Getting Stares?

[Monty]

Being new to the sport I have done most of my detecting around sports fields, mostly coinshooting just to learn my detector. I have noticed t as noticed that for the most part no one pays much attention to me. Well, they didn't until.... I decided part of my problem was that I was not digging deep enough a lot of the time. I was getting good signals and finding dry holes. I began digging on down beyond say 8" to a foot and I noticed I was piling up a good size stack of dirt around the hole and people were beginning to stare at me, especially the parks department employees. I always carefully fill the holes in but I'm afraid they're going to run me off if I become too visible. My machine only registers a maximum of 8" and I'm wondering how reliable it could be beyond that depth? Yesterday, for example I was getting a really strong signal that was off the scale and I just kept digging. Finally at about 14" I found a brass object, one of those objects you post under the what is itsection. It's a really ornate looking brass valve fitting of some type that I picture as being part of an old stove or radiator control. So I guess what I'm getting at is how important is depth, and how deep will you dig before abandoning the hole? I really haven't found any more "treasures" by increasing my depth but that remains to be seen. And how big a plug do you recommend taking out of the top to start? I usually cut a plug about 6" in diameter and if a coin is indicated usually find it within the first 4" or so. Any advice welcome.

 

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[jeff of pa]

I usually take a 4" to 5" plug, but 6" isn't realy that much more & I know I'v done larger already, depending on object size & depth of the Target.................... a suggestion for you. ... What I do is keep my back to everyone, while I'm digging. this especially should be done when doing a yard, where the home owner may be looking out the window. ...... Not necessarily, so they don't see what your digging, but to keep them from seeing HOW your digging. ... as long as your comfortable with the condition your leaving the site, there is no reason to make the land owner, etc. nervous, by letting them see what there land looks like with a Chunk of grass, laying on its side while you probe a hole.................. ? Think on the line of A surgeon. he wouldn't want the Patient watching him remove their appendix.? ? ? ? ? ? jeff

 

[Monty]

Jeff, I started out with about a 4" plug but found that after aabout 6" I had trouble getting my arm and digging instrument down in the hole. I went back and found some good info on an earlier post about the same subject, thanks.

 

[ol ploock]

Quit digging when you hear voices coming out of the hole ...I never go any deeper than that

 

[Vingamel]

This kind of situation is exactly why I think all good metal detectors need to be equipped with a fog machine.

 

[Biggunshunter]

Ever try hunting at night? Eliminates stares, questions, and crowds. Not much harder than daytime with a little practice.

 

[sal1966]

lately i've tried to cut a small hole if its less than a 6 inch target. then i use my hand with a glove on and hand scoop a little at a time if the soils loose. the sunray probe does a good job of pinpointing since it detects up to 3 inches.so when your close to the target dig away from it and approximate the depth. what i hate is when it says 6 inches and theres nothing there. some say its a much larger deeper target.

 

[omnicognic]

I use a former kitchen gadget used for cutting steaks for mock filet mignion, it has serrated edges and cuts a perfect 4" plug. I have a hand spade that fits into the hole. after I get done with a hole and have reinserted the plug, I can't even find my old holes! I don't worry about how deep I have to go `cause if anyone says anything I'll just ask them if they can find any of my previous holes! 8)

 

[Carl in CO]

I know what you mean Jim, it feels kind of funny digging in a public place. I quit going for those deep targets unless they really sound good. The last one, I went for was about 10 inches. I pulled up a piece of what looked like an old collander.

I guess I employ a little of what everyone said on here especially about watching who is in the vicinity and using my back for concealment. I always cut the horshoe shape and leave a hinge in place. I don't pull out any dirt unless I really have to. I usually just loosen it and move it around with my pinpointer. If I ever see a city guy coming it will be easy to get the dirt back in the hole, flip the hinge back down, stand up, step on it and start detecting again. By the time they get to me, they won't be able to find the hole. I conceal my spade. I walk around with the pinpointer and screwdriver in one hand and the detector in my other and a "who me" appearance.

I could see what the issue would be if it were a golf course. We aren't hurting anyone out there. The grass grows back. We help areate it. The kids, dog, geese and other park creatures do more damage than we do.
I am careful. I never jam anything in the ground or assume it's a tree root I'm cutting through. Aside from survey markers, sprinklers and utilities, one can only imagine what kinds or explosive or deadly things could be left in parks.

Ok, I'll end it there, before this post becomes a saga.

 

[Lowbatts]

Sometimes it's just better to start doing the chicken dance when people are looking at you and they don't want to talk. Throw in a quack here and there showing you clearly can't tell chicken from duck and they'll let you be.

 

[stoney56]

I see more problems w/golfers in the parks hitting the balls 30 yd. and the divots 50 yd. and not replacing them. So I just stare right back.

 

[foolserrand]

Here is what i do when detecting? & digging deep) in parks.....

I make a 6-7 inch (in diameter) 3 sided plug .... dig down deep with my lesche to make a pyramid shaped hole.

When my detector tells me that a target? is pretty deep (over 7 inches) I immediately put my back to the nearest people who may be watching , or groundskeeper & if none of thsoe are about.... the nearest house ..... I sit down on my legs with my knees out in front of me, so that the plug (I make) is right between my knees & always pull the plug up towards me (the sides of my knees hide the LARGE deep plug i just pulled up), Once i have the plug up my digging tool (always a lesche handheld digger) is removed from my digging pouch & ALWAYS put under me to hide it when not actively digging or prying (seeing a BIG knife-like digging tool makes groundskeepers & parents nervous). If the item is not in the deep plug i pulled up then i get out the lesche again & dig more in the hole, put the lesche back....use my pinpointer again to find the object. And when i have found it... there is usually very little actual dirt to put back in the hole... then the plug is pushed back down & then? stepped on.
? Always keep your eyes open for groundskeepers, but dont rubberneck like you are commiting a crime. Use your eyes mostly.
? I was once in a deep plug in a? park i frequent when i noticed one of the groundskeepers "sneaking" up behind me from a distance. He was on his way across the park towards the maint. building, but made a slight (but obvious) detour that took him straight to me. I had my back to him as ususal & I carefully put my deep plug back before he even got close. He walked right past me without saying a word ,but DID look down where i was digging... I had left hardly a trace of the plug i made & left him with no reason for him to complain. I later came back & retrieved my target after he was at the maint. bldg..

I prefer to hunt parks & athletic fields when very few people are in the park & especially when the groundkeepers arent around.


Rarely ever do i find i need to make a hole deeper than a foot. If i am getting a signal that is deeper than? what my detector says it is (8-9inches max).... it is usually a large item deeper down & I wont dig up large items in parks or sports fields.

Being incredibly descreet is what really counts when detecting parks & other such public places. Also... having a detecting pouch full of trash & at least one dangerous-type item (like a dug-up syringe or old dirty dug-up pocketknife) handy to show a groundskeeper or busybody that you are doing the park a service by removing trash & dangerous items people have left behind? doesnt hurt either.

 

[jeff of pa]

When I notice someone walking towards me, I'll Pretend to Pull the Find out the Hole & put it in my pouch & re-fill the hole. When they ask What I found, I'll pull a piece of trash out my Pouch & say "This" .

 

[Monty]

When someone asks what I found I always say, " A couple of coins and a lot of trash". I use to throw the trash back into the hole and got to thinking....I might have to dig this up again some day, so now I take it out and put it in a trash can before I leave the area. I usually don't dig beyond about 6"very often because I hit haard clay at that depth in most areas around here unless there's fill dirt that has been hauled in. I just can't help thinking that I am missing the "old" stuff that may be deeper down? I plan to swing what use to be a public beach at an old amusement park, I feel sure that the good stuff will be way down there and it is easy to dig because the old beach was soft sand. When I hit the dryer sand I know I am into the old beach and it's about six inches down now. I may even have to get one of those giant aftermarket coils to be able to detect deep enough to find the things that were deposited on the original beach. Thank goodness there weren't many cans used for drinks in those days, mostly glass bottles. (Circa 1911 to 1952). I plan on working the old beach in late spring or early summer so I hope I know my machine much better by then. This is way off topic but slightly related to depth....

 

[Lowbatts]

I guess I'm just not that conscientous about it. ?I've had the guys come by when I have a mound in front of me and asked them if they knew they had an old line cap here or sewer hole there on some of the big deep ones. ?They will sometimes pull out a map and almost always it's a no with a thanks for locating it. ?Never had anyone in my town give me trouble. ?That's because I yell at them and tell them to teach their $%^## mowing crew that pop cans and beer cans need to be picked up, not mowed. ?

I've shown several of the crew bosses and park mgrs some of the rusty knives, razor blades, bullets and other things I've found in the playground too and they don't mind me doing my thing one bit.

 

[Darod]

Here is my technique.

I take a small towel with me, like a dish towel you would use at your sink in the kitchen. I stick it in my back pocket hanging out like a hand rag.

When I find a target ( This is the big one for me! I will fine tune and pinpoint it with my coil, to the point where I know the exact size of it,....if it's the shape of a soda can, I don't bother with it because it's gonna make a hell of a mess to dig that up) I pinpoint it and then lay my towel out about 3 inches to the side of the location. Next I squat down and set my detector/coil over the towel so that the coil is to the top end of the towel. I next cut as small of a plug as I can based on my detected/pinpointed size I have determined. As I take the plug out I pass it over the top of my coil to see if the item is in the plug (I don't have depth ID on my Fisher 1280X). If it's not in the plug I set the plug down on the towel and I start loosing dirt and pulling out a handfull at a time passing it all over the coil and placing the dirt on the towel with the plug UNTIL I get a signal in one of the handfulls of dirt. Then I just start splitting the dirt up and passing it over the coil until I have the item in my hand. Works great ever time.

After all this, I set the plug on the ground and use the towel like a funnel and poor all the dirt back in the hole, pack it down and place the plug on top Step on that baby and VWALA! No hole and no sign of a hole ever being made there

I'm sure there are easier ways, with a hand held pinpointer for example. You've be able to leave most of the dirt in the hole I imagine with one of those. As a matter of fact, I have one on the way. I like those because I can't tell you how many times I've been off ,...juuuuuust a little bit on the pinpointing and ended up digging to china only to find the coin on the side wall of the hole at 3 inches!!!!! Man do that make ya mad!@#$@ wasting 10 minutes lookin' like a fool :-

Anyhow, I'm rambling on now, I hope some of this will help ya out.

Rod

Keep diggin, it's the only way

Hey, I just noticed, I never addressed the actual point of this post

I get stares ooccasionally but more or less they are curiosity stares. They see right away how diligent and careful I am with my digging so nobody gets upset, at least that's what it seems like.

Just be considerate and leave the ground as it was found and you'll be fine.

Rod

 

[Jason in TN]

I am with Darod on this one. I think that the towel is the important thing. If you need to dig deep you can spread the dirt out a bit on the towel so that there is not a huge pile that is visible from a distance.
You can then put it back in and replace the plug with out mess.

 

[zommbee]

For deep digs, I use TWO small towels! After I pull the plug, or 'hinge it' (depending on its size),
if I find the item is deep and will need lots of dirt removed, I spread the dirt THINLY on the
first towel, with the plug alongside. Then I lay the second identical towel over the thicker layer
of dirt, and finish with the second towel. That way, anyone passing by will only see the small
amount of dirt and not the thick layer below. And of course, I keep my Lesche tool hidden after
the initial dig, and just use a small screwdriver to work the hole. I agree that most folks do NOT
want to see a Lesche or similar 'knife' - looks threatening and overkill to normal folks I think.

Zommbee

 

[Ocean7]

well if you are not placing dirt on a drop cloth - I'd be staring too! When you dig on any grass - no matter where it is... all dirt should go back into the hole and be placed on a cloth. When you get done - no one should know you were there.

For shallow targets - learn to use a screwdriver with a large flat head. Probe coin with brass coin probe, use screwdriver to enter dirt about one inch away from target, go down say 3 inches, and lift up. Coin will pop out of ground. Make sure coin is not on surface before you dig any hole.

If bad digging techniques leave brown plugs or lots of dirt on top of field - you'll be banned before you know it, and so will everyone else MD'ing.

 

[stoney56]

Amen, even cats have the sense to cover after they're done.