Top five spots at a park. Top five spots at a school.

[Lores]

As the title says. If you went to a large community park what would the top five spots be that you would hit. Second, same questionat a school. Thanks

 

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[vpnavy]

Personally, if you have all day - I would setup a grid and go to it. If you are limited - I would start any place people would group together (like sidelines to a baseball field, soccer field, etc.).

 

[C L A D Z I L L A]

Any travel route between concession stands and seating/sidelines at ball fields,

Travel routes between seating/sidelines and parking.

Near restrooms.

Any embankment that people sit on to watch ballgames or kids at play.

In between picnic shelters and playgrounds

Now, if I could just find some time to go!! That's the hardest part of this hobby for me

 

[mlayers]

check the side lines of football fields, baseball fields, and check where the kids gather before school and after.

 

[Lores]

Ive been hitting sanded volley ball courtsbut neve more then a quarter or so. Horseshoe pits?

 

[Rawhide]

Sidewalks are busy with trash but I found a Wheatie today.

Shade of trees, thats where people set. I found lots of clad just setting on top of the ground at the park.

Tot lots, especially under the play areas.

By the basketball courts, always good fins there.

Entrances to the park, hit the big open grassy area.

 

[Dave Rishar]

Ive been hitting sanded volley ball courtsbut neve more then a quarter or so. Horseshoe pits?

The theory behind horseshoe pits seems sound, but I've never had any luck with them. I've only ever found clad at volleyball courts. It might be that someone else had the same idea as I did and beat me to them.

One theory that has worked for me is starting with the edges of the site. I'm not quite sure why, but most of my finds (and pretty much all of my good finds) were found at the very edges. I'm not sure why jewelry is so much more common at the borders of public spaces, but that's normally where I find it.

A lot of public spaces around here have been filled, graded, or both. The first time that I hit one of these sites, I walked around and found a back corner that was quite a bit lower than the rest of it. I reasoned that this place had been filled, but they hadn't filled that corner for whatever reason; between its relative seclusion and lack of fill, I reasoned that there might be some keepers back there that had been passed over previously. I don't know if my theory was correct or not but the keepers were there, and only there. Ever since then, when I'm on a site that's obviously had the dirt moved around in the past, I pay particular attention to the low spots.

If your parks are as trashy as the ones around here are, and you can work in heavy trash, take a look at the trashiest areas. Sometimes they've been ignored out of frustration.

I know that it's been said a lot and it's basically common sense, but it took me a while to get it: keep a mental tally of what's in the ground. If I wander into an area (or even a whole park!) where there's nothing in the ground - no can slaw, no bottle caps, nothing - I move on. Parks don't stay clean around here for long and if there's no trash, I know that someone has already hammered the crap out of it relatively recently and they were digging it all, so working it further would likely be a waste of my time.

 

[Lores]

All great info. People tel. You to hit parks and schools but I never seen anything more specific. Thanks all.

 

[HoosierDiggin']

One theory that has worked for me is starting with the edges of the site. I'm not quite sure why, but most of my finds (and pretty much all of my good finds) were found at the very edges. I'm not sure why jewelry is so much more common at the borders of public spaces, but that's normally where I find it.

This can be explained. I personally have seen why many times. The park I hunt has a large open grassy opening surround by woods. This park is near a college campus. I have been at the park when large groups of college kids come out for a game of Frisbee football, etc. First thing I observed them do at the edge of woods was empty their pockets, remove watches, sit their bags down, and other personal belongings.


My best finds have been at the edge of these woods. Last month I scored a one ring 4 consecutive times at this park before my string was broke. In the last two months I've taken 7 rings total. It is my favorite place.

 

[WhiteTornado]

I've had modest success on a ball diamond by going along the fences near the 3rd and 1st base lines. This is where a lot of players would leave their bags and other items while playing.

 

[thumper]

Around all playground equipment..then about 5 foot out all around the the sides. Basketball courts are great also. Any grassy areas near picnic tables. Paths to bleachers..i dont have much luck under them for some reason. Outer fringes near woods seems like it always gathers coins

 

[HoosierDiggin']

Maybe not specific to your site, but is info to remember. This park I described above dates back to the early 1900's. Topo maps all the way back show a stream that has ran through it. That small stream is now a larger ditch or culvert that has widen do to severe erosion. The erosion has taken its toll. Trees from many years ago a safe distance away are now at the edges of the culvert and exposing their roots. And their is evidence of some trees that have already succumb to the erosion. They have tried to contain the erosion to an extent with concrete blocks and wire, but not the entire run through the park. I, like you, started asking myself and thinking outside the box where I could dig good finds since the main grassy area I had only found a couple silvers. And the grassy and tot lots is the ONLY place where I ever seen any others detectors swinging. My thinking led me into the culvert. It is dry most of the time after snow melts off. I have found several silver in the last two years by detecting the side walls of the culvert and under/around the exposed roots. I have also found LOTS of clad under the two small walking path bridges that cross the culvert. My thinking was maybe people stood on the bridge and tossed coins like a wishing well.

 

[DigginDownUnder]

I've been scouting old raceways, sporting fields etc, for entry points, where lots of people are funnelling together and paying for entry.

Think about people carrying cairs, blankets and stuff, then trying to pay and accept change.

I have found an old dirt speedway that's no longer used, lots of night events, all grass and dirt at the entry.

 

[Lores]

Thanks for the information. This type of specific hints will help me to think more strategically before I start swinging. D

 

[Back-of-the-boat]

One other thing to take into consideration would be where a lot of arm movement is done.What I mean is throwing balls, or power walking, frisbee golf courses all these actions include arms swinging or flinging which will end in rings,bracelets, charms etc,etc...being lost. Good luck and use your imagination as to where something may have landed or rolled to, also remember lawnmowers can fling things where you wouldn't think of so no where is really out of the picture.

 

[Bum Luck]

One guy long ago was driving around and drinking. He threw his beer bottle out the car window, and his class ring went with it.

Now way under a highway project.

 

[blong10]

I have good luck around basketball courts and especially swings

 

[dahut]

Great!
Top spots at parks -

Swings and play equipment
Seating benches
Around old trees (or where they were)
The goal areas of football and soccer fields
Where people sit to observe games

Top Spots at schools -
Walkway edges
Exits and other funnel spots
Parking aprons
Play equipment
Lawn areas where kids gather for events and other reasons.

 

[dahut]

One guy long ago was driving around and drinking. He threw his beer bottle out the car window, and his class ring went with it.

Now way under a highway project.

Someone once told me about a girl at work that had an argument with her boyfriend. As she left the parking lot that day and turned onto the main road, she tossed her engagement ring out the window of her car - onto the shoulder of the road.
The road and shoulder are still there.

 

[docholliday59]

What about next to the parking lot that's where a lot of things get lost when your reaching in your pocket or purse for your keys.