Getting started

[47thelement]

I purchased a Garret Ace 250 about 6 month ago. Had some luck at the beach with current coins ( I believe CLAD?) but I just can't seem to find any good sites around Annapolis MD. Nobody will allow me on thier land. They have had bad experiences. Even Thought about using Google earth to look for old structures to search in the woods. Any ideas? Any body in the area? - Michael

 

[ParkHunter61]

City parks......

 

[crazyjarhead]

First of all, welcome to TNET. Give it time and do some homework. Libraries are a good source for researching. You have to know someone in the family that would allow you I like to find vacant homes then ask the realty company. Good luck and don't give up.

 

[beetle662]

Welcome!

Like others have said, libraries offer good research.

City parks are good too, but make sure you check with the local authority (or check your local ordinances) to make sure that you don't need to have any permits or that you can even detect there. Generally, STATE parks are OUT. If the city has no ordinances, then you should be good to go on ANY city property.

School playgrounds are nice too... but wait til school is out as a rule of thumb. And don't trespass if it's gated off.

Good luck and keep us posted on your finds! Don't give up too easily! Places will open up!

 

[47thelement]

OOPS! I think people have misunderstood me the term "give up" is not in the vocabulary. I'm just looking for some ideas to get started. I enjoy reading about everybodies finds and I want to get into the action. Went out searching for sites today and may have come up with a couple. fairgrounds for over 100 years and a private high school from 1850's to 1920's.

Also have several areas around here that have historical markers that say something to the nature of...G. Washington marched through here or Robert E. Lee marched up this road on his way to Gettysburg. I'm thinking of asking some farmers to search their fields along these roads.

Also what is the best tool for getting into the dirt? I have broken 3 small garden spades?

 

[Lowbatts]

Check over in the States forum for locals in your area. I've heard a lot of Md is off limits and that would be too bad but here's to those places you can go, may they overload your coil!

 

[jeff of pa]

Also what is the best tool for getting into the dirt? I have broken 3 small garden spades?

you need a steel trawel

those garden trawels just don't cut is anywhere but in sand.
and tilled ground.

and sand isn't the place to use a trawel anyway.

There are many good ones out there.
I have gotten used to a 3 in one tool like this.



they are very hard to break unless you pry rocks with them.

 

[Tin Nugget]

Annapolis would be a great place to detect with history going back to Colonial times. Go ahead and hit those wooded areas if you can. It always amazes me what turns up in the middle of a bunch of trees.

 

[deepskyal]

Don't just think about using Google Earth....USE IT!

Go to the maps forum here and check out the old Sanborn maps for your area and compare them to Google Earth. Learn to use the overlays Google Earth has and you'll find lots of stuff that used to be but isn't anymore.

And like someone else said...try them woods. I do the majority of hunting off the beaten path and find some pretty cool stuff.

I loath the idea of carrying a shovel. I've had the same old army surplus knife for almost 25 years now...blade is still good as new.
There's a world of ideas for things to dig with.....pick any but make sure you won't leave craters when you dig. Maybe someone before you did and thus your problems for getting permission.

Al

 

[johnnycat]

Get out and start meeting people and don't be shy about asking permission. Remember wave and smile. When I moved from California I was, 'lost'. Couldn't find places to detect until I realized I wasn't trying that hard. Now I have a slew of old homesteads to detect when the weather clears up and as someone else mentioned start hitting the parks. Good Luck.

 

[47thelement]

Thanks everybody! Just got permission to search my 1st site. Not expecting to find anything there but one thing leads to another

 

[utah1066]

Beach Ha
Still waiting for the snow to go away, welcome to tnet

 

[BIG61AL]

Here's a short list of must haves
good digger
pin pointer -OK this is an absolute must
knee pads - rocks and hard soil gets old after about three holes
The whole key to finding older finds is to go where people were. Good example - today people go to a municipal pool to go swimming but years ago people just went to the river where it was easy to get into the water or where there were some cool rock or near a school or water fall. They usually changed clothes on site and dropped stuff. Those areas may not look so inviting today. They may be in now industrial areas or over grown. Research research research.