new site permission 1890

AndyE89

Full Member
Nov 19, 2013
124
87
Cresco, Iowa
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
So my 2 sites have been a bust the last couple hunts, I even tried our local fairgrounds. I finally started to discriminate targets on the xterra 305 using mode 1 ( coin, jewelry mode). Just too much trash, and I kept getting awesome faint high tones just like the silver dimes only to find cans or bottle caps in the hole. Anyway, I just got permission from one of my regular customers at work to hunt their yard. The house was built in 1890, and only has around 7400 square feet of property. I was just hoping for some advice as to how to hunt the property. Ill be hitting it tomorrow morning, hopefully ill have something good to show for it. Also, does anyone know if discrimating with the x terra 305 will cause loss in depth?
 

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Loco-Digger

Gold Member
Jun 16, 2014
11,827
17,744
Northern O-H-I-O
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1
Detector(s) used
F75 LTD, 1280X Aquanaut, & a Patriot (back-up/loaner)
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Grid it out and take your time. I normally hunt in a single direction i.e. east to west using my stock coil digging all targets (to include trash signals) and then I grid it and go i.e. north to south using my 12" x 15" coil looking for the deeper stuff. On my third visit I put on my 5" DD and detect around the foundation under the shrubs and other plants. Many detectors can lose some depth when running in disc. My LRP loses on average 1.5" on most coins when I air tested it. It will still get a quarter at 9" - 9.5" in disc and 10" to 10.5" in all metal.
 

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AndyE89

AndyE89

Full Member
Nov 19, 2013
124
87
Cresco, Iowa
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I could not get out to the 1890 site this morning due to rain. But the rain did bring excellent luck on other permissions. First is another regular, she gave me full access, day or night on her property whenever I want. A site never detected, a large stone house built in 1925, with 1.5 acres. This will be a great site to hit until season ends. The next is my girlfriend's family farm, which sits on a hundred acres and the original homestead was built in 1850, while the now standing house was built in 1900. These both are very promksing sites with the addition of the 1890. This will be a busy week and weekend for me now!

Also I have never hunted a farm, are there usually good targets in the fields or should I focus more by the house?
 

PaDirtDigger

Hero Member
Feb 2, 2015
950
1,278
Pennsylvania
Detector(s) used
White's XLT (2), Garrett Ace 250, Garrett AT Pro, Garrett AT Gold
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Guess that depends on how quickly you want to recover most of the good targets... Naturally closer to home should be more, better targets... But there's stuff out in the fields too... Patience will prove that
 

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AndyE89

AndyE89

Full Member
Nov 19, 2013
124
87
Cresco, Iowa
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Still havent gotten to the 1890 site. I did do a 3 hour hunt on the 1920 site. Got 2 wheat pennies and a lot of trash. I am wondering if the yard has backfill. In also did a 30 minute hunt on the farm, got a very small button, very old but nothing special, just gave me hope that there may be other stuff on the property
 

Fourman110

Sr. Member
Jun 22, 2013
413
734
Cedar Rapids IA area
Detector(s) used
Manticore
AT Pro
E-Trac
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
When I hit the yard of a house I usually start by hitting the curb strip then walk along the edges of the side walk to the door. If the sidewalk to the door is offset (i.e. One side of the yard is bigger than the other) I usually go there next figuring if they did stuff in the front yard, that's the side they'd use. Last I go around any old trees.

Before I go into the place I assess how much dirt has been added or blown in over the last 120 years. If I see old trees with bared roots I know I've got a keeper. If I see neighbors houses have 30 inches of espoused foundation and this house has on 12 inches it's a pretty good hint that dirty been added and I'll check it out but be ready to leave much earlier. Same thing with dirt higher than the pavement. If there's a 6 inch highpoint that slopes quickly to the sidewalk the good stuff is going to be deeper.

The closer you get to the house the more iron you hit. On my etrac that means more null based on how I set up discrimination. The more iron I'm hitting the slower side to side and forward I go (like an inch or two forward per swing). I'm just looking for a repeatable at least one sided swing.

If I've got the time or can hit the place multiple times, I'll go 90 degrees to my first pattern. If I get another opportunity I'll go at a 45 degree angle. You'd be surprised on how much the angle you're hitting the coin at can make a difference due to masking or coin orientation.

Back yards don't seem to produce as much so other than under the old clothes line, I don't do much there until I've cleaned the front. I've had some luck in back yards by trying to figure out where kids would play if they were trying to stay out of direct sight of mom and dad back in the day.

Finally, I've got a new rule for older homes. If I haven't found an Asian coin, I must not be done yet. Seems like every old house site I've been on has one.

Good luck and greetings from the Cedar Rapids area.
 

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