best way to find bottles?

[Kevenater]

I've always liked bottles but i've only dug through a few old dumpsites near my house..... I'd like to get into it. What is the #1 tip on finding dig sites? thanks for any advice!

[Kevenater]

no replies.......................

[gleaner1]

All old houses had a privy. Most old houses had a good dump close by, right out back, or perhaps a short run with the horse and cart. The old maps, the metal detector and the probe are the best way to find bottles.

[SODABOTTLEBOB]

Kev ~

Digging old dump sites and privies is where you will find the most and best bottles. But since I am not into digging~digging~digging anymore, and because I primarily collect old painted-lable soda bottles, I prefer walking through the brush along old highways where passerbys have been tossing bottles out of car windows forever. I carry a long handled four-prong garden tool which allows me to scratch around in the leaves under bushes where I have found lots of nice soda bottles over the years. Plus I enjoy walking a lot, and will go about a mile or two in one direction on one side of the highway and then work my way back to the car on the opposite side. I have been doing this off and on now for thirty+ years and love it. I find lots of interesting stuff and not just bottles. I especially keep my eyes peeled for old road signs, which I have found several of.

Try it you might like it. Especially if you are older like me and enjoy walking and treasure hunting at the same time.

SBB

[epackage]

Find out who the local historian is in your town or county and talk to them about where old dumps were located in the area, that's the easiest way to find them to get started...That person can be contacted thru your town hall or county building of administration....Jim

[calisdad]

I used to live in a town that once prohibited alcohol. Outhouses were sought because thats where the old man hid and discarded the 'evidence'. 15 steps out the back door was the target area. A 'tee' probe was the essential in finding the location.

good luck

[AcRellik]

so what exactly are you listing for when you are probing the area? I have the probe and have used it but still dont know what I am listing for. Or is it something your are feeling for ? thanks for the help

[starwarsblazer]

The only bottle sites I have found have been with my metal detector. I picked up on the zinc lids from mason jars that were near the surface and uncovered huge bottle sites underneath. The sites were not super old, mostly early 1900's to the 1950's, but they were fun to dig. Found lots of interesting bottles and miscellaneous items. One of my greatest was a small blue jar with iodine still inside. The cap has a glass dropper attached to it, and when I opened it, it still has the strong smell of iodine. That always surprises me that it sat in the ground for decades and still is intact.

[jgas]

You will be listening and feeling for the layering in the pits. At least where I dig, people either had wood ash or coal ash to toss into the privy to keep the smells down. This action would cause the layering in the pit. The surrounding ground feel harder, sandier like sandpaper as you push the rod down. Look at the tip of the probe to see what you bring back up from down below. Look for small dirty soil samples, darker than the surrounding dirt. Listen for the unmistakable sounds of rocks, bricks and finally glass. Once you find a pit, probe to the sides and feel the difference. You wont forget it. Then the trick is to call what age the pit is before you dig it. I would say we are 75% good on the age before we dig. You will get used to it if you probe enough and dig everything at first. Goodluck jgas

[rodgerdodger]

Walk along the river banks you might see broken glass or bottles sticken out. I have found three sites. I got 1890's to 1910 out of one and the outhers were around 1940's

[SHERMANVILLE ILLINOIS]

Don't know if your only bottle hunting or also metal detecting.

Most of my finds have been in areas where I have been metal detecting;
I keep a good lookout for small pieces of glass, old dumps just covered over,
high banks on streams.

Stay alert; never know when your in an area that was an old road and they would
dump stuff into the woods or down into a stream. It may not be just on the top
but darn close. Off of old fields, farmers chucked the rocks and whatever else they
had.

Just never know.

have a good un...............
SHERMANVILLE