Frozen Ground - Help!

[Mars]

I'm another new guy thanks to Christmas. I hit the beach yesterday, no problem. Tried my yard today, big problem. My Garrett digging tool - the pointed spade - worked as well as if I tried digging through concrete with a spoon. Is there a trick or magic tool or do I just go back to the beach or wait for spring?


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[MrNovice]

Just kinda screwed till it thaws unless you don't mind the hard digging. Not really a trick used other than maybe sharpening your tools to cut easier.

 

[bruinvikes]

31" Sampson, unless you live in Minnesota

 

[Beachscanner]

Saltwater beach?

 

[ffgrizzley]

Jackhammer and a long extension cord? Just kidding, welcome to the club that everyone north of the Mason-Dixon line belongs too, frozen solid. Maybe some south of it too. At least you've got a beach near by. Congrats on the Christmas present and welcome to the board. You'll find a lot of great info and friends on here.

 

[GKL]

Welcome from South Carolina !!!!!

How far north are you ?

 

[GroundSweeper]

I would keep to the beaches....

 

[Kapi]

Light Sabre? Welcome aboard!

 

[Captain Silver]

Here in CT we hunt in the woods when the turf freezes...the layers of fallen leaves will keep the ground soft enough to dig as long as the temps don't drop to single digits for several days in a row. It's that or the beach until spring thaw...

 

[Dewsweeper894]

Welcome to the frozen tundra . That's why we are here . Talk ya threw the winter and give helpful tips . Here is your first one . Find a woods in a safe place that has or had plenty of activity in the past. As long as there is good leaf cover you should be in business. Get a pair of those sergical type latex gloves ( he'll buy a box. Wear them under your gloves to keep your fingers dry as your gloves will get wet with the snow. Wear a pair of rain pants under your digging pants to keep you dry at the knees . And hunt I went today to a park with wooded areas. Walking trails and stuff patches of woods between the open arias . The leaves decomposing from years and years of seasons actualy create heat like a compost pile . The old coins remain amaizingly shallow as they sit on a bed and do not sink . Camp grounds are good also . The wooded edges of camp sites have trees that folks hang washlines. Things fall out of pockets . Trees grow in where there were none 100 or even 50 years ago . Use winter to do research and go to these wooded places for a little wile to scratch the itch . Might be lots of trash but I hunted today and ended up with a 1944 merc dime and 4 wheaties . A buck knife and 84 cents in clad for the jar . Good theropy .
There is no majic tool that will penetrate frozen ground unless it's only a few inches . Here the frost penetrates to 3 feet and bad years deeper.
Good luck , Dew

 

[texan]

That's the way the Texas clay is in the summer. Welcome!

 

[diggin4clad]

Were you using one of those "Composite" diggers that comes free with a Garrett detector? Those things are meant to be used in soft sand or wood chips. You might have better luck if you use a digging tool made of steel but even those will have a problem if the ground is frozen.

 

[ScaredOfClowns]

On today's hunt (a schoolyard with lots of flat, grassy fields) I hit some frozen ground - first time this year. The woods will be good for a little while longer, but I'm not looking forward to the deep freeze yet to come.

 

[Mars]

Were you using one of those "Composite" diggers that comes free with a Garrett detector? Those things are meant to be used in soft sand or wood chips. You might have better luck if you use a digging tool made of steel but even those will have a problem if the ground is frozen.

I was using one of the thick steel Garrett diggers and I couldn't even take a chunk out of the ground in my back yard. It's been pretty cold for a while...


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[diggin4clad]

I was using one of the thick steel Garrett diggers and I couldn't even take a chunk out of the ground in my back yard. It's been pretty cold for a while...


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Then The hunt season is mostly over unless you head to a sandy beach. I haven't hunted since December 4th.

 

[Mars]

Welcome from South Carolina !!!!!



How far north are you ?

I'm up in New Hampshire and it's snowing again now. It can be relentless.


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[GKL]

I'm up in New Hampshire and it's snowing again now. It can be relentless.


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Okay, you are definitely in cold weather territory !

Others have had good suggestions when regular ground is frozen - beaches and tree areas where ground has a good layer of leaves to keep the ground from freezing as fast as uncovered ground.

Also consider tot lots if they have wood chips instead of just dirt/grass.

 

[tnsharpshooter]

Seriously,,,Capt,,is right,,,woods will be diggable more so with lower temps to a point.

Also,,south and western hillsides will be available more so vs north or east.

Even goes for around dwellings/structures.

Where the sun don't shine or hardly ever no matter what time of day--- avoid when below freezing.

 

[Mars]

There is no majic tool that will penetrate frozen ground unless it's only a few inches . Here the frost penetrates to 3 feet and bad years deeper.[emoji106]

Good luck , Dew

Thanks for all the help, Dew! I went out this afternoon and found the ground under thick beds of pine needles easy to dig and not frozen. Although I had to find areas not buried under the snow. I'll keep at it.


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[Dsm_mechva]

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