Strategy?

[zendog64]

I always get overwhelmed when MDing large swatches of land, so I'm curious to hear what strategies you guys (and gals) use to detect large wide-open spaces with the most efficiency. A veteran MDer once advised me to work the perimeter first, and then go in concentric circles toward the middle. This works fine at first, until you get to the point where you look like an idiot standing in the middle of field twirling around in circles.

I've also tried sub-dividing the area into smaller zones. The problem with this is that, inevitably, I will walk away from the area (to grab a drink, take a leak, change a battery, run from a swarm of bees, etc.) and will completely lose track of where I was. Also, this seems to take even more time than the concentric circle strategy.

I'm considering a few other options:

1. Targeting prime areas first (areas where the soil looks to have been disturbed, walls, indentations, mounds, etc) and then going back over the "boring" parts later.

2. Digging only shallow targets first, then returning at a later date for the deeper targets.

3. Mark all the targets without digging, then digging them all at once afterward (rather than digging as I hit the targets).

If anyone can tell me the most efficient method of covering a lot of ground at once, I'd be much obliged.

 

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[rainyday101]

I take a little more scientific approach to these challenges. I wander all over the place randomly until I start finding coins. No rhyme or reason to my path. When you start hitting coins work that area over.

 

[releventchair]

Hard to tell. Features that in the era I,m targeting that would attract either a crowd at times or a single to few people often might be a starting point. If I,m not attracted to an area of a site ,and again things change over time,water,shade,structures ect. then the area transportation of that era would be parked a start. Followed by area of most likely human activities in descending order. How would area be entered and exited and why were people there? If its only been farmed,and just occupied during crop activities a grid with a large coil to find what may have been dropped. Once it gets tiring,end till next time. But really depends on what went on there in the past. My gridding while not really precise is about,depending on targets a fifty yard square a hunt. It could be alot smaller in a target rich site or bigger if few targets.
I like rainydays method,it works too. Just like asking which way to take the boat if fish are not biting. Anywhere is better than where they are not.

 

[relicmeister]

I think your options sound like a good plan. I agree it's a tough thing. I would mentally section off a reasonable territory to do in one session, then I'd cover that area superficially to get an idea of what to expect. I'd want to cover the section I chose in one session and dig only the best signals as I go, and then I'd dig iffy signals with whatever time was left in that session. If the original section was yielding great finds, I'd probably stick with just that section on the next trip and detect it till the really good signals subside, then I'd mentally section off a new section and repeat the process. If I decided to do a much bigger area in one session, I'd be sure to have a gps to mark the position of a particularly good spot. Also, a bigger search coil might be useful.
Whatever way you go about it. good luck

 

[Alchemist]

I always get overwhelmed when MDing large swatches of land, so I'm curious to hear what strategies you guys (and gals) use to detect large wide-open spaces with the most efficiency. A veteran MDer once advised me to work the perimeter first, and then go in concentric circles toward the middle. This works fine at first, until you get to the point where you look like an idiot standing in the middle of field twirling around in circles.

I've also tried sub-dividing the area into smaller zones. The problem with this is that, inevitably, I will walk away from the area (to grab a drink, take a leak, change a battery, run from a swarm of bees, etc.) and will completely lose track of where I was. Also, this seems to take even more time than the concentric circle strategy.

I'm considering a few other options:

1. Targeting prime areas first (areas where the soil looks to have been disturbed, walls, indentations, mounds, etc) and then going back over the "boring" parts later.

2. Digging only shallow targets first, then returning at a later date for the deeper targets.

3. Mark all the targets without digging, then digging them all at once afterward (rather than digging as I hit the targets).

If anyone can tell me the most efficient method of covering a lot of ground at once, I'd be much obliged.

I've done a little bit of all of these; it really depends on the scope of the area. If it's small, you can work in direction mode. If it's large, you can work in selective mode.

I probably wouldn't try your #3 method -- flagging everything. Although it might seem at first to be rewarding to only dig all finds at the end of a search, by the time I'd get to unearthing a target, I'd forget the nature of it: depth, size, metal, etc. That info dictates to how I dig said target. So, I'd find myself waving the wand over every target again to re-familiarize myself. Just find it, and dig then and there.

Of course you could write info on index cards and place those as flags...

 

[zendog64]

I usually end up doing what rainyday does, haha. I start off with a game plan, but before long I'm aimlessly wandering all over the place like a drunk.

 

[DDancer]

On large open area's that are producing interesting finds I will grid using a method I picked up from this forum years ago. Get some golf balls, drop them in the line your detecting in and as you advance just push them over to the next line. Unknown large area's I'll hit likely congregation points and work along lines that go to and from paths, car lots, picnic area's and other points of interest. Things start cropping up then I consider small subdivisions and finally gridding.
In all I've found a lot of good stuff out in the middle of no where~ so lucks a factor as well. Keep swinging

 

[BigWaveDave]

Down here in the heat I start early in AM, the wide open area, grid it as best as I can, when it gets too hot for that, I go for the shady areas. After that, I'm done. 1 to 2 PM is as late as I'll hunt, way too hot after that, then the rains come.

 

[redcobra8u]

I make grid lines by dragging my scoop up and back the area I am hunting. I dig everything. My target is usually the high traffic areas first. When working the surf, my line above the surf help me stay on the us searched line in the water pretty effective for me.

 

[JunkShopFiddler]

I usually end up doing what rainyday does, haha. I start off with a game plan, but before long I'm aimlessly wandering all over the place like a drunk.

Same here. But too many times I have wandered upon a coin spill or some other decent find completely at random, and then searched the whole giant area meticulously and found nothing else! How can a person aimlessly wander upon a good find when it is the only good find in the entire field...I hate that!

 

[rainyday101]

Methodical or not I aimlessly wonder until I find a trashy area full of tabs etc., that's where the people were. Most of the spots I hunt it doesn't take long to find the trash. Some of these areas are where you would least expect it. Gridding a large area is mentally draining, it's like cutting a 5 acre field with a push mower.

 

[cudamark]

First, I would think about why I'm hunting that particular large track of land to begin with. That will usually indicate where the most likely area to hunt would be. House or farm site? find the foundation and use it as the focal point. Battlefield? Grid the whole thing with rope and photos. Old picnic ground? Shade trees, water, tables, ball fields. As mentioned, figure out activity the site is known for and hit the most likely area first.

 

[Frankn]

Here are some random notes.
Are you there looking for a specific cache? If so, the person that hid it had to use something prominent to relocate it. In other words, it's not in the middle of the field, but rather a few paces from a tree, rock, building corner, maybe in a specific compass direction. It may also be along a fence like a couple of paces north from the third post.

Now if you are just SWAGing around enjoy the stroll. Frank...-

 

[zendog64]

I do tend to gravitate toward old picnic grounds, camp sites, and swimming holes, but these are relatively easy and I can usually do a thorough job in one visit. My strategy for these sites is to find the largest trees I can... I figure these are most likely the oldest trees and probably would've been around 100+ plus years ago. I've had good luck around large tree stumps as well, and in the divots beneath uprooted trees that have fallen over (can't quite figure out why though).

It's the farm lands and open fields that always throw me for a loop. Maybe wandering around aimlessly is the best way to go... at least it's enjoyable, and I suppose that's the whole point of detecting

I appreciate all the great suggestions, I'll definitely give some of them a try.

 

[cudamark]

If you're hunting pasture land, you're probably wasting your time unless you get tickled finding horse related stuff. Most U.S. farm land isn't much better on average but it will depend on it's history.

 

[beerguy]

Great question. In any new area, especially a large one, the first thing I want to know is the relative age/activity of the site.

I determine that by using the XLT with a Bigfoot coil. This is a fast swinging machine, and with the bigfoot you can literally walk across a field while detecting.

Once a hot spot is found, I break out the slow swinging machines and figure out what is there.

Once I get an idea of what the site is capable of, I try and do grid patterns.

 

[zendog64]

That's a great idea. All I need now is a fast swinging machine (all I've got is an Ace 350... if you swing it too fast, the thing goes haywire). But I can see how that strategy would save time, it's kinda like "previewing" the area before you start digging.

 

[sailoffwithme]

Working 500 acres now just looking for signals

 

[sailoffwithme]

That's a great idea. All I need now is a fast swinging machine (all I've got is an Ace 350... if you swing it too fast, the thing goes haywire). But I can see how that strategy would save time, it's kinda like "previewing" the area before you start digging.

I have a 250 and it is as fast as I can swing very fast mili seconds

 

[Jacza]

cross strategy

Hello,

my strategy: first I make a cross along the field from corner to corner, then I subdivide this into four smaller crosses, depending on where I have made finds. This process can be done recursively until you have small areas with a side length of let's say 10 yards, which will be searched completely. It's important to record your findings f.e. in a smartphone app like locus map. Depending on your findings you can plan your search pathes for the next iteration.

This strategy consumes some time in the beginning, but at the end you will be rewarded.

Best regards,
Jacza