The kid in the candy store

[MD Dog]

I feel just like that proverbial kid in a candy store. Confronted with the results of five straight years of heavy research I can confidently say I'm site rich. In fact I'm so site rich that even on the remote chance that I should by some miracle live beyond 100 years I could never thoroughly hunt all the locations which I've uncovered. So my puzzle now is what to do next. My knee jerk reaction might be as childish as that proverbial Kid. I just wanna hunt each site a litlle, just enough to get a taste and then move on. I've searched somewhat for a hunting partner but find I'm just a confirmed bachelor when it comes to treasure hunting. If I wasn't I still doubt even with a partner we could cover this many sites. Another thing is that I've come to love the research as much as the hunting. Finding the sites and then confirming their value either through monetary value or historical finds is a gas. To do away with my winter time hobby of research would be a shame but what am I to do ? I know allot of you will say just give the sites away, but that would be very hard for me to do, not outta greed but really just curiosity and I suppose a little pride. Anyone else find this to be their sitiuation and if so have you found a way to deal. :P

 

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[Kiros32]

I figured this would be appropriate for reply #100 to this topic. Dog, you have a wealth of information and thanks again for sharing it.

As far as the organized hunt, I have not given up hope of setting something up for the fall, I have just been entirely too busy lately and my summer is packed full already. As you said though, the site isn't going anywhere and I am still confident that I/we can organize something there in the future. Exactly when, however, has yet to be determined.

 

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[MD Dog]

Kewl Kiros, thanks for the update buddy.

 

[MD Dog]

Tip #16 Be thorough. Below I've posted two google searches. The difference is only one letter but that one letter difference can make a big change in the number of appropriate finds.

http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=GGLL,GGLL:2008-03,GGLL:en&q=Old+photo


http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=GGLL,GGLL:2008-03,GGLL:en&q=Old+photos

It may not seem like a lot of difference up front but as you dig deeper you'll find one holds more gems than the other.Here's two more with an added word wth another simple additional letter that makes a big difference.

http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=GGLL,GGLL:2008-03,GGLL:en&q=Old+photos


http://www.google.com/search?source...,GGLL:2008-03,GGLL:en&q=Old+photo+collections

Now try it yourself do a search but this time switch wording, for instance try antique photos, or old pictures, or antique picture etc.....

 

[Cynangyl]

Whatever would we do without you sweet man?? Duly noted in your document and so appreciated! You are a dang fine teacher!

 

[MD Dog]

I'm sure there's tons of other Ideas about how best to do research. Those above are mostly mine with a few other peoples added in (thank you very much). But at this point there's not allot more I know how to do, at least non that I can think of. But rest assured, if anyone needs more well qualified sites to hunt these tips I've given should yield you plenty of good sites. I always try to tell as many new persons as possible not to get hung up in the ever increasing hype over one machine from the next. The truth is if you'll listen to the designers of these machines, the FCC limits the power of all these metal detectors. so the only difference between them is the machines abilities to receive these signals and interpret them. Or the operators ability to do the same thing, hear the signals and interpret them. But even the cheapest machine, I've heard of $50.00 Chinese models finding good finds. But only when you place them over good ground. I've got one friend in Massachusetts who's never left an 80 by 300 lot he bought in 1988. He found it while researching the history of his town and found out it used to be in the down town area for 200 years before the whole town shifted with the movement of the railroad terminals over the years. He isn't a member here, because as he says there's no need for him to learn anything more than what he already knows. He's using an old whites MD and just continues to remove layer after layer from that same lot. He only works it on week ends, seeing it is only a hobby to him but I love his methodology. He hunts it and I mean every square inch, he over laps his swing by no more than 1/2 inch each time. And once he's cleared the area of every morsel of sound he comes in with a little bobcat to excavate the top three inches of soil. Then he begins again all over. I really wish you guys could see the finds this man has in his personal collection. All from one good piece of ground found with a little good research.

 

[Cynangyl]

Sounds fascinating! Does he screen the material he removes with the bobcat for nonmetal objects or just lookin for metal? I would love to see what all he has found there...he obviously goes over the place with a fine tooth comb! Thank you so much for sharing such a vast amount of information with us my friend! You are a treasure indeed! ~hugs~

 

[MD Dog]

Yea Cyn he uses a dry washer and a bunch of different sized screens. He uses the top soil in his garden and the gravel for his drive etc... He has found many items including jewelery, pottery, complete peices of furniture, just about everything you could find, from colonial buttons to a stunning diamond and topaz necklace that appraised at $4500.00 Seems there was a jewelery store in the area in the early 1900s. He even found a musket barell that needed allot of restoration but I'm sure it has a good value.

BTW he doesn't like doing the bobcat thing even though he's got allot of finds that way. According to him, "It's a little to much like cheating" Ain't no fun without the mystery I guess. Plus he says it's a lot of work. Luckily he's only done it twice since beginning so he won't be getting to deep all that fast. He's in his sixties so I doubt he'll get more than a foot or two deep.

 

[Cynangyl]

What an adventure! Definitely shows what research can do!!

 

[Mental Granny]

A little research has does wonders for your friend he was able to find the right spot for finds of a life time! I think that is wonderful to find such a wide varity of things in such a small area, I would love to see somes pics of everything from the furniture to a button it sounds so intresting and a lot of fun! If he'll let yo post some it would much be apprecitated!

 

[MD Dog]

I've never asked him about pictures Granny but the next time I talk to him I'll ask. He's up in Mass. I'm in Western N.Y. so it's not a hop skip n jump to visit him. But As you can tell I have been thinking bout him lately. Think I'll try callin him tonight. I'll let you know, but as many of you know I personally never post my finds as I've already had my experiences with The IRS.

 

[Mental Granny]

IRS NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Oh sorry we almost did!

 

[The.Boomer]

Anyone heard about this hunt ? Did any one go ? I'd sure like to check it out if it's still happening.

 

[AZ-Mtnman]

I think maybe it's time to get this back towards the top since I've seen alot of new people joining. Hopefully they'll run across this and it may help them out. I'm just getting into the coin and relic side of MDing, but been chasing gold in the SW for a long time, so most of the research I've done has been toward that end of it. But what I've learned from doing that has helped shorten the learning curve. What I try to do is verify a spot from at least two independent sources. If I can find only one, I'll still visit the site when I'm in the area, but it may not be towards the top of my list. Another thing I've found works real well is talking to the oldtimers in your area. Even if they can't help you on your search, they are still a wealth of knowledge. Don't just ask them questions, either. Take the time to sit down with them and really talk, you'd be surprised by how many of them are really lonely. If nothing else, you'll meet some great people. One of the most important skills I've found that really helps narrow down an actual site is teaching yourself how to read a topo map. LOL I'm not talking about not getting lost, although that is a nice fringe benefit. What I mean is that if you take the area of the country you live in and really start to study the the maps, you'll notice patterns emerging concerning where people are and where they used to be. In the SW, look for where the water was in the time period you're interested in, it may be different than it is now. In the northern part of the country, was the homes built on the lee side of hills to help protect them from the winter winds? You can do this for your area, no matter where you live. Take for instance where I'm originally from, WV. Back there, look for a place that is naturally flat enough to build on and is out of the flood stage and you may have something. That's just an example, but you can amend the list for your area however you like. I hope that helps a little. Since I'm not chasing gold any more, if anyone needs help with that type of research in the SW, let me know and I'll try to pass along a few tips on what I look for. Good luck.
Randy

 

[The.Boomer]

Kiros32 or MDdog, is this hunt done or still going to happen ? I'm talking about the old spritualists town referred to in the previous posts. If it's in Western N.Y. I'll be heading through there in late August early Sep. and would really like to meet up with you guys especially if you have a hunt like this set up.

 

[Kiros32]

Kiros32 or MDdog, is this hunt done or still going to happen ? I'm talking about the old spritualists town referred to in the previous posts. If it's in Western N.Y. I'll be heading through there in late August early Sep. and would really like to meet up with you guys especially if you have a hunt like this set up.

Boomer,

I kind of dropped the ball on this one this year. I never had time to get a hunt organized, and I apologize to everyone for that. I still think its an excellent location and should definitely be explored. If someone else wants to take the ranes on this and try and get something together before winter, by all means... If not, then that will give me/us another 6-8 months to plan and make contact with the folks up there.

This was the result of overplanning a summer, including 6 freaking weddings!!

 

[AZ-Mtnman]

Six weddings? I can only hope for your sake they all had an open bar, that's the only way I could handle that.

 

[Kiros32]

Six weddings? I can only hope for your sake they all had an open bar, that's the only way I could handle that.

Actually they all had open bars, and yes, that was the only way I survived them haha.

 

[The.Boomer]

Six huh ? Well I guess I can overlook it this time. JK, Hope they weren't all your kids, man that would put me in the poor house for sure, I'd still be drinking. It sounds like a really awsome site, wish I had the time but I'm leaving in another ten days to tour a couple places for work. Unless someone else steps up to take the reigns. Guess I'll have to leave it till next year, maybe, depends on where I'll be. Thanks Kiros 32 and Take a moment to Step back in MDdog, allot of us could still learn a thing or two from you experts.

 

[AZ-Mtnman]

Ok, sorry, ignored it the first time, can't the second, it's "reins", as in as a horse. I'm a hillbilly and even I caught that!

 

[The.Boomer]

I noticed that the first time two, Just thought I'd have some fun with you latent uptight closet teacher types.