New to metal detecting 36yo stuff coming in and more excited than kids at Christmas

[Bkn74]

Ok my father in law got me into metal detecting. I ordered a garrett ace 400 for Christmas for me. It came in today along with my tactical vest and digger tool. All I'm waiting on now is my cross draw holster for my .45 my 2 pouches for treasure and trash and my pouch for my digging tools. Like I said I'm 36 but am very excited. Lol. I bought a book before Christmas on ghost towns and apparently I live in the middle of md paradise. Just wanted to share my excitement. Sorry. I'm in southern illinois and my first trip I believe will be Cairo il. It was an important Union civil war base. Original fort location is on private land, a huge railroad town, part of the underground railroad, part of prohibition and illegal gambling, and al capone hideout. One of the mafia bosses that was involved with capone is still alive and living in that town. I've arranged a sit down with him since he owns alot of the historic properties as well. Is it bad to be this excited?

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Agony and Death on a Gold Rush Steamer: The Disastrous Sinking of the Side-Wheeler Yankee Blade - Grab it through Amazon!

[Loco-Digger]

I can see your were bitten. To some a hobby to others an obsession. Good luck and happy hunting. DO you have a pin pointer coming in?

 

[Bkn74]

that's what I have so far. Got the pinpointer and metal detector both like new used very little for just over the price of a new detector.

 

[Bkn74]

That's why Cairo il is going to be my starting point. The fort is a state Park but where the state Park is wasn't there 120 years ago. The original fort is on private property. Most of the historical places are owned by the city and getting permission there won't be a problem. The railroad property will be easy as well. The only permission I'm nervous about is asking a mafia boss that ran with capone, ran illegal casinos,and is still in the game, that permission I'm nervous about. But hey he owns the good properties. If your bored look up Cairo il. It's a MD paradise but with the crime rate nobody wants to md there. Plus it's pretty much a ghost town now. I think it's a good find. Plus I have Mound city il which has the naval shipyard where they built iron clad ships. Then ky is 5 min away and there's tons of confederate battle sites there. I'm just overly excited. I went in my yard and played around a bit. I was happy to find junk. Lol

 

[Retired Fire]

Great info and tips. This will help me as well. Thanks

 

[IDXMonster]

The ability to see small metal objects in the ground where they are hidden from everyone else is as close to a "superpower" as I'll ever get! YES,you should be this excited,it's a great hobby! Be sure,of course,to remove ALL of your finds,good or bad,follow laws,don't trespass...blah blah blah. All that is important,but if you have a GENUINE passion for this hobby all of the "work" you wind up doing along the way will come naturally. We understand that detecting by and large is an "honor" thing,we are expected to do the right thing,whatever that may be. Your love of it will grow with each good find,and you will get a "feel" for your machine...and THAT is where it's at-when your machine becomes an extension of you. And at that point,for all intents and purposes,you will have a new found "super power"!
Best of luck in Cairo. Be aware of and take care of your surroundings. And have FUN!

 

[Bkn74]

Well I've already started getting permissions and so far so good. Has anyone ever dealt with getting a permit from Canadian national rr?

 

[Loco-Digger]

I use an 88 cent nail apron as my funds pouch, trash on one side, treasure on the other. I also use a small shovel that costs between $6.99 and $9.99 depending on where you purchase it on many sites. I do recommend a Lesche hand digger, I prefer it over what you have. I stay clear of the local RR, too many hot rocks near the tracks around here. I have no problem clad hunting, it all ads up. This is a hobby that funds itself. Most of my good finds have been found in yards of older homes in town. All the older schools and parks within 50 miles of me have been pounded over the decades so silver coins are scarce at those sites. In order to get to know my detector I threw coins on the ground along with some trash items and swung my coil over each so I could understand what the detector was telling me. I wish you the best of luck, just remember this hobby is not a sprint, but a marathon and the more you swing the coil, the more you will find.

 

[DizzyDigger]

"....tactical vest...cross draw holster.."

Dude...you going to war, or going out for a nice relaxing bit of
metal detecting?

 

[Bkn74]

loco-digger the railroad area Im hoping to detect hasnt been used since the riots of the 60's it was the 2nd largest depot next to Chicago back in the day and is just abandonded it was primarily used during the civil war as the town was a huge civil war base.

DizzyDigger I got the tac vest because it was 30.00 I like the molle system as I can get pouches or whatever to attach wherever I wish to be used. Besides metal detecting we do a little rockhounding and just all out wandering in the wilderness sometimes for whatever. With the tac vest I can change it out as I see fit depending on what were doing that day or where were going. As for the cross draw holster the town I will be hitting the most is a rough town. Hence why it hasn't been detected very much even though it is rich VERY VERY rich in history. Look up Cairo IL. It is now pretty much a ghost town. In 1818 the town started out in the very southern tip of IL, it became one of the most important U.N. bases during the civil war, the town continued to grow to the second largest railtown next to chicago, it was part of the underground railroad, part of prohibition and illegal gambling. Al Capone ran around in cairo and one of the bosses that did some "running" with capone is still alive today and lives in Cairo. Then the race wars and riots came in the 60s and ran the town down. Tons and Tons of untapped history. But like I said it is a rough town. Its nothing in that town to be walking down the street and see brass laying everywhere like you would see on a shooting range. lol