Northern WV ... Where to go??

[Heysenn]

Hey everyone!! My hubby and I are new to metal detecting. We have the AT Pro and have been getting acclimated to it the past couple day at local parks. It's a great hobby and we're loving it. We haven't found anything really great, just clad ... Anyway, my question is, where should we go? We live in Weirton. We are looking for old coins, jewelry, anything with historical value. Any ideas, pointers and tips will be much appreciated! Thanks!

 

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[Jay In NewKen]

Just a few suggestions would be to look at historic maps, historicaerials is a good site. Most towns have a history on their website, good info there as well. Old churches, swimming holes picnic areas...etc the list goes on.

 

[Heysenn]

Great ... What are the general dos and donts as far as the laws goes? I don't want to end up in the paper for MD in the wrong spot (they put ya in the paper for everything out here, haha).

 

[Jay In NewKen]

Thats a tough subject. Basic rule, if its private property, always ask permission from the land owner. For public parks, check the park rules and regs. Also, i believe there are a few good threads here on Tnet in regards to this subject, along with a legal section that pertains to laws. Every state, town, is different.

 

[Rawhide]

Old swimming holes would be a great place to check. Good Luck.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

For public parks, check the park rules and regs......

To expand a little more on this advice from Jay, I would add: Sure, "check the park rules and reg's". But do not interpret this statement to mean "go ask permission", or go ask "can I detect", etc... Instead, what Jay is saying, is to look up the rules for yourself. Usually on your city website in case of city land, or county website in the case of county land, etc..... Not only general park rules (no dogs, park closes at sunset, etc...), but also general muni codes as well. If you see nothing there saying "no metal detectors", then presto! It must not be dis-allowed.

The reason to look it up for yourself (instead of walking in to city hall and asking), is that all-too-often, people have gotten arbitrary "no's", when no such rule really exists. And if you turn the tables and ask "but where is that written?" (hoping to put the burden of proof on them to CITE such a rule), it will and can go "down-hill" from there. You know, the silly stuff that a bored desk clerk morphs to apply to your "pressing question", when .... odds are ... no one would ever have cared or noticed.

 

[labradigger1]

Cannot stress enough how many times nosy neighbors have called the police on me. If yo have written permission to be on the property the cops read it and tell you to have a good day. Try some local history books for leads.

 

[Heysenn]

Thanks, guys. Being new to MD'ing, the members on this forum are super helpful. We're new to this forum so I've been trying to read through and search as many threads as I can before I decide to post a question ... I know how aggravating that can be for members.

We had snow today. Luckily, the temp was warm enough to where it didn't stick so we'll be able to get out tomorrow. We're either going to hit a fairground or the old part of town that's been abandoned for a loong time. The hubby drove by the abandoned part of town and said the cobblestones were still there but there was a lot of trash. We found this section of town on our cities museum's website.

Thanks for your advice, I'm going to have him start looking in to if we can / can't go to both of these places.

I hope we find some cool stuff wherever we decide to go!

Happy hunting!

 

[Jay In NewKen]

Good luck and remember to post some pics of your finds.

 

[oooldman]

Either wait for warmer weather, or get a wet suit.. go downtown and jump in Harmon's Creek your AT pro will allow you some good finds there where many others dont go. Civil war skirmishes took place in and around there good luck

 

[JmCraz8]

Lots of civil war history up by you also.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

I'm going to have him start looking in to if we can / can't go to both of these places.....

Good luck, and welcome aboard! And remember that to remind your husband that his "looking in to if you can go to those places" is to look up the rules for yourselves. If your city (assuming this is city property?) doesn't have a website with the muni codes and laws (because perhaps it is a little city with no website, etc..) then at the very minimum, the city charter, laws, etc... should be in a book, in binder form, down at city hall on the front desk, for example. It has to be accessible somewhere to the public to view. If you see nothing there that says no metal detecting, then there's your answer

As far as the fairground goes, not sure about your fairground, but here where I'm at, the fairgrounds are usually fenced. But this is NOT necessarily that "public is not allowed". Quite the contrary! the public is VERY much invited and encouraged to be there Bit rather: the fences are there so that they can collect at the gates for entrance prices during events. So there'll still be a turn-style or gate or something. I've found that when there's minor events going on (like a single AA meeting in the multi-purpose room, or a someone tending the animals at the remote ends, etc..., ) that when it's off-season (no fairs going on), that there'll invariably be a gate open somewhere.

 

[Heysenn]

Civil war I haven't heard anything about that around here ... I know there was a war base for the revolutionary war.


Have any of you been somewhere and have been asked to leave? What were the circumstances and who asked you to leave?

 

[dmaki1988]

just look for tall trees and a water source, that indicates that people probably camped their way back when or maybe there was an old homestead at some point and time.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

....
Have any of you been somewhere and have been asked to leave? What were the circumstances and who asked you to leave?

Heysenn, it's bound to happen to any of us, who've been at this long enough. If you're skittish, just be forewarned, you've got to have a thick-skin at times for this. Unless you're going to most mundane easy beaches (where much less likely for people to care less), or unless you're on private property. Because when it comes to places like parks, campgrounds, fairgrounds, school yards, etc.... let's face it: a guy swinging a metal detector is an anomoly that draws the stares of curious folks. You know: "oooh, look at the man with the geiger-counter thingy. I wonder if he's finding anything good?" It's hard NOT to draw lookie-lous. And no matter how you slice it, there's admitted connoations that you can't escape. Ie. that you "might leave a hole" or that you "might be finding something valuable" and so forth.

I wish it wasn't that way, and I wish all archaeologists and gardeners loved us with open arms. I wish there were neon signs at park entrances saying "metal detecting and digging welcome here". But alas, this hobby just doesn't have that "built in" factor

I've lost track of the # of times I got booted from places. I just give lip service and move on. If it's some place with no specific rule, I just wait a few months, and go back (at a more discreet time, of course). Reason is, it's entirely possible you just ran into a gardener having a bad day, or a cop who was merely responding to a call (and they're duty-bound to make a decision, even though they themselves might not have cared less). I mean, of course, you pick a better time, and avoid whomever busy-body it was in the future. Heck, one time I even had a lady on the beach complain that my detector was bothering her dog! (I think she thought it was emitting some sort of sound frequency or something that only dogs hear?).

Anyhow, start with very innocuous places, like the beach, yards at your friend's houses, etc... till you've built up some target-retrieving skills (pinpointing to keep the incision small, etc...).

 

[Heysenn]

Heck, one time I even had a lady on the beach complain that my detector was bothering her dog! (I think she thought it was emitting some sort of sound frequency or something that only dogs here?).

Lol!!! That's funny ... You must live in CA! Haha. No offense. I'm original from Vegas and people out here seem a lot friendlier. When we were at a park the other day people just said hi when they walked by. In Vegas, I could see your dog situation happening to us!

 

[JmCraz8]

Civil war I haven't heard anything about that around here ... I know there was a war base for the revolutionary war.


Have any of you been somewhere and have been asked to leave? What were the circumstances and who asked you to leave?

Skirmishes and lots of troop movement about where ever you go in this state, idk if you're next to Wheeling but there's a boat load of history in that town, and was a civil war Yankee camp on the Wheeling island on the ohio river.

 

[Heysenn]

Skirmishes and lots of troop movement about where ever you go in this state, idk if you're next to Wheeling but there's a boat load of history in that town, and was a civil war Yankee camp on the Wheeling island on the ohio river.

Oh, yea!! That's about 30 minutes south from us.

 

[hikerdude]

I believe parks are made for people to enjoy, even MD'ing people. I also believe, if you fill your holes back in with the grass intact, then where is the harm? If someone says something, say "look in my wake, you can't even tell I was here. Actually, the best places to hunt, in my opinion, is older neighborhoods. If the houses were built around 1955 or before, then there will most likely be silver and wheat pennies in their yards. What I do is, drive around the older neighborhoods looking for yard sales. When I find one, I stop, buy something for a dollar or so, and then ask, would you mind if I MD your yard? You can add, last week I found 10 wheat pennies one block over. If they say, OH theres nothing in my yard, you can say, "you would be supprised what I find when other people have said that". Last month I found 18 silver coins, and 77 wheat pennies in a neighborhood built in 1955. I steped out of my comfort zone and started asking people, and I was supprised that 4 out of 5 home owners let me MD their yards. I never did knock on a door, I would try to catch people when they were outside, and then ask. And when md'ing, and someone else walked by, I would always say HI!, and show them what you have found (you can always plant some gooding in your finds pouch), and ask it you could do their yard when you finish where you are at. I take care to put all my holes back carefully. I use a frisby to put the dirt from my holes on, so as not to make a dirt mess on the grass, and put the plug back and step on it. Some houses I do, the grass has all but dissapeared, so it makes it east to fix your holes, and just because there is no grass, doesn't mean there didn't use to be.
HH and good luck