Johnny Cache Hunter
Sr. Member
- Oct 16, 2006
- 399
- 34
- Detector(s) used
- Minelab Equinox, White's Spectra V3, Minelab Excalibur
- Primary Interest:
- All Treasure Hunting
Well today's a day I'm not likely to forget to quickly. Although I wasn't laughing earlier today, in time to come I'm sure the memories of the days events will probably bring a smile to my face and a little chuckle, in a Homer Simson DOH! kind of way.
I got a call from my friend Lucky Bob yesterday afternoon and he informed me that work at his place was a little slow and that he'd have time on Thursday to do some detecting if I was going to be around. Having ample vacation time stored up, more than 10 weeks, I thought to myself, heck I deserve to take a break and get out for a rare weekday hunt. I'm always good at convincing myself to go detecting.
Lucky had a place picked out that looked real promising, a large forested area that only recently, in the past year or two, had opened up to the public. Prior to that, he explained, the land was controlled by the military for training operations, research and other exercises. I was excited to try something new and did some research using old maps of the area to determine where settlements had existed in this area prior to the military taking control of the land sometime in the 40's.
I found several old cellar holes using the Beers maps dating back to 1875. I took the maps and created overlays on Google earth in order to pinpoint the exact location of the cellar holes, or really as close to the exact locations as possible.
Well Lucky arrived at my house early this morning and off we went. All I knew about where we were headed was that it was once controlled by the military and was now no longer used by them and the area had been turned back over for public use. That, as it turned out, was only partially true.
By the way before I proceed, this whole mess is by no means Lucky's fault, he was just as unaware as I was.
Anyhow we arrived at the woods, which was actually now called a National Wildlife Refuge. OK, to me it just looked like the woods, no different than any other woods I'd ever been in. DOH.
Now we get all geared up and follow the gps to our destination about a half mile or more away from the closest parking area. We arrive at the spot, took a look around and eventually we saw the first cellar hole off to the side of the dirt trail, just as the map had indicated. No sooner had we gotten our bearings when along comes a large SUV driving through the woods on this rather tiny dirt trail. Low and behold it's the FEDS. Apparently, despite our reading about how the place was now open to the public and the fact that there were no signs posted or information about the rules on the message board where we had parked, it is illegal to detect on Federal Wildlife Property. Again, we were in the middle of nowhere, doing nobody any harm, that unfortunately didn't save us from the wrath of the Federal Officer.
He requested, and then took with him, our ID's upon which he then instructed us to return to our vehicle where he'd be waiting for us. After we hiked back, he did return our ID's and although he hinted at thinking to the contrary, he informed us we could hold on to our detecting equipment. He did take digital photos of the equipment, and our vehicle, after which he handed us a nice citation for searching and digging for antiquities. That little number set us each back $125.00, ouch. DOH!
I'll chalk it up to a lesson learned. So much for "This is your land, this my land, from California, to the New York Highlands....".
Lucky and I felt as if someone had hit us over the head with a Lesche shovel. It took a little while to shake it off and move on with the day. I ended up deciding to head over to the spot that had produced the two seated dimes, barber half and civil war token I'd posted a week or two back.
We started hunting and I'd decided to try a different approach and hit some of the more over grown areas, just by moving through them slowly and kicking out the leaves and debris caught between the twiggy vegetation with my foot. This approach paid off as I came across a couple of real nice finds. Two firsts for me!!
I'll let the pictures do the talking about the finds themselves, but I just want to take a moment and praise that darn DFX. Man, that machine and I were made for each other. I went through about three hunts, no more, and then wham, everything clicked for me. I really took to the DFX like a duck to water or a pig to mud. I really enjoy it, and I am absolutely confident, 100%, that I would not be doing as well as I have been had I not decided to upgrade from the machine I had previously been using.
I got three first today, a flying eagle cent, a shield nickel and an expensive detecting lesson.
I can do without another of the latter.
So last thoughts, DO NOT HUNT ON FEDERAL LAND, even if it just looks like some forest in the middle of no place special.
I hope everyone here is doing well, Happy Hunting All!
Johnny Cache Hunter
I got a call from my friend Lucky Bob yesterday afternoon and he informed me that work at his place was a little slow and that he'd have time on Thursday to do some detecting if I was going to be around. Having ample vacation time stored up, more than 10 weeks, I thought to myself, heck I deserve to take a break and get out for a rare weekday hunt. I'm always good at convincing myself to go detecting.
Lucky had a place picked out that looked real promising, a large forested area that only recently, in the past year or two, had opened up to the public. Prior to that, he explained, the land was controlled by the military for training operations, research and other exercises. I was excited to try something new and did some research using old maps of the area to determine where settlements had existed in this area prior to the military taking control of the land sometime in the 40's.
I found several old cellar holes using the Beers maps dating back to 1875. I took the maps and created overlays on Google earth in order to pinpoint the exact location of the cellar holes, or really as close to the exact locations as possible.
Well Lucky arrived at my house early this morning and off we went. All I knew about where we were headed was that it was once controlled by the military and was now no longer used by them and the area had been turned back over for public use. That, as it turned out, was only partially true.
By the way before I proceed, this whole mess is by no means Lucky's fault, he was just as unaware as I was.
Anyhow we arrived at the woods, which was actually now called a National Wildlife Refuge. OK, to me it just looked like the woods, no different than any other woods I'd ever been in. DOH.
Now we get all geared up and follow the gps to our destination about a half mile or more away from the closest parking area. We arrive at the spot, took a look around and eventually we saw the first cellar hole off to the side of the dirt trail, just as the map had indicated. No sooner had we gotten our bearings when along comes a large SUV driving through the woods on this rather tiny dirt trail. Low and behold it's the FEDS. Apparently, despite our reading about how the place was now open to the public and the fact that there were no signs posted or information about the rules on the message board where we had parked, it is illegal to detect on Federal Wildlife Property. Again, we were in the middle of nowhere, doing nobody any harm, that unfortunately didn't save us from the wrath of the Federal Officer.
He requested, and then took with him, our ID's upon which he then instructed us to return to our vehicle where he'd be waiting for us. After we hiked back, he did return our ID's and although he hinted at thinking to the contrary, he informed us we could hold on to our detecting equipment. He did take digital photos of the equipment, and our vehicle, after which he handed us a nice citation for searching and digging for antiquities. That little number set us each back $125.00, ouch. DOH!
I'll chalk it up to a lesson learned. So much for "This is your land, this my land, from California, to the New York Highlands....".
Lucky and I felt as if someone had hit us over the head with a Lesche shovel. It took a little while to shake it off and move on with the day. I ended up deciding to head over to the spot that had produced the two seated dimes, barber half and civil war token I'd posted a week or two back.
We started hunting and I'd decided to try a different approach and hit some of the more over grown areas, just by moving through them slowly and kicking out the leaves and debris caught between the twiggy vegetation with my foot. This approach paid off as I came across a couple of real nice finds. Two firsts for me!!
I'll let the pictures do the talking about the finds themselves, but I just want to take a moment and praise that darn DFX. Man, that machine and I were made for each other. I went through about three hunts, no more, and then wham, everything clicked for me. I really took to the DFX like a duck to water or a pig to mud. I really enjoy it, and I am absolutely confident, 100%, that I would not be doing as well as I have been had I not decided to upgrade from the machine I had previously been using.
I got three first today, a flying eagle cent, a shield nickel and an expensive detecting lesson.
I can do without another of the latter.
So last thoughts, DO NOT HUNT ON FEDERAL LAND, even if it just looks like some forest in the middle of no place special.
I hope everyone here is doing well, Happy Hunting All!
Johnny Cache Hunter
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