How to grid an area to search question

[landman]

I realize I could figure how to grid an area say 100'x100' or an acre with kite string. However I'm not very mechanically inclined and do learn very quickly and do enjoy the insights of you all and would like to hear from you in regards to this topic. Also does KvM or any other book show how they do it? Thanks.

 

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[chipveres]

Okay, here's an off-the-wall suggestion to get started. Get some plastic tent pegs to hold your string so the pegs themselves won't set off your detector. I'm assuming you have some reason to want a grid rather than a crawling-line search.

Chip V

 

[landman]

How do you define crawling line search. Straight columns back and forth? front to back?

 

[deepskyal]

If it's not a manicured lawn...why not just use upside down spray paint. It's in cans designed to spray marks on the ground.

Just leave dots where you want to grid or if you can, whole lines.

We used spray paint in landscaping to mark out the new flower beds.

Any place that sells paint sells it.

Al

 

[landman]

Ok so far we have defined two types of grid material. String and plastic stakes and marking spray paint. Any other ways to define and area. Also what next? One acre, 208' x 208', shall we split it up in 50 x 50 foot areas? Smaller? larger? Let's keep the flow on info going here.

 

[deepskyal]

There was only one place I actually went to enough times to actually grid it off.

I was fortunate enough to have landmarks to define my boundaries and actually drew a map with a grid 20x20. This seems a small area but it was actually pretty easy to work it. When I would get a bunch of solid hits and older coins....I would mark that area for a more intense search. Other area were a big zero on signals and i zipped thru them.

But when you find and area with lots of signals...that 20x20 grid makes it a lot easier to narrow down certain points.

Mind you, the map I drew was freehand...nothing fancy...but those smaller places enabled me to mark little dots where i found things and could see patterns. It was a place they had carnivals and was in the middle of a town.

Pick a size you feel you can comfortably remember parts of and zip thru swaths that dont give up a beep.

 

[AZ-Mtnman]

If I'm going to grid an area, I never use an area larger than 10X10. One of the reasons I do that is that no matter what type of hunting you're doing, you have to be focused, or you'll miss signals. It's much easier to concentrate on a smaller area. If you find your technique getting sloppy, quit for the day and hit it again some other time. Also make sure your grids over-lap, targets can be missed if you only hunt defined lines. I use natural materials to mark the grids. Don't move things around and make nice squares. If the area is that good that you're gridding in the first place, don't advertise it for someone with a sharp eye. Most people will see all those filled in holes and go look for somewhere else to swing that hasn't been pounded.

 

[landman]

What about mapping and GPS to help in the grid search. Anyone know a good source to understand who to integrate the ground marking and search with the electronics?

 

[Bum Luck]

Get a roll of surveyor's tape, about $2.

Cut it in pieces and tie them in knots (kids are a great help here).

Keep them in a pouch and drop them as you walk.

You have to pick them up, though.

If you can crumple up toilet paper, that disintegrates in the rain and in some places you can get by with leaving it, but the penalty for littering would make a dent in my attitude.

I make marks with my feet as I walk.

 

[Rob in KS]

The size of the area depends on the target density and the level of discrimination you have. I have a homebuilt PI, so I have no discrimination. I'm searching Kansas wheat fields so my target density is very low. On my last field, I was able to follow the rows of wheat after the field was burned. My detector is on wheels so I can cover some serious ground. I ended up covering about 6 acres. I used flags to mark the ends of my passes and where I stopped for the night. I would GPS the points where I planted flags and put them into the map.

On my current field, I'm using the GPS more. I have been marking targets with it. The GPS gets me close enough to find it again. I got lucky on this field the soil is sandy and I can see my footprints. I only have 4 flags out to mark the corners. I'll use the GPS to expand the search area.

Last year on a field, I used a walking line approach. I found that I spent too much time moving lines. I was doing a 200'x200' section about an acre.

A lot depends on the site.
We need a laser grid system with built in GPS.

 

[fng68]

Try a 100' tape measure (cloth type ) and a few stakes.

Easy to roll up, you can do 90* turns.

Stake the beginning and go where you will, works great with a small coil.

Good Luck,

Ron