Metal Detecting is a hobby that brings a lot of excitement, anticipation in the hunt for objects that one cannot see in the ground, under the water or even in a tree among other places that metal objects can be hidden. Metal detecting can bring history to life by being able to locate old sites that the objects found with a metal detector can tell the detector what was there like old building sites, old recreational areas, old road and trail crossings that none of those are even written in any ones memory or history. Metal detecting mostly though is done by people that want some exercise in the outdoors and go out looking for lost coins and objects right on top of the ground hidden in the grass or just right under the ground that is easy to pinpoint and does not tear up the ground or area with holes or kill grass to get to the object. A good to average experienced person metal detecting can find an object in the ground and slice the ground open in the spot that the detector pin pointer on their detector says is there, Pinpoint the object with a hand pin pointer and get the object out, step on the cut in the ground and no one would ever know the person had been there. And that can be done with a minimum grade metal detector and a pin pointer. There are metal detectors also that can find objects down in the ground several feet below the surface and deep down in the water. There are metal detectors that talk to you and the screen on them makes you feel like you are using radar. Which in a manner of speaking you are. As I go along further with this site I will get more into the types of metal detectors and their particular uses.
My son and I have found whole settlements in an area that we knew there was a black smith shop but did not know there were other buildings, corrals and fenced fields in the area that we found by using our metal detectors. Making circle sweeps and then continuing following the trail of fencing or nails or other objects left by the people that lived there we could lay out all of the landscape of the area. I have found old mining camp sites associated with a mine with a metal detector and knowledge of where the camp should be by way of the terrain of the area.
No, you cannot find ancient Native American camp sites with a metal detector. Newer camp sites maybe. But, the majority of the ancients did not have metal items and if they did it would be copper or galena of some sort. Having gone to many archeological sites and museums associated with the old sites and dwellings all around the country. Almost none, matter of fact I cannot remember any that had metal objects in the cases showing what had come from the ancient digs on the sites except in the north east where native copper that one could very easy
beat into something was found. I know saying this rubs some people the wrong way but fact is fact.
Now having said that what about Treasure Hunting with a metal detector. Treasure is anything anyone finds with a metal detector that they cherish. Hunting for lost cashes of treasure is a different subject and will be in the Legends section of this web site.
Using a metal detector for finding minerals like gold is a great past time only you have to be in an area that has gold at least the size of a pencil lead to do any good. That will be covered in the Mineral Prospecting heading as we develop this site. There are many organized groups of metal detecting clubs and associations in the State of Texas that I will be giving names of the groups out on this site soon that you can join and have a great time learning the tricks of the trade of metal detecting. Stay tuned.
My son and I have found whole settlements in an area that we knew there was a black smith shop but did not know there were other buildings, corrals and fenced fields in the area that we found by using our metal detectors. Making circle sweeps and then continuing following the trail of fencing or nails or other objects left by the people that lived there we could lay out all of the landscape of the area. I have found old mining camp sites associated with a mine with a metal detector and knowledge of where the camp should be by way of the terrain of the area.
No, you cannot find ancient Native American camp sites with a metal detector. Newer camp sites maybe. But, the majority of the ancients did not have metal items and if they did it would be copper or galena of some sort. Having gone to many archeological sites and museums associated with the old sites and dwellings all around the country. Almost none, matter of fact I cannot remember any that had metal objects in the cases showing what had come from the ancient digs on the sites except in the north east where native copper that one could very easy
beat into something was found. I know saying this rubs some people the wrong way but fact is fact.
Now having said that what about Treasure Hunting with a metal detector. Treasure is anything anyone finds with a metal detector that they cherish. Hunting for lost cashes of treasure is a different subject and will be in the Legends section of this web site.
Using a metal detector for finding minerals like gold is a great past time only you have to be in an area that has gold at least the size of a pencil lead to do any good. That will be covered in the Mineral Prospecting heading as we develop this site. There are many organized groups of metal detecting clubs and associations in the State of Texas that I will be giving names of the groups out on this site soon that you can join and have a great time learning the tricks of the trade of metal detecting. Stay tuned.
I was invited out to a house a couple of weeks ago where the new home owner was cleaning out weeds around one of the buildings and around the yard fence in that area of the yard and in total found 8 silver dollars from the 1800's and many more silver half dollars and other silver coins. Enough to fill a plastic container about 2 inches deep and 6 inches by 6 inches long and wide. The lady was told that I would come in and metal detect the area for her to find what else might be there. I was finally able to get out my new Garrett AT Pro that I won at the Texas Gold Show and go for it. Well, being used to the Garrett 250 that is a great machine the new AT Pro had to be tamed down because it picked up EVERYTHING. I did not have much time that evening and I did not find that much. But, I will be back to look the place over better the next time and will know more about the settings on the Pro better too.
This is an old Nichols Fighting Knife found by a creek crossing by myself. This is from the 1940's. Not many made and I have no idea how it got were it was found.
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