I Am Just Sick

[flintdigger]

I started off having a good weekend and then it all went down hill . I found out yesterday that I am going to lose my artifact hunting spot that I have hunted for the past 35 yrs . The owner has sold the land 425 acres to a land developer who will clear the land and build houses . I have found many good artifacts at this place over the years and there are spots that I haven't even scratched yet . I don't know what I am going to do

[Hutch in PA]

Man. Sorry to hear that. Heartbreaker.

[Flint-seeker]

Construction in all forms make me sick, especially in this already "depressed" economy. Grrrr.....

I would take a week off from work and walk the heck out of that place while you still can!

That's a real shame, indeed.

Shane

[Felinepeachy]

Oh boy, I am sick for you. That just sucks. Don't know what else to say.

[Cachefind09]

In today's enconomy, I wouldn't think that the whole 425 acres will be developed any time soon. Land just isnt selling like it use to and the real estate market is just getting weaker and slower. Try asking the developer for permission to hunt, it will probably take a long time for it to be developed.

[naturegirl]

And if you get permission to keep hunting, consider taking someone with you. More eyes, more finds? at least find everything you can before it's gone. that would make me sick too. losing something you've enjoyed for 35 years is one of life's suckier moments~

condolences...

[Americus]

I share your loss. I too am in the same situation. One of the best sites I have looked in the last 5 years has been sold. The new owner has said I can continue to look it but they are going to build a large complex on it soon.

[Tnmountains]

A lot of times they will push all the top soil off to one area. It could be loaded with finds. I hate that for you. I can't remember how many sites I have lost. Look at what made that a good site and maybe there is a similiar site not far.
Good luck

[The Grim Reaper]

While it definitely sucks to lose a site you have surface hunted for 35 years, this may actually end up being a blessing in disguise. As they develope the land they will have to move soil around, dig footers, trenchs for water lines, etc and that will probably expose spots you have never been able to hunt. If you can get permission to hunt while the construction is going on you may just find more artifacts than you ever imagined you could.

Good luck and keep us posted.

[ohioaxeman]

ask the owner if you can take a bulldozer out there and do some PLOWING...

[Tnmountains]

They are doing shoreline restoration here. They have dug all the banks back and are putting down rock. They loaded up barges with all the dirt off the village site. It was loaded with midens graves and artifacts. They loaded up the barge with a excavator.
Hopefully the local college will get to sift it. I am sure the workers have racked up on the pottery points celts gorgets that the site was known for.
Yeah it sucks.
Try to keep working the site.

[Get-the-point]

You can always stall the process. I have known sites that developers have walked away from due to someone stating they had found burial remnants on the site. If you can show a Archy that the site is important they might due a dig and you can take a active part in it due to your disclosure. You will not be able to keep your finds but they will be dug up and put on display. Think about it this way it will be buried forever or lost forever or it can be on display for all to see. Sorry about your loss. I too have lost good sites, but SRV is right. I had a good village site that they were building a new school on. I searched all of the fresh scraped ground and the dirt piles and came up with a lot of points and different types of tools. So think about it.............................GTP

[Th3rty7]

Like others have said, construction imo can be a blessing in disguise. I have filled many frames from site finds that I would have never found if it wasn't for constuction. You just have to be thorough and hit it often before they dump and spread shale or gravel, it's basically all over when that happens.

[larson1951]

just plain sucks

[bdhoward]

BUY the land!!!!

[MarkDz]

Then again, if they develop the land without bulldozing the heck out of it, all the artifacts will still be there safe and sound... and they'll be around for future generations long after all the buildings have fallen down.

And anyway, I'm sure you "rescued" a lot during 35 years!

That's me trying to put a kind of positive spin on it... though yeah, it does stink.