Looking for reasearch tips/suggestions/help

[Clad the Impaler]

Hiya kids. 2012 is off to a slooowww start for me. Only one silver and a handful of wheaties in 3 hunts so far. What's really frustrating and disappointing is that I've spent dozens (and possibly hundreds) of hours researching mainly park sites all over the city, only to find out that even though all of these sites are pre WWII (with some being over 100 years old), they yield nothing more than a few wheaties (if you're lucky) and clad. Nothing makes you want to scream more than researching a 107 year old park site and looking forward to it all week, only to spend 4-5 hours on site with nothing to show for it other than ONE wheatie and lots of clad (I spoke with an area resident at this site and he informed me he had seen detectorists there in the past, so I guess it was hunted out). I'm off tomorrow and Wed. and it looks like I'll be giving woods hunting another go. I had strong success woods hunting last spring, but miserable luck with it in the fall. I'm looking for tips/suggestions/help with research that will help me find old sites and increase my odds of finding goodies. If I continue to hunt these uber pounded city parks, there's NO WAY I'll even come close to my 2012 goal of 100 silvers. I need to step it up, and find more productive sites!!! Please help!!!

 

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[Lookn4Seated]

LoL! You didn't think it was going to be "this" easy did you? Keep going where you're going bud, but listen to what your detector is doing and don't look down at the screen.

The best tip I'll give you.....take some electric tape and put in on the screen over the numbers and then go out detecting. Don't rely on what's on the screen. This might frustrate you at first, since automatically you're going to want to look down to check yourself. My silver counts went up once I stopped ignoring what others were telling me and started listening to what my machine was telling me. That's all it is bud. Don't get frustrated because all the easy pickins are out, adjust your hunting habits, and dig outside the box.

 

[outlaw007]

alot of those old parks still have coins. look at mr.senior and patrick finds!

 

[rob.s]

Want to trade a hunt??I'll be wood hunting this wednesday.

 

[Clad the Impaler]

Want to trade a hunt??I'll be wood hunting this wednesday.

I'd love to, but have made plans with family since I posted, so I won't be availabe on Wed. sorry.

 

[rob.s]

No problem.

 

[Gimmie The Loot]

its only the 10th. Plenty of time to hit your goal. Try a new coil at your usual spot. try new settings on the machine. I always think my spots are hunted out until Pocket Spill goes there and finds a barber.

 

[chukers]

I am the type of hunter that will go over a site several times... at first I'll get a lot of trash and some keepers... then the subsequent times I get less trash and less keepers but they are still there... after hunting a place 5 or 6 time I start after the "iffy" signals... and there are still coins there... not all coins sound like coins for many reasons...

coins on edge do not sound like coins sometimes...
coins next to pull tabs
coins next to nails or iron targets
one way coin signals (they only ring up good on one pass of your swing)
moisture in the dirt effect how a coin sound or lack of moisture

also if you can get a "constant" signal not all signals are what they say they are... I have found many buttons or tokens or dog tags keys and watch fobs whey it rang up as a pull tab... I even found my first and only 1853 seated half dime that rang up like a zinc penny but it was consistent so I dug it!

The only time I look at my v3i screen is after something "SOUNDS" good...

like Lookn4seated said LISTEN to your detector... its excellent advice!


Chukers

 

[p2c]

Sorry Clad for not getting back to you. I couldn't get out yesterday and then this happened to me on the way home from work...

(Fortunately person who hit me was insured and did not flee, but I am not happy as this is my favorite car that I have owned; I hope her insurance does not rip me off...)

I think that it is hard. I have hit several old places that yield oldies. I had a 1890's site that had been hunted by old timers, saw several group hunts throughout the years and its one of those places someone says "Everyone Knows about it." I think people gave up on it. I hit it, and spent a lot of time, but in the span of a year managed 4 Barber quarters, 10 barber dimes, 1 seated dime, 40-50 indians, 25 V- nickels, 1 shield nickel, a few tokens, and some old foreign coins ... All from a place that had been heavily hunted and considered 'hunted out'.

I don't consider a place 'hunted out' unless you no longer get any signals. I've been to places like that where someone has systematically cleaned it out so well, that you are there for 5 hours and you don't so much as hear a pull tab, yet you know for fact that in the past silver and goodies have been found there.

Like L4S says, listen, don't look. Also, learn to swing slow and low at the appropriate times. It is a amazing how a 6 second swing will reveal signals masked by other stuff say when you make a 3 second swing.

Another thing I do, at heavily hunted sites is try to put myself in the mindset of an old guy back in the 80's pulling so many silver he leaves because he got tired of digging and has a pillow cover full of coins. I think about where he would not have swung. A lot of times the harder places like steep hillsides and deep ravines are missed due to laziness... Trashy areas missed due to machines that could not separate as well .... Then also there is just blind luck, say in the woods, of swinging over that right spot...

 

[Clad the Impaler]

Sorry Clad for not getting back to you. I couldn't get out yesterday and then this happened to me on the way home from work...


(Fortunately person who hit me was insured and did not flee, but I am not happy as this is my favorite car that I have owned; I hope her insurance does not rip me off...)

I think that it is hard. I have hit several old places that yield oldies. I had a 1890's site that had been hunted by old timers, saw several group hunts throughout the years and its one of those places someone says "Everyone Knows about it." I think people gave up on it. I hit it, and spent a lot of time, but in the span of a year managed 4 Barber quarters, 10 barber dimes, 1 seated dime, 40-50 indians, 25 V- nickels, 1 shield nickel, a few tokens, and some old foreign coins ... All from a place that had been heavily hunted and considered 'hunted out'.

I don't consider a place 'hunted out' unless you no longer get any signals. I've been to places like that where someone has systematically cleaned it out so well, that you are there for 5 hours and you don't so much as hear a pull tab, yet you know for fact that in the past silver and goodies have been found there.

Like L4S says, listen, don't look. Also, learn to swing slow and low at the appropriate times. It is a amazing how a 6 second swing will reveal signals masked by other stuff say when you make a 3 second swing.

Another thing I do, at heavily hunted sites is try to put myself in the mindset of an old guy back in the 80's pulling so many silver he leaves because he got tired of digging and has a pillow cover full of coins. I think about where he would not have swung. A lot of times the harder places like steep hillsides and deep ravines are missed due to laziness... Trashy areas missed due to machines that could not separate as well .... Then also there is just blind luck, say in the woods, of swinging over that right spot...

Hi Jon. Sorry to hear about your car. Hopefully, you'll be able to get it fixed soon, and without any problems. Thanks very much for the advice everyone. I had a bad day in a spot where there were no deep signals, and I started to get discouraged. Fortunately, these last few days have been MUCH better for me, and I'm back to finding the "good stuff". It hasn't so much been lack of targets for me, as lack of DEEP targets. Most of my success last year came from digging high tone DEEP repeatable targets. This allowed me to find 86 silver coins last year, as well as numerous indians, buffalos, wheaties, and even a few V nickels. The problem in Chicago parks, is that there are numerous high tone signals, but VERY FEW OF THEM ARE DEEPER THAN 3", and as anyone who has had a detector more than a few days knows, the likelihood of an older coin being surface to 3" in UNDISTURBED ground is slim to none (you E-Trac users know what I'm talking about with all of the high tone 12-44 signals that are copper mem cents and/or clad dimes). Many detectorists have had success digging shallow high tone signals, but there is A TON of clad and trash to sort through, and your odds of digging shallow silver are (imho) slim to none. Is it really worth it to dig 100 high tone shallow signals when 99 of them are clad and trash? I start getting bored after digging 30 something mem cents... Anyway, I'm gonna post my goodies now. I guess I just need to swing a little slower and not try to cover an entire site in one day.

 

[p2c]

The trick here, and it isn't fool proof, is to learn how the silver coin sounds versus the clad. This isn't always true. I was on a hunt that I passed up a strong 12-44 that I would have sworn was a mem-cent. Later, Patrick dug a mercury dime right there. I also have had clad have that nice soft silvery sound. But a lot of times you can tell the sound of silver versus the sound of clad. Clad is typically a harsher louder sound on etrac. Silver has this nice soft da-da-da-da.

Remember your group hunt in Garfield? That 1892 Barber Quarter I dug was 2 inches. I was pretty sure when I heard it (of course it helped that it was a quarter as I was focusing on those).

I learned not to overlook the good shallow my first year hunting with an old-timer. The only silver that came out of a super hunted park was his. I and another guy were going for the deep stuff. He pulled a merc at 1/2 inch.

I wouldn't dig every shallow if I am trying only for silver, but I would suggest digging the really good sounding shallow that have that silver sound -- learn it. Also, I personally dig every shallow quarter signal -- they add up!!!

 

[Clad the Impaler]

The trick here, and it isn't fool proof, is to learn how the silver coin sounds versus the clad. This isn't always true. I was on a hunt that I passed up a strong 12-44 that I would have sworn was a mem-cent. Later, Patrick dug a mercury dime right there. I also have had clad have that nice soft silvery sound. But a lot of times you can tell the sound of silver versus the sound of clad. Clad is typically a harsher louder sound on etrac. Silver has this nice soft da-da-da-da.

Remember your group hunt in Garfield? That 1892 Barber Quarter I dug was 2 inches. I was pretty sure when I heard it (of course it helped that it was a quarter as I was focusing on those).

I learned not to overlook the good shallow my first year hunting with an old-timer. The only silver that came out of a super hunted park was his. I and another guy were going for the deep stuff. He pulled a merc at 1/2 inch.

I wouldn't dig every shallow if I am trying only for silver, but I would suggest digging the really good sounding shallow that have that silver sound -- learn it. Also, I personally dig every shallow quarter signal -- they add up!!!

Hi again Jon. Thanks for the tips. I have trouble telling the difference between clad and silver, which is why I focus mainly on signals 4" and deeper. I agree with you 100% on those quarter signals. I ALWAYS dig those 11-46/12-47 even if they're 1/2 inch. It DOES add up.

 

[watercolor]

One must not forget that a LOT of hunters will skip the shallower targets
which COULD be the recoveries you would kill for.

Some of my best finds have been shallow An 1865 3-cent piece on the surface. . . go figure.

 

[Lookn4Seated]

One must not forget that a LOT of hunters will skip the shallower targets
which COULD be the recoveries you would kill for.

Some of my best finds have been shallow An 1865 3-cent piece on the surface. . . go figure.

.....and that's why I listen to my machine.... I don't look at the numbers, I don't look at the depth gauge. If you do, that's how you miss a TON of GREAT targets....from silver rings to silver coins. I told TF one day not to discriminate depth, because he only dug stuff that was deeper than five inches.(and I was having multiple silver days digging the 1-3" signals)

D-Dub found a seated half-dime 1/2" under the surface!
TF and I both "dug" Barber halves from less than 1/2" deep!
And many other detectorists have found SPECTACULAR stuff "shallow"

Sure, You're almost guaranteed an old coin from nine inches down, but what do you do when you're digging mem cents and clad at nine inches? Do you leave the site? I don't. That's when I start finding silver at two or three inches as well as the deep ones. Sometimes dirt has been brought from somewhere else, and YOU DON'T KNOW where it came from......What does that mean? Good targets in the entire depth spectrum. I'm not a pro or anything near one, but I do know one thing that I've learned from A LOT OF PROS...."not to discriminate depth or VDI numbers" Those are there to give you an idea of the "make-up" of the target and its "depth" but does not mean it should NOT be dug.

Paul, you have to understand that all the "GOOD" signals have been dug up since the 70's....ask LOWBATTS about how much fantastic S*#T he's dug in the good 'ole days....or even MR Senior. MR SR found 2 gold coins in the U.S. in the mid-80's (several more in Europe). 100 silver days was NOT uncommon......especially at those City parks. We're picking up what their machines couldn't pick up those days.

This is why I say "LISTEN" to your machine and DON'T DISCRIMINATE. If it sounds anything near good....DIG IT! Jeeez, I dug a target that was bouncing from 26-17, 01-36, 12-17, numbers all over the place, but I "HEARD" a little squeak.....Guess what? It was a pocket spill with nickels, pennies and dimes in it.

I don't want o come off sounding like an A*#$*^E, but quit the whimpering and start DIGGING!
Good Luck & HH

 

[Clad the Impaler]

Aha!! Good to know!! Thanks Jon!! The site where PS, GTL and I hunted Tues. night is LOADED with shallow signals (surface-4"). I'm gonna have to start digging those once the weather improves. Perhaps I should follow the mantra of those who say that a site isn't truly "hunted out" until you can't get any more signals.

 

[Lookn4Seated]

Aha!! Good to know!! Thanks Jon!! The site where PS, GTL and I hunted Tues. night is LOADED with shallow signals (surface-4"). I'm gonna have to start digging those once the weather improves. Perhaps I should follow the mantra of those who say that a site isn't truly "hunted out" until you can't get any more signals.

AHA! There you go bud! That's the right mentality. I know the site, but won't make it public, and I know there is TONS of screw caps there. Just remember that those screw caps and silver rings are "almost" identical signals.... as are men cents and clad dimes. Hunt close to trees there, as roots DO HELP bring some older coins up.

And definitely dig those signals that "BOUNCE" all over the place there. You know how IH's do the triangle bounce on the "E-Trac?" Gold stuff does the same thing in the Low -Mid range. (Best secret I'll share with you that others don't know)

 

[Pocket Spill]

Couple of thoughts

1. Jon is right about the triangle bounce on the Indians. Took me over a year to learn that but my Indian count went way up last year once I got the hang of it.

2. It's all about the sounds, not the numbers. Although the etrac obviously has a backlight your recent success may be due to the fact you were hunting at night where there is a tendency to hunt slower and pay more attention to listening to the signals.

3. Depth location is area specific. In the park we were in there are plenty of oldies at shallow depths. They are still there because of all the trash and the etrac is able to pick them out where previous technology was not able to. When etrac 007 and I were there a few weeks ago and he got 9 dimes and I got 5 dimes in one hunt they were all pretty much 5 inches with many of them being at 2 to 3 inches. At another park you and I have hunted alot, all the silver has been in the 6 to 9 inch range.

4. Any hunt in a previously pounded park is always a crapshoot. Walking back to the car with no silver or indians is just a reality. It is 2012 after all. When I was 10 years old in 1980 growing up in western Illinois I had a cheap Compass brand detector with one knob and use to find a ton of stuff. No headphones, probe, pouch, water bottle to wash coins or fancy digging tool. Just carried an extra 9 volt battery and my digger which was an old USMC combat knife. My favorite site was an old fairground location. Knew of one $5 and one $10 gold piece that came out of there but even if I hunted all day all I could find was a pocket full of Indians, Barber and Seated coins. (site stopped being used as a fair in about 1910) Couldn't find a gold coin. It was frustrating. Kinda like you got. It's all relative Just keep hunting and remember to have fun.

 

[Clad the Impaler]

Couple of thoughts

1. Jon is right about the triangle bounce on the Indians. Took me over a year to learn that but my Indian count went way up last year once I got the hang of it.

2. It's all about the sounds, not the numbers. Although the etrac obviously has a backlight your recent success may be due to the fact you were hunting at night where there is a tendency to hunt slower and pay more attention to listening to the signals.

3. Depth location is area specific. In the park we were in there are plenty of oldies at shallow depths. They are still there because of all the trash and the etrac is able to pick them out where previous technology was not able to. When etrac 007 and I were there a few weeks ago and he got 9 dimes and I got 5 dimes in one hunt they were all pretty much 5 inches with many of them being at 2 to 3 inches. At another park you and I have hunted alot, all the silver has been in the 6 to 9 inch range.

4. Any hunt in a previously pounded park is always a crapshoot. Walking back to the car with no silver or indians is just a reality. It is 2012 after all. When I was 10 years old in 1980 growing up in western Illinois I had a cheap Compass brand detector with one knob and use to find a ton of stuff. No headphones, probe, pouch, water bottle to wash coins or fancy digging tool. Just carried an extra 9 volt battery and my digger which was an old USMC combat knife. My favorite site was an old fairground location. Knew of one $5 and one $10 gold piece that came out of there but even if I hunted all day all I could find was a pocket full of Indians, Barber and Seated coins. (site stopped being used as a fair in about 1910) Couldn't find a gold coin. It was frustrating. Kinda like you got. It's all relative Just keep hunting and remember to have fun.

Hi Pat. You are absolutely right. My success night hunting might have been due to slow swinging and concentration. Too bad many of my spots are unsafe after dark . I'm gonna agree somewhat on the "it's all relative" quote as well, although I don't think that, in 20-30 years, detectorists are going to be bragging about their ability to find zincolns or clad...

 

[p2c]

although I don't think that, in 20-30 years, detectorists are going to be bragging about their ability to find zincolns or clad...

You never know in 20-30 years what might happen to the US monetary system ... Some countries that revalued their currency didn't revalue their small denomination change and didn't remove it from official currency. As a result, the small denomination change became significantly worth more.