Hello Everyone.

[jaron3]

Hello, this is my first post. I have recently gotten back into the art of finding points after about ten years. Although my findings are rather slim...sad really, I look forawrd to adding to my collection. I've been looking over this site for quite some time before I became a member. It's truely a wealth of knowledge. Right now I'm in the process of trying to find fertile ground and following leads from past years. The leads that I checked out were cold and in some cases the land is houses and shoping centers now. When it comes to the cold sites I know that there are still artifacts there. It's just the matter of finding them. And that leads me to my question for you. In general what and where should I be looking? I live in PA and corn fields are always a good place to start. My question is pointed more toward topography and features. What should I be looking for while out searching for a new place? When I'm out in the woods should I keep my eyes open to something other than the ground? Any and all advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance.

 

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[SoIll]

Head for the hills. They erode even in no-till. IMO you might as well stay out of the woods. A water source and a nearby hill never fails.
Welcome.

 

[unitas]

Welcome. Good luck with getting back into the hunt.
Look for high terraces near water sources. Heck look for any kind of eroding dirt.
I've seen artifacts pop up in some strange places. The real fun is the hunt, success will
come in time and effort. HH, Unitas

 

[Tnmountains]

I would start googling known creeks and rivers in your area with the words artifacts. Talk with farmers and be polite. All the post above hit the nail on the head. Your state is loaded its just finding the right spot. I quit hunting for a while and went back to some of my old spots on creeks and rivers that were not developed. They still produce. Some killer sites were gone though.
Welcome to T-Net.
TnMountains

 

[artorius]

Welcome to TNet. I too hail from Pennsylvania.

I would obtain a detailed map (a topographic map or a detailed atlas, such as the Franklin Atlases) for the area in which you wish to collect. I would note streams (ones that run year round, not the little seasonal ones), and then drive the area looking for farm fields near the stream. The best fields are near enough to the stream to access the water, but not so close or low as to be marshy. Then I would "cold call" the farmers and see if they will allow you to collect. Right now, with planted fields, most farmers will be hesitant to let you on, but you could ask for permission to collect in the future, especially in the spring, after the fields are plowed and disced. Farmers also may point you to other fields.

Occasionally one finds a productive field around some other water source, such as a spring. Such was the case with the famous Church Farm School site in Chester County, which unfortunately now is covered by a housing development.

Development, by the way, has drastically trimmed collecting sites in the Philadelphia area - one needs to go upstate where farming is more prevalent.

The really productive fields often are known to other collectors, so expect competition.

I have found that most landowners will let you onto their land if you are courteous, and if you don't abuse the privilege. The few times I have been denied permission have been a couple of instances where the landowner also is a collector, or where previous collectors have caused problems, to the point where the landowner wants nothing more to do with collectors.

ALWAYS ask permission before entering private land. I also observe an unwritten contract with the owner - I take nothing but artifacts, and leave nothing but footprints. For example, last spring I asked for permission to collect artifacts, and found a colonial coin (see my post "A R&D DAY in PA" below). I offered the coin to the farmer, telling him the coin rightly was his, since he only gave me permission to hunt artifacts. The farmer declined the coin but appreciated the gesture, and I will be able to return to that field again.

In my view, part of the unwritten contract is not to disturb the "status quo" by registering the site with governmental or archaeological authorities without the landowner's advance permission. Personally I think registration is a good idea, but it may have legal implications for the owner, so it is not fair play to register a site if the landowner objects. That effectively penalizes him for his kindness.

Good hunting. Artifacts are not easy to find, but they are a thrill when they turn up.

artorius

 

[jaron3]

Thanks for your advice everybody. Please keep it coming. I will use it on my next outing which will be most likely on thursday. Happy to say that I got permission to search a new spot today. That's where I'll be going thursday. Today the wife and kids and I went to a park and while they were playing soccer I was looking around a place that has produced in the past. Found a piece of fire cracked rock. Hopefully I'll have more to tell on thursday night. Thanks again.

 

[uniface]

If there's agricultural land around where you live, network. Ask your friends to ask their friends & old-timer relatives where people find (or have found) arrowheads in the area.

 

[Th3rty7]

I can't really add much to what's already been said. Put yourself in a survival mind frame and isolate areas that would keep you alive. Nearby water source, shelter from the weather, plentiful game and fish, good vantage points with strategic views, etc., be prepared to do lots of walking, and think critically and learn from your success and failures. Think about what the topography looked like hundreds and thousands of years ago, and where that river or creek used to flow. Good luck

 

[uniface]

And when you are (hopefully) on a polughed site, you'll generally find that two parts of it will be most productive : on little humps (even six inches above the level of the rest), and down by (sometimes, in) the creek/river.

 

[jaron3]

Well, I went out thursday evening to look for some good spots to hunt. The country is amazing and there are small rock outcrops that have overhangs. One goes back into the hillside 4-5 feet. The streams are a mix of perminent and semi-perminent flow. The feature that peaked my interest the most was a certain section of the steep hill that does down to the flood plane. As the hill decends it flattens out for about 15 yards and then goes down hill again. This flat spot is only about 40 yards long. Makes me wonder if there could have been a camp there in years past. What do you think? Gonna try to get out there this coming week to look around some more. In the mean time, happy hunting everyone.

 

[RGINN]

thirty7's got it. Go out and think, "where would I live?" The second terrace above rivers and creeks are good spots. Where two creeks run together are excellent, as there's a good chance of always being water there. The south facing side of a hill is good for workshops. Plowed fields are good because they're easier to search, and generally farmland today was farmland a thousand years ago. Best of luck.