newbie / OLD home site

[FlyingDirt]

Hi everyone. I am new to this site and to MD'ing...I have a couple of very old homesites on my property that I began to explore the other day with my Fisher ID Edge. This site is in the middle of my 40 acres close to an old creek and basically in the middle of nowhere. I was told of the site by the previous owner. I got to the site and got TONS of negative signals...dug a few (square nails, horseshoe nail). But then, on a small mound of dirt I hit several high tone targets (+36...+28, etc.) but they were not solid and wouldn't lock but I kept hitting it from different angles...when I would try and pinpoint, it would only read about 5 or 6. These signals were within 4-5ft or less of each other...I made sure I auto balanced the unit and I also dug down a few inches with no luck....Any ideas? Just wondering if this was something deep or the area was too trashy or what? Story is that 2 families lived on this property and buried there valuables during the Civil War and went to TX....never came back. ??? Would appreciate any ideas!!
THANKS!

 

[Bill Ladd]

First off welcome to the forum
Unfortunately that sounds typical of the old homesites/ foundations we hunt here. In other words, that should be expected as all these sites are laced with square nails. It will be especially bad along the foundation or where the house stood as when the place collapsed or burned all the nails just fell there....
I feel that old housesites/ foundations are a real major challenege. So, a newbie to the hobby shouldn't get discouraged. These sites frustrate the pro's, and you have twice the battle trying to learn a metal detector at a tough site. Have you tried the Edge at a ball field or someplace to see what a "good" soild signal sounds like? It should sound better, the ID should "lock" (not move), and you should get FAR better pinpoint numbers. Pinpoint numbers that are not double digits are a good indicator that you have a junk target. Also, you said that they didn't lock, another clue it could be junk or even a hot rock or something. Hot rocks can sound good but then won't pinpoint sometimes....
Let us know your settings too. High sensitivity can cause problems at a high trash site too.
As a newbie, I would go back and take your time & maybe just search for solid, repeatable signals. Don't get discouraged if you dig some trash/iron at first. Even the pro's do, and over time your trash/treasure ratio will improve.....
good luck,
Bill

 

[FlyingDirt]

Negative tones/numbers were flying all over the place...I had the settings on the factory preset of Old Coins...I could pinpoint it but it just wasn't reading anything over like 10...I knew there would be a ton of trash but these couple of spots kept hitting a hard +36...I had to try and different angles but it would SING...it was just the pinpoint was so weak. Thanks for the help and a great site!!!

 

[Bill Ladd]

But seeing all those negative numbers can be a benefit. Many ID detectors don't let you "see" how much iron is in the ground, but the 3 new digital Fishers all do. This just shows you exactly how much iron is present and can be helpful with setting adjustments. OC is a pretty good mode to use....I wouldn't get too fancy yet.
The good news is it's your property. I have some iron loaded sites we just continue to hit over & over again. We will actually remove as much iron & trash as possible as it just masks goodies under it. Keep workin' it & the rewards should come....
Also, don't be afraid to venture away from where the homes stood. They had to lose goodies while working in the "yard" etc too and it will be alot less number flashes....
Bill

 

[FlyingDirt]

thanks! I'll keep trying and let you know. One more question...does the PP number determine depth? If so, what ranges = to what number of inches? Of course, some of the nails I dug were like 80 - 90 when I pinpointed them...these +36 targets were pp'ing at 5-10...

 

[Jackpine Savage]

Sometimes you have to go with your instincts on signals like that. Gaining experience by digging it all for a while is the best teacher.

If you can narrow the target down to a certain spot on the ground during your coil sweep and when resweeping over that exact spot the numbers stay in a farily close range you have to dig it. Targets close to iron or other trash exhibit this all the time. Sometimes keepers come from signals that only repeat once or twice in a half dozen careful sweeps. As long as the location of the response stays put and the signal is in the "good" range you have to dig. The ID Edge has a nose for pulling this type of iffy signal out of iron and trash, trust it and you won't go wrong. After you get more experience and if you have anywhere near the cusiousity that I have, you will probably then start chasing the really iffy signals.

HH
Tom

 

[FlyingDirt]

thats's EXACTLY what it would do in about 3 different places...you might sweep over the spot alot and it wouldn't HIT everytime but each time it did it was a +36...so, I think this weekend I will be going back to do some digging!!!

Thanks for the help!!

 

[Jackpine Savage]

Scott, I find it helpful to set the iron disc so that you hear some of the iron when hunting in those conditions. Many times it will help in eliminating some of the iron that occasionally falses to a high good number. Mostly it just alerts you audibly to the amount of iron you are dealing with so that you can adjust by going to a little slower sweep which allows you and the detector to process the signals better.

Tom

 

[jackintexas]

Been hunting a long time (29 years) No site I have ever hunted is more of a challenge than a very old home site. One thing I would suggest is to turn your sensitivity down pretty low.HH