Creek hunting question...

capy325 · Feb 22, 2009

...And I can make it quick! How do you do it? :icon_scratch:

I've walked the fields for over 35 years and over time found some really nice points, but I've never walked the creeks. Can't help but feel that I have been missing some really great oppotunities! It can't be a simple as it sounds to just walk any old creek and pick up points (can it?)...

WhiteCountyPaleo · Feb 22, 2009

I would say they are the sections that have moved more over
time. Not an expert, but this year I'm gonna look for sections
that have eroded out hills and look in feeder creeks to bigger
rivers. Aerial imagery will show areas where the water has
moved around quite a bit. I've also noticed a lot of squigly
straight sections.

shaf · Feb 22, 2009

Remember, you will be looking at literally billions of stones and rocks. I look for several things...something that glistens more than the surrounding things, shapes, the worked edges and colors. You will be picking things up for closer inspection quite a bit. Don't get discouraged because sometime you will walk for hours and not find anything. A good time is after a good gullywasher of a rain that can turn and roll rocks over and the erosion that occurs from the banks can wash more into the creek. If something is different than the surrounding stuff, check it out...I have found some good points only because I see a small piece of the point that is burried by other stuff and it is a different color - pull it out and presto!! If you have found points in nearby fields, there should be some in the creeks and rivers.
Have fun and good luck!!
Shaf

Newt · Feb 22, 2009

1.STRAIGHT lines.
2.Color-study the local material in your area(if you have access).
3.Topography maps- Ifthe area is not condusive to Camping- they probably did'nt camp there
4. Remember to walk DOWN the creek. Some "chips" will be found leaning(away from you) at an angle against another rock.
Newt

artifactman · Mar 1, 2009

little late with this but,yea it is that simple,you just fina a creek that is close the fields you hunt.remember to always walk up steam not down,for obviouse reasons. be persistant and hunt those grvel bars hard,i mean back and forth and cross ways. dont give up youll learn what gavel bars produce the best.remember to get permission where ever you go unless its a river! thats how it is in mo. anyway check your state laws. some days ill cover over 5miles of streams by foot. also one more thing,lime stone creeks are hard to hunt, mixed gravel and sand is the best. good luck and please reply back if you have any more questions.

Newt · Mar 2, 2009

artifactman said:
little late with this but,yea it is that simple,you just fina a creek that is close the fields you hunt.remember to always walk up steam not down,for obviouse reasons. be persistant and hunt those grvel bars hard,i mean back and forth and cross ways. dont give up youll learn what gavel bars produce the best.remember to get permission where ever you go unless its a river! thats how it is in mo. anyway check your state laws. some days ill cover over 5miles of streams by foot. also one more thing,lime stone creeks are hard to hunt, mixed gravel and sand is the best. good luck and please reply back if you have any more questions.

Can you explain further?
Newt

docmann · Mar 2, 2009

Capy,
Check out "Creek Hunt 02/10/2009" heading in this section. Excellent day out working the creek beds.
Good luck,
docmann

jamey · Mar 2, 2009

i have been only doing it for two months and what i do is just hike and scan the ground.the stuff thats not natural stands out pretty good.i walk for miles and either hit the waters edge on the way in and closer in the shore on the way back.if theres nothing there its seem as if your not looking hard enough,but the fact is thier is nothing there.when its there youll see it so i guess what im trying to say is the longer you walk the more you will find.someone on tn said to look for circles and straight lines when looking for treasure. jamey

DemonCatSpaceStar · Mar 3, 2009

I'm still pretty much a :newbie:

but the way I walk a creek (especially one with a bunch of gravel) is walk a grid pattern, bank to the creek then move over a couple of feet & head back to the bank all the time I look side to side & go back over part of the my path that I just walked. I think it is all personal preference on how you do it the important thing is your out there! :thumbsup:

ShowmeMoflint · Mar 3, 2009

ShowmeMoflint said:
Capy take the average creek and walk it when you see flint chips start looking a little harder.If the creek is clean and rid of leaves and silt the flint should shine from the sunlight.Something else if you have creeks by sites that you hunt in the field and the site comes right up to the the creek channel try hunt below this area in the creek and work your way upstream take your time.I have found that some parts of the creek will be clean and some not keeping in mind that seeing the smallest fragment of flint flip it.Sometimes my eyes get bugged out so take frequent breaks to prevent this from even happening.Remember though that the arrowheads usually get washed in from sites at least I have found this to be true to me.
Dan Capps aka r-t fact hunter

artifactman made a good point about walking the creek beds in different directions.Sometimes the off angle will help you see what you couldn't see from the other angle.Look for edges anything that is flint,granite,hematite ,and pottery shards.I am including a link on the Navigable river law for Mo. "READ IT AND HUNT BY IT"
http://www.nationalrivers.org/states/mo-law.htm

ssehunter · Mar 12, 2009

I am an avid arrow hunter who finds my arrows in the creek bed as well. Although I actually get into the shallow water with a sift lined with 1/4 mesh. Once I find pottery shards or flakes I stay, if not I move on to another spot. I look for gravel accumulations that are mixed with the sand and start scooping the gravel into the screen, like panning for gold. My theory has given me a around 1000 arrow in the past 10 yrs. why are the arrows in the creek? They have washed in due to erosion on the creek banks they once lived. Walking gravel beds are good if you are the first one there after a rain, although just think of the area under water that is not exposed for searching?

SSE Hunter