general cache hunting questions

jameys18

Newbie
Apr 27, 2010
4
0
Hi all, I'm pretty new to this site and metal detecting in general. I've gained interest in searching old home sites for hidden cache's and s.c. dispensery bottles. So, i have some general questions. 1. what are some of the most common places home caches are hidden? any tips on searching for them? 2. were outhouses generally in the same area in relationship to the house? I've found a old homesite built with square black smith nails and i want to check around it but I can't find any evidence of an outhouse. any other tips to a new comer would be very helpfull.

One last thing, how do you guys do research and more importantly how do you get permission to search someones land? almost everyone i've asked has said no. =( I'm polite, theres obviously something i'm missing.
 

chipveres

Sr. Member
Jul 9, 2007
438
6
Hollywood, Florida
Just my opinions: The most common cache containers were the pint Mason jar and the pocket-sized tobacco tin. So you are looking for places suitable to hide these. A man's cache will likely be in the bedroom or visible from the window. A lady's cache will be in the kitchen or visible from that window. Bathrooms and closets need investigating too.

Good luck & happy hunting.

Chip V.
 

GrayCloud

Bronze Member
Jan 24, 2008
1,797
119
Louisiana
Detector(s) used
Explorer II & Garrett 2500 w/Treasure Hound
Chip gave you some good advise. I may add, check window sills, doors/sills, base boards, etc. Most cache's in the ground will be within an arms length or less deep. Check where the barn, chicken coops, flower beds, etc. stood. That, hard work and a little research will get you on the right road. :thumbsup:
 

Sandman

Gold Member
Aug 6, 2005
13,398
3,992
In Michigan now.
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Excal 1000, Excal II, Sovereign GT, CZ-20, Tiger Shark, Tejon, GTI 1500, Surfmaster Pulse, CZ6a, DFX, AT PRO, Fisher 1235, Surf PI Pro, 1280-X, many more because I enjoy learning them. New Garrett Ca
Primary Interest:
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This would take up to many pages to bring you up to speed. Suggest you start with the books "Treasure Hunter's Manual"
by Karl Von Mueller. He tells all about cache hunting, cellar holes, outhouses.

As for where the outhouse might be, not to far and down wind. :coffee2:
 

Wldbil

Bronze Member
May 10, 2010
1,816
159
Claremore OK
Detector(s) used
White's XLT/ Garrett AT Pro/ Ace 250
Everyone has great ideas here, I would just add to check any fireplaces you may come across. A lot of times they
would remove a few bricks and then chip out a small hiding place and reinsert the bricks hiding the cache.
 

Connecticut Sam

Bronze Member
Sep 28, 2007
1,797
142
Primary Interest:
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All great comments. Best of luck to all of you. I am retired and live in Bridgeport Connecticut. I be grateful for any unpublish stories about Connecticut treasures. Go in Peace and Praise the LORD, Amen.
 

Shortstack

Silver Member
Jan 22, 2007
4,305
416
Detector(s) used
Tesoro Bandido II and DeLeon. also a Detector Pro Headhunter Diver, and a Garrett BFO called The Hunter & a Garrett Ace 250.
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Get the book, Search, by James R. Warnke. That is the absolutely BEST book on were to look for caches on, in, and around a homesite. These are all places where something has been found at one time or another. If you are a cache hunter; you'll need this book.
 

Curtis

Hero Member
Sep 3, 2008
899
1,009
Cincinnati
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All Treasure Hunting
Wouldn't we love to know how many people have found stuff in the fireplaces? I would almost bet millions have been located in this way. Its a shame that conventional detectors have a hard time finding it if its back more than a foot! I have something that can detect it all the way thru the biggest fireplaces and way below it too.
 

Tuberale

Gold Member
May 12, 2010
5,775
3,446
Portland, Oregon
Detector(s) used
White's Coinmaster Pro
chipveres said:
Just my opinions: The most common cache containers were the pint Mason jar and the pocket-sized tobacco tin. So you are looking for places suitable to hide these. A man's cache will likely be in the bedroom or visible from the window. A lady's cache will be in the kitchen or visible from that window. Bathrooms and closets need investigating too.

Good luck & happy hunting.

Chip V.
Agree with Chip. Would add: pint Mason jar probably in "post-hole cache" where a post hole was dug, and a loose post placed on top. Need to withdraw or make an addition? Pull up the post after dark, add or remove the money and replace the post. No muss, little fuss, less the neighbors know the better. Post-hole cache usually between front door and nearest road, seldom more than 20 feet away. Man's cache near the livingroom window, ladies' cache more likely near the kitchen window (if any) or very close by. Soup tureens, large crocks, and water sources good places to search for caches too. Recently heard of a cache found in Vancouver, WA concealed in a wishing well. Careful what you wish for!
 

Lucky13

Full Member
Oct 9, 2010
122
9
Southwest Virginia
Detector(s) used
Teknetics,Teknetics,TEKNETICS!!
jameys18 said:
Hi all, I'm pretty new to this site and metal detecting in general. I've gained interest in searching old home sites for hidden cache's and s.c. dispensery bottles. So, i have some general questions. 1. what are some of the most common places home caches are hidden? any tips on searching for them? 2. were outhouses generally in the same area in relationship to the house? I've found a old homesite built with square black smith nails and i want to check around it but I can't find any evidence of an outhouse. any other tips to a new comer would be very helpfull.

One last thing, how do you guys do research and more importantly how do you get permission to search someones land? almost everyone i've asked has said no. =( I'm polite, theres obviously something i'm missing.

Im curious as to whether or not you got around to searching he home you mentioned above,If so did you have any luck there? Ive heard alot of stories of gold caches coming out of CT. Take care and HH.

John
 

Dirty Money

Jr. Member
Sep 21, 2010
94
1
Saginaw, MI
Detector(s) used
White's MX5 w/ 8X6 SEF, Garrett Pro-Pointer, X-Terra 305
Primary Interest:
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Let me add one more book to the reading list (and since it's snowing outside, tis the season for reading & research): Cache Hunting by Glenn Carson. Actually, the book has two volumns, I and II. While both are out of print, Volumn I is still readily available (I bought mine used on Amazon). Volumn II is listed, but I won't pay the kind of money being asked by the vendor.

Those three books Search, Treasure Hunter's Manual, and Cache Hunting are the corner stone of your treasure hunting library. Two others that I find myself frequently refering are The Treasure hunters Handbook by Andy Sabisch, and The Urban Treasure Hunter: A Practical Handbook For Beginners by Michael Chaplan.

Hope these help a little.

HH
 

Frankn

Gold Member
Mar 21, 2010
8,711
2,989
Maryland
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XLT , surfmaster PI , HAYS 2Box , VIBRA-TECTOR
A lot of good ideas above. As for the outhouse, It is always located down hill from the water source. If there is a cellar or basement with a dirt floor, check it out. Check for loose floorboards. Check for a crawl space above the ceiling. On the outside, check for loose foundation stones or blocks or bricks. Look out the windows for Markers likes large stones old tree stumps old foundations of sheds. Read the land! Look for low line areas that were paths. look for depressed or low areas that may be sunken burial sites for caches. As said before there is to much to list here. Good luck, Frank
 

Frankn

Gold Member
Mar 21, 2010
8,711
2,989
Maryland
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He was a treasure hunter and a researcher. The last time I contacted Glenn was in '89. If he is still around you might be able to reach him thru Western and Eastern Treasures mag. He did some writting for them.
 

lastleg

Silver Member
Feb 3, 2008
2,876
658
Yeah, I used to read his monthly write-ups in W&E. Last I heard he moved to
Donna Ana, NM.
 

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