"Plug Diggin"

[CincinnatiKid]

"Plug Diggin'"

Hello All.
When diggin' plugs in parks, home sites, lawns, curb easements, etc., or anywhere grass is regularly maintained, I have a tip.
If you use a shovel or unpermitted digging tool in any of the above mentioned areas, this thread is not for you.
Diggin' perpendicularly severs less roots. "Angled" cuts disturb more roots, thus leaving the unsightly dead grass circles or horseshoe shaped plugs left by unknowing metal detectorists.
Using this procedure alone, may gain otherwise unobtainable permissions?
Try this in your own yard. The results will speak for themselves.
GL
Peace ✌

 

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[BigWaveDave]

I wish I could dig plugs, it looks fun. Down here in SW Florida, the soil is so sandy and dry that the plug just collapses. Pretty much the easiest way to recover goodies is to cut the turf, pro-point through the sand, then reach in the hole, and presto! a clad dime!!! It is tough to wear gloves cuz you have no sense of feel, can be tricky with sharp aluminum cans, but I aint skeerd

 

[CincinnatiKid]

Thanks BigWD.
But you mentioned sand. Even thinking of a beach just made my cry like a baby.
GL
Peace ✌

 

[BigWaveDave]

3 types of sand down here...

Soft sand that is brought in from the mines to renourish the beach,
Hard packed sand from the tidal flats, loaded with fiddler crabs
and then the dark grey, below the weeds yard sand, that's where I like to play

 

[Jason in Enid]

Hello All.

If you use a shovel or unpermitted digging tool in any of the above mentioned areas, this thread is not for you.

I just want to know what an unpermitted digging tool is.

The thing that causes grass to turn more, more than anything, is drying the roots. When you cut a plug, you are going to have roots exposed. The shallower the plug, the more roots you expose. When you flip that plug out, that plug soil and it's roots begin drying very quickly especially in warm/hot weather. Typically this isn't killing the grass, it's stunning it and it caused it to go dormant. It's like when you put cut sod down in a yard. It may look bad, but with careful watering it comes back pretty fast.

Even though we don't "kill" the grass, it can have that look to outsiders so it is very important to minimize this as much as possible.

 

[CincinnatiKid]

Jason in Enid, our two main park systems here require permits to detect. Within each permit are guidelines for diggin/probing tools.
The county permit states tools must be similar to a screwdriver, with a blade length of no more than six inches, and a width of no more than one half inch.
The city permit states tools must be similar to a digging trowel, with a blade length of no more than seven inches and a width of no more than two inches. Knives and screwdrivers are not permitted.
All else are "unpermitted digging tools".
Peace ✌

 

[DadOfTwo]

Yeah, I read all about plug digging, but then I got my detector and went out there. With our dry rocky soil and St. Augustine grass, the best I think I can do is try to not cut all the runners. I fill the holes back up, and the grass should come back after a watering or two.

So, on the County permits, how do you use that 'screwdriver?'

 

[Dave44]

Jason in Enid, our two main park systems here require permits to detect. Within each permit are guidelines for diggin/probing tools.
The county permit states tools must be similar to a screwdriver, with a blade length of no more than six inches, and a width of no more than one half inch.
The city permit states tools must be similar to a digging trowel, with a blade length of no more than seven inches and a width of no more than two inches. Knives and screwdrivers are not permitted.
All else are "unpermitted digging tools".
Peace ✌

PERMITS!?! That makes me a sad Panda.

 

[Dave44]

3 types of sand down here...

Soft sand that is brought in from the mines to renourish the beach,
Hard packed sand from the tidal flats, loaded with fiddler crabs
and then the dark grey, below the weeds yard sand, that's where I like to play

I was in ft myers last year and the beach was a bit clay like from re sanding I think? But it was very nice there, wish I was there right now!

 

[Rustynailsandscrews]

We have permits and restrictions also in NY State Parks. Nothing wider than a 1- 1/2 " blade with a blade that can not exceed 6". But they make no mention of how big of a hole I can dig or to what depth I can dig down to with the above approved legal digging tool.
I just keep it neat and clean and I'm never bothered.
It's the goofballs that can't behave themselves, have no common sense and attract attention and now we have regulations because they went out in a parks and and dug huge holes like they were digging graves and just destroy stuff because they are mentally defective.
I think we should have metal detector permits (removed by mod) with background checks, (removed by mod ).
Background checks for (removed by mod) and metal detectors should be mandatory before you can purchase one to insure mental defectives are kept out.
I can't call them ******s because them forum censors it out, politically correct I guess !
Lets just say," We todds."
It only takes a few stupid people to ruin it for everyone.
I don't know if you folks have noticed it, but common sense is not really common in the last generation and stupid young people that can't behave themselves, (removed by mod) and metal detecting hobbies from me.
I'm willing to register my metal detectors (removed by mod)
" Yes, Officer here is my permit to detect on public property and it is registered."
It only takes a few mental incompetents ( Wee Todds ) misusing a (removed by mod) metal detector to change your life and your hobbies forever.

 

[gunsil]

Rusty, your attitude scares me!! First off we don't need to register rifles and shotguns here in N.Y. and nobody I know wants this to happen. Register metal detectors?? To what purpose, so we have more fees to pay?? I have been MD in new york state for almost 45 years and never had any problems, and have had a rifle since I was nine and never had any problems. Registration is a BAD thing, perhaps you'd be happier in N.J. or MA where all rifles and shotguns, and even BB guns are required to be registered and require permits to own. I do not believe there is one other person on this forum who would like to see "background checks" and ownership permits for metal detectors. And just to be factual one does not get subjected to any mental testing to get a pistol permit in N.Y. so there is no way to weed out your "mental incompetents". In my opinion it only takes a few "mental incompetents" to get the government to enact stupid policies like registering metal detectors.

Cinci, I agree about vertical cuts being better than angled cuts, but I think most lawn damage occurs by digging when the soil is dry. I myself usually limit my lawn digging to the spring when the soil is damp or other times when there has been sufficient rain to make the soil moist. This also allows for better detection of smaller and deeper targets. When the soil gets dry in the summer I refrain from hunting nice lawns. Occasionally I carry a canteen and water plugs after digging but it is impractical to carry enough water to treat very many plugs. I also agree with Jason that a deep plug is better than a shallow one for not killing roots. I have been at it a long time, and think folks should get their pin pointing skills down to where they can make a hole no more than 3-4" diameter max for a coin sized target down to 7" or so. It drives me nuts to see all the people who make a 6-8" diameter plug to recover a dime at 4-5". I use a digger that allows me to get down 8" with only a 3" diameter hole, although I seldom find coins that deep on unlandscaped grounds.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Rusty next time you want to discuss politics do it in the politics forum and no where else...

Sent from my QMV7A using Tapatalk

 

[DadOfTwo]

I would suggest to those that are hunting curb strips to do so with a small digger with the handle cut off or at least with the handle concealed beneath a shirt tail or jacket. I know a lot of people won't do it but perception means a lot when out in an area that is highly visible. I do not use a pouch or knee pads either.

I hear ya, but have been thinking of doing quite the opposite. Blaze orange vest and hardhat. Maybe a couple of my friends standing around leaning on shovels. Too bad my truck isn't white.

 

[CincinnatiKid]

DadOfTwo, using a screwdriver is tuff diggin'. Especially when attempting to cut a clean plug. Usually a drop cloth is a must. I've gotten good at it though. Although, it takes as much time to repair plug as it does to dig.
Repeating half inch plunge/cuts in a circular pattern is the only way. Prying up plug in its entirety is the hard part.
I've pleaded my case about screwdrivers vs proper diggin' tools, but the park officials won't budge?
Peace ✌

 

[slink]

DadOfTwo, using a screwdriver is tuff diggin'. Especially when attempting to cut a clean plug. Usually a drop cloth is a must. I've gotten good at it though. Although, it takes as much time to repair plug as it does to dig.
Repeating half inch plunge/cuts in a circular pattern is the only way. Prying up plug in its entirety is the hard part.
I've pleaded my case about screwdrivers vs proper diggin' tools, but the park officials won't budge?
Peace ✌

There is a long lost art/skill to using a screwdriver.A screwdriver used as a probe can extract a coin very neatly without much of a hole at all.A brass probe is a wonderful tool to have and use for coin extraction in areas where digging is not favorable.Most people use to probe vs dig but seems like everyone just digs theses days

 

[CincinnatiKid]

Thanks slink.
I've not once viewed a metal detectorist using a probe. I have made an attempt at it, but am terrible.
Using a brass probe would obviously do less damage to coins.
Any tips?
Peace ✌

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Thanks slink.
I've not once viewed a metal detectorist using a probe. I have made an attempt at it, but am terrible.
Using a brass probe would obviously do less damage to coins.
Any tips?
Peace ✌

Practice......... I use Detectorpro uniprobe to locate target detector found, push probe down till I touch target with probe which gives me exact depth and size of target to remove.

 

[CincinnatiKid]

Thanks TH.
It's the "remove" I can't do without a Lesche or similar.
Peace ✌

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Thanks TH.
It's the "remove" I can't do without a Lesche or similar.
Peace ✌

This what I use, I have all 3 of them



“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

 

[Frankn]

Thanks slink.
I've not once viewed a metal detectorist using a probe. I have made an attempt at it, but am terrible.
Using a brass probe would obviously do less damage to coins.
Any tips?
Peace ✌

I just pinpoint with my XLT. Then I push my prob dead center thru the coil. It touches the coin. I then probe a little to the side of the coin and pivot the probe to pop it out. Quick, fast, and accurate. Frank