Does your job help with artifact hunting?

[RichPA]

I figure there are a wide range of jobs that can lead to finding artifacts. Logging, farming, excavation, water/gas pipeline, powerline, Park/Forest Ranger etc. etc……..

I recently interviewed for a sales position for a leading supplier of agricultural equipment and implements. Past experience is with construction equipment sales. I think the ag equipment sales position may provide quality artifact hunting leads.

Do you have a job or can you think of a job that may supplement the artifact collecting hobby? Feel free to show artifact finds from work or work related leads.

 

[The Grim Reaper]

The job I have now doesn't really help me in finding artifacts, though the plant I work at owns all the fields surrounding it and I have permission to walk all of them and they all produce artifacts.

Now back in the mid 80's to early 90's I had a job installing satellite dishes and systems and we went to some pretty remote spots in the area and I got to meet some farmers who were very friendly and allowed me access to their fields. I found quite a few new spots to hunt, some that I still hunt today, and I got some great artifacts off of farmers who didn't really know what they had and didn't care for them. They were just" Indian rocks" as most of them would say.

The best deal I ever got was off of a farmer down in Adams county Ohio who when I asked if he ever found any arrowheads in his fields brought out a cigar box full of points and a nice Elbow Pipe made of Ohio Pipestone and everything was still dirty which led me to think he really didn't care that much for them. After going through the box and pulling out a few points around 3+ inches long and lots of smaller points and scrapers I asked him what he was going to do with them and he said he might consider selling them. I asked him what he wanted and he said what do you offer. I told him to name a price and we would go from there and he said, they ought to be worth at least $20 shouldn't they. I think I almost caught my billfold on fire getting it out of my pants so quickly to pay him before he changed his mind. I don't really have any pictures of just the points since they ended up scattered throughout some trays and I gave a couple away as Christmas gifts, but I do have pictures of the Pipe and it is very nice. It was still packed full of dirt when I got it and had to let it soak for a while to get it loosened up enough to get it all out without damaging the piece.

Also, after looking through my pictures I remember these three Adena Points were in the box as well. Best 20 bucks I ever spent.

 

[RichPA]

I think it's safe to say you stole that deal, but the buyer was happy also. Thats a heck of a pipe for $20 and the points were just the added bonus.

 

[Tnmountains]

I deal with a lot of large tracts of undeveloped land and have met many people that were kind to give me permission to hunt. It sounds like your job will be promoting tilling equipment vs the disadvantage's of going to no till Good luck in your new adventure
HH
TnMtns

 

[Th3rty7]

There are many, many disadvantages of no till farming...bring back the plows...just sayin

Years ago I had a landscaping job with a boss who was an artifact hunting freak. He got me into it, every bad weather day we went hunting. Usually in a downpour or windstorm or when it was so hot the grass wasn't growing. He also knew the majority of landowners and had permission to get in pretty much everywhere. He also had the uncanny ability to gain a landowners trust within minutes on new areas. We found alot of artifacts " on the job " lol. I'll try and find some pics of points found while landscaping.

 

[RichPA]

TNMountains, I hope to get the job but I'm sure they're interviewing people with ag equipment sales experience also. I like your wishful optimistic thinking though. The folks I know farm the old school way. Winter rye plantings in the fall followed by deep plough in the spring for corn and soy plantings. There is a lot of land under full time production of grasses and alfalfa.

 

[Tnmountains]

Rich I hope you get it. We are trying a new program on the grasses. Planted about 300 acres in Switch grass for bio fuel. Have to let it grow for 3 years till we cut any of it. Great for the wildlife. It was a Gov program they paid for then cancelled but you are obligated with the fields for 3 years. Other fields we do a dent corn, winter wheat and soy bean rotation with no till and after we go corn soybean then corn(3 seasons) we do a deep disc cut. Nothing like the old days. I still have some lands they till deep every year but the odds in a field get less and less every year with things of size being broke. Usully just field grade around here with a kicker thrown in every now and then.
So many of my old really good fields are now in hay. That hurts to see that.
I hope you get that job I am sure they would not be disappointed

 

[SOHIO]

My job is arrowhead hunting

 

[Th3rty7]

My job is arrowhead hunting

Do you have any positions available?

 

[SOHIO]

Yeah I need someone to walk up those hills and tell me if there is any flint showing you can have dibs on first surface finds and I'll dig the rest .

 

[pickaway]

Yea in a way it does i only work 4 hours a day...

 

[Cachefind09]

Th3rty7, You said that there are many disadvantages to no-till farming. I am just curious to know what those disadvantages are because I live in an area that is highly agricultural and in the past 20 years most of the farmers have gone to no-till and I am having a hard time finding fields to hunt. I have lost my most productive fields because of it and my collection will never be what it could have been. In the end, doesn't it all come down to profits for the farmer? They will have less labor, fuel expenses, and wear on the equipment. In my area, there are some farmers that till up their bean stuble in preparation for planting corn the following spring. These are the only fields that can be hunted these days and it seems like everyone converges upon them because they are few and far between. I would imagine they do this because they feel this will loosen up the soil and allow the corn roots to grow better which will give them a better yield versus no-till. What exactly are the disadvantages of no-till farming? I have recently noticed more farmers going through their corn stuble with a disc to break it up which does expose some soil with stuble mixed in. Atleast it is a start in the right direction.

 

[Randy Godwin]

No till farming not only saves money on fuel but it doesn't uncover weed seeds enough for them to sprout easily. The old roots from previous crops also help keep the soil aerated by leaving air pockets when they decompose. I have a kill zone on my farm where I always find a few points every time I work the field. but not as many as when it was turned yearly. I think someone here has already posted the link to my article about this kill zone, but you can find it here.http://hubpages.com/hub/Arrowhead-and-Projectile-Point-Collecting-Kill-Zones-and-How-to-Find-Them

 

[Tnmountains]

No till farming not only saves money on fuel but it doesn't uncover weed seeds enough for them to sprout easily. The old roots from previous crops also help keep the soil aerated by leaving air pockets when they decompose. I have a kill zone on my farm where I always find a few points every time I work the field. but not as many as when it was turned yearly. I think someone here has already posted the link to my article about this kill zone, but you can find it here.http://hubpages.com/hub/Arrowhead-and-Projectile-Point-Collecting-Kill-Zones-and-How-to-Find-Them

Hey Randy. Welcome to T-net. Always nice to see another southern hunter and his finds. Good luck sir!
TnMtns

 

[Randy Godwin]

@TnMtns-Thanks, I need to spend more time here but my writing takes up most of my spare time these days. But I always make a point of checking out a few favorite spots on my land every time it rains hard enough to uncover points in the fields. An exciting and rewarding hobby for me.