Advise on searching an 1891 abandoned property

[DiggerGal]

Hi all!
I went to an abandoned 1891 farmhouse last weekend. It was thrashed. Been tagged and ransacked.
I found tons of garbage and a few penny's. I ran the ATP along the foundation, by the front porch and around old trees and got a ton of iron sounds and numerical scores bleeping from 12-45.
It is a huge property and has probably been picked over, however, there are old outbuildings on the property as well. I guess I'm a little overwhelmed by the size of the property, and discouraged as it only yielded a few clad.
My gut is that there has to be some silver or some wheat?
Do I keep going and work the fields too?

Thanks!

 

[MickeyMaguire]

I'd start on the path between the main structure and the out-buildings. People putting hands in and pulling out of their pockets on the way to the out-buildings would have resulted in higher chance of coins falling to the ground.

 

[Gold Maven]

Look for a spring house, or a spring near by. Multiple trips per day for water can make for some good finds.

If a well was drilled in later years, the spring house may be gone, and over looked by other searchers.....GL, post some pics.

 

[christo000]

Are there any online pics of the place maps or an historical register that may give u ideas on how many people lived there & when big families had social gatherings it was,mainly outside,If big trees well back way when there was,no air conditioners so trees that had shade were the place to be

 

[Sandman]

Hi all! I went to an abandoned 1891 farmhouse last weekend. It was thrashed. Been tagged and ransacked. I found tons of garbage and a few penny's. I ran the ATP along the foundation, by the front porch and around old trees and got a ton of iron sounds and numerical scores bleeping from 12-45. It is a huge property and has probably been picked over, however, there are old outbuildings on the property as well. I guess I'm a little overwhelmed by the size of the property, and discouraged as it only yielded a few clad. My gut is that there has to be some silver or some wheat? Do I keep going and work the fields too? Thanks!

Christo000 is right. Also remember that land was there before 1891 so there is no telling what things are there.

 

[gleaner1]

bring a big pouch and dig the crap outa it

 

[cudamark]

I'd pick a small area where people likely gathered and dig every sound. That would help me decide if digging the trash on the rest of the property is worth the potential "treasure". You might also try to determine where the outhouse was. Those can be very good for all sorts of valuable items.

 

[mrs.oroblanco]

Depending on what part of the US you are digging in, look for a nice grouping of flowering trees - like Lilac bushes, etc. People like to plant flowering trees and sweet-smelling bushes right near the outhouses (for obvious reasons). Also, if its 1891 - and you find some very old fence posts, quite a few of the older folks didn't trust banks - and would bury their valuables UNDER a fence post - down in the holes.

Mrs.O

 

[DiggerGal]

I tried not to respond but this is bugging me. You said you went to an "abandoned farm". That means you have no idea who owns and you don't have permission. SOMEBODY OWNS THIS. Searching it is trespass, digging makes it destruction, and taking anything = theft. IF you don't have permission, don't go.

Jason,
You are correct I said it's abandoned. I also stated that it was tagged and trashed. I did research on the property and it has been abandoned since the owners death 11 years ago.
I am digging plugs and filling them leaving the ground in tact. If I dig trash I bag it and take it with me. I don't vandalize like others have with spray paint or by causing harm to the property. I don't enter any of the dwellings like the illegals do. Last weekend while I was there 3 different border patrol units pulled onto the property and said nothing to me.
I'm not doing anything to destroy this location and the only thing I have removed from this property has been trash.
So, in your eyes I'm being destructive and a thief.
In my eyes, I've done my due diligence, I am leaving the property in better condition than when I arrived by cleaning up the trash, and with respect to the hobby, I dig neat plugs and you can't tell where I have been other than it's clean in that general area compared to the rest of the property.
Have a great day and HH.

 

[Mackaydon]

One owner may have died 11 years ago, but I'm sure you realize there is another owner today. It may be a relative or even some government department due to delinquent tax payments. At a minimum, you are trespassing without permission from the owner. Some additional due diligence, like finding out who is responsible for the property taxes will lead you to the owner. You may wish to complete this aspect of your due diligence --and avoid possibly being stopped by local or county cops--versus border patrol officers.
Don........

 

[christo000]

Blah, blah, blah, all I see are excuses to behave in an immoral and illegal fashion. SOMEBODY owns this, and you don't have permission. period. end of story. Maybe you should try reading over the metal detecting code of ethics a few times until they sink in.

Why do you feel its ur duty to say he is in the wrong period & its all an excuse in this World there are abandoned properties where rights to them are arent claimed i know of a couple myself. Ur not the one out there detecting it he just asked for advice detecting it that was it sounds like ur last post was a little rude im also quite sure threw the usa every state & town have there own ways when it comes to abandoned properties mayb laws are different from where you are to where he is, so maybe he is not in the wrong

 

[christo000]

Whatever first of all I dont trespass anywhere I ask permission where ever I go all im saying is laws are different in each town & each state on what they do with property so unless you know each law for all the States & towns then how do you know for a fact he is braking the law I dought that everyplace you go to ur asking permission how do u like it I mean u dont know me nor where i go so dont say im trespassing because I brought up a point of laws

 

[L.C. BAKER]

" the metal detecting code of ethics ?"

I thought they were more like guide lines...............Parlay?
Part of the mythical set of pirate laws. Parlay entitles its invoker with free passage to negotiate with a ship’s captain until the negotiations are complete.
It would probably be best to ask.........but if there is no captain available to negotiate with......I supose you could negotiate when he shows up, hopefully unarmed and happy to see you on his land!

L.C.

 

[christo000]

Why is it my duty? Because I am a adult in this hobby we all share. The bad actions of one affect us all.

So you trespass too huh? There is no such thing as abandoned. The property is owned by someone until a government takes over for non-payment of taxes and then it is sold to another individual, but it is ALWAYS owned. How you do know the intentions of an owner you never spoke to? Just because kids broke in a spray painted it does not give you the right to vandalize it farther. Just because it's falling down doesn't make it abandoned.

As for wrong, he admitted to trespass. That's wrong-enough.

Who said the guy was vandalizing he took trash out how do u know the intentions of the sidewalks u hunt or construction,area ect & there are abandoned places mayb not where u are but there are weather u want to beleive or not

 

[christo000]

Ya mayb the land owner If any would be happy to see someone taking trash cleaning up the place like u said u dont know the intention of the owner either

 

[DiggerGal]

Jason, you are getting out of hand here. Please don't turn this post into something it's not.
I asked for advise, you gave yours. Enough said. Will you please move on to another post?
Thank You.

 

[sponge]

" the metal detecting code of ethics ?"

I thought they were more like guide lines...............Parlay?
Part of the mythical set of pirate laws. Parlay entitles its invoker with free passage to negotiate with a ship’s captain until the negotiations are complete.
It would probably be best to ask.........but if there is no captain available to negotiate with......I supose you could negotiate when he shows up, hopefully unarmed and happy to see you on his land!

L.C.

Now thats a true pirate observation

 

[TNGUNS]

Think we need to be a bit more tactful in our posts...... Just my 2 cents. I 100% agree on getting permission on any property. Absolutely a guarantee that not doing so sheds a poor light on the hobby and hurts us all. With that said. There are times that a property has so much trash and few finds that I personally think it is Ok to throw in the towel and move on to greener pastures. I have one I may hit this weekend that I said Uncle on about a month ago but believe it is old enough to justify the head ache of another shot. Just keep thinking there must be more among the Mason Jar lids. Just a personal decision as to when your time would be better spent in another location. Best of luck on your hunting and permission.

 

[DiggerGal]

I did find a mason jar lid! but no jar filled with goodies

 

[christo000]

Im done with this, to the original poster my apologies for your original question running off track.