Need help with my plug cutting . Not happy with my results .

[martinguitar]

I went back to a site that I hunted a few months ago and inspected a few of my plugs that I had previously cut . Now that the grass is greening up and growing it was pretty evident that it had been detected . The grass wasn't completely dead but not nearly as green as the rest of the yard , also it was either slightly sunken in or you could see where the sides were cut . It didn't look horrible but I am not comfortable knocking on doors after seeing this. This was my grandmothers yard and it didn't bother her but I didn't like the results. All of my other sites have been old cellar holes in the woods so this was my first " nice " yard .

I used a Fiskars serrated planting " knife " to cut the plugs . I cut 3 sides and hinged the flap over and left the fourth side intact . Laid a cloth down and laid any other soil on top of it . Then poured the soil back in the hole , tamped it down with my fingers , and hinged the plug back down and tamped it down with my foot .

Any ideas on what I should do different .

 

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[team sidewinder]

You are doing all you can do in cutting your plugs to minimize your damage and it will just take a little more time and you won't even know you were there. Your doing fine

 

[Wyomingmedic]

One thing I found is the sharpen your digger. It makes a more precise edge that disturbs less grass and comes in almost invisibly.

After using serrated and non serrated diggers, I am most happy with the results of a non serrated. The lesche works well since you have a straight and a serrated edge. I keep mine sharper than most pocket knives.

WM

 

[FreeMindStuck]

It sounds like your technique is good. I prefer 3 sided cuts because it leaves some of the root structure intact. The only thing I can think is you could mix a little fertilizer with water in a gallon milk jug and water your plugs after you reassemble them. I have heard of people doing this during droughts.

 

[foiler]

You may not be cutting your plugs large enough. They should be minimum 4" across the hinge, 5-6" is better. That leaves more of the grass root in the ground. Your plug should be about the size of a horseshoe. Main thing to remember is stepping hard on the plug to ensure its re-imbedded in the soil.

 

[Magneticwood]

I'm new to metal detecting and also trying to get the plug cutting technique down. Actually I am trying to stop digging every hit I get so deep. Also the coil is 8" so that's the minimum hole size too.. I just can't get the feel for being centered over the item in the ground. I X the spot but still am afraid of possibly chopping something up with my spade. Any advice would be great . I use the bounty hunter quick draw ii . I still have so much to learn just getting the hang of mixed beeps , discrimination and so on, but with time I hope to improve.

 

[Rawhide]

We dont need no stinking plugs lol.

Martianguitar, I take my trowel and beat the edges till you cant tell I dug after reinserting the plug. Magnetwood, I started off with almost the same machine. it will hit silver hard. You don't need it all the way on to hunt a park, just bumpit on. The disc needs to be around 2/3 of the way to really get rid of the bottle caps and hair pins. Use that notch button and switch back and forth to tell good targets from bad. You should be able to dig a bb sized piece of metal at 8" inches, so that's why I gave you these settings. You will have to practice till you get the pin point right. Your just gonna hit some targets. Try this, take your hand held pin pointer and detect first, see if you can just pop the target out of the ground. Heck of a lot easier than digging a plug just to find the target in the grass roots near the surface. If that don't work, just get a 5" inch sniper coil, you dig a perfect plug every time that way. good Luck guys.

 

[dustytrails123]

Atleast your not cutting circles and pulling the entire plug out i see a lot of noobs doing this and they cut such a shallow plug theres barely any dirt and grass left in the plug so when a lawn mower goes over it the blades suck the plug right out of the ground and theres tons of holes without plugs in them anymore....so when you cut your plug try to cut it deep

 

[scotty544]

I'm new to metal detecting and also trying to get the plug cutting technique down. Actually I am trying to stop digging every hit I get so deep. Also the coil is 8" so that's the minimum hole size too.. I just can't get the feel for being centered over the item in the ground. I X the spot but still am afraid of possibly chopping something up with my spade. Any advice would be great . I use the bounty hunter quick draw ii . I still have so much to learn just getting the hang of mixed beeps , discrimination and so on, but with time I hope to improve.

A Garrett Pro pointer will do wonders for limiting hole/ dig size. Never leave home without it.

 

[RobRieman]

Glad to see you are trying your best to repair your digs. I hunted a school yesterday and spent more time fixing someone else's massive holes than I did detecting. Someone used a shovel and most of the holes were replaced upside down. Some over a foot wide. They must have had a crappy detector also as I found a silver ring and a 1940 wheat right next to their hole.

 

[cudamark]

I like using a slit method when possible. It seems to be the least noticeable days after you've done it. You cut a slit in the sod right across the centerline of your target. Spread the two side apart (think rib spreader!) with your trowel, then start grabbing handfuls of dirt, passing them over the coil and then placing them on a piece of plastic. If you don't find the target in the first few handfuls, grab the pinpointer and see if you can locate the target that way. Once you have the target, funnel the dirt back into the hole and squeeze the sides of the slit back together. In some cases you can't use that method but in most areas they water, you can. If the ground is petrified, no method works good but it helps to water that area (and sometimes add fertilizer) to help it recover faster.

 

[Jason in Enid]

One thing to keep in mind when trying to limit grass browning is to cut DEEP plugs. The hardest thing on turf is root damage, so cutting shallow plugs, tearing the roots and exposing the those roots to drying in the sun while you recover can really shock them.

If you have a nice, manicured lawn to hunt, just dig large, "horseshoe" plugs, and then pour some fertilizer laced water on the plug when you are done. If anything they will have some REALLY green spots a week later.

 

[ClodChopper]

I don't think shape matters. Plugs with straight walls heal better and faster, than angled cuts. The thinner the blade, the less trauma to the turf. Before you set the plug, dig some dirt from the hole, or off the plug. Chop it up in the hole, fluff it up! If you do it right, the plug should sit ABOVE the hole before replanted. What your trying to acheive is AIR SPACE. Give the damaged roots an easy space to grow into.

 

[luvsdux]

Kudos to you for being concerned. You're on the right track and there's a lot of good suggestions in this thread. I often use Cudamark's slit example, but it isn't always practical on the deeper targets. On targets in the first three inches or so, I work a screwdriver under the target and bring it up with that. this usually leaves a small slit like trench that pushes back together easily and invisibly. Just be careful not to scratch an older, valuable coin.
luvsdux

 

[Rawhide]

I'm new to metal detecting and also trying to get the plug cutting technique down. Actually I am trying to stop digging every hit I get so deep. Also the coil is 8" so that's the minimum hole size too.. I just can't get the feel for being centered over the item in the ground. I X the spot but still am afraid of possibly chopping something up with my spade. Any advice would be great . I use the bounty hunter quick draw ii . I still have so much to learn just getting the hang of mixed beeps , discrimination and so on, but with time I hope to improve.

Hi magneticwood, you may want to start your own thread. You will get better responses that way. Folks don't know your here if you in someone elses thread.

Just lay a quarter in the ground and practice. Your gonna nick some targets, it just happens. As for digging trash, get away from the trash, you got a beep and dig machine. Try a minimum of 10' feet away from sidewalks and large trees. I own a Bounty Hunter 202 and its very close to your model. They are great lil machines. You may want a 5" inch sniper coil for trashy areas, it will help some. I run the big brother now, a Fisher F75. There is absolutely no comparison of these machines. I can go out and dig no or little trash with it. But practice with bounty hunter will get you better results. Just go fpr surface targets, and only high sounding beeps. Good Luck.

 

[Muddyhandz]

I like using a slit method when possible. It seems to be the least noticeable days after you've done it. You cut a slit in the sod right across the centerline of your target. Spread the two side apart (think rib spreader!) with your trowel, then start grabbing handfuls of dirt, passing them over the coil and then placing them on a piece of plastic. If you don't find the target in the first few handfuls, grab the pinpointer and see if you can locate the target that way. Once you have the target, funnel the dirt back into the hole and squeeze the sides of the slit back together. In some cases you can't use that method but in most areas they water, you can. If the ground is petrified, no method works good but it helps to water that area (and sometimes add fertilizer) to help it recover faster.

This is what I do (minus the pin pointer) and have seen first hand how minimal the impact is compared to cutting plugs.
Cheers,
Dave.

 

[martinguitar]

Thanks for all the suggestions and ideas .

 

[mainliner]

This is what I do (minus the pin pointer) and have seen first hand how minimal the impact is compared to cutting plugs.
Cheers,
Dave.

This is what I do also,,, Learn to cut a slit and spread the sod, most targets are going to be no more than 6 inches anyhow. Ever notice when you dig a plug then you have to tear the plug down to find the target? Cut a slit, spread the sod, pop the coin or ring out then push sod back together, this is the only method I will use in my own yard.

 

[Old Dude]

I don't think shape matters. Plugs with straight walls heal better and faster, than angled cuts. The thinner the blade, the less trauma to the turf. Before you set the plug, dig some dirt from the hole, or off the plug. Chop it up in the hole, fluff it up! If you do it right, the plug should sit ABOVE the hole before replanted. What your trying to acheive is AIR SPACE. Give the damaged roots an easy space to grow into.

I agree. Before I replace the plug, I dig the dirt in the bottom of the hole up well so the soil is aerated. If the dirt is loose, it allows the roots to grow easier which maintains the health of the grass

 

[ClodChopper]

Old Dude....I'm new to detecting, but I love my grass. I Dig parks, like I Dig my own lawn. Airating the dirt is the KEY! Proper tools are the answer!

I cut plugs. I cut them straight up and down, like a cork. Before I replace the 'cork' I fluff the dirt enough that the plug rides high. When you force it into place, it won't heave or settle.

I have double and tripped checked my holes. NOTHING! You can't even tell I was there.