Behind the old house- New Guy Question

Boxcarburt

Greenie
Dec 22, 2014
15
7
DFW Texas
Detector(s) used
Garrett Ace 150
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
So Santa brought my daughter and I a Garrett ACE 150 fro Christmas and we went out yesterday afternoon to use it.

We are big into Geocaching and had found an old cement frame of a house in one of our adventures. It was the fist place I though to go detect.

We are behind the house, and the coin option starts beeping like crazy! After about 10 - 12 inches, all I could find was a big rock. When I stand up and wand over the rock, same crazy reaction.

So... An I detecting the rock, or should I go re-dig and try to get under the rock...

Also, any lingo I have misused or haven't used, I am open to education!

Thanks

-LD and Kiddo
 

audigger53

Hero Member
Mar 27, 2004
909
3,210
Severn, Maryland
Detector(s) used
None
Primary Interest:
Cache Hunting
If you are going to move the rock, you will want to spend about $25-30 on a "Digging bar". It is a 5 to 6 foot long inron bar with a point on one end and normally a chisel on the other end. Normally you would work the pointed end of the bar under an edge of the rock and then push or lift the other end of the bar to move the rock. I had one in Texas and moved rocks that were up to 4 feet diameter and 2 foot thick with no problem. Easier than trying to dig it out. Also you can roll the rock back into place afterwards with the bar. Caches were often placed in a hole and a large rock put on top of it. Good luck.
 

ARC

Gold Member
Aug 19, 2014
37,268
131,673
Tarpon Springs
Detector(s) used
JW 8X-ML X2-VP 585
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
IF the rock is the signal... you have either found cement with rebar or a meteorite... or something under the rock etc is the signal...
Go back and dig to rock ...then dig over and find the edge.... dig from that point down... see how thick it is... if you can try to dig under it.
If you cannot get under from the sides... then you have to remove rock.
Bring a good strong shovel... if not 2... one square one point.
 

OP
OP
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Boxcarburt

Greenie
Dec 22, 2014
15
7
DFW Texas
Detector(s) used
Garrett Ace 150
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Thanks y'all!!! We will re-equip, head back out, and let you know what we find!!
 

Jason in Enid

Gold Member
Oct 10, 2009
9,593
9,229
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Do you have permission to be hunting there? Is this private land or public?
 

keith2004

Full Member
Jun 16, 2012
130
54
alabama
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
remove rock from hole and wave detector over it.if no response dig hole deeper.
 

Jason in Enid

Gold Member
Oct 10, 2009
9,593
9,229
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Oh boy. Let the drama begin. None of your business Jason unless he wants to share. Geez.

Wrong. Helping the newcomers to the hobby to think about all the aspects that may not be obvious to them is EVERYONE'S business. You should trying to help them stay out of any possible trouble instead of egging them on.
 

Jason in Enid

Gold Member
Oct 10, 2009
9,593
9,229
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
You only get one chance at making a first impression and you blew it in my opinion.

Says the man famous for being banned :laughing7: Or was that too soon? :dontknow:

And to respond to your quips, if you don't address things openly, there is no information available for future newcomers to read. More people lurk here than post, because most people read these as google search results, not because they are members.
 

OP
OP
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Boxcarburt

Greenie
Dec 22, 2014
15
7
DFW Texas
Detector(s) used
Garrett Ace 150
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Ha! Sorry to start some drama folks!

But real quick: Yes, I legitimately have permission to dig/search this land. It's been in the same family for almost 60 years and has remained undeveloped. I know the owner because she has run a restaurant in or town for years and her family bought the land when she was a girl. When I asked, she told me normally she would say no, but the land is being sold bit by bit to developers building apartment complexes. There was a specific term she used that I am forgetting, but the first piece of land she sold to them, the developer appealed to the city and county and got them to force her to sell the land.

So, since then she has been selling big squares. She told us to go have our fun while we still could because shortly, there will be no more green areas or open land here...

Either way, I appreciate both Jason and Kemper for their protection of my safety and privacy!

Diggin-N-Dumps: I do not have a pinpointer. Not yet. We are in each others back yards by the way. If you have time one weekend for instruction, I would love to follow you out and watch a pro.

Now to the dig!!! What I know so far: I did need a pry bar and some shovels. It seems to be a 4 to 41/2 foot well. I called my friend (she is pushing 70) and asked if the house ever had a well behind it. She doesn't know. This house was torn down years before she was born. So I have two options (it got dark on us yesterday). I can stop where we are, and call it a very fun and interesting first find, or I can keep going and get into the well. When I place my detector into the room I have made, it goes nuts. And not the Iron nuts, the coins nuts. We will be bringing a flash light back with us today so I can see if there is anything down there just off sight.

I am not sure that the "wishing well" factor would be in play here. If I had one source of water, I wouldn't throw money into it... But, there again, I am opening it up to yall! What do you think? Dig or dud?

Thanks for everything so far!!
 

NHBandit

Silver Member
Feb 21, 2010
3,470
3,279
Formerly NH now East Tennessee
Detector(s) used
Garrett GtaX1250
Wrong. Helping the newcomers to the hobby to think about all the aspects that may not be obvious to them is EVERYONE'S business. You should trying to help them stay out of any possible trouble instead of egging them on.
Certainly not trying to get in the middle of whatever little spat you & Kemper have ongoing or taking sides since I don't know either of you but the OP was asking a question about digging up a rock, not looking for the procedure police to add their 2 cents worth... Why don't you & Kemper meet in the playground after school and resolve whatever is going on and quit taking a dump on the new guys thread.
 

ARC

Gold Member
Aug 19, 2014
37,268
131,673
Tarpon Springs
Detector(s) used
JW 8X-ML X2-VP 585
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
LOL... its a "cistern"....
Did it smell real bad ? lol.
 

OP
OP
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Boxcarburt

Greenie
Dec 22, 2014
15
7
DFW Texas
Detector(s) used
Garrett Ace 150
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
LOL... its a "cistern"....
Did it smell real bad ? lol.

I thought of that also!!! It's so old I'm not sure there would be an "evidence" left... No smells... Do you think we should mark it up to a fun first find and move on?
 

FragFox

Jr. Member
Dec 21, 2014
60
37
Eastern Pa.
Detector(s) used
White's Coinmaster, Bullseye TRX
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Definitely keep us posted. It sounds like you have some interesting things going on there. As for the rock............if you get all the other easy targets out of the way, go for it. If you want it bad enough, tools and elbow grease will get it done.
 

Jason in Enid

Gold Member
Oct 10, 2009
9,593
9,229
Primary Interest:
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Despite your cheekiness, you would have to live here and do the research on that particular location to know who owns and what permission are needed. I already know that information.
 

Treasure_Hunter

Administrator
Staff member
Jul 27, 2006
48,454
54,888
Florida
Detector(s) used
Minelab_Equinox_ 800 Minelab_CTX-3030 Minelab_Excal_1000 Minelab_Sovereign_GT Minelab_Safari Minelab_ETrac Whites_Beach_Hunter_ID Fisher_1235_X
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Oh boy. Let the drama begin. None of your business Jason unless he wants to share. Geez.




Right and that was my point as I have addressed in my 2nd response here. You could have easily PMed him and voiced your concern but instead you seemed to try to have him admit (on a public forum) to going on private property without permission. I have no reason to believe he did and in post #7 I covered that. I would not hesitate to be skeptical of someone who I felt were being a troll or providing false information etc. but a new member should not so quickly be put on the spot as you did. You only get one chance at making a first impression and you blew it in my opinion.


You are out of line Kemper, Jason asked a simple legitimate question and you are violating our rules....

If you have issue with post made by member report it, do not attack members.




Posted From My $50 Tablet....

“A well-regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.”
― James Madison
The Constitution of the United States of America
 

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OP
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Boxcarburt

Greenie
Dec 22, 2014
15
7
DFW Texas
Detector(s) used
Garrett Ace 150
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Through the property runs a road that hasn't been used in 25+ years. What this means is: Local illegal dumping grounds. So the rest of the property is littered with beer cans, bottles (I didn't know Gatorade had made glass bottles!), and just junk. The kiddo found a radiator cap she is smitten with... other than that... The ground is too littered for us as beginners. Even turning Iron off as an option you can't move very much without a "BING!" Its always junk =(. The benefit and pain that the house has is it's surrounded by mesquite trees.

For those up north, Mesquite trees have massive spikes on them, like 6 inch thorns, and they sting bad it they get you!! Nothing around the house beeps on the detector other than the (what I now call a cistern.)

We went back and I brought a flashlight. There is stuff down there. I have friends who will be coming home from vacation this week who can help with the lifting.

So the kiddo and I decided to try something new and went to a spot in Fort Worth where there carnivals are often held. (I called a friend and FTWPD and got an "OK to dig" so long as it wasn't deeper than 8 inches and I filled my holes.) It was nice to walk several feet without the detector going nuts, but when it did go off, we would dig and 99% of the time found nothing... Do y'all think there is something wrong with our technique? We are holding the detector about 3 inches above the ground and moving side to side. I have adjusted the sensitivity several times to get a feel for what works best. We did find a smooshed silver thing... this is good because I do most the dirty work and as long as we find SOMETHING, kiddo is happy. In her mind, treasure has been found!!

Again, I'm a new guy and I really welcome any criticism, guidance and direction. No words will be wasted here.

We have been practicing at home a bit with pre-placed items... but still could use pointers!
 

gianetics

Greenie
May 29, 2014
15
7
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
You are out of line Kemper, Jason asked a simple legitimate question and you are violating our rules....

If you have issue with post made by member report it, do not attack members.




Posted From My $50 Tablet....

“A well-regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.”
― James Madison
The Constitution of the United States of America

i have to respectfully disagree. why is anyone bringing up permission when the op is asking about a signal under a rock??? your own sig quotes the consitution. we are innocent until proven guilty not the other way around. and yes kemper likes to press buttons. as long as that is not the only motive let him press.
 

Jason in Enid

Gold Member
Oct 10, 2009
9,593
9,229
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
i have to respectfully disagree. why is anyone bringing up permission when the op is asking about a signal under a rock??? your own sig quotes the consitution. we are innocent until proven guilty not the other way around. and yes kemper likes to press buttons. as long as that is not the only motive let him press.

Since you are talking about my post, I will respond. I brought up permission because it is a VERY important aspect to our hobby. The OP is obviously brand new to metal detecting and referenced this spot with "had found an old cement frame of a house in one of our adventures. It was the fist place I though to go detect" That doesn't scream "I have permission to go dig and remove things from this property." PLease also refer back to my post where I simply ASKED if he had permission. I didn't accuse him of anything, but I ASKED because there are a world of constant newbies to the hobby who never think once about whether they should have permission to detect on somebody elses private land. ASKING can clarify that, as well as put the thought into the heads of other new new detectorists reading the thread that they should be asking permission before wandering onto someones land.
 

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