Digging around abandoned areas without asking?

[Furismo]

I have become interested in bottle collecting. So far I have only bought bottles, but would like to dig them myself. I live in the western part of North Carolina. There are many very old abandoned house sites. I'm talking old cabins with a roof caved in type sites. Most of these sites don't have any neighbors that I could ask. Can I just hunt these sites?

Also, what kind of probe would I need to bottle hunt? Is it something I can buy at Walmart or other common stores?

 

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[sodetraveler]

Can I just hunt these sites?

If it were me out there in NC I'd jump at the chance to check those spots out! However, it would probably be illegal and you could get in trouble.....so do what feels right to you at your own risk.

What kind of probe would I need to bottle hunt? Is it something I can buy at Walmart or other common stores?

I've been ordering my probes from www.tandttools.com. There are probably better - and cheaper - probes out there, but I'm not to picky and they mail them right to my door!

I use a TPA-36 for digging (yes I actually dig with a probe) and both a TPA-48 and a TPA-72 for probing. The number is the length in inches, so a TPA-72 is six feet long.

Good luck!!!

 

[Furismo]

I think I might try it since there is nobody to ask anyways. I just hope it's not still owned by some trigger-happy family member. I would think if there is no trespassing signs up it would be fair game.

 

[PikesPeakCharlie]

Go to your local junkyard , find a big car,cadillac,buick,etc, crawl in the trunk and remove one (or both) spring steel rods,take them to a welder,have him put a piece of pipe for a handle on it,round the tip & put a bead around it about an inch or 2 above the bottom,,,,bingo ya got a probe,cost me $10 total in 1985, it is still the only probe I have ever owned, and it is still being used today. As far as your sites go, trespassing is trespassing ,whether it is posted or not. You can go to the county clerk & recorder to find out who owns the property. Good luck,hope to see some pics of your finds. HD

 

[Bum Luck]

Nope, trespassing is trespassing, no matter how it may seem.

I did a probe out of 1/4 x 2' stainless rod, drilling a hole in the side of a 5" long piece of 5/8" aluminum round stock, & threading it in.

Getting a bulb on the bottom was the PITA part of it (depositional welding with stainless and turning it down on a lathe), but it was worth the cussing. It's a pretty slick little item. I use it to probe for rocks, but I wonder if you could get by with 1/8"?

 

[deltamann]

Pikes Peak, we did the same thing with the rolled steele. The probe works like a charm and much cheaper than buying them!

 

[Diggit]

It's just not worth it. I for one couldn't have a good time if I got nervous every time a car drove by.

 

[GaRebel1861]

I wouldn't trespass because its just a matter of time until you get caught and there could be in some countys or states a costly fine plus a possible criminal record. Stay legal! There are too many places to hunt without getting in trouble.- Just my opinion. Good luck in your hunting.