Whole lotta work to save a few CW relics from the coming bulldozers . . .

[parsonwalker]

It was purported to be a winter camp for some engineers. Near Remington, VA - and dozens and dozens of acres will be bulldozed in 4 days to make way for solar panels. I went with high hopes, but if there was a camp, we sure didn't find it. We hunted HARD for two solid days. The wacky, iron-infused rocks of that area played havoc with my Tesoro Tejon. I absolutely LOVE that machine, but it ain't the right machine for that ground (or I'm not the right operator). I hunt with no discrimination and get good depth. Impossible up there. By the time you discriminate out all that iron in the soil and hot rocks, you've killed your depth.

Anyway, here's what I found. Dropped .44 cal bullet (colt pistol?), banged-up 3 ringer, flat button, Scoville button back only, some thin brass, .36 cal round ball, and two pieces of lead that look MAYBE made into game pieces. Find of the trip was the Boreman fuse (at least I'm pretty sure that's what it is). Weird. Not a single piece of shrapnel. Of course, I was avoiding iron signals like the plague. The first half a day, all I dug was hot rocks!! And digging was like tunneling through a sidewalk, with all that stone in the ground. Happy with the fuse, but that was a LOT of work for powerful-few relics.

 

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[etex]

Nice fuze

 

[Vino]

I hear you Walker, some day are really hard.. Great saves.
I look at it this way, if I can come home with 1 good keeper I had a good day.. And you had a great day.
George

 

[mirage83]

Virginia soil can definitely be a challenge to hunt in, raises all sorts of havoc with a lot of non-PI detectors. Looks like a good hunt in spite of the soil conditions though. In any case, you pretty much eliminated that area as a good hunting site, makes it easier to take it being raked over by dozers.

 

[parsonwalker]

Virginia soil can definitely be a challenge to hunt in, raises all sorts of havoc with a lot of non-PI detectors. Looks like a good hunt in spite of the soil conditions though. In any case, you pretty much eliminated that area as a good hunting site, makes it easier to take it being raked over by dozers.

Absolutely. I would have been SICK had i not tried it before . . .

 

[tndirtdigger]

Try it again after they hit it with the dozers the first few days and they may do the digging for you!

 

[CASPER-2]

 

[VOL1266-X]

Good job PW!!! We need to save all the relics we can. WTG, Q.

 

[Trezurehunter]

Any time relics can be saved from the bulldozer is a good hunt.

 

[Hitndahed]

It was purported to be a winter camp for some engineers. Near Remington, VA - and dozens and dozens of acres will be bulldozed in 4 days to make way for solar panels. I went with high hopes, but if there was a camp, we sure didn't find it. We hunted HARD for two solid days. The wacky, iron-infused rocks of that area played havoc with my Tesoro Tejon. I absolutely LOVE that machine, but it ain't the right machine for that ground (or I'm not the right operator). I hunt with no discrimination and get good depth. Impossible up there. By the time you discriminate out all that iron in the soil and hot rocks, you've killed your depth.

Anyway, here's what I found. Dropped .44 cal bullet (colt pistol?), banged-up 3 ringer, flat button, Scoville button back only, some thin brass, .36 cal round ball, and two pieces of lead that look MAYBE made into game pieces. Find of the trip was the Boreman fuse (at least I'm pretty sure that's what it is). Weird. Not a single piece of shrapnel. Of course, I was avoiding iron signals like the plague. The first half a day, all I dug was hot rocks!! And digging was like tunneling through a sidewalk, with all that stone in the ground. Happy with the fuse, but that was a LOT of work for powerful-few relics.

View attachment 1215581 View attachment 1215583 View attachment 1215585

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This is the exact same situation that myself and 2 of my MDing friends encountered while running down a lead I was given by a long time friend.
Our story was told that approximately 30 or so years ago my friend and his buddy were hanging out watching a bulldozer clear a field in Adams County and something caught their eyes.
It was a long slender slightly rusted piece of metal. At first it was thought to just be old farm junk, but when one of them pulled it out of the dirt pile that "junk" turned out to be a complete CW sword.
I was told that they finished their beers, smoked the last doobie and left. The sword is still in the hands of the finder as well but I have never seen it personally. I just think I will try and find him just to do this.

So anyway,,This story was told to me right after I joined here. So we went looking.
We found the site and what we found was the exact same thing. That the land now was under an entire array of HUGE solar panels and NO permission would ever be given to "dig" anywhere near the area.
They (property owners) would not even allow us to dig anywhere close to the area. I wish now that I had kept my mouth shut and just "looked ninja style".
Oh well,,, those panels WILL need replacing. They are 30 years old. lol

But where this item was found WAS a highly travelled area, by both Union and Confederate troops so probably there are other "camps" nearby. I just haven't had time to and survey the area at all.

 

[parsonwalker]

Try it again after they hit it with the dozers the first few days and they may do the digging for you!

I wish. The land is under LEASE for three more days. That's how I got permission. When the lease is up, the real owner will fence it off and begin dozing. No permission granted after the lease is up.

Hitndahed - Don't you HATE that?! But I don't see how you could do any good around and under giant solar panels. Surely framed with steel and generating electricity . . . Nightmare!

 

[Davers]

I wish. The land is under LEASE for three more days. That's how I got permission. When the lease is up, the real owner will fence it off and begin dozing. No permission granted after the lease is up.

Hitndahed - Don't you HATE that?! But I don't see how you could do any good around and under giant solar panels. Surely framed with steel and generating electricity . . . Nightmare!

And all the Pieces of Brass ,Copper, Iron etc in the ground from maintenance over the years. A true hunting Nite-Mare.

 

[Davers]

Great Try!

Like it's been said at-least you got some Keepers .
&
Just as I thought those finds would have made for a great hunt around here, esp, the fuse & Buttons.
CW Relic hunting is hard work these days , but with ground like that , I sometimes Question Why I do it. Also Such relics are not worth much $ (on the market) but to Us true lovers of the Hunt & History they are "Priceless" .

Also Parson There are very few places I can run the Tejon in all metal mode around here.
Again Very glad to see U saved Some Relics.

You will do good in the future.
Davers

 

[sutphin]

DANG THERE PARSON WALKER THAT SOME NICE CW FINDS . I GOT A CUZ WHO LIVES IN RUCKERSVILLE VA AND I HAVE ALWAYS WANTED TO GO THERE AND DIG . IS THE GROUND HOT , LIKE CULPEPER