas bordering the effected areas.

As for the Slave Cemetery, I'd be careful as Texas law does protect cemeteries, even if they are on private land. I have Ancestors buried in a small family cemetery in the Mission Valley area but is on private land. We still have a Deed that allows any of us to access and use that cemetery no matter the owner of the land. Last time Dad was down there when alive, the land owner (a Lawyer) tried to deny him access saying there was none. When Dad spotted the pasture gate on the other side of this guys lawn, he finally admitted that was a way to get to the cemetery and so Dad drove across his lawn and went to the cemetery. In Texas, I have been told there have been instances of new land owners bulldozing old graves and headstones trying to make them disappear from the properties. I'm unsure if Texas had any instances of Small Pox like up here in the north but I'd be extremely careful around graves. I'm told Small Pox can survive in the soil for a great many years. I'm unsure about Anthrax. My Great Grand Dad was out on his horse and found a cow that had been hit by lightning. He skinned the cow to salvage the hide and nicked himself with his knife. They figured this was a cow he got at a sale that had been brought in from Mexico. Anyhow, there may could be an issue of Anthrax in graves. Up here in the North, it was the Indians killed by the Army using blankets infected with Small Pox. You don't dig Indian graves up here plus it's against the law. May want to go to the Court House and look up old land descriptions or maps to see if they mention or show anything not around now. Read some old news papers to see if there were any plane crashes, even check to see if the area has had any history of meteors being found. There can be money in Meteorites. Check if there were som old out houses. Yes, there are guys who will dig these old out house locations or holes for coins and bottles.

Enjoy the new toy, it is very addicting, Robert

 

[scooper77515]

I hope I didnt insinuate that I was going to dig the dead up!!!

Just scan around the area.

 

[Karl]

Congrats on the new Machine and Welcome To Findmall and The Bounty hunter forum.

 

[txmetalhead]

Hey I got a question.. I live in Victoria, tx and was wondering if u knew of some good places or old abandoned places or school. For some reason I have a hard time finding good places to detect. There is a spot in riverside park that has a historical marker by that I haven't actually read. Appreciate any good ideas

 

[mwaynebennett]

I use my Garmin GPS to find parks and schools in communities.

Mark

 

[scooper77515]

I just drive around and find playgrounds (my best finds are in older playgrounds), or old public parks (especially those with playgrounds). Swing sets, merry go rounds, slides, and any climbing areas (monkey bars) tend to be great spots for cheap jewelry and coin finds.

Just try not to look like a pedophile while scanning the playgrounds. Hard to accomplish...

 

[mwaynebennett]

Just don't hand out candy or ask kids to help you find your runaway puppy and you should be okay.

Mark

 

[scooper77515]

Most parents and kids like to come and see what I am finding. And sometimes, i have a kid with me doing the scanning, and I do the digging. Parents are more comfy with that, as opposed to an adult male being out there alone...