Like Johnny Cash, I walk the line...

[DigToChina]

At the start of the year I took a cue from one of Tabman’s posts where he was at a big property. In the photos I noticed he was using a line on the ground and with my habit of zig zagging even when I try not to, I decided to copy him.

I made a few tweaks above a standard string tied to a spike. Hope if you were contemplating using a line, you find this useful.

Using some doweling I made spikes to the length I wanted and then drilled perpendicular holes in two places (upper and a lower). I also drilled a hole in the top which holds a tent peg.

The lower hole has a large amount of string wrapped around it. This is the length for actual detecting.

The upper length is measured for my right and left swing length combined minus a small overlap. It requires me to walk in the same direction each time though.

So after I finish a line, I unwind the upper string, pull it perpendicular to the long line and using my tent peg mark the spot I’m moving the spike to. Once I do that for the other end, I’ll move the spikes.

Now if this is a park or yard you are returning to soon and you haven’t finished a line, you can leave the tent peg pushed all the way into your spike hole. If I’m ending my day after finishing a line, I move my pegs then do this. When I return there is no more guessing because I use my detector to find the pegs hidden in the ground, replace it with the spike and start walking the line.

HH

Dig

 

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[Loco-Digger]

In most areas that I hunt, you can see your footprints in the grass, but when I cant I use tennis balls to help in gridding. I lay them in a line evenly spacing them so when I come up to one, I use my coil to slide it to the other side so they are lined up on the return grid. I have about a dozen old tennis balls. If the grass it too tall for the use of the tennis balls I have about a 6 to 8 yellow reflective poles (hardware store sells them for driveway markers). I move those when I get up next to them for the return pass.

 

[DigToChina]

Hi Loco,

The tennis ball idea looks good.

The problem I always had with the footprints in the grass is that they are behind me, lol. I tell my kids I have eyes in the back of my head but they obviously don’t work while MDing [emoji16]

 

[alaskaseeker]

Great ideas, lol, problem is you dont leave anything behind...

 

[DigToChina]

Great ideas, lol, problem is you dont leave anything behind...

And when I’m done, I won’t [emoji1303] We’re talking soon being in the days range. I figure I could die tomorrow and leave those two pegs there and I’m still netting to the positive side by about one ton of garbage.

 

[Professor of Engineering]

I grid with those orange flags from Lowes; hand full for around $10 dollars.

 

[against the wind]

Well, I did that years ago but people kept getting in the way,, lol