E-trac on military base

missoiula4me · May 24, 2013

I live near Fort Ord (closed Army base) California and have gone to several locations; trails, off trails, roads, fields, barracks, etc.. I literally can't go 12" without a signal. On the E-trac it's right around 12-35 to 12-45 almost constantly. All I find is brass (M-16, blanks and some older cartridges) that I'd consider fairly contemporary. I've considered just staying away but the potential is too good. There was an old ranch there, 1909 the Buffalo soldiers bivouacked there, etc.. And if I discriminate that brass out, who knows what I'll miss. Is this place just a lost cause or does anyone have a viable answer to hunting Fort Ord without digging a thousand brass casings?

I've found some good things (1909 silver Mexican coin, 1919 dime, 1940 wheatie, folding shovel in holder) so I'd like to keep looking for relic I'm open to any suggestions.

christo000 · May 25, 2013

Maybe bring a hunting partner sounds like a rather large place to do by urself & are u able to research the old ranch mayb a picture of where it stood might help or mayb a layout aerial pic of the base that was there then pop over to another side where they slept or the mail drop off u maybe in the practice range where they were tought how to use there weapons I don't think its a lost cause what so ever I got a feeling ur gonna find some nice items there good luck & hope to see some pics of ur finds HH

BryanM362 · May 25, 2013

Maybe you already know this, but figure out what other metal registers in the same range as the brass. If it's isn't anything too valuable then discriminate it. The exception would be around the Buffalo Soldier area, there you should dig everything.

I personally could not stand digging all the old brass cartridges. My thoughts.

Jackalope · May 26, 2013

You could DISC out the areas that you don't want audio to respond to. That is probably obvious.

You could only dig targets that are deep on the depth meter. Ignoring the shallow stuff. Assuming the deeper targets are more valuable.

cudamark · May 26, 2013

I don't mind brass. You get enough of it and it pays pretty well at the recycle place!

pennyfarmer · Jun 9, 2013

This hobby is not for the impatient. That is all I have to say about that.

missoiula4me · Jun 9, 2013

Some good ideas. The problem is (and I'm not kidding) the brass is literally everywhere. It is mixed with other things and everything. The Etrac is famous for separating but even it is over whelmed by the brass. I guess I'll have to be choosy about the sites. But even between the cinder block barracks where I did basic training has a crap load of brass. You'd think someone flew over the base and dumped It. I still dig a lot of the brass because some of it is obviously pre M16. So it is interesting.

Thanks for suggestions.

pennyfarmer · Jun 9, 2013

There is a ghost town that I may or may not have hunted. :P It is a popular shooting area and you have to deal with a crazy amount of shooting trash. Usually the first shovel full has the shell or bullet in it. If you have to go deeper that is when the targets are good.