- #1
Thread Owner
The thread about people asking questions got me thinking a lot about this subject, so I figured I'd post my thoughts. I've been MD'ing off and on for about 30 years now, and gotten back into it for about the past 7 years or so on a semi-serious basis. I still work a full time job, so time is always limited, especially since I work nights.
I just recently found this website, and I've been totally impressed with the folks that I've talked to from here. I've met one member, who happened to be about a 90 second drive away, and he has helped me out quite a bit on research, and hopefully I can return the favor soon by putting him on some good ground.
Over the years, I've had countless people come up and ask if I'm finding anything good. It depends on where I am a bit, but usually I'm fairly sociable. My typical answer is "a few pennies, but mostly I'm picking up the trash".
The more people talk, the more information you gather, especially when it's the older folks that have lived in the area all their life. They will tell you "try down by that corner, there used to be a (fill in the blank) down there. Or my favorite "This ought to be a good area, the entire Union Army used this road when they were heading towards the river".
It almost never pays to be short with someone, but give someone a few minutes of your time, especially the older folks, and it could very well point you to an area that you would have never gone, and open up other areas that you would have never had access to. Especially when you walk up to a house, and say "Hi, I'm (fill in the blank again), Mrs. Jones told me that you had a Confederate camp in your field. Mind if I walk through it with my metal detector?"
If they say no, you lost a few minutes of coil swinging time. If they say yes, then you might have opened up yourself to the best target area you ever had.
My other little secret, is that I carry a couple of standard .58 cal. 3 ring bullets in my pouch. If I hit on a good area, I'll go back and give the landowner a couple of bullets from the Civil War, and ask if I can come back again. Depending on your area, you can swap that out for hand forged nails, or whatever may be a "nice" find that will excite the landowner, and have them want you back. Toss in that extra cool little tidbit, and say 'imagine, the last person that held this before WE (emphasis in WE) did, was a soldier fighting in the Civil War. Granted, that may be a little deceptive at times, but you will make that person feel great. Also, never contradict someone who grew up believing in the history of their area, even if you know they are wrong. No one wants their lifleong beliefs shattered.
I also always tell them that I will haul out whatever trash I find, and leave their property better than it was before I got there.
I see people all the time talk about not being able to find places to go detecting. I consider myself fortunate, because I have so many places that I can go, with real historical significance that I'll never be able to hunt them all.
I also see posts where people are asking if it's legal to hunt on school grounds, parks, other public areas etc. find out who, in your area issues arrest warrants. Here in Virginia, it is the Magistrate. It could be a Commissioner, Judge, or whatever your area has. I call them up, or go in person and ask "Is it illegal to use a metal detector here?" If they tell me it isn't, then I get their name, and thank them for the information.
I've been in law-enforcement for just short of 25 years. Unless you are in an area that is so full of history that you can't avoid it (Jamestown, Williamsburg, Manassas) most cops don't have a clue about metal detecting laws, because it isn't a big priority for them. If you are approached by a cop (usually because someone else called them), and tell them that you spoke with Magistrate Jones, and that it wasn't illegal to use a metal detector here, then the odds of you being left to go about your business increase exponentially. Again, be polite, and non-confrontational. It goes a long way.
If I'm in an area that I think I'll be approached by someone, I won't use headphones. I might miss a few targets, but I can hear someone when they speak. I can go back later and cover the same ground, but I won't appear to be rude at the time.
Hopefully some of this might be useful to a few of the newer folks here, and possibly some of the older ones as well. If so, good luck, and good hunting. If you find the mason jar full of $20.00 gold pieces, remember me
I just recently found this website, and I've been totally impressed with the folks that I've talked to from here. I've met one member, who happened to be about a 90 second drive away, and he has helped me out quite a bit on research, and hopefully I can return the favor soon by putting him on some good ground.
Over the years, I've had countless people come up and ask if I'm finding anything good. It depends on where I am a bit, but usually I'm fairly sociable. My typical answer is "a few pennies, but mostly I'm picking up the trash".
The more people talk, the more information you gather, especially when it's the older folks that have lived in the area all their life. They will tell you "try down by that corner, there used to be a (fill in the blank) down there. Or my favorite "This ought to be a good area, the entire Union Army used this road when they were heading towards the river".
It almost never pays to be short with someone, but give someone a few minutes of your time, especially the older folks, and it could very well point you to an area that you would have never gone, and open up other areas that you would have never had access to. Especially when you walk up to a house, and say "Hi, I'm (fill in the blank again), Mrs. Jones told me that you had a Confederate camp in your field. Mind if I walk through it with my metal detector?"
If they say no, you lost a few minutes of coil swinging time. If they say yes, then you might have opened up yourself to the best target area you ever had.
My other little secret, is that I carry a couple of standard .58 cal. 3 ring bullets in my pouch. If I hit on a good area, I'll go back and give the landowner a couple of bullets from the Civil War, and ask if I can come back again. Depending on your area, you can swap that out for hand forged nails, or whatever may be a "nice" find that will excite the landowner, and have them want you back. Toss in that extra cool little tidbit, and say 'imagine, the last person that held this before WE (emphasis in WE) did, was a soldier fighting in the Civil War. Granted, that may be a little deceptive at times, but you will make that person feel great. Also, never contradict someone who grew up believing in the history of their area, even if you know they are wrong. No one wants their lifleong beliefs shattered.
I also always tell them that I will haul out whatever trash I find, and leave their property better than it was before I got there.
I see people all the time talk about not being able to find places to go detecting. I consider myself fortunate, because I have so many places that I can go, with real historical significance that I'll never be able to hunt them all.
I also see posts where people are asking if it's legal to hunt on school grounds, parks, other public areas etc. find out who, in your area issues arrest warrants. Here in Virginia, it is the Magistrate. It could be a Commissioner, Judge, or whatever your area has. I call them up, or go in person and ask "Is it illegal to use a metal detector here?" If they tell me it isn't, then I get their name, and thank them for the information.
I've been in law-enforcement for just short of 25 years. Unless you are in an area that is so full of history that you can't avoid it (Jamestown, Williamsburg, Manassas) most cops don't have a clue about metal detecting laws, because it isn't a big priority for them. If you are approached by a cop (usually because someone else called them), and tell them that you spoke with Magistrate Jones, and that it wasn't illegal to use a metal detector here, then the odds of you being left to go about your business increase exponentially. Again, be polite, and non-confrontational. It goes a long way.
If I'm in an area that I think I'll be approached by someone, I won't use headphones. I might miss a few targets, but I can hear someone when they speak. I can go back later and cover the same ground, but I won't appear to be rude at the time.
Hopefully some of this might be useful to a few of the newer folks here, and possibly some of the older ones as well. If so, good luck, and good hunting. If you find the mason jar full of $20.00 gold pieces, remember me
