Been given permission to hunt in and around three barns, any tips?

[turtlefoot13]

Barn hunting is a fairly new one for me. One of the barns dates from right after the Civil War and the other two are probably 1890's-1910 or so. The oldest barn looks like it was almost made to hold sheep,hogs or something small. Dozens of tiny cubicles with an entrance door about waist high. Barn two has corn cribs built in to both sides and a hay loft up top. Barn three is small. Has an area for a tractor to fit, a shop and an upstairs that almost looks finished enough to live in (hired hand's quarters maybe?). All three barns are within fifty steps of each other and within a hundred yards of a natural pond that the old locals refer to as the "buffalo waller". I am guessing that there were buffalo in the area at some point.

I am used to relic hunting in all metal mode. Would I do better to stick with what I know and leave the disc. off or should I hit the area first looking for coins and better metal relics and then go back over the area in all metal? Should I hit inside the barns first or outside? Would you recommend a 7" or 10" coil for inside? What about outside?

Any other tips will be helpful and appreciated.

Thanks,
Doug

 

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[Kentucky Kache]

I've read about caches being found inside posts. You might want to use disc. due to nails, but you should be able to tell them apart from good targets by how they're spaced and by how they read. Also pay closer attention to the end/side that is away from where houses or roads were back in the day. This is the end/side that someone is more likely to have hid something.

 

[Tnmountains]

Best dig it all. I dug a civil war barn lots of work.You might try for the good stuff first and see what happens. Then go lead and then all metals and see. Barns tend to have a lot of junk in my opinion. Good luck with your digs.Hope you find great treasure.
TnMtns

 

[Tin Nugget]

If your permission is permanent then dig it all, if not and you may lose permission, then cherry pick it first, then go back and dig it all. Barns can be a pain with allot of iron and may take quite some time. Good luck, looking forward to your finds.

 

[BuckleBoy]

If they don't mind a lot of digging, dig it all. If you think there is any risk, dig non-ferrous out first. There will be lots of big iron and junk. Don't be discouraged. Relics and/or coins will be there. Make sure if you cherry pick it that you go back and hit it again. I know it's always harder to make myself return a second time after digging the better sounding targets out, which is why I don't do it that way.

I have found some great things around barns.



Good Luck,



Buckles

 

[turtlefoot13]

I have never "cherry picked" before. 99% of what I look for is iron. My first choice in relics is logging relics. I think I will do go all metal mode. I tried disc once and wished I hadn't. Permission is permanent providing they don't sell the property. I have dug other properties this land owner has without any complaints on digging large iron. He just likes to see what I find every now and then. I walked the barns and the ground outside is totally tore up right now so I don't have to worry about a manicured yard/pasture. Cattle in water logged pasture for a few hours while he repaired some fence made it look like swiss cheese in some areas. I am in hopes of a few hours on Sunday.

Doug

 

[BuckleBoy]

I have never "cherry picked" before. 99% of what I look for is iron. My first choice in relics is logging relics. I think I will do go all metal mode. I tried disc once and wished I hadn't. Permission is permanent providing they don't sell the property. I have dug other properties this land owner has without any complaints on digging large iron. He just likes to see what I find every now and then. I walked the barns and the ground outside is totally tore up right now so I don't have to worry about a manicured yard/pasture. Cattle in water logged pasture for a few hours while he repaired some fence made it look like swiss cheese in some areas. I am in hopes of a few hours on Sunday.

Doug

Sounds like you will do well. Best of luck to you and Happy Hunting,


Buckles

 

[turtlefoot13]

Thanks for the kind words Buckles.

Good or bad, I will post how things go around these barns.

Doug

 

[BuckleBoy]

Thanks for the kind words Buckles.

Good or bad, I will post how things go around these barns.

Doug

That's the type of spirit that makes the finds.