old farm field hunting

[rossman85]

I always see a good bit of posts from people that find stuff in old corn fields and such. Do old fields yield a lot, because I would think that people just always planted stuff...when would they be losing metal?? I have an old field I can hunt, but I just want to know why people hunt fields?? It just doesn't seem like people would be losing much in a field. How do you pick your fields, or is it just at random if you have permission to hunt??

 

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[1000rr]

I haven't really hunted a field yet due to the crops but once they are picked, I'm on the hunt.

I can't speak for everyone but I'm hunting fields that had old home sites on them. My mother owns a nice chunk of property that held several old homes as well as something called a Parker Boque? The map I pulled them from was dated back to 1865.

If you've never heard of them or researched them, you should check into the plat maps for your area.

 

[Dwight S]

Research, research, research... Not all fields now were fields 100+ years ago... Generally speaking if it has always been a field, then the finds may be few. But what is now a field may have once been a home site, battle site, or even an old lost town location. As 1000rr said, research the old maps.

 

[rossman85]

Do you guys use that historic map works website...or do local libraries carry old maps?

 

[tennessee digger]

We look for fields where old home sites and old roads were. We also look for civil war camp sites and they are often located where fields are today. We don't just randomly hunt fields but we use old maps to try and locate the sites where fields are today. When asking permission always ask the land owner if they know of any old house sites are on their property. Often times they will tell us of areas where they have seen pieces of old bricks, cut rocks, old glass, and things like that. Good luck. Tennessee digger

 

[Frankn]

Old fields are a question mark. You never know what has been there. Perhaps Native Americans, early settlers, mountian men, Robbers hideouts and little known Civil War action. The past is sometimes hidden until you find it. I would try a random search starting at the "best spots" like the lower side of the field that catches the drainage, near prominant features like rocks and trees. I hit one field next to Antietam creek and came up with a coffee can full of balls and bullets. I usually come up with an old plow. I love to mount these. Good luck with your field. Frank

 

[got2dig]

Most of the fields that I can hunt, had battles all over them.
But I'am in middle Tennessee so that's all around me.
And Tennessee digger is right on with the maps you need them!

 

[crashbandicoot]

Many farms as late as the 40,s and 50,s still had tenant houses on them,usually on the fields themselves.You can often see these on old topos,or at least where they were.Historic Aerials is a good source for old maps.

 

[scruggs]

Some of my best finds were in old farm fields from arrowheads, axes and coins! Good luck!

 

[CASPER-2]

most of my oldest coins are from farm fields 1600s on up
most of my land musketballs and colonial buttons are from old farm fields too

ive got at least 12 friends that have found "tree coins" - all from farm fields

 

[CASPER-2]

friend of mine found this gold mourning ring in a colonial farm field
if i had turned left when we entered the field - it would have been mine
its dated 1683 and has the name DUDLEY in it
this ring was most likely made from a gold coin
it was the earliest known American made gold ring at the time
made by silversmith/goldsmith John Coney
John Coney was Paul Reveres father's teacher
the ring was made for the Royal Govenor of Mass. = Dudley's
mother for the death of his son
those are my fingers holding the ring - I took the pics for my friend
it was sold at auction for $30,000
so anyone that says there's nothing good in farm fields is crazy

 

[CASPER-2]

being from New England
we used to just look for the house from early 1800s back to the 1600s
they all farm land behind or all around their house
one old town the whole town farmed the land together until they eventually broke it into parcells
most of the real old houses up here have date plaques - those are the ones you try and get permissions at
that ring was found behind house dated 1702

 

[HeatherM]

I've often wondered this same question. I figured most are looking in fields where they know there used to be houses or towns, versus just random farm fields far away from the house that may still stand. I'm sure you can still find things in fields that have always been just that but man I get bored and my arm gets tired walking and swinging for long periods of time without targets. I always end up back more near the house.