where to start?

[goldeagle]

i have a new farm to hunt its like over 200 yrs old with like 6 barns outbuildings and i started in the back yard but only found modern,where should i start as far as old cache's?i am new at the cacheing so all help is app.thanks

 

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[lastleg]

Goldeagle, what a great opportunity. Before firing up the weapon of
choice why don't you make yourself a map of the property, large enough
to jot down locations of your finds. If you haven't already walk the area
to identify the oldest of the six barns and examine carefully. Try to put
yourself back in that timeframe and look for hidden or hollow spots in the stables.
A thorough search of this farm will take up all of your spare time for
months. If your area gets long winters you might do the outside before
then and save the enclosed barns for times of rain/snow.
In the barns I would first detect the wooden walls and note any larger
metalic hits. Don't cause any damage. Learn how to explore while leaving
no trace.
You may never get another chance like this so make the most of it and
enjoy the hunt.

 

[Mental Granny]

Good advice above ! I would start with maping out start with oldest then mark how far to next all of that and take pics then, out houses; trash dumps; where wood was kept; clothes line ect. try inside of every building (durning winter) and while its nice do the so many feet this way and that from cornors of buildings ect. Like above put youself back in that time you want to bury stuff where no one can see you (even the family) but where you can walk to dig and retrieve. And clothes lines are usually good for pocket drops. And quick retrieve without being follwed out houses are good. And near wood sheds ect. Good luck and let us know!

 

[Timberwolf]

I am guessing that the house is not 200 years old?
If not, try to determine where the original house was.
There you will find the older coins.

TW

 

[Shortstack]

lastleg and Mental Granny had some excellent tips, that I'll add to. When you search, concentrate on one building at a time and COMPLETELY search it. In the barns, after you've checked the walls and hidey holes, go over the TOPS of all beams and rafters. There could be holes drilled into the top surface to drop in coins or rolls of bills. To add back strength, they could hammer a dowel back into the hole on top of the goodies. While checking the beams and rafters, look for tacks or nails that are out of place; such as a nail sticking out a little bit from the wood's surface. Consider tying a long string with a weight on one end (a plumb bob or nut or even a rock) and let it hang down to the ground. The rest you can figure out.

If there are indications of an old chicken coupe, check it out THOUROUGHLY. Chickens and Ghenny Hens (yes, that's misspelled) were the best burglar alarms in existence. And their daily scratching around looking for bugs and sand to eat would quickly disguise any digging by the owner. (For you city slickers, chickens swallow sand particles for their gizzards; figure the rest for yourselves.)

Find the outhouse location and search it GOOD. If you can get permission; dig out the pit for bottles, coins, etc. Use a sifter to get it all.

If there's any old farm equipment in the barns, check it for hidden caches behind panels, inside gearboxes, etc. You can check these places without destroying them. Simply pull off access panels and replace them afterward. DO NOT LEAVE THEM DISMANDLED.

If any large, old trees are in the yard, use your detector to check the line between the house corners and the tree. If there is an orchard close by, check between the trees, in line with eachother.

Thouroughly check old flower beds with your detector.

Be very careful of old wells and cisterns. They could cave in with you. Old cisterns, sometimes, hold old household trash.

Speaking of household trash; look for the area where household trash was dumped.

Books, books, and more books have been written on this subject. The best one is Search, by Warnke.
Good luck.

 

[Mental Granny]

SS add some really great advice and I will add some more warning when cking in things bang around you dont want a find a snake nesting in it! And on looking at the tree line ..... landscape changes with time either because on example man ... or flood ...... tonado.... fire so some landmarks you should be able to see as they did may no longer be there or a tree they used could if still there be a LOT bigger. Be sure to let us know!
Or someone back then did not have a tractor to park wherever but some one in more modern times parked it right where orin line (eyesight) of where you need to look.