Very Dry Soil

[fedderdavid]

I live in Corpus Christi, TX. We have only had 1.75 inches of rain this year. We have had maybe 20 inches of rain in the last 3 years. One of the lakes in the area is about 15% capacity. Is it possible that the dry soil in the older parks I have been hunting has kept me from finding older coins? I have had 12 - (40 - 43) end up being Memorial Pennies and not Wheat's. Then again last week I had a 12 - 40 end up being a Clad Quarter. The oldest coins I am finding from parks from the 1920's - 1940's are wheat pennies ranging from 1936 to 1953 and not many of them. I have only found one silver dime, which was 1964. I am using the 6 inch coil and I have been concentrating on slowing my sweep speed as much as possible.

Any suggestions on how to set my machine so I will have better finds in really dry conditions?

 

[goodmore]

I have never been in your situation. 3 years of hardly any rain. That just sucks. Around here if the ground is too dry I just don't hunt in grass areas. The plugs die and it the digging is to hard. But I have found through years of detecting that moist ground is much better for finding things as well. I won't get into the whole target halo argument because it will start a war. But the conductive properties of the dirt and minerals are much better when moist in my opinion.

 

[Dr.Deus]

Older copper memorials usually come up 43-45 for me. When you pulled up the quarter did you rescan the hole and see what else was around the target that brought down the numbers. The nice things i like about the CTX is that Yes its nice to pick and choose what "numbers" you want to dig but I'm not too sure you want to rely too much on just that. I dug a silver dime at six inches that said 12-43. As far as swing speed goes i used to try and go super slow but i think i was underestimating the ability of the CTX grappled with the 6 inch coil. i think it does depend on factors like ground mineralisation and the amount of trash you would be searching in that determines swing speed.Just what i think so dont quote me. GL and HH

 

[mtwolf2270]

Well I think wetter is better. So, I would say alot has to do with that. Sliver dimes often hit 12 43 for me I have seen memorial and wheats hit 12-42 12-43 nothing else in whole. Have also seen deep wheats hit 11 37 11 38 as I have had a barber dime hit 12 39 at 10" most memorail and wheats hit 12 40-12 41 the trash or iron in and near has an impact. The soil mineralization ground moisture etc. Yes I agree the CTX will still find stuff at even a fast swing but imo Slow is key I have hit several nice barbers SLQ and V nickel that I missed many times before slowing way down found those.

 

[fedderdavid]

Your right about plugs not working plus the soil around corpus has lots of clay in it so it comes out in hard clumps. Every once in a while I get a plug that fits back into the hole. If I hunt parks that are not watered most of the grass is dead.

I'm thinking about going to a lake that has lost about 85% of its water tomorrow. I was going to try and hunt where there were swimmers 2 to 3 years ago. There has to be some rings & etc. in that area?