Newbie requesting help

[blackbird939]

Hello forum,
I am new to the hobby, so new in fact that I have never owned a single detector, but I have read an entire book on the subject. Over the years I have pursued lesser hobbies keeping MD/relic hunting on my plate for a future time and locale. I actually moved to historic Alexandria City VA this month in part because I hoped that I could be in driving distance to relic hunting sites. As a child, a family friend once brought me a cannon fragment and bullets that he said he found in "the woods" of his Atlanta home. I am now ready and willing, and more eager than ever to find, even ONE single bullet fired in the civil war. I know it sounds crazy, but I would feel like the initial output of $$ would pay itself off with only a single find, verifiable to the CW. I want to perform the hours of relentless research and reading, and I have already begun, but what if you just wanted to just get in to it with a new machine? Is is there someone here, who would take me and my son to a known location (where we had permission) and show me the ropes? I would give that person ANYTHING I found. I just want to get into the hobby without buying the wrong rig and wasting time in the wrong pursuits. I have sent a membership check to the Northern Virginia Relic Hunters Association. So, together with this forum and others, I hope to realize a lifelong dream. If no one wants to mentor us, can anyone recommend a nice MD, specifically created for hunting relics? I have long wondered about streams NEAR known sites where a shallow water rig might bring up the goods. Even saw a youtube video of a guy pulling things up in waist deep water.
Any suggestions for motivated newbies is greatly appreciated.

Michael

 

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[Kas]

Welcome Blackbird. Yes, start THing, you'll wish you would have started years ago. There's not a more relaxing and enjoyable hobby that one can have. You should be able to find a local THing, relic hunting club near you that will take you under their wing. There are experts here that will answer your every question.

You can trust Tony. TCmetaldetectors. He's well respected here.

 

[Digginman]

Blackbird,

If you check on this post, send me a PM. I will take you hunting. It's a little drive for you, but worth it.

Looking forward to your reply.

DM

 

[Kas]

Blackbird,

If you check on this post, send me a PM. I will take you hunting. It's a little drive for you, but worth it.

Looking forward to your reply.

DM

Why to step up Dig.

 

[DCMatt]

Blackbird,

PM me. I'm in Fairfax county and have permission to hunt a few spots. I can probably put you over a bullet.

Tony's advice on the Tesoro is good. My buddy uses a Tejon and is happy with it. He has plenty of CW relics to show and he has only been hunting for a year or so.

DCMatt

 

[sqzdog]

Be careful in Alexandria. I think it illegal to hunt in the city.

 

[SamN]

heres a question. I live in Carrollton, VA (Smithfield area) near the James River (can see it from my homestead, 50 acre ranch) Ive been hunting a 3-4acre section of woods now for about a week. I find a fair amount of 3 ring lead bullets, and there waxed(red) cartridges, a couple mini balls. I also found an ax head, very heavy for its size.
But when is a site hunted out when should I move on

 

[DCMatt]

heres a question. I live in Carrollton, VA (Smithfield area) near the James River (can see it from my homestead, 50 acre ranch) Ive been hunting a 3-4acre section of woods now for about a week. I find a fair amount of 3 ring lead bullets, and there waxed(red) cartridges, a couple mini balls. I also found an ax head, very heavy for its size.
But when is a site hunted out when should I move on

Are you digging everything? Any buttons or other relics? Iron? Any modern trash? Hunting 3 - 4 acres (if I'm digging CW relics) would take a lot longer than a week.

I'd keep hunting until the hits are so few that it is frustrating or until my research found me a better place to hunt.

Go back where you've already been but hunt from a different direction. You may be surprised.

DCMatt

 

[SamN]

I am digging everything as there isnt much trash. Ive opened up my Dis. to Accept-30-+95, and use Mixed Mode which is a non motio, non dis. mode (it sounds off on everything) I do scoot through the woods fast. Started marking the trees so I know where Ive been. I have to follow the deer paths for a base trail and hunt the pockets where I can get my coil to the groung. Thats why I feel that Im hunting the area over and over. However, for a newbe I keep finding stuff. Just not as much, cant get it all, theres still more.
I have'nt started in the front field. It was farmed up until 2000. Probably 4 acres

 

[EX2user]

heres a question. I live in Carrollton, VA (Smithfield area) near the James River (can see it from my homestead, 50 acre ranch) Ive been hunting a 3-4acre section of woods now for about a week. I find a fair amount of 3 ring lead bullets, and there waxed(red) cartridges, a couple mini balls. I also found an ax head, very heavy for its size.
But when is a site hunted out when should I move on

Three or four acres is a wide area to hunt. Many hunter will tell you to grid off an area and hunt say up and down the area and then go side to side overlapping your coil swing. It is an effective way to cover an area but takes a lot of time. You have to swing slow and keep your coil parallel to the ground.
If you are finding relics I would pound the area some more. Let the weather conditions change and hunt it again . Try after a good rain storm. Metal breaks down depositing residue around it with time. I think it is called the halo effect. Rain water will make the relic more conductive and deeper targets will be found. Hope this helps.

 

[ajacan]

I used to live up in Alexandria and relic hunt, so I thought I might be able to offer some insight. Even though it can be hard to find a place to hunt in the city, it can be done. So I suggest you don’t write off your immediate area so quickly. Alexandria was one of the major staging grounds for the yanks during the war. Beyond the forts, smaller works and gun platforms; there were dozens upon dozens of camps in a relatively small physical area. Some of which probably have yet to be even discovered. Sqzdog is right; it is now illegal to hunt on city property, however private property is still ok, so long as it is not in the protected areas of Old Town. The trick is finding a person that owns land that was a campsite that does not mind you digging holes in their lawn (this I think is the hardest part of relic hunting in Alexandria). If you have some patience it can pay off. I have had people give me permission to hunt only in their garden and the under bushes, and come away with a handful of bullets. Any bit of land you can get permission to hunt, no matter how small could yield finds. Good Luck, and Happy Hunting.