Myers Depot Metal Detectors

Advice for heavily-hunted Civil-War field

K

k2gleaner

Elite Member
Joined
Jan 27, 2019
Messages
519
Location
NC
Got permission to detect on a field that saw civil-war activity, including a field hospital. Well-picked over for decades, I'm told. In fact, groups of people used to come to this site. The soil has not been 'turned over' in quite a while but it used to be and that's when the best stuff was found supposedly.

I've spent maybe 6 hours there so far with very little to show, except for a cool button that I just posted on the "help me Id" forum here.

MUCH of what I've had to dig is 10 inches deep or so. Much of it is little bits of twisted metal. Some tillage implement tips (iron). Two modern coins. Two .32 bullets.

AT Pro
Pro - Zero
Iron Disc 35
Iron Audio ON
Sensitivity highest setting.
Ground balanced regularly as soil seemed to change with topography.

I dug a LOT for VERY LITTLE. Sometimes it seemed like my Pro Pointer just wasn't helping.

So, here's the question: If I want to find artifacts - anything from buffalo nickels to buttons to bullets to buckles, etc., what will I have to consider as far as VDI is concerned? Dig everything?

I have seen the thread with all the VDIs posted from 0-99 (roughly) for all sorts of things found but I find that not everything is necessarily on there and results may vary maybe? Looking for practical advice.

Thanks.
 
My guess is using the biggest coil you have...run your machine with no discrimination and dig anything and everything.. I don't have an at pro so I can't give specific advice..just whatever settings give you the best depth then run it for depth and dig everything..
 
k2gleaner said:
Got permission to detect on a field that saw civil-war activity, including a field hospital. Well-picked over for decades, I'm told. In fact, groups of people used to come to this site. The soil has not been 'turned over' in quite a while but it used to be and that's when the best stuff was found supposedly.

I've spent maybe 6 hours there so far with very little to show, except for a cool button that I just posted on the "help me Id" forum here.

MUCH of what I've had to dig is 10 inches deep or so. Much of it is little bits of twisted metal. Some tillage implement tips (iron). Two modern coins. Two .32 bullets.

AT Pro
Pro - Zero
Iron Disc 35
Iron Audio ON
Sensitivity highest setting.
Ground balanced regularly as soil seemed to change with topography.

I dug a LOT for VERY LITTLE. Sometimes it seemed like my Pro Pointer just wasn't helping.

So, here's the question: If I want to find artifacts - anything from buffalo nickels to buttons to bullets to buckles, etc., what will I have to consider as far as VDI is concerned? Dig everything?

I have seen the thread with all the VDIs posted from 0-99 (roughly) for all sorts of things found but I find that not everything is necessarily on there and results may vary maybe? Looking for practical advice.

Thanks.
Click to expand...

I am not going to pull your leg here.
You may find a few finds.
If I had to bet your site has seen loads of Fisher F75 action. And likely some older models detectors too.
You need some thing that performs better in the separation department. Some thing even better than f75 and other models.

Deus has not been in USA a long time.
If the site hasn’t seen Deus action, using one of those may snag you more goodies.
I did exaclty that a few years ago.
Went to a CW site that had been busted hard for years. But no Deus has been in there. I made over 100 nonferrous finds. Not all finds worthy. Like parts of gullets etc. but Sid make some nicer finds like bullets, buttons, and knap sack hooks.

Good luck.
 
I appreciate it, folks. I don't have access to any other detectors at the moment. I think an alternate tip that I received from the landowner would be to try to getting permission for adjoining land that never received such pressure. [emoji6]

Will work on that this week.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
If you are running disc at 35, I would leave the iron audio off, until you run across the signal that is iffy. Then double check it with iron audio on.

To answer your other question, you you will probably need to dig it all (minimum nickle on up)if you have a repeatable signal anyway. You never know what the relic you stumble across will read.
 
just remember, any detector with a vdi can give iffy but even false readings on a target that is deep enough. If it were me i would try and run no disc, if thats not possible as minimal disc as possible, yes you will get trash, but you may also find the treasure others have missed.
 
Relic hunter secrets

Follow other detectorists around (if they're present) and watch to see if they fiddle with a target for a while trying to figure out what the screen is saying. If they walk off go over and listen for a good audio then dig the target they left.:D
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

M
18th century shot ?
Replies
15
Views
136
MissLee
M
longbow62
U S flat button
Replies
2
Views
110
Fredneck
Fredneck
P
West Wall German Ring
Replies
2
Views
91
Kansashunter
Kansashunter
TerryEastTexas
Civil War bullet?
Replies
7
Views
288
TerryEastTexas
TerryEastTexas
Sully375
Couple minie balls
Replies
4
Views
141
Kansashunter
Kansashunter
Back
Top Bottom