Its hard to find virgin spots

[joshuajbelanger]

I live in downtown Tampa, and I've done plenty of research, but it seems every time my friend and I go metal detecting, we encounter others' holes and completely hunted out land. Now I know a site is never completely hunted out, but in 10 hours we should find more than 2 wheaties..it's getting ridiculous.. Sure, there is the occasional relic or small silver, but we need something more. We are considering knocking on old bungalow style doors, just for a chance to find something worth keeping. Any ideas?

 

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[ticm]

I live in downtown Tampa, and I've done plenty of research, but it seems every time my friend and I go metal detecting, we encounter others' holes and completely hunted out land. Now I know a site is never completely hunted out, but in 10 hours we should find more than 2 wheaties..it's getting ridiculous.. Sure, there is the occasional relic or small silver, but we need something more. We are considering knocking on old bungalow style doors, just for a chance to find something worth keeping. Any ideas?

Hey it's hard to find a Virgin anything.

 

[Critical Recovery]

You're pretty much out of luck with the exception of private residences.

People have been swinging detectors since the 1960s and it's only going to get worse.

In 20 years, when all the silver is gone, a wheat penny will make the banner here.
It's not a renewable resource if it isn't being made anymore, but people will still dirtfish for 40 hours a week, 52 weeks a year, treating it like a job and then wonder "Where did all the silver go?"

Sure, you can find clad...for a while. But people (mainly kids) are engaging in outdoor activities even less and less and sitting at home playing video games. SO even THAT is going to slow to a trickle.


I'm not trying to be a downer, just stating the reality as I have seen it progress in 22 years of detecting.

 

[ticm]

You're pretty much out of luck with the exception of private residences.

People have been swinging detectors since the 1960s and it's only going to get worse.

In 20 years, when all the silver is gone, a wheat penny will make the banner here.
It's not a renewable resource if it isn't being made anymore, but people will still dirtfish for 40 hours a week, 52 weeks a year, treating it like a job and then wonder "Where did all the silver go?"

Sure, you can find clad...for a while. But people (mainly kids) are engaging in outdoor activities even less and less and sitting at home playing video games. SO even THAT is going to slow to a trickle.

I'm not trying to be a downer, just stating the reality as I have seen it progress in 22 years of detecting.

And metal detector sales will plummet. The fad will fade for most. Used tectors on sale every where. Dealers move on to something else.

 

[TerryC]

The beaches on Anna Maria Is., Sarasota, Bradenton, should be good. I hunted those from 2000 to 2007. Always some jewelry to be had. Also try the corners of the major Thru-ways.... where they set up those fruit stands. TTC

 

[joshuajbelanger]

This is making me depressed...I know the beaches are always full, but that's a different kind of hunting. I'm more into the relics and old coin shooting. Think private residences are the only way to go now...

 

[Critical Recovery]

This is making me depressed...I know the beaches are always full, but that's a different kind of hunting. I'm more into the relics and old coin shooting. Think private residences are the only way to go now...

Sorry guy! Like I said, not trying to be a downer, but the plain fact is: You have more and more people with better and better machines and more time on their hands, all looking for stuff that is no longer being made.
It's a simple law of averages.

Not saying give up, just don't expect to strike it rich or make killer finds every day (no matter what the fake TV shows tell people) and you'll be fine.

It's still out there, just a LOT harder to find.

 

[joshuajbelanger]

Yeah, they have a pretty big club with guys that have fancy machines and lots of experience. My best bet is to use technology to my advantage and outwit them like the young whipper snapper I am...there has to be untouched spots, the world is to damn big for there to not be.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

reply

Joshua, I sympathize with you. I know from having started in the late '70s and early '80s, that we, for example, hit all the history books for my area, and exploited any leads we could. You know, country picnic sites, old stage stops, etc... Then .... humorously .... in the late '80s and into the 1990s, I'd meet new people (who were just taking up the hobby perhaps), who would get the SAME history books, research the SAME sites, and get all excited as if they'd found a golden gem. I'd have to burst their bubble and tell them "the site is worked to a frazzle". Sure no one ever "gets it all", but it is simply not the same thing working a virgin stage stop or country-picnic site (where no coin was newer than 1925, so there were no tabs, no foil, no nails, no nothing, except old coins easy to strip out).

I still find virgin spots, to this day though. So I'm still finding seateds, reales, and just got my 13th gold coin earlier this year. But I find myself going to different parts of the state here, where there is less md'ing pressure (or hunters there are too timid to research and get access to the more exotic spots, I guess).

 

[Jason in Enid]

You can't even guarantee the private yards are virgin! I have been having terrible luck with yards this year. The last one I hunted, I found a detector gathering dust in the shed out back! Lots of years for lots of folks to swing a coil over a piece of ground.

Getting harder and harder to find virgin ground.

 

[joshuajbelanger]

I told my buddy yesterday, that we may have to start venturing out more, take a little road trip and make a day of it, if it increases our odds. But then again, he just texted me a picture of an antique gasparilla token he just found in one of "my" honey holes....a block a way from my house...fml

 

[Frankn]

Go for the 200 year old yards! Here,s what I found in Just one. Frank

 

[joshuajbelanger]

Those are nice finds, indeed! Now if only I could find a couple 200 year old houses. I am going to st. Augustine tomorrow, so maybe I can find a 400 year one eh?

 

[bushwhacker07]

Rely on other peoples laziness

 

[gleaner1]

Boy you aint just a whislin' Dixie!

 

[idighistoryiniowa]

People always say places are hunted out like parks but I always find old deep coins overlooked because of depth or odd signals people don't think are targets. Walk slow straight lines to cover it all. If you even hear a faint signal swinging in all directions dig it. The past two weekends at a local park I've found 6 seated dimes and Indians. One of the seated dimes yesterday was an 1853 with arrows. Another park that has been pounded I found tons of barbers including a half. Also pulled a seared quarter.

Don't give up. I think it's more fun hunting patiently and taking my time and finding that one good coin or two that others have missed.

I use an Etrac.

 

[mrwilburino]

I live in downtown Tampa, and I've done plenty of research, but it seems every time my friend and I go metal detecting, we encounter others' holes and completely hunted out land. Now I know a site is never completely hunted out, but in 10 hours we should find more than 2 wheaties..it's getting ridiculous.. Sure, there is the occasional relic or small silver, but we need something more. We are considering knocking on old bungalow style doors, just for a chance to find something worth keeping. Any ideas?

Unless you’re hunting private property, you’re not going to find any virgin sites in a city with a population the size of Tampa’s. The more people you have per square mile, the more detectorists you’re going to have…..all hunting the same small city parks, school yards and public places as they have been doing for the last 50 years or so. That doesn’t mean you can’t still find old coins and silver, it just means you’re going to have to work a little harder to get them than those who came before you. If you can get access to private sites, however - go for it!

I hunted throughout most of the 1970’s before hanging up my detector for awhile. Most of my hunting was done at parks, schools and playgrounds because that’s where it all was back then. I don’t think I ever came across a site that was truly virgin territory. I did manage to swing my coil over a good deal of unhunted ground, but I’d seen detectorists at those sites before. Metal detecting was actually a fairly popular hobby back then. A lot more brands and enough dealers to fill a page and a half in the local phone book. I probably came across at least twice as many detectorists back then as I do now.

 

[Jason in Enid]

I probably came across at least twice as many detectorists back then as I do now.

And ten times as many coins!

 

[relichound]

It's hard to find virgin spots

live in downtown Tampa, and I've done plenty of research, but it seems every time my friend and I go metal detecting, we encounter others' holes and completely hunted out land. Now I know a site is never completely hunted out, but in 10 hours we should find more than 2 wheaties..it's getting ridiculous.. Sure, there is the occasional relic or small silver, but we need something more. We are considering knocking on old bungalow style doors, just for a chance to find something worth keeping. Any ideas?

Jason-

I do empathize with you, but there are still places (virgin sites) that do exist, but you do have to do your research, follow-up with leads, and door knock. I currently live and hunt in the Virginia. My 4 buddies and I stumbled upon a virgin site in the western part of the state of Virginia and were recently granted exclusive detecting rights to hunt this 1000 + acre site that has know civil war activity, that dates to the revolutionary war. This place has never been hunted before as our group has recovered four (4) US Federal belt buckles, countless Yankee and Reb state buttons, bullets, large cents, half cents, seated silver, etc.

I personally recovered the first (my first as well), US Yankee belt buckle in April of last year from this site, and another first just two weeks ago, I recovered my first Spanish silver 1 real, 1790 in very good condition.

Don't give up, there are still sites available but you may have to travel a bit to other parts of the state where there is no evidence of early human activity. And you must do the research and door knock. We are constantly door knocking. The majority of ther's don't do what we do, research thoroughly and door knock which is must! I would think where you are in Florida there has to be a bonanza of early colonial and Spanish settlements just waiting for your coils to uncover what lies just beneath the surface.

I've attached pics of my US belt buckle complete with arrow hooks (puppy paws), and the Spanish 1 Reale I recovered 2 weeks ago from the same site, as added inspiration and motivation for you and others, not to give up in seeking virgin hot spots. They do exist but you have to do the leg work, follow-up and knock on doors....

Best-

Wayne

 

[joshuajbelanger]

Those are truly beautiful finds, congrats! Don't worry, with all the rich History of Florida, I'm sure there are sites available that haven't been detected. The only problem is that they are probably swamped infested alligator breeding grounds, which is ok! I haven't quite mastered the whole knocking on doors yet, but that's my next step. All you guys will know when I hit a big site, hopefully Sunday. Wish me luck