Need some help on a cache hunt

[richm]

I have been investigating a lead for a few years now and believe there is a good chance of a cache being buried on the land in the pictures. For obvious reasons I can't divulge the exact spot but will say it's sort of in the North-East (US). The money (close to $75,000) was acquired from a lot of people (investors?) by a man who ended up going crazy and lost the land. This property (several acres) used to have several dwellings (houses, barns etc.) The cache would have been hidden around the early 1800's. The man who hid this money was untrusting and anti-government. About $3,000 (cash) was found in an abandoned house that was being knocked down. I have permission to detect and use a White's DFX. I have a large "Deepscan" coil. Should I use this? A lot of the property is overgrown but I'm not allowed to clear any land (detect only). Any advise, tips or techniques would be greatly appreciated.

[Bum Luck]

Start at the house and hunt an ever-increasing spiral out.

[cw0909]

About $3,000 (cash) was found in and abandoned house that was being knocked downhopefully that was the true $ amount, and was it coin or scrip

A lot of the property is overgrown but I'm not allowed to clear any land (detect only).
a good sturdy probe, might work where you cant get the detector in at

get your gps coords and look at google maps/earth
and bing maps, bing has a good birds eye view

i know your going to have a good time, keep us updated i love following the hunts

[Kentucky Kache]

How large is your "Deepscan" coil? The bigger the better. Without the facts, no one will be able to help much. I understand you can't give away your lead, so my suggestion is, find all the clues you can and then ask specific questions.

[richm]

Thanks guys, my coil is 8" x 14" "Deepscan 1400". I guess my specific questions would be in regard to settings and so forth. I'm sure there will be a lot remnants from when they removed all the buildings for salvage (nails, trash etc.) The guy owned a few hundred acres but all the buildings, crop areas and such were limited to less than 15 acres with the rest being wooded. I imagine it would have been easier to bury it somewhere familiar on the land instead of in the woods. I have maps of all the original dwellings. From the information that I've recovered I'm not sure what form the $3,000 that was found was in. All accounts that I've read just say $3,000 cash but knowing the mans mistrust in banks etc. I would imagine it was in coin. Rich.

[10claw]

richm, get a dowser to check your maps, then go from there=== tenclaw===

[Shortstack]

You mentioned you have permission to detect. Do you have any agreements IN WRITING as to the disposition of any valuables you find? Protect yourself; especially if you are the one doing all of the "labor" in finding the cache.

Don't automatically ignore the wooded areas as hiding places. Wooded areas would provide a good screen for depositing and removing sums of money from a cache. Look for some type of natural marker such as a large rock / boulder or a waterfall, or someother "thing" of nature that could be expected to remain in place for years to come (in the mind of the person doing the hiding.)

Try dowsing, as someone has already suggested.

Enjoy the hunt and good luck.

[richm]

Nothing in writing yet. Verbal only. I know I can get the permission "to detect" in writing but I don't want to raise suspicion of a cache. Not that I'm greedy. I would be willing to work out a split, I just don't want to suggest that there might be a cache and have them change their mind on letting me detect. I won't be able to do this until this summer when I visit for a week so I have to give this some thought on how to approach it. I don't know much about "dowsing" Does it really work? and how does it work? Rich.

[Shortstack]

Dowsing does work, but only if you believe it will. I don't mean that to sound like a Harry Potter moment. It's just a basic "truth" in dowsing.

As for a "how"; there is an excellent "Dowsing" section on this site with both pros's and con's on the subject. Plus, you can research it on the internet also.

I understand your reluctance to "advertise" the possible cache. Good luck.

[Connecticut Danny]

In your case, I recommend a big coils for containers of coins and paper money, Then use a small coil for single coins, which should be a lot of them. Go for the sure things, that is single coins. I been treasure hunting since 1964, and I known what I am writing about. Best of luck to you. I live in Bridgeport, Connecticut and seeking true unpublished stories about bury treasures in Connecticut. We had a snow storm yesterday, so, it will be a while before I am out with my detector.

[TXPIRATE]

SETTING WISE I would use the closes program to all metal that you have, incase it was buried in and iron box. I would use a smaller style coil 5.3 on the walls of stones or was that a fence of stone.
A lot of hidding items have been found in loose stones.

[Connecticut Danny]

Great ideas from #10. Best of luck.

[BARGuy]

Richm...You might get a recovery agreement signed easier & raise less dust if you begin by offering the landowner a "Liability Agreement", where you agree to hold him harmless in the unlikely event you break a leg, get snakebit, struck by lightning, or? Your recovery agreement could be just an extension of that "form". All interested parties sign & get a copy.

You should be able to find some examples on this site that are suitable.

"If it ain't on paper, it never happened". ANON.

[Connecticut Danny]

When you search for anything including single coins, bottles and of course, large treasures, alway get it in writing.

[yellow1053]

RichM, As Shortstack mentioned, do not overlook the overgrown areas. You must realize, that there has been almost 200 years of forest growth since the burial. what today is dense forest may have been a wide open field back then, or even a path of some sort. Don't rule anything out, and above all, have FUN!!!

[Connecticut Danny]

I agree with the great comments, #14.

[Curtis]

This is what I use if it dosen't post well and you are interested just PM me with an email adress and I'll email it to you. The title font is actually 16 pt and the rest is 12. Reason for 2 land owners is the man and wife sign...if its a big one she better be on there!


Treasure Trove Agreement

Agreement between the Treasure Hunters (your name/s here) and the property owner(s), _______________________________________in regards to the finding of treasure trove on property located at_____________________________. This agreement establishes that (your name here) have/has permission to hunt for objects of value on the property owned by the above said person. (Your name here) will be held harmless against any and all claims of other persons in regards to the treasure found.

The percentage of the found objects after expenses are deducted will be _____ percent for (your name here) and the other _____ percent for the land owner.

(Your name/s here) agree to:

1. Notify land owner of all items of value found.
2. Respect land owners privacy in disclosure of finds to public.
3. Share general historical information known about potential items of value.
4. Disrupt land owners property as little as possible and practical.
5. Return disturbed property to original contour as best as possible/practical.
6. Furnish all equipment and services required for the Dexter C. Hulse to retrieve finds.
7. Furnish land owner lists of possible purchasers of their portion of items of value.
8. Provide sale of finds if desired.

The land owner agrees to:

1. Provide any information known that maybe relevant to the search.
2. Find the (your name here) harmless against all hazards or damages that may occur.
3. To pay any and all legal fees required for any disputes arising from the find of items of value.
4. Remain at least 15 feet from the (your name here) personnel at all times while locations are in the progress of being sought unless asked to help dig/recover.
5. Not to disclose the apparatus, equipment, methods or tools used to find and retrieve items of value.
6. Be responsible for any and all taxes and or fees on his/her/their share of the finds.
7. Provide notice of known potential dangers (gas lines, electric lines, phone lines etc.) most importantly buried ones.


____________________ ______ ________________________ _______
( Your name here) Date Land Owner/Owners Date

__________________ _____ ________________________ _______
(Partners name here) Date Land/Owner Date

[richm]

Thanks Curtis, I'm going to print this out...Rich.

[Connecticut Danny]

Curtis
Please e mail your agreement to lovejoydc@att.net

[stefen]

If I was the land owner and somebody asked for permission to work my land, I'd probably give permission with a set of limited conditions...

However, if that agreement was presented, he'd get booted...this is known as a one-sided-screw-you-contract...

To clarify my opinion...if the landowner asked the hunter to perform a task, then a variation of this type of contract may be applicable. Although, in this instance, its just the opposite....you're asking the owner for permission...

A simple agreement would be more applicable and get you onto the land...

Treasure Trove Agreement

Agreement between the Treasure Hunters (your name/s here) and the property owner(s), _______________________________________in regards to the finding of treasure trove on property located at_____________________________. This agreement establishes that (your name here) have/has permission to hunt for objects of value on the property owned by the above said person. (Your name here) will be held harmless against any and all claims of other persons in regards to the treasure found.

The percentage of the found objects after expenses are deducted will be _____ percent for (your name here) and the other _____ percent for the land owner.

(Your name/s here) agree to:

1. Notify land owner of all items of value found.
2. Respect land owners privacy in disclosure of finds to public.
3. Share general historical information known about potential items of value.
4. Disrupt land owners property as little as possible and practical.
5. Return disturbed property to original contour as best as possible/practical.
6. Furnish all equipment and services required for the Dexter C. Hulse to retrieve finds.
7. Furnish land owner lists of possible purchasers of their portion of items of value.
8. Provide sale of finds if desired.

The land owner agrees to:

1. Provide any information known that maybe relevant to the search.
2. Find the (your name here) harmless against all hazards or damages that may occur.
3. To pay any and all legal fees required for any disputes arising from the find of items of value.
4. Remain at least 15 feet from the (your name here) personnel at all times while locations are in the progress of being sought unless asked to help dig/recover.
5. Not to disclose the apparatus, equipment, methods or tools used to find and retrieve items of value.
6. Be responsible for any and all taxes and or fees on his/her/their share of the finds.
7. Provide notice of known potential dangers (gas lines, electric lines, phone lines etc.) most importantly buried ones.


____________________ ______ ________________________ _______
( Your name here) Date Land Owner/Owners Date

__________________ _____ ________________________ _______
(Partners name here) Date Land/Owner Date