Ranch Hunt 04-03-2015, the return!

[Fish N Chips]

I returned to the ranch site today and took my Dad along. He borrowed my Silver Umax and I used the Eldorado. I used the 9x8 coil today as I wanted to hunt some more open areas, but also took it right into the nails. It did well. I could have switched to my 5.75 coil but it was a short hunt, and I was on the move. My Dad stuck with the 8" donut coil on the Silver.

I worked today with discrimination just below nickle, sensitivity around 6-7 in the trash and 9 in the fields. I dug only good repeatable signals, and really tried to find the smaller signals although I went ahead and dug some larger signals as well if they really sounded good. I worked around the home site but did not find much, some iron hooks and brass cases. I moved over to a rock wall and did not find much until I got a screamer signal, very sharp and loud. Out popped a nice brass lock with the mark 1825 on it. I worked over toward the barn and got a second brass lock, thos one was in the nails and I almost didn't dig it as it was breaking up slightly, this one was much smaller with a 17 on it. I need to see if I can find the make of these as they do not have a name. We worked the barn site and found a few more tools, axes, lantern parts, shell cases and an odd iron/wire "chain." I thought it was a suspender clip when it first started coming out, but then the assembly just kept coming! Any ideas? I then found a nice rein guide assembly with some chrome plate still on it.

My Dad got a nice axe, some horse shoes and tools. A brass shotgun cartridge, and a decorative broach/adornment piece. I think it may have been plated at one time but rang up around brass/pull tab on the detector. He really likes finding the old tools and was on the search for large iron and had wrought pieces.

We moved over to a second house site and I worked the orchard and along the outer wall. We were running out of day so I turned the discrim up to just below pull tab, as that seems to knock out most the rusty tin which abounds at this site. I went slow and gridded off my area. I found a harmonica reed, a rosette, a brass tube which I think must be off a knife or tool?. Then out pops a first for me, a pocket watch! I wish it was in better shape but was very happy with the find. I found a few harness buckles (I love finding buckles and horse tack).

I work along a get another great signal. I open up the hole and I see something large and round! I knew it looked like a coin, but it turned out to be something just as good. It was an 1908 token medal. It is for the US Fleets visit to San Francisco with Rear Admiral Evans on it. I called my Dad over to show off the find and was reeling. Luckily I rechecked the hole and out comes the top plate for the medal! I was very happy to find both parts. A little research showed it was for the white fleet, and came with a flag ribbon back and a pin. You can make out where the pin was soldiered but it has rusted away. I also had one of the holding rings but it crumbled into rusty dust.

I can not wait to head back up. There is so much area to cover I will be detecting this spot for a long while.

Shotgun Shell

broach or clip?

Any idea what the item on top is? Inside of a strap or belt?

Locks

Reins guide

Front

Back

 

[hatpin]

Thats some cool stuff. I'm really digging on that medal .

 

[JMC]

That medal is great. Talk about finding a moment in time.

 

[kaolinwasher]

That old shot shell is really cool . I have heard of them , but that is the 1st one I have seen dug thats a cool spot

 

[kansa54]

Love that brass shotgun shell. I've found parts of them but never a complete one. Congratulations.

 

[Fish N Chips]

My Dad did not think as much of it but the shotgun shell was a neat find. It is the first one I have seen dug around here. I have dug a lot of brass bases from the paper shotgun shells. Hopefully more brass shells show up, obviously someone was shooting them. It is a Winchester 10. I am surprised at the variety of ammo at the sites.

I can not wait to get back. I am out of town this next weekend so hope to hit it the following week. We are getting some rain so hopefully it softens the dirt back up for easier digging. I plan to hit the north and east yards of the house, then move in closer with my 5.75 coil. Amazing how productive and fun the hunt was just digging the good signals. As the finds decline I will work the questionable signals more. I have found every time I question a signal it turns out to be trash....so far. As I continue to clear the larger iron out no doubt more finds will surface.

 

[tabman]

My Dad did not think as much of it but the shotgun shell was a neat find. It is the first one I have seen dug around here. I have dug a lot of brass bases from the paper shotgun shells. Hopefully more brass shells show up, obviously someone was shooting them. It is a Winchester 10. I am surprised at the variety of ammo at the sites.

I can not wait to get back. I am out of town this next weekend so hope to hit it the following week. We are getting some rain so hopefully it softens the dirt back up for easier digging. I plan to hit the north and east yards of the house, then move in closer with my 5.75 coil. Amazing how productive and fun the hunt was just digging the good signals. As the finds decline I will work the questionable signals more. I have found every time I question a signal it turns out to be trash....so far. As I continue to clear the larger iron out no doubt more finds will surface.

Those finds are just incredible. Especially that 1908 token medal. You're doing the right thing! It's just amazing how much fun you can have swinging a Tesoro at a great site like that. I could dig a whole lot less trash if would leave those 'iffy' signals alone, but sometimes it pays off. I find myself having more fun and finding more good stuff, including gold rings, when I'm swinging a Tesoro. If I have the time, I like to grid off small areas of a large site and work them with different size coils with different discrimination settings. Going over those small sections one at a time and using several different grid angles is very effective for me. I always do better when I slow down and take my time.

tabman

 

[Fish N Chips]

Eventually I will work down to the iffy signals again. I have really gotten to like my 5.75 coil in the trash as it is so descriptive and works so well in the trash, but was surprised how well the larger coils can do as well. It is a good tip to change up the coils and directions to help uncover more. I like that the Tesoros can be swung faster in the open areas and then be swung so slow in the trash to really take advantage of the discrimination.

I am going to print out some period graphics from the white fleets trip to San Francisco and put it with the medal in a shadow box. It would be neat to find some similar ribbon and put it all back together, although I like the patina and as found look.

I may have found a match on the belt thing. I was going through an old Sears catalog from 1897 while researching the locks and found something similar, well at least part of it. It may be off an "Electric Belt". I have more research to do but if it is a match this is the inner galvanized 'battery' portion of the belt. Although not a perfect match to this brand, the plates and the D ring and clip look very similar so is at least a good lead to research more. It actually has the small holes in it on the other side, but only 3 of them and not four like the print.

I appreciate all the input and advise.

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e5/mattszychulda/Electric%20Belt%202_zps1ubxa7je.jpg

 

[metalfun]

Looks like you guys found some great stuff.WTG

 

[Fish N Chips]

My Dad finally got around to cleaning the shotgun case. It was a 10 gauge case with a 12 gauge base stuck in the end. Due to the case being split, if anything was inside it is long gone. Still pretty neat. I hope to head back up in a few weeks after the snow from this storm melts off.

 

[ToneTime]

You are in a nice spot! There is some neat history items there, I am sure there are some more good things to come out of that site. Thanks for sharing with us!