Secrets to park and playground hunting, what are yours ?

[MD Dog]

I'm really suprised at the number of times I've found good finds out in the middle of nowhere. The next time your at the park or P/G try Mding out in the middle of that open field. I find alot of coins and jewelery in these locals. I also hunt around structures because people like to put there stuff and sit next too or against things like fences, walls, trees etc...

 

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[RUDY2003]

More often than not, I find concentrations of coins just outside the play areas at the corners where I think the kids jump from the wood chips to the ground........

 

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[Marty-Graw]

That has been my experience as well. Oh well I thought maybe you had found the secret to finding the treasure burried close to those types of item.

No Boobydoo is the king of the tot lots/playgrounds...maybe he add a comment...ok now back to the subject...cemeteries...

this is info i need too lol.....there are several playgrounds around here that i believe i am the only one that hunts them...never faound anything goodbut never seen signs of other hunters.......i turn my sens all the way down and still cant get within a foot and a half of the poles or slide steps.....i guess i could just dig out around them and then check the piles

 

[waseeker]

But you always find lots of stuff and I like looking at what you post so I will just sit back and read. I just can't figure out how to detect close to the playground equipment.

To get close to the equipment, I use Tone ID. As I get close to the equipment I check the VDI reading then sweep slow and listen for changes in tone.

Last week I picked up a new 6x10 DD coil and went back to some playgrounds I hit regularly. I found several quarters and a couple of dimes real close to the equipment. I was able to nose in the tip of the coil and as mentioned above I listen for the change in tone.

 

[BIG61AL]

Honestly, good targets can be just about anywhere. Some areas are more productive. Along fences, next to stairs or railings, under trees, end zones of foot ball Fields, first and third base lines for baseball Fields, side lines of soccer Fields, sloping hills, benches. Try to see the park at it's heavies use. School recess, ball practice, ball games, three day weekends, then you'll see where all the traffic is and scope the best areas.

 

[EasyMoney]

My Secret?

My Compass XP Pro, the best cherry-picker on the planet, and also my old Compass RM 320, the one I modified.

I live next to the White's main plant and I shouldn't be able to find old coins, old fishing tackle, and other small goodies in the oldest park in this county here, but I do. Almost EVERYBODY here owns a White's and with all those detectors in use it would seem like the parks here should be cleaned out, but they aren't.

If you ever find an old Compass for sale, BUY IT! Even if it needs repairs or mods done by Keith Wills.

You won't be sorry.

 

[Michigan Badger]

It's really wild but after all these years people are still making great finds in parks.

First off, few people really hunt to get everything. Most of my best sites are places the other THers in this area gave up on. I regularily find indian cents and old jewelry.

Here are the most important rules to follow:

1) Get a deep detector - You can't dig good finds if you can't reach them.

2) Learn all you can about how that deep detector signals on various targets.

3) Hunt slowly - Use the proper coil sweep speed but overlap swings and move ahead slowly.

4) Dig all signals that sound good only one way - Some only dig the signals that sound good from all directions (BIG Mistake).

5) Dig all signals that sound good sometimes - Masked targets are like that sometimes.

6) Use as little discrimination as possible - Many miss indian cents and antique jewelry due to discrimination set too high.

7) Seek out the trashest locations and areas in the park where fill dirt has been added - Like near buildings, etc.

8) Hunt the sides of hills and anyplace uncomfortable - DON'T FORGET THE DITCHES!

9) Carry a deep digging tool

etc.

Badger

 

[Boobydoo]

Thanks for the props Greg...

MI Badger brings up some really good points for finding the old stuff in these areas.

As far as cherry picking the easy picking stuff.
1. Search in all metal and dig it all. Around the play areas, trash is there, but not as much as picnic areas in parks. Digging in the woodchips is so easy, digging the trash and removing it for next time is not that big of deal plus you will increase your chances for gold jewelry.
2. Cover 100% of the woodchip areas. A lot of people just search around the play structures but I find a lot of treasure away from the play structures also. The areas between play structures is really good and also around the very edges, the plastic or timber borders is good.
3. Take at least one pass in the grass areas surrounding all the play structures and swings. Lots of goodies to be found there too.
4. I will take a walk accross the large grassy areas sometimes, keeping my dector on the ground, walking slowly and swinging back and forth slightly. By doing this, sometime you will hit on hidden hot spots and pick up a handful of finds. It's a good change of pace too giving you a break from the constant swinging and digging.
5. If you get a chance, travel around during the times a perspective site is filled with people enjoying the area or while the kids are out playing on recess. Study where they are and what they are doing. You can find little hot spots by observation that might not be apparent when you arrive at a site that is empty.

Best of luck to you!

Smiles!
BDoo

 

[cosmic]

Look for depressions in the grass where a tree once stood...

 

[hollowpointred]

trashy areas. most guys dont have the patience to sift through all of the crap and will just move on. a small coil can help in these areas bigtime. also slow down. its real easy to hunt too fast.

 

[Ray S ECenFL]

I look for the grassy areas next to the parking lots. When the keys come out of the pocket, so do the coins.

Ray S

 

[MD Dog]

These are really great tips guys. I'm always at a loss for words when I'm trying to help out a newbie on where to look. I guess after awhile it all becomes just second nature to us. Thanks to all of you who havw contributed to this thread thus far...