Starting to feel Down On Detecting esp, Relic Hunting.

[Davers]

Just my thought for the Day, Well the past week or 2.

My last 3 Relic hunts were 6 hrs one day 7 the next time out , then 8 yesterday.
3 diff Sites. 1 I have hunted Before.

I def, consider myself lucky , blessed with the finds I get. & Consider it a good day to find any CW Bullet or Even Clad on Coin Hunts.
First 6+ hour hunt 8 days ago , gave me My 1st Richmond Sharps (early Version) 52 cal = Very Cool & a Chewed up ( by something Minnie ) & 1 31 cal Ball. Hmmm Not Such a bad hunt after all.

The Second hunt last Tuesday 7 hours up & down rocky Hillsides 'in hot Ground' Gave 1 Dropped 54-or 58 3 ringer, My first Brass Borman Under-plug fuse part, & one of those Old Iron Locks With the Big face & small loop at the top (Also a First for me), Hmmmm Also a good hunt all in all.

Then yesterday in the on & off rain & drizzle, Actually went to 2 diff, sites The first in SW Atlanta ,W known troop movements. Found a good patch of Woods , hunted for to hours & found only Shotgun Heads , & Fired modern Bullets My very 1st signal was a large Shotgun Slug that at first I thought was a fired minie that gave me Hi Hopes for the area ...NOT

Then went to a place a little further north and Hunted 6 hours Digging 1 fired 3 ringer ( not too smashed & 1 31 cal Ball, Still better than nothing..

As a recent article In a digger Mag stated Georgia is a tuff place to find relics these Day's.
Just SOOOOO' much Trash....

Got to do something ...Just had to Rant
HH.


Davers

p.s. Real Quick , Also found the Remains of a Deer 10 or 12 Points, that had been hit by a car.
First time I've ever found more than a piece of Deer Antler , just bones but For someone it (the Skull Cap W/antler ) might make a cool Display. Just not Me . Poor Thing.

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

A Handbook of Civil War Bullets and Cartridges - Grab it through Amazon!

[Carolina Tom]

Hey Davers. I hope that it gets better for you... although, you are not doing that badly and you are getting out to hunt. Just think of all those people in yankeeland that have frozen ground. They would be tickled to get a three ringer! Remember that no matter how bad it seems, some other schlub has it worse!

GL&HH!

 

[releventchair]

Stick with it. One hunt can make the difference.
No C.W. relics ever recovered here by me so you are doin better than it could be..
If you can rework a former high yield site and remove all trash a special hit could arise.
Greater perimeter diameter takes patience but could yield something too.

 

[luvsdux]

Just shows how luck and life work. One day it's chicken, the next, feathers. Hang in there, the next hunt may be the one.
luvsdux

 

[Msbeepbeep]

That's a really good dig, you came home with treasure! If everyday were the same it would get boring, we need hills and valleys in our lives to make us appreciate the peaks!
I would be thrilled just to get my digger into the ground!
I don't even want to take my detector out in this cold, I still haven't made it a jacket with hand warmer pockets yet.

Hang in there you'll be finding the terrific stuff soon! And post pics!

 

[pepperj]

At least your digging, getting out, having fun playing in the dirt. Sometimes old sites can be down right frustrating I went through a spell where it was at least a dozen hunts last year and not a coin to show for the efforts. Digging square nails just to see if the size and shape is different is a tad boring.

 

[Slingshot]

Don't give it up relic hunting just yet, take a break and do some coin shooting, or look for heads along the Withlacoochee. Considering how pounded with relic hunters SW Atlanta has been for the past 50 years, me being one of them, I'm surprised you found what you did. Anywhere close to Adams Park, Westview Cemetery, or along Cascade Rd. has been hunted for generations, even before 1960 as people would go in the woods and rake for relics all around Atlanta.
I hunted CW relics just about exclusively for a decade, mostly around Atlanta, and the yearly increase of lack of finds dampened my enthusiasm. Long drives to well beaten unproductive sites coupled with the desire to be finding something worthwhile when detecting led me back to coinshooting as my major detecting activity and hunting relics just when I think I have a new site that might produce.
There is still plenty of nice stuff out there, but everything that can be researched through the OR's is pretty well cleaned out, at least in Georgia.
So, that elusive CSA plate is still waiting for you, so don't give up just yet! Cheers!!

 

[coinman123]

I found part of fox skeleton while metal detecting. I told a friend and apparently they are interested in anatomy and want to make displays of animal skulls, he only has two that he has found over the years though. I decided to go back with a garbage bag and and bring back what was left of the skeleton. He was completely thrilled and started working on the display right away.

 

[Davers]

Hey Davers. I hope that it gets better for you... although, you are not doing that badly and you are getting out to hunt. Just think of all those people in yankeeland that have frozen ground. They would be tickled to get a three ringer! Remember that no matter how bad it seems, some other schlub has it worse!

GL&HH!

You are Correct.

Just Getting out is indeed good.

I'm just Getting older & those long day's Hurt more than they used to.
I'm hardcore Addicted to Detecting Tho.

I liken it to ...
I used to be an Alcoholic & would drink for awhile ,then be Sick & say I'm not going to drink Anymore Then on the 4th or 5th Day of Sobriety I'd be ready / craving to Drink again.

When I posted this was a Day after one of those Long Shotgun Brass, 22 shell/Bullets & foil filled Day's.
but now I,m starting to feel the Hunting itch again.

Also there are 2 Guys in my detecting Club that find more Bad As* Relics (Consistently ) 'like Quindy's Signature used to say' & mostly in my home County. Don't know how they do it , I,m sure it takes a-lot of Research , Digging ,Asking Permission. etc. Heck Most of the County has been Developed & one has to " Follow the Bulldozers ". One has a Landscaping type Company that IMO Helps get him in the Door on many Properties. And can offer a Great service for permission to hunt many sites.
I,m def, Envious but they are Super nice Guy's & don't have a Personal problem with them at all.
It's just the 'Competitiveness in me'
Last meeting One Guy Along with est, 20+ dropped Enfield's & other 3 ringer types , Found 3 Cast I's.
And the Coolest Carved Minnie, it was Beautifully Cut into a Pine Cone. Hope to see that one in American Digger Mag Soon.

That said ill Keep a Huntin & I'm sure I will be blessed with some Great Finds in the Future, as I have been blessed in the past.

It's All Good.
Davers

 

[Davers]

Stick with it. One hunt can make the difference.
No C.W. relics ever recovered here by me so you are doin better than it could be..
If you can rework a former high yield site and remove all trash a special hit could arise.
Greater perimeter diameter takes patience but could yield something too.

Yep
Will Do..
Def, blessed to live in an area where Civil War Relics Can be Found.
"The Grass is always Greener " --Thing LOL

 

[flatbutton]

I feel your pain Davers, It's getting real hard around here to relic hunt. There are very few sites left here that haven't been turned into a golf course or housing area. I'm not giving up, even it means I have to drive an hour to to hunt. I love it to much!

 

[voodoo]

just enjoy the time you have hunting. Yeah it's always great to come out with relics and cool stuff. but it's also just wonderful to be outside, swingin' the metal detector, fresh air, nature I would kill to be able hunt more. Heck I'm happy pulling out clad and garbage from the ground. Doing the earth some good anyway. Think back to when you first started hunting. That feeling of excitement, awe and wonder. After many, many hunts I still have that. Take a breather, refocus and start again. Think of your next hunt as if it were your first. HH

 

[Davers]

Don't give it up relic hunting just yet, take a break and do some coin shooting, or look for heads along the Withlacoochee. Considering how pounded with relic hunters SW Atlanta has been for the past 50 years, me being one of them, I'm surprised you found what you did. Anywhere close to Adams Park, Westview Cemetery, or along Cascade Rd. has been hunted for generations, even before 1960 as people would go in the woods and rake for relics all around Atlanta.
I hunted CW relics just about exclusively for a decade, mostly around Atlanta, and the yearly increase of lack of finds dampened my enthusiasm. Long drives to well beaten unproductive sites coupled with the desire to be finding something worthwhile when detecting led me back to coinshooting as my major detecting activity and hunting relics just when I think I have a new site that might produce.
There is still plenty of nice stuff out there, but everything that can be researched through the OR's is pretty well cleaned out, at least in Georgia.
So, that elusive CSA plate is still waiting for you, so don't give up just yet! Cheers!!

Could not have said it better.
So you know how Developed the area is both Industrial & Residential & the not so Great Hood's.
There has been some 'Revitalization' of that area of the City making it somewhat safer 'still full of trash tho'

Many times lately I told myself "I'm just gonna be a Coin Shooter" also digging a hole every couple feet hunting Gold rings gets old fast also.
Last Nov, I was Coin Shooting a Torn down house Site Off Memorial Dr, down from Legget's Hill and Found a few dropped Minnies Thing is I was using a new shovel and just Grazed the first 2 that I dug, hence I asked in C&P how to re-patina CW bullets cause I keep all my relics sorted by area found & I had none from this part of the City.( I live in Acworth).

Went to Grant Park parked the Car Looked around the Roots of the old trees & Eyeballed a 1879 Indian Cent right beside a main side road by the park, then spent 5 hours digging Clad $15+ most targets were at 2 -3 inches . Imo there is a couple feet of Fill (from the side of 285) in most Atlanta Parks.

Saw a story on the Adair School on the news , went down to that area 'Most land around the school is paved & could see where another Detectorist had dug many "Nice" plugs just a day or 2 IMO ,before me.
Whats neat is beside one Side walk in the back I dug a Small Sterling Child's Signet Ring W/a Cursive J on the Front.
Think the school was opened in the 1920s & closed in 1972, it is the oldest Standing School in Atlanta.
There was another Old School off Howell mill Road that I went to for a year (2 ed Grade) that closed the year after that ,
I recall it's name as E.P.Howell, but heard it referred to as the "Howell School".
I recall saying it was 100 years old in est,1978 0r 1979.
Sorry for the rant.
& Thanks for the Reply.
Davers

 

[Davers]

I feel your pain Davers, It's getting real hard around here to relic hunt. There are very few sites left here that haven't been turned into a golf course or housing area. I'm not giving up, even it means I have to drive an hour to to hunt. I love it to much!

Yes sir I hear ya.

 

[Davers]

just enjoy the time you have hunting. Yeah it's always great to come out with relics and cool stuff. but it's also just wonderful to be outside, swingin' the metal detector, fresh air, nature I would kill to be able hunt more. Heck I'm happy pulling out clad and garbage from the ground. Doing the earth some good anyway. Think back to when you first started hunting. That feeling of excitement, awe and wonder. After many, many hunts I still have that. Take a breather, refocus and start again. Think of your next hunt as if it were your first. HH

Yeah I really Do enjoy my time out, & anytime I find a Usable Cent is better than Nothing .
Tho I hate real cold Weather , Summertime Hunting here is a B##@!.
But Ill Still be Out Somewhere.

 

[Professor of Engineering]

Hello Davers,

You found some nice things! Happy Hunting in 2015.

Regards,

 

[Plumbata]

Sounds like you might want to diversify!

I'm a bottle/dump digger at heart and the hobby has been many many times more interesting and rewarding than metal detecting, which I only really do when a good site opens up or I don't have the energy to sink 6 or 7 foot deep trenches that day, but still feel like being outside.

When one can hit a dump and bring home this at the end of the day:

Or this:

Or...

Or...

...Then swinging a detector all day in hopes of a few common silvers doesn't really cut it.

I seriously recommend getting out and digging for bottles if relic detecting hasn't been satisfying you lately.

 

[CoilyGirl]

Oops I got distracted of the original question by the post above me ( nice bottles Plumbota) but yup, I feel your pain Davers. The worst is when you find a killer find or have great luck within a short time span and then nada,zilch. That happened to me last Summer after finding three plates,one of them a CSA plate and then a long dry spell with the occasional decent find. Right now though I haven't been digging in close to a month because of a 10 day trip followed by awful weather after getting home so just getting out to dig again will be wonderful. I think burnout occurs in detectorists that do well and it becomes more of a competition than a relaxing hobby. Sure,we all like to find good relics and add to our collections but when it becomes too serious and isn't enjoyable anymore maybe it's time to take a step back.

 

[Davers]

Sounds like you might want to diversify!

I'm a bottle/dump digger at heart and the hobby has been many many times more interesting and rewarding than metal detecting, which I only really do when a good site opens up or I don't have the energy to sink 6 or 7 foot deep trenches that day, but still feel like being outside.

When one can hit a dump and bring home this at the end of the day:

Or this:

Or...

Or...

...Then swinging a detector all day in hopes of a few common silvers doesn't really cut it.

I seriously recommend getting out and digging for bottles if relic detecting hasn't been satisfying you lately.

Awesome Bottles....
That looks like a-lot of fun / work-'the kind one enjoys'.
I know of a couple bottle dumps their full of Clorox Bottles 'Screw top types' & other ' Early screw top Types' Many say "it's against Fed law to reuse" Found a coupe older Medicine Types here & their over the years . Most bottle Sites Here are long gone as well . Ill bet there is many hiding around Somewhere tho.
Thanks for the Pic;s & Reply.
Davers

 

[Davers]

Oops I got distracted of the original question by the post above me ( nice bottles Plumbota) but yup, I feel your pain Davers. The worst is when you find a killer find or have great luck within a short time span and then nada,zilch. That happened to me last Summer after finding three plates,one of them a CSA plate and then a long dry spell with the occasional decent find. Right now though I haven't been digging in close to a month because of a 10 day trip followed by awful weather after getting home so just getting out to dig again will be wonderful. I think burnout occurs in detectorists that do well and it becomes more of a competition than a relaxing hobby. Sure,we all like to find good relics and add to our collections but when it becomes too serious and isn't enjoyable anymore maybe it's time to take a step back.

Your correct ..
It just hurts more Knowing all those Awesome relics were dug in whats left of My ,'Cobb' County. LOL
I get over it Quick.
Heck Imo I find more than most of the Guy's in my club. So I am Blessed , I really gotta work for them tho.

P.S. It's Still Fun.
Davers