My first walk in the park

[Narthoniel]

Hello,

I am a fairly new detectorist, and have been in the water and on the beach for most of my detecting time. It has done me well, but, I am looking to expand my talents. So, with that in mind, I started trying my hand at a couple local parks today. From what I have read, tot lots seem to be prime for plundering, and I did some thinkin, and came up with a few ideas.

The boss postponed work an hour this morning, so I decided to hunt a large local park for that hours time. I started out around the swings, and felt very out of place. I am used to sand and waves. Playgrounds and wood chips were intimidating, and, there is the fact I cannot possibly see myself finding any gold in such a place. But hunt I did, and find a good bit too. I checked around the swings, and found a pocket spill under one. Found several coins strewn all over the lot, but mostly pennies. Was a bit strange, but I found 2 high powered rifle casings behind a swing.
After that area was done, I decided to move on. On my way back to the truck, I spotted a volleyball court, and was glad to see some sand. It took 5 passes to hunt the entire court, and at the end of the fourth pass, I hit a HUGE coin spill. Must have been 25 pennies, and several other coins too. Checked a second court, and not one target. Hit up a second swingset area, and then headed for work, late as usual.

After work, I had about 2 hours to kill before low tide, and, since I had my detector, I hit up another small neighborhood park nearby. In an hour there, I rustled up 48 coins, and several trash pieces. For a small park, I was amazed at all the coins. Time was tickin, and I headed home to hit the tide, and didn't quite hunt the entire area.


All in all, these areas seem great for small change. I still don't see how finding jewelry is possible there, but, you pros all seem to agree, its there. I lack a good digger or pinpointer, so I am helpless away from wood chips or sand. I would like to ask, what tips can you give me about parks? Am I likely to find anything besides coins and pull tabs in these areas? And are there any areas in parks, other than wood chips, that I should look into hunting?

Thank you in advance for your time, both in reading my meager comments and questions, and especially for taking the time to help me understand how best to work these areas. I greatly appreciate the helping hand that this community is willing to lend to new members, as I have had a great deal of help in the beach hunting section thus far.
Anthony

 

[Dman]

Nice bunch of coins. Look under large trees where people would sit in the shade and along the edge of sidewalks.
Dman

 

[IAsoldier]

Great spot to hunt Im still finding stuff LOL

 

[Narthoniel]

Thank you for your comments and suggestions. One problem I have is using my Excal near the metal in the playground equip is a nono. If i get within 2 feet, the metal poles set it off, and blast my ears to pieces!

 

[MrBling]

In parks, I concentrate on the tot lots, sports areas such as courts for tennis, basketball, and volleyball, and around picnic pavilions
Also check around benches, fountains, the bathrooms(outside them, I mean :P) , the edges of jogging paths and areas where people sit/walk during concerts and other events
There IS jewelry in parks

 

[Detectingfreak]

Great job on your first hunt in the parks out of the water!

Well the only tip that I can offer you is during the day see where kids and adults hang out around the parks. Then go back there when they are not there. You might find something!

 

[Mr_Mojo_Risin]

Looks like the haul I usually get- but without the nickels and dimes

 

[pookie-princess of rust]

congrats!

 

[nebstater]

There is gold and silver in tot lots. It's like everything else. You have to be there at the right time. Depending on the size of your park, if it has a large open area, you might want to do that too. Kids and adults, while on picnics or outings have a habit of playing games, football, soccer, tag, etc. Games that cause them to roll and tumble on the ground. When this happens, coins and jewelry and other items have a habit of taking a nose dive. It's there, but harder to find than at a beach. Keep looking, you'll find it.

 

[RUDY2003]

It's all treasure, big and small... Beaches prob'ly have better potential for nicer jewelry but in the tot-lots theres always a variety of diggs.
I've found a good share of gold and diamonds in them. Like Moma Gump said,'You never know what youre gonna get".

Keep safe...

Keith

 

[limitedthoughts]

Set down the sensitivity if your blasting away at 2 feet form equipment. Check to see if you can get closer with less sensitivty.

My favorite tool is a flat head screw driver. The shaft needs to be rounded and not square and i like the ones that have the ball on the top of the handle. It never fails and makes it easy to repair turf. Also it saves more energy then digging plugs.

Check around any type of equipment or benches. as you go more and more you will get more of a idea. Check soccer fields side lines baseball fields.5 - 10 feet out from the posts.

Just remember is better then no where in the park. Your chances are just as good going out where two teens have been kissin as it is finding something in a tot lot a mom dropped.

If you have any questions Pm me.

LT.

 

[QUICKSILVER (appletree)]

Curb to curb, Property line to property line! You could find old silver in the large open areas and under large old trees!!! HH, QUICKSILVER(appletree)

 

[ringfinder]

Nice battery money!! The rifle shells look like they might be blank's. Sometimes at parks where
they have flags, military groups raise flags and sometimes they shoot a volley of blank rounds off.

As for hunting closer to metal objects, see if there is a smaller coil for your detector available.
With a small coil you can get really close to play ground equipment. Also turn down your sensitivity.

Best of Luck and HH, Ringfinder

 

[Narthoniel]

There is gold and silver in tot lots. It's like everything else. You have to be there at the right time. Depending on the size of your park, if it has a large open area, you might want to do that too. Kids and adults, while on picnics or outings have a habit of playing games, football, soccer, tag, etc. Games that cause them to roll and tumble on the ground. When this happens, coins and jewelry and other items have a habit of taking a nose dive. It's there, but harder to find than at a beach. Keep looking, you'll find it.

The first park I went to is huge, many acres, several baseball fields, and huge open areas for sports. Theres also horseshoe pits, volleyball, picnic shelters, tons of picnic tables, hiking trails, woods, and more. Once I get a bullseye and a good digging tool, ill be able to hit the rest of the areas.

Set down the sensitivity if your blasting away at 2 feet form equipment. Check to see if you can get closer with less sensitivity.

The benches are metal around the tot lot areas, and the entire bench sets off the detector. Ill try cranking the sens all the way down next time.

Curb to curb, Property line to property line! You could find old silver in the large open areas and under large old trees!!! HH, QUICKSILVER(appletree)

I would LOVE to find old silver, but, this park is not likely. It is not that old, and before it was a park, it was a farm. I have no idea which area of the park any of the previous buildings stood. Unfortunately, the area I live has very few old parks, even tho this is where the first English settlers set foot for the first time. Lots of old farms here, going back to the early 1600s, but very few parks any older than 1960.

Nice battery money!! The rifle shells look like they might be blank's. Sometimes at parks where
they have flags, military groups raise flags and sometimes they shoot a volley of blank rounds off.

As for hunting closer to metal objects, see if there is a smaller coil for your detector available.
With a small coil you can get really close to play ground equipment. Also turn down your sensitivity.

Best of Luck and HH, Ringfinder

The detector I have is an Excal2, and it is made for the water. The coil is 10 inches, and cannot be changed unless I send it to them to have it done. I do intend to someday purchase a detector for land hunting, but until then, gotta use what I have.


And I would like to thank everyone for their input. Being a newbie, I feel like a kid lost in a big world. But the more I learn, the more I will get past that. Thank you for helping me get going in this regard.
Anthony

 

[sparkymaster]

Nice bunch of finds!

Ball fields produce well also.

 

[QUICKSILVER (appletree)]

Thats why you have to cover every square inch You have to go into it with an open mind and a good mood! also this is how the heart attack, happy dance and the 400 yard sprint in 2 seconds comes into play, when you least expect the old silver right out of now where! old farms are very good places to find sweet things! even if you don't know where the bildings were!!!! let the DUH-TEKTOR guide you, HH, and good luck, QUICKSILVER(appletree) I found these on an old farm!!!!!!

 

[Narthoniel]

very nice digs

 

[crazyjarhead]

Jewelery can be found because parents usually accompany their tots. A visit to your local library might help you find some historical place which I'm sure Virginia is full of. Good luck and welcome to the TNET