New Member in Vicksburg

[Comments by Dave]

Any other Vicksburg members here?

 

[jayutica]

Hey, Dave! I am Jay and live in Utica but do alot of my hunting in Bovina! Good to see someone else from my neck of the woods!

 

[Comments by Dave]

Hey Jay!

Glad to see another local here. I was getting worried!

 

[jayutica]

Yeah, it's been hard finding anyone around here that shares my 'addiction', lol! What kinda huntin are you most interested in? I myself am partial to relics, particularly CW!

 

[Comments by Dave]

Just got my first device in December for my birthday. So far I have been hunting for anything and trying to determine good tones from scrap. We have a 120 year old home that sits high on a hill near the military park. My yard is full of scrap, so far not a single decent relic. I have been to other properties of friends in CW high activity areas and again am only finding scrap. I know the issue is me learning how to work the detector.

That's where I am, but man, it sure is addictive - AND good exercise.

 

[jayutica]

I can promise you, it's there, just gotta get the coil over it! What machine are you using? I started with a BH Pioneer 202 about 6 years ago, and have gradually upgraded to the Fisher F75 I have today. Good luck and let me know if you'ld like to meet up sometime!

 

[wettpaint]

Jay,
Do you have any advice for someone using the 202. I have had it for a little over a year and am having issues with it. I have found a couple of items with it, but I cannot find a new quarter that I put in the ground last summer.

wettpaint - Oxford

 

[jayutica]

Wettpaint, all I could tell you is make sure the coil wire is tight to the rod and that the coil plug is firmly in the jack. And turn the sensitivity all the way up and don't use any discrimination. If you still can't pick up a surface coin you probably have coil issues. If you could find another coil to test with that would probably tell you what you need to know. Good luck!

 

[Shortstack]

Welcome to the forum, Dave. Are you sure all of that trash is "trash"? Since your home was built around 1889 or so, you should be finding some coins at least; unless the yard has been filled in over the years. A good way to evaluate this is to look at any sidewalks, pathways, driveways, etc. that have been in place for awhile. If the surface of the sidewalk is below the level of the lawn, there's a very good chance that the lawn area has been filled in and/or sodded over the years and any good targets will be deep. If the sidewalk's surface is above or well above the lawn's level, then the lawn is most probably "original" and the coins and other goodies will be about the depth of the grassroots. To illustrate my point, last summer I was coin shooting my old high school (built in 1923) and popped up a Buffalo nickel from the grassroots (about 2 inches) in one section of the front lawn that has never been filled and sodded. The sidewalk's surface is wellllll above the lawn's surface where I was searching. Over on the opposite side of the area, I'd have to dig at least 5 inches or more because it has been filled at one time in the past. I know this for sure because I graduated from this school in 1965 and am positive about the yard's maintenance.
I have found this basic guide to be true all over this country (including Alaska)

Being as old as it is; your home probably has a front porch. Be sure to check the area of the yard from the edge of the porch out to about 6 feet. Kids jumping off of the porch, then rolling on the ground down through the years will leave coins. Plus, sweepings from the porch end up on the nearest section of the yard. My son and I have found coin "nests" within the 6 foot stretches of old yards. My son found his first silver Rosie dime this way and it was just at grassroot level. That yard had never been filled or sodded. (see tip above, ) I have consistently found old coins at root level, so don't be afraid to backoff of the sensitivity control to get cleaner operation. I found an old uniform button at root level at an old home lot in my hometown.

This post is pretty long, but I thought it to be an important piece of info for your "tool bag". Good luck.

 

[zaxfire69]

Comments by Dave. I live in Natchez, Ms. Not far from Vicksburg. I love hunting Civil war relics. I own the Fisher F75 and the Garrett Ace 250. Anytime you want to do some hunting just let me know. I would love to hunt around Vicksburg. Never been up there Metal Detecting. Glad you are a member. Zaxfire69