Let's Get It Started

[secondcup]

Hey fellow New Hampshireites!

Let's get this thing started! Anyone out there care to share their MD'ing stories about New Hampshire?

I live on the coast, and have been curious about Odiorne Point in Portsmouth. Has anyone detected there? I haven't been over there yet. It's owned by the State I believe, so I figure the same rules apply there about metal detecting that do at state parks.

If you hike out the walking trail a bit, you come to a WWII bunker, that was used to store ammunition I believe. Seems like a great place to detect if no one is going to throw you out!



Secondcup

[PlanetExpress]

Being from NH (and the seacoast) originally, I'm curious about Odiorne point. From what I remember, it's an old military spot with tons of scrap junk around. Will this make detecting more difficult?

Now Strawberry Banke... that's a place to dig up! ha ha ha

[secondcup]

I can only imagine what could be unearthed at Strawberry Banke!

It might be worth a try to dectect at Odiorne. I'd imagine finding more articats than coins. Since it's a state park, I don't think they could kick me out.

[PlanetExpress]

True... it would be loaded with relics. And thank god it's New Hampshire. I miss the place. In a lot of other states, the *do* throw you out of State Parks for detecting and digging. It's unbelieveable to a NH person.

Are there any other very historical places to search around the seacoast? Places with old houses? Places like Strawberry Banke, but that aren't turned into museums?

I'm debating where to do some wreck stuff next summer. I'm thinking I might take a look at the Isles of Shoals. I've been wanting to go to FL, but going down there in hurricane season scares me, living on a boat. What about maybe going to some of the beaches? Hampton's pretty crowded all summer. So is York.

[Cubfan64]

I don't have time to respond too much, but I thought I would share some information I got from the NH State Park Dept. that contradicts your notes - I'm hoping mine is wrong.

Thank you for your inquiry and interest in New Hampshire State Parks.
Following is the policy on metal detecting in our State Parks.

RES 7301.09 Metal Detectors

(a) Metal detectors shall only be used in state parks after
notification is given to a park manager.

(b) Metal detectors shall not be permitted at historic sites.

(c) Digging shall only be allowed on sand beaches with all resulting
holes completely filled in.

(d) Money or items found which value is in excess of $5.00 shall
be
reported to the park manager.

During the "off-season" there are no park managers available.
Consequently, you would be able to do your hunting as long as the rest
of the policies are followed.

If I can be of further assistance, please feel free to contact me.

Sandra, Bureau Secretary
NH State Parks and Recreation

I'm in the Londonderry area but am always on the lookout for fellow hunters to meet and new places to hunt - perhaps we could get together sometime?

[secondcup]

Cub Fan,

Thanks for posting the NH State Park rules. That's pretty much what I remember from when I emailed the State about MDing. The thing I didn't recall is that they allow diggging only in sand. I guess that kills the idea of searching at Odiorne Point or other Historic state parks. By the letter of their law, it looks like we can still surface scan. Am I correct in that?

Secondcup

[nhbenz]

Hello all! I did do a quick sweep (30 minutes or so) through Odiorne Point (just barely in Rye, rather than Portsmouth) a couple of years ago, but didn't find much. . It seemed so promising! I'd be up for a hunt anytime! Hey, I'm going to look into searching the grounds of what is now the 3-Chimneys Inn in Durham... an original chunk of the building was used for powder keg storage during the revolutionary war. This is why Durham made some keg shaped welcoming signs as you get into town... much misunderstood by the college students. I grew up in Durham and may be able to pull some strings to make this happen. It MAY turn out that we would not be able to keep some of our findings, as the owners may want to keep relevant historical items... but we'd likely have a great post here, with some great photos and a lot of fun. How about the Hamilton House in South Berwick, Maine (close to us here on the NH seacoast)... that would be a great hunt too!

[Cubfan64]

I'm definitely game to go hunt anywhere. Just a quick introduction...

I'm 42 and a transplant to NH from Illinois (gee did the Cubfan thing give it away? :P) about 3 years ago. I just started getting back into MD'ing this spring after picking up a used Fisher CZ20 at a very reasonable price from a buddy who just didn't use it. I'm way hooked again (haven't really hunted much in about 20+ years) and am always happy to provide some comradarie in hunting somewhere. My biggest problem right now is that I'm just not very knowledgeable about the area - as I've been learning my detector this spring/summer, I've been sticking to the traditional easy sites like ballfields, parks and beaches. This winter I'll do some real research and see if I can find some out of the way places that haven't been hunted at all - I dream of the day I find a site like that and can be one of the first folks to dig up some neat treasures.

Secondcup - Basically what I posted is what I got from them. I interpret it the same way you do - no digging in state parks or historical areas, except in sand along beaches. I would say surface targets are fine as well, but of course the good stuff is always down below .

I'm convinced that there are litteraly thousands of places nearby to hunt though - it's just a matter of doing some reading and legwork. This fall I might see if I can find a local old farm that would allow me to do some field searching after harvest - it's slow and can be tedious, but I think if you hit an old one with some history behind it you might get lucky.

I'll be checking this forum frequently - hopefully some of us can get together one of these days!

[Cubfan64]

Any new interest in getting together some time this fall for a hunt? I only have a couple locations that may prove interesting but they are in Massachusetts and not NH - realistically they are probably more relic related than coin, but you never know. Let's do some talking here and see if we can come up with some time to get together.

[Green1]

i'm in mass,,,,, but i would be interested.... i'm no relic hunter more coin ,,but it sounds like fun !!!

[Cubfan64]

I'll be away from Wednesday through Sunday this next week, but after that perhaps we can find a way to get together somewhere for a few hours of hunting.

[Ed-NH]

Hi guys,

I just found your post. I am from NH about 20 minutes inland from the coast. I hunt mainly the woods and any cellar holes that I can find. Maybe we can hook sometime for a hunt. I hunt the beaches in the winter. Great post, I'll stop in and check from time to time.

Ed-

[search_and_find]

I'm from NH and have just gotten a White's Prism V for Christmas! I am so excited. I am hoping that I might be able to hit a couple of "lake" beaches here before the snow falls. I am not near the ocean so that will have to wait till we go on a family day trip!
I look forward to learning lots from all you "experienced" hunters!
Sarah

[nhbenz]

Welcome to TNet Sarah!!! We've certainly been lucky with the weather here in New Hampshire so far, eh? Beaches are a great way to get started... the digging is easier and there is always something to be found. When the snow flies, keep your eyes open for nice old areas with some history and hit 'em in the spring. Best of luck... looking forward to your finds. -Ben

[Ed-NH]

I'm from NH and have just gotten a White's Prism V for Christmas! I am so excited. I am hoping that I might be able to hit a couple of "lake" beaches here before the snow falls. I am not near the ocean so that will have to wait till we go on a family day trip!
I look forward to learning lots from all you "experienced" hunters!
Sarah

Hi Sarah, welcome to the forum. As Ben said this time of year is good for scouting old areas. You can see old trails in the frost covered ground better than in the spring and summer. Good luck and post your finds on the "Todays Finds" forum for all to see. Good luck.

[search_and_find]

Boy have I been researching my town! I have maps from back in 1850 and there were 13 schools back then in town! It also shows where the cellar holes should be around. I think this makes the waiting for spring harder though! THere is a "ghost" town that had its own school church, store and homes that are all cellar holes now and you can get there by 4 wheelers, snowmobiles by winter but that doesn't do me any good. It's fairly well known though so I'm sure it has been searched before but you never know!
How many days till spring?!

[Ed-NH]

Don't worry about the ol' "it's been searched before" I have found some of my best finds at places that others have visited before me. I even found a nice King George copper penny (1700's) in a spot that I already detected.

[jnut4]

Hi all!! I'm fairly new to tecting and also fairly new to New Hampshire. I live up near the White Mountains; however, that's not such a bad drive to the coast. Would love to get a group hunt together sometime..

Jan

[jadewhiskey]

Hi All,

I am new to detecting too... I finally got a new detector for christmas... I played around with it a bit - but, didn't find much - realized after that I had the sensitivity set too low... I haven't used one in years and I enjoyed being out... I can't wait to get out and really start hunting... I am located right outside Rochester... Let me know if anyone knows a good place to hunt or where I can get started...

Talk soon.

JadeWhiskey

[ceejay64]

Snow should be gone (again) soon...
Let's get the gear ready!! Whoo-hoo!
~Ceejay