Advice on hunting a colonial site

[randazzo1]

Hi all,

Any advice on hunting old wooded sites? I am using a White's V3 and also have a soveriegn GT that I can use. I know this site was heavily trafficked (had a school house, church, tannery and some private residences). But - I only find things at about 3-4 inches and they are always made of copper - 3 very cool coins (all 1790's large cents) and some buttons.

I'm wondering if anybody can suggest anything about how to go about covering the site?
Does it make sense to form a grid and try to methodically cover every inch?

Also - everything I find seems to be next to a tree so I'm thinking that the tree roots bring them to the surface - is it possible that some artifacts are just too deep on a site that is only 200 some odd years old? It doesn't seem to make sense given that people (say Crusader for instance) turn up 1000 year old items.

Thanks in advance for your insights.

Below is some info on the site if it helps:


The site is pretty old - probably first occupied (by europeans) in 1720 and had continuted occupation up until about 1840 or so.

There were a few buldings on the site but only ruins of one now remain. The site is heavily wooded.

The site is in Northern, New Jersey off of Interstate 287.

I have recovered 3 1790's Large Cents (in different spots, not a cache) and some other copper doo dads and a few buttons - all at about 4 inches.

What I'm wondering is why I only seem to find copper and an occasional unidentifiable iron chunky?

 

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[Iron Patch]

Is there iron in the ground? If so, a lot? Does it cover much area? How big is the area you consider to be the site? Do you dig all targets, even ones down in the foil range or lower?

 

[Woodland Detectors]

Hi all,

Any advice on hunting old wooded sites? I am using a White's V3 and also have a soveriegn GT that I can use. I know this site was heavily trafficked (had a school house, church, tannery and some private residences). But - I only find things at about 3-4 inches and they are always made of copper - 3 very cool coins (all 1790's large cents) and some buttons.

I'm wondering if anybody can suggest anything about how to go about covering the site?
Does it make sense to form a grid and try to methodically cover every inch?

Also - everything I find seems to be next to a tree so I'm thinking that the tree roots bring them to the surface - is it possible that some artifacts are just too deep on a site that is only 200 some odd years old? It doesn't seem to make sense given that people (say Crusader for instance) turn up 1000 year old items.

Thanks in advance for your insights.

Below is some info on the site if it helps:


The site is pretty old - probably first occupied (by europeans) in 1720 and had continuted occupation up until about 1840 or so.

There were a few buldings on the site but only ruins of one now remain. The site is heavily wooded.

The site is in Northern, New Jersey off of Interstate 287.

I have recovered 3 1790's Large Cents (in different spots, not a cache) and some other copper doo dads and a few buttons - all at about 4 inches.

What I'm wondering is why I only seem to find copper and an occasional unidentifiable iron chunky?

"Does it make sense to form a grid and try to methodically cover every inch? "

If there were a "trick" in metal detecting this would be one.

 

[randazzo1]

Iron patch - there is a lot of iron on about a quarter of the site. I tend to avoid it because the iron items (except nails) are not identifiable. They are just random heavily rusted peices of iron. I know when I am in this area because of the iron signals and I work outside of it. I haven't been digging all targets - I don't usually have a lot of time so I usually dig the strongest signals and have found that the weaker signals are either mysteries (never find the target) or iron crunchies.

The site consists mainly of a dirt road approximately 8 feet wide and 300-400 feet long. I have found some items in the road but it is also littered with iron. The targets die down within 5-10 feet of the road except in two areas - one is the iron area which is around 50 feet in diameter and the other is an area where lots of copper (possibly bronze) fittings come up. I suspect these are machine parts and newer (maybe 1950's) because they are usually in very condition other than the green patina. When I first came across this area i thouht it was a field of buttons and coins.

Thanks for your time.

4-H - I might have to try this approach - it would take me 2 years with my current work schedule but I think it would be a lot of fun. Thanks.

Phelbah - that's hillarious.