Hunting The Woods

[fortitudine]

Looking for some advice from folks that frequently detect in the woods. Hopefully this thread can focus on general advice and suggestions for those that prefer to hunt in the woods

The area I hunt in has some wooded areas that would be easier to do than open land. It was settled in the early 1800's so I know there must be some good relics and coins out there. I'm wondering if you guys have any strategies for hunting in the woods where there are no foundations or other landmarks. Do you research areas of specific significance, focus on creeks and trails, or just stroll through until you get a tone? What say you?

 

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[Pointman]

I detect a lot in the woods and sometimes it is hard to say. I will try and pick out an identifiable landmark and it could be as simple as a ditch in the middle of nowhere (old roadbed) or a lower depression area going across a creek. I look for piles of rock which would indicate a garden and then fan out and find a high point where a house could be or concentrate on the south side of a hill. You have to think about things such as "where did they get water or where did they dispose of their rubbish?", so you would look for a well or stream nearby or look for bottles and search around there. Also, look for daffodils or in my area Yucca plants (I believe this is what they are called). Something that doesn't belong or is native to your area. I will also determine if the area was open 100 years ago or wooded and concentrate around very large/old trees. You would also have to consider the type of dwellings that were in the area for example very few homes here had cellars so it doesn't work to look for cellar holes in most areas.

 

[fortitudine]

Pointman, thats just the type of info I was looking for! I've got several creeks in the area (settled circa 1830), so I can look for sloped areas that could be old crossings. Most of the buildings in the area were farmsteads, but locating them has been difficult to say the least. Old maps have helped some, but I need to do more research. I just picked up a Garrett Pro-pointer and tested it out at the beach. Recovery time went WAY down. Can't wait to get back out to the woods and give this old farmstead another go.

 

[Pointman]

Take a good sharp shovel and be sure to bring some pruning shears and maybe a pruning saw to get through roots. There is no comparison on the quality of a good relic shovel such as the Sampson versus a "Wal-mart" special shovel and the pruning shears are indispensable for cutting roots and bushes that get in the way. Oh, and gloves. Remember that the less time digging equals more time searching and finding more things.

 

[fortitudine]

I like the looks of the Lesche Sampson, but $69 seems a little much for me right now. Hopefully I can pick one up sometime in the future. I'm using an Ames garden tool right now and it does a pretty good job for the price. Seems sturdy too.

As for reducing digging time, I just picked up a Garrett Pro-pointer. It works great and has cut my digging time in half. I'm trying to figure out a way to waterproof it now. I know it can be submerged momentarily, but I'm looking to use it in shallow creeks and don't want to risk damaging it.

 

[Ronzie]

Coil wise - Most woods I've hunted I hated using a spider or DD coil as it always gets caught up. Donut or solid coils are much better.

 

[christo000]

I sh a lot of the relic hunting the garret edge digger is pretty decent got me buy for quite a while I'm now using the samson t handle a lot less frustration,faster digging & target recovery with the help of 1 of the probes aswell, as of coils that's gonna be a matter of preferance I use the dd & sef coils no issues here

 

[Pointman]

I'm trying to figure out a way to waterproof it now. I know it can be submerged momentarily, but I'm looking to use it in shallow creeks and don't want to risk damaging it.

I've seen a couple of ideas that people do to make their Pro-pointer submersible. I believe that it is Beau Ouimette (he has an account on here ) and his partner use silicone around the loudspeaker hole and battery lid although this would probably void the warranty, but the pinpointers typically don't have a long life expectancy anyway. I've seen where someone actually vacuum seals their pin pointer in plastic with one of those food vacuum sealers. This seems like the best bet, or place it in a couple of seal-able bags.

I recently switched to an almost wireless set-up because of the CTX 3030 and I can definitely see where going completely wireless would have its merits in the woods.

 

[mlayers]

Quote: I just picked up a Garrett Pro-pointer. It works great and has cut my digging time in half. I'm trying to figure out a way to waterproof it now. I know it can be submerged momentarily, but I'm looking to use it in shallow creeks and don't want to risk damaging it.

put it in a plastic zip bag and then put it in another. This will keep the water out and you will feel it vibeberate whe it come to the target.

 

[Will45]

If there are trails follow those. If there is an old foundation I get almost pure nail hits inside, so I look outside of it and get more silver hits.

 

[fortitudine]

but the pinpointers typically don't have a long life expectancy anyway.

WHAT? For $130 I was hoping to get several years of use out of it. I actually hav a vacuum sealer, and that seems like a pretty good idea. I wonder though how well the bag would hold up. I've dropped a vacuum sealed frozen piece of beef and the bag got a few tears pretty easily. Wondering how that would work bumping into rocks in a stream bed. I looked and the battery cap has a rubber o-ring, so i think the main concerns are the LED, button, and speaker.

 

[Normsel]

What most people forget is those 100 year old trees were saplings 100 yrs ago. I look at the for spacing more than anything. Everyone has always wanted trees in their yard but the trees in the yard 100 yrs ago are now gone so i don't look at an old tree as a landmark. I look more for signs of habitation. I also try and find old maps of the area to see where the homesteads were and then use google to get an approximate location. I am certain I found an old place people around here have tried to figure out where it was for years. I looked for water close by and other indications of habitation. I found, old glass, a few rusty nails and charred wood.

I look at old homesteads more for relics than silver. Remember people didn't have much money back in those days so the were pretty careful with it. I know guys find silver all the time but even an old home in town i'd be happy with one or two silvers and that rarely happens. It's all about the hunt no matter what you're searching for or find.

 

[fortitudine]

mlayers, that seems simple enough, but I wonder if the bags might make it a bit bulky and harder to get close to the target.

Will45, I have yet to find any old trails but I'm looking. Foundations in the wooded areas I hunt seem almost nonexistent. The homes in the wooded areas are from the 1830's to 1850's. I've found an open area that perhaps once had a farmstead there. At least it looks that way on google maps. But I have yet to find any sign that there was a structure there.

 

[Normsel]

fortitudine where in IL you from

Just don't submerge the speaker on the pro pointer otherwise it's pretty hardy.

 

[fortitudine]

fortitudine where in IL you from

Just don't submerge the speaker on the pro pointer otherwise it's pretty hardy.

I'm living in Chicago, but I hunt mostly in the outlying counties. I'm looking to use the pro-pointer in creeks so I want to make it completely waterproof.

 

[wild eyed willey]

glad you asked the question of hunting in the woods, I have been considering hunting a trail I found. I don't expect to find much, but I'll give it a shot

 

[gerryk]

I'm living in Chicago, but I hunt mostly in the outlying counties. I'm looking to use the pro-pointer in creeks so I want to make it completely waterproof.

do you know there is a detecting ban in cook and will county forest preserves?

 

[fortitudine]

What most people forget is those 100 year old trees were saplings 100 yrs ago. I look at the for spacing more than anything. Everyone has always wanted trees in their yard but the trees in the yard 100 yrs ago are now gone so i don't look at an old tree as a landmark. I look more for signs of habitation. I also try and find old maps of the area to see where the homesteads were and then use google to get an approximate location. I am certain I found an old place people around here have tried to figure out where it was for years. I looked for water close by and other indications of habitation. I found, old glass, a few rusty nails and charred wood.

I look at old homesteads more for relics than silver. Remember people didn't have much money back in those days so the were pretty careful with it. I know guys find silver all the time but even an old home in town i'd be happy with one or two silvers and that rarely happens. It's all about the hunt no matter what you're searching for or find.

I'm pretty much hunting for anything when I go out. Yeah, it would be nice to find some silver or gold to make some money, but right now I just enjoy it as a hobby. Relics would be great for me. When I hunted what I believe to be an old farmstead site, I didn't discriminate anything. There is a creek just 10 yards from it as well. All I've found there so far is a beer can and an old shot shell. Old bottles or other intact glass would be great.

 

[fortitudine]

do you know there is a detecting ban in cook and will county forest preserves?

Yup.

 

[fortitudine]

glad you asked the question of hunting in the woods, I have been considering hunting a trail I found. I don't expect to find much, but I'll give it a shot

Yeah I expected to be getting hits all over the place with most of it being garbage. Took me an hour to get my first hit with the detector. I plan to go back now that I've learned more about using my Ace 350.