Detecting in Sports Complexes...

[CENLAcoin]

This is a question to all you experienced detectorists out there....

I live near a very large (10 softball, 8 soccer fields) recreational sports complex. There are alot of high school baseball, softball and soccer tounaments held annually.

Recently, I stopped there for a few hours to scout it out. walking in front of a set of bleachers, I collected $1.97 in clad. I would say that at least 1/4 of the coins were on the surface, and the rest were less than 2" deep.

Question 1: Is this an indication that this complex might be virgin ground?

Question 2: What is the best way to approach hunting a softball field?

Question 3: What is the best way to approach hunting a soccer field?

Attached is an aerial of the fields and buildings...

Thanks for the advice and Happy Hunting!

-Will

 

[Automedon2]

Can't answer your question, but WOW, what a complex. Imagine mowing that!

 

[extractor]

Question 1: Is this an indication that this complex might be virgin ground?
NO- Sports fields constantly replenish them selves
Question 2: What is the best way to approach hunting a softball field?
I skip them the players uniforms usally dont have pockets to loose things from
Question 3: What is the best way to approach hunting a soccer field?
The Sidelines for sure

 

[TORRERO]

Question 2: What is the best way to approach hunting a softball field?
I skip them the players uniforms usally dont have pockets to loose things from

That's funny....
Some of my best gold rings and jewelry have been found in ball fields.

 

[CENLAcoin]

Can't answer your question, but WOW, what a complex. Imagine mowing that!

YEAH! It is huge and little intimidating by its size to be quite honest when I think...I'd like to hunt there!

My son and I have plenty to do for the summer I guess! lol


Torrero - Where would you suggest looking in the softball fields?

Extractor - I'll be sure to pay attention to the sidelines. I was thinking maybe the goalie boxes as well? Have you had success there before?

HH!

-Will

 

[Lowbatts]

Have one of those near me as well. Over the years it's been a good gold mine and silver mine, if you don't mind the stuff that's already been refined that is.

If you're new to md'ing, they make awesome good training grounds. You decide how you want to hunt and what you want to hunt. The sidelines are great for scoring lots of easy clad but hunting for the jewelry there will be harder, it's mixed with a lot of foil and pop tops.

Not too much jewelry in the ball fields these days but the soccer fields will almost always give up a small amount of jewelry now and then.

Start out cleaning those top layers off just grabbing the easy pickings and delayer the place one field at a time. I'd be surprised if you got very far doing that because it's hard to clear a field before more stuff gets dropped onto it.

But use a pinpointer, make small, easy to fix slits in the turf with a good small knife for all the near surface stuff and chances are the groundskeepers will not mind you working the site.

If they come by and see you detecting there and see clearly identifiable dug spots, you'll probably be out of there for good.

 

[wildman4910]

Make small, easy to fix slits in the turf. If they come by and see you detecting there and see clearly identifiable dug spots, you'll probably be out of there for good.

This the best bit of advice! We've been booted from some really good fields do to the 6ft tall GOFERS that left nasty lookin diggs.

Look for the side lines/bleacher area on the soccer field.

~~Happy Hunting~~​

 

[deepskyal]

And let me add....watch out for underground sprinkler/irrigation systems.

I had a guy chase me down...well I wasn't running but he was to get to me, because there was an underground sprinkler system that had been punctured several times by detectorists.
He wasn't angry or upset with me and even pointed me in the direction to the baseball field where some guy had lost his wedding ring. I completely understood his position, thanked him, and detected the baseball field. No...didn't find the ring.

I went to a few seminars on turf management and soccerfields, particularly newer ones, may have a drainage systems because of the flat ground needed to play.

I just saw that pond in the pic and thought it could be used for irrigation.

Al

 

[Ism]

I found the soccer field of dreams. Very little trash, almost every hit was a coin or jewelry but that didn't last long. Within an hour the grounds keeper told me no digging, even though I left no evidence of digging, most coins were within an inch and I was popping them. He had no problem with the rest of the park, just not on the soccer field. Like a dream where you wake up just before the best part....I knew it was too good to be true.

Goal posts, inner circle, and sidelines have netted me the most returns. But the whole field is in play when it comes to soccer.

 

[CENLAcoin]

Great information! Thanks!

We went as a family yesterday afternoon. while the kids played, me and they wife grabbed a ton of clad in the tot lot by the concession stand.

So far the groundskeepers haven't even raised an eyebrow at me. One drove right by me and didn't slow down, or even look at me!

Not sure about the irrigation part, I'll be very careful. Thanks for the tip!

Coil question - I am using the stock 8", is it better to get a 4" for working near goal posts, etc? I can't seem to get a signal past the masking of the posts themselves...

HH,

-Will

 

[Lowbatts]

Goal posts at the soccer fields are not going to be as good as posts in volleyball courts to be sure.

But yes a smaller coil will do near them. Changing a coil for two spots at each end of the field when the middle of the field will most likely give up more goods is the time trade off consideration.

Had one of those "Heaven Sent" moments at the sports complex last fall. City Parks director was there with a new site boss for the park. So the boss comes over and tells me I can't work those soccer fields. Meanwhile his boss the director and another suit were walking the fields with a slight head tilt toward us but mainly just enjoying the breadth of their domain, no doubt.

I told the guy I'd been working that park for 20 some years, since it opened and no one ever raised an eyebrow before, not even his boss. He relented to "allow" me to work the sidelines for the time being and suggested I may be banned. Now there was not a piece of dirt out of place on my account but I didn't argue and went on as "allowed" because I am getting tired of giving the "public service vs. public serves US" speech to these guys.

I'd really much rather beat them into unconsciousness.

I then noticed he was called over to his bosses side and they gathered all the park workers there and started combing the field. Seems the director had lost his keys in one of the fields right then and there and the site boss came over and told me about it. I smiled, didn't wait for the question, said, "Have a nice day." and left.