Question about Hunting a Woods

[Normsel]

I am wondering how a guy would determine if a wooded area was worth hunting. There a 1000's of acres of wooded land around here but I just don't know if it is more of a waste time than it's worth. I have tried a cpl time and only found shotgun shells and a few brass cartridges. It's hard to determine if the were house in any of these wooded areas because most of the roads have changed in the past 100 years. Some roads been rerouted and some are new and even some are no longer there.

I see videos and read about many guys hunting wooded areas and would like to do more myself, but just not sure if it's worth a shot in the dark. I do know the area I live in was heavily populated in the early 1800's along with many Indians that inhabited the area.

 

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[creskol]

Some of my best finds have come from woods with no recorded "happenings" .. I have dug my share of 12th Georgia's (12Ga) and casings, and have come out empty handed other times. But, I have made some great finds as well, and just random walks through the woods is still one of my favorite types of hunting!

 

[Tom_in_CA]

I am wondering how a guy would determine if a wooded area was worth hunting. There a 1000's of acres of wooded land around here but I just don't know if it is more of a waste time than it's worth. I have tried a cpl time and only found shotgun shells and a few brass cartridges. It's hard to determine if the were house in any of these wooded areas because most of the roads have changed in the past 100 years. Some roads been rerouted and some are new and even some are no longer there.

I see videos and read about many guys hunting wooded areas and would like to do more myself, but just not sure if it's worth a shot in the dark. I do know the area I live in was heavily populated in the early 1800's along with many Indians that inhabited the area.

I personally would not simply walk into any random "woods", to start detecting, unless I had knowledge that something went on there. You know, like a camp, or habitation, or stage-stop, or ........ something. To simply go in the boondocks any old place, is a needle in a hay-stack hunting. There has to have been some people activity (metal carrying Europeans, that is, not pre-contact indians, who had no refined metals).

You say the area was "heavily populated in the early 1800s". Well then if you can hone it down a bit more, to know zones of particular usage (cross-roads, where there was recorded to have had something going on, like cabins, camps, etc...), then sure. But ... no, not just randomly walk into a forest.

In Europe they may get away from simply walking into any furroughed field or forest, and ...... bumping into targets. Because, sure, they'd have 3000 more years of history than us. So ANY cultivated field, has had 3000+ yrs. of foot-traffic time for targets to build up. But in the USA, we're relatively young, and to find a random barber or seated from a random field or forest where a random person dropped, is a million to one.

JMHO

 

[absosecur]

I love hunting woods. It is where I have the most success at finding spots that are pretty much virgin soil to detecting. I usually will look at the highest ground in an area cause if there was a home or plantation it will almost always be on the highest ground. Found a sight like such yesterday.I do very well in ms at randomly searching unknown wooded areas and hitting good spots.

 

[Calvin.Coin]

I hunt a remote area on a daily basis because I only have a chance to hunt populated areas on rare occasions.

Some days I hear nothing at all from my detector except a beep when I check with the shovel to ensure the thing still works. Other days, I am amazed, like yesterday when I found a quarter and a dime (literally in the middle of nowhere) or the day when I found a half dozen broken fishing poles. There are no rivers, creeks, lakes, ponds for hours in all directions. Today I found nothing of use, but I saw probably the last butterfly of the season (low 70's during day, high 20's at night).

I say hunt those woods, you just never know...

treasure is where you find it,
cc

 

[creskol]

I personally would not simply walk into any random "woods", to start detecting, unless I had knowledge that something went on there. You know, like a camp, or habitation, or stage-stop, or ........ something. To simply go in the boondocks any old place, is a needle in a hay-stack hunting. There has to have been some people activity (metal carrying Europeans, that is, not pre-contact indians, who had no refined metals).

You say the area was "heavily populated in the early 1800s". Well then if you can hone it down a bit more, to know zones of particular usage (cross-roads, where there was recorded to have had something going on, like cabins, camps, etc...), then sure. But ... no, not just randomly walk into a forest.

In Europe they may get away from simply walking into any furroughed field or forest, and ...... bumping into targets. Because, sure, they'd have 3000 more years of history than us. So ANY cultivated field, has had 3000+ yrs. of foot-traffic time for targets to build up. But in the USA, we're relatively young, and to find a random barber or seated from a random field or forest where a random person dropped, is a million to one.

JMHO

Been doing it for 44 years, and as long as my worn out knees will carry me, I will continue my random hunts in the woods. Two things to remember: 1) what are woods today, may not have always been woods and 2) If I am there, somebody in history has been there before me, and somebody before them.

Like absosecur says, "It is where I have the most success at finding spots that are pretty much virgin soil to detecting."

 

[Gold Maven]

go to your library, local history section, and look at the maps from 100 years ago.

Houses. stores, churches etc. will be marked on these old maps, run off a copy and go looking for the old foundations.

old pictures will also give you leads, tent revival sites, old racetracks, original county fair locations, etc. good luck, post your finds.

 

[releventchair]

Agree with high ground,most of the old homes around me are situated as such.
Old sites had water near by for stock ,horse at least. Keep an eye out for cellar holes. In the spring when lilacs bloom map all you can find in lonely places.
Brick, chimney stone, glass, tired soil,southern hillsides worth noting. Where two creeks or waterways come together for camps.
Sites within walking distance of known village with water route or decent trail could show on stage coach routes. Some research could i.d. roads built on former indian trails,same with communities. Copper likely made it to your area. I find low spots here (ravines,gullies,) used as dump sites. Some were revealed where deer runs exposed broken material. Its interesting to find an old site and ponder what went on.

 

[Swartzie]

My woods sites are mostly cellar holes. To find those I looked at old maps. If you're looking for (fur trade) indian sites, a local library may have a book or two with maps of villages or trails. Near a river is a good place to start. If you can find a river where a tributary empties into it then that's even better.

Here's a link for old maps. I linked the state of Illinois. Illinois Antique Maps and Historical Atlases - Historic Map Works

Good Luck.
-Swartzie

 

[TerryC]

As Tom (above) said, random wood searching is not very productive. Look for REASONS why the wood would be productive... direct route between small towns... cleared fields in the wood.... maps showing abandoned roads. Case in point: During the US revolution, the main road between Halifax and Roanoke Rapids, NC ran roughly along hwy 125. But.... the portion just north of Halifax ran just west of the current road bed. Now, that portion is in a farmer's field and some wood. The local detectorists would know... to find military relics of the revolutionary period, they would look in the farmer's field or wood nearby. The slight rise of the old road bed can still be seen. TTC

 

[Normsel]

Thanks for all the information all all of your suggestions have been helpful. I have reviewed maps from back in 1876 and have read about a few outpost forts that were built to protect the settlers from the Indians. I am very aware that what is a wooded area now may not have been 100 yrs ago. I look for old growth where there at least 25% of old growth and plenty of fallen and rotted trees. That part of it I understand well. I guess I will do my home work and I liked the comment about the spring lilacs, that makes a lot of sense. I will have to sit down and hopefully over lay old township maps with new township maps and see how things have changed and where old homes and cabins were built.

Again thanks for all the suggestions from everyone.

 

[TNGUNS]

I hunt very rural areas often. Wooded, pasture, agricultural can all produce but like said before road higher ground is a good start and always remember water. A well is always possible source but a spring more often than not will produce some relics if not have a home very near.

Found hunting for high ground around TN River.



Found hunting around spring



Both places have been hunted very little by me and still have lots to offer.

Always ask hunters about foundations and springs. Helps to jar their memories by being specific. Ask about cellar holes, foundations, road beds, even trash, anything that may indicate people have been there. Shoot just a day walking in the woods as a shot in the dark can be productive.

 

[Calvin.Coin]

I was really enjoying how quiet the machine was. Crazy I know, enjoying NOT having the machine speak to me?

LoL, I know just what you mean...always after I hunt a trashy location I can't wait to get back to the silence in my neck of the woods...It's hard to explain, but it's soothing to swing without a sound for long stretches.

peace,
cc

 

[bushwhacker07]

Can I add a lil something?
I noticed all the locations mentioned are very good ideas and had not thought of some of them, I dont know the geography of where you are located and everywhere is different. But where I am it woods and farm ground. mostly pretty flat with few hills or bluffs alot of small creeks and runnoffs. I havent detected either two of these spots but I know of two seperate locations where there are old bridge foottings and the remains of old bridges, they have since fell in creek and havent been used for over 50 years. The reason I am adding this is that they are both now in the woods and one only a quarter mile from a state highway but you would have no clue its there unless someone told you. Im sure these old bridges are all over the country as new paved roads came along and roads got moved and bridges left with no maintience. Sorry if its off topic but the woods thing made me think of it, Since they are now both surrounded by woods. Like I said I could point them out to you from the new paved road but unless your standing on the creek bank you would never see it.
Wondering if anyone has had any luck around these places?
Or had any luck researching old bridges or old dirt road maps?

 

[mfitzs70]

Theres nothing wrong with doing research wether in a library,word of mouth,online or on foot. My thought is if your looking for old stuff pre electric era then I would believe people positioned themselves where they could get to their resources ( water,food, walks to town ) and have protection ( from enemys from weather) So sometines it's worth a walk without your detector into the wood. I like to use my squirel hunting technique. Walk into the woods and stand listen look and see what makes sence. Stand there and look for a couple minutes, walk about 10 paces and repeat.Just barreling through the woods is a waste and you miss what everyone else has missed. Now it is somewhat unlikley that rivers changed direction too much so pay attention for places a foot bridge was or could have been, look for stone fences in disreapair, and other man created things. Also people are curious so anything that draws the attention is worth some time, like a interesting view, by a pond that has see some fishermen. Remember it's not only the value of the find but also the value of the hunt. Good Luck

 

[CWnut]

lots of good advice on here would like to add a technique i have found to be helpful..walk thru woods when sun is at a low angle morning and evening to help notice subtle changes that may indicate human activity. A couple of examples: rocks stacked top each other, most likely you may see only one corner but further investigation may reveal the other corners, another thing that draws my attention is a level spot, especially here in the hills of e.tn...i once located an old home site because of a rock pile, turned out to be the old chimney that had been pushed down

 

[relicmeister]

An interesting topic. I tend to spend the bulk of my detecting time in woods of one kind or another. Let me add that I find that State game lands were often the old hunting areas too, so you might expect
an occasional cabin ruins , camp-sites, pocket knives, and bullets galore. Coming upon old homesites is a bit random. Also, while most old roads follow original unpaved roads or trails, it is likely that small diversions took place when modernizing
for construction reasons, which means that sometimes the original road may have been alongside the new road for short stretches, and sometimes long ones-which are sometimes even named "old route such and such". Therefore, to me it is always worthwhile to pay attention to the part of the woods nearest the road, even though it might also be the trashiest. I have found rich remains of old roadside stops just off the new road, where travelers ate and rested, fed horses,changes horseshoes, etc.

 

[TerryC]

Here is a pic of Judy's place in Calaveras county, CA. Right in the middle of the pic are two piles of PVC pipe (white). Just above it is part of a road that is over a 100 years old. It goes back to the house and beyond. Just south of the house are 4 lilac bushes. Very dark green. NOT indiginous to the area (hint). You can see several of our quad tracks around the area and on the road. In the clearing, in the middle of the pic, I have found 2 foundations and an old grave ( the local stones were piled at the head). In the bottom right portion of the pic, where the old road meets the Adit 4 road, is an old dump from when there were people living in the open meadow. There is yearround water where the road goes into the trees on the right side of the meadow. I still haven't completely checked out the area. More to find I'm sure. I found 3 horseshoes on that short piece of road! Judy's father has found indian arrowheads and other artifacts on the 80 acres. Neat! TTC