Jfarley06
Junior Member
Is it best to grid the area you are detecting or randomly search? I have been pretty much just walking/wandering around my areas and wondered if gridding would be a good idea.
Gridding
- Thread starter Jfarley06
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cliff490
Forum Supporter
This is a good topic. I have a pasture I have been hunting and been doing good just by wandering around. The finds are now thinning out. It has a fence running through the center with livestock on one side and tall grass on the other. I am thinking about mowing strips. Mow a strip detect it then mow another and detect it
Nortonics
Elite Member
You know, searching in a laid out grid pattern to help ensure complate coverage:
I'll try to do this this on a large property that seems to be producing well, but the time I really use this technique and use it often is when I'm water hunting a beach.
I'll try to do this this on a large property that seems to be producing well, but the time I really use this technique and use it often is when I'm water hunting a beach.
Griding and going slow is the best allows you to get the most targets out of your hunting site and you won't miss very many targets that way .hould make sure you overlap also.
HH Harold
HH Harold
Flapjack
Elite Member
I've read somewhere that you will find more by gridding than just wandering around.
booker
Forum Supporter
Gridding works best for me
Janster
Forum Supporter
....I grid the soccer fields I hunt EVERY TIME. I use 6 small fiberglass flags approx. 6' apart. I use three on each end of the field, widthwise VS length. As I finish one pass I move the last flag to the upcoming new area and progress down the field. Also, mark where you left off to you can resume at that spot when next you hunt. I can cover about 1/8 of the field in 4 hours IF I can last that long! Go slow, and VERY LOW discrimination! .....GL.. Jan
Lightningjack
Forum Supporter
Definitely want to grid, I go diagonal to-Sometimes I will get a hit of a coin on its side that I missed going the other direction.
30U Plymouth
Elite Member
I always grid search.
In sand I tie my digger to a line and let it drag beside me.
It marks a line in the sand that lets me know where I've been.
In sand I tie my digger to a line and let it drag beside me.
It marks a line in the sand that lets me know where I've been.
ewemule
Forum Supporter
Janster.....
That's the same plan I use for larger areas, especially at night, during the day there are usually sufficient ground objects or points of reference. 30U Plymouth, that's a great idea for making a line behind you !
I'll have to begin the advanced grid work. I have been just going in one direction, but a 90 degree approach to the first pass sounds very good, followed by the diagonal. Will try this right down the road where I've more work at the spot where I came away with 150 coins.
God Bless those who are clumsy with pocket change.
Marty
That's the same plan I use for larger areas, especially at night, during the day there are usually sufficient ground objects or points of reference. 30U Plymouth, that's a great idea for making a line behind you !
I'll have to begin the advanced grid work. I have been just going in one direction, but a 90 degree approach to the first pass sounds very good, followed by the diagonal. Will try this right down the road where I've more work at the spot where I came away with 150 coins.
God Bless those who are clumsy with pocket change.Marty
Janster
Forum Supporter
...I've done the N to S and then E to W and it very productive. I have gone so far as to return after a rain and I have found even more. I do not believe I will do so at soccer fields just because of the time involved to just cover it once let alone consider going back back and then diagonally! I'll wait until fall while the player re-stock the fields!..... Jan
ct01r
Forum Supporter
This is a good topic. I have a pasture I have been hunting and been doing good just by wandering around. The finds are now thinning out. It has a fence running through the center with livestock on one side and tall grass on the other. I am thinking about mowing strips. Mow a strip detect it then mow another and detect it
During the cutting season, I do something similar. We have a grassy area in the back that I've found several buttons. I started hitting it after I mow it. It's much easier to follow the "cut" paths than to try to walk in a straight line without them. If I wait till 3-4 days after I mow, the marks kind of grow away and I meander all over the place. An added bonus is that it's easier to dig with the shorter grass. Curt
Nortonics
Elite Member
Here's an inexpensive idea I've used before - a chalk line dispenser, without the chalk of course:
Usually 100' long, and easy to rewind.
Rob in KS
New Member
- Joined
- Jan 24, 2009
- Messages
- 1
Out here in Kansas, I do a lot of large fields. I always grid. I tried using string but it seemed to take up a lot of my detecting time moving the string. Keeping the passes parallel is a hassle. The mowing idea is a great one. I have also used the crop rows in planted fields and marks left by the farm equipment.
I make flags from coat hangers and strips of cloth. But then I'm cheap.
I have a detector with a LARGE coil on wheels. Sometimes I get lucky and can follow my wheel tracks.
If none of the above work, I get on my topo maps and mark where I want to detect. Then I plug the coords into the GPS. Go to the field and put flags on the points. Actually, I like to do this even if I can use other methods to grid. Usually I can leave the flags for next time, unless the farmer wants to work the ground. But if he plows them, it's not that big of a deal. They are cheap and they won't hurt his equipment.
On a big field I like to mark the targets with the GPS and dig them later. It's hard to pinpoint with a three foot coil. This works best where the targets aren't too close together. The GPS gets me to within a 20' circle and I have always been able to come back and find it.
Last summer I did 6 acres on a wheat field. Didn't find anything very interesting. I did find a Coors can with a beavertail pulltab. Beercans last forever even the paint was still good.
I make flags from coat hangers and strips of cloth. But then I'm cheap.
I have a detector with a LARGE coil on wheels. Sometimes I get lucky and can follow my wheel tracks.
If none of the above work, I get on my topo maps and mark where I want to detect. Then I plug the coords into the GPS. Go to the field and put flags on the points. Actually, I like to do this even if I can use other methods to grid. Usually I can leave the flags for next time, unless the farmer wants to work the ground. But if he plows them, it's not that big of a deal. They are cheap and they won't hurt his equipment.
On a big field I like to mark the targets with the GPS and dig them later. It's hard to pinpoint with a three foot coil. This works best where the targets aren't too close together. The GPS gets me to within a 20' circle and I have always been able to come back and find it.
Last summer I did 6 acres on a wheat field. Didn't find anything very interesting. I did find a Coors can with a beavertail pulltab. Beercans last forever even the paint was still good.
ewemule
Forum Supporter
Mowing lines.....
I stripe all the lawns I cut and will be using that little tidbit this summer. Started detecting after the mowing season ended last year.
Marty
I stripe all the lawns I cut and will be using that little tidbit this summer.
Started detecting after the mowing season ended last year.Marty
Methuselah
Forum Supporter
Here's an inexpensive idea I've used before - a chalk line dispenser, without the chalk of course:
Usually 100' long, and easy to rewind.
I don't use the chalk line, I use the chalk! You just carry one of the refill bottles like you have pictured here and mark your start/stop points North and South. Then you cover the same area doing the same thing East to West. Works really good (unless it's windy!) and you don't have to move anything or pick anything up when you're done! The rain or the wind will erase all traces of your presence.
MassDirtFisher
Forum Supporter
Another way to do it is ....Head over to home depot or hardware store and buy some inexpensive marker flags. Swing away and every target plant a flag.
It has worked for me.If used in public throw on a reflective vest and you look like you work for the town,city,etc. Who knows just an idea.
It has worked for me.If used in public throw on a reflective vest and you look like you work for the town,city,etc. Who knows just an idea.
steve in so la
Forum Supporter
- Joined
- May 9, 2006
- Messages
- 7,545
I have been doing a 3 acre area lately with a grid pattern. I drew a map of the place and then I cross off the area done each time. Originally, I wandered around trying to get the feeling of hot spots and decided to just do it all. So whenever I have time I do more of it. So far it has produced about 400 coins, 5 solid gold items and 2 silver ones. I also have 2 other places that I am doing likewise. Steve in so az
There are three patterns you can choose from when gridding. My favorite is a circular pattern, especially on the beach. If you can mark your trail behind you by dragging your sand scoop or shuffling your feet along, you can keep track of the area you have covered.
1. First, there is a straight pattern. A straight pattern is where you start from the high beach line and walk toward the low tide line, then you step a foot over, turn around, and walk back up to the high bank line where you started, and continue doing this for as long as you want to detect. Go slowly, and try to overlap your swings.
2. The second pattern is similar to the straight pattern. It is a sideways straight pattern, where you detect sideways at the high bank line, turning after you go 12 feet or so, stepping a foot over, turning, and overlapping your swings as you work your way back, and down to the low tide line.
3. The third pattern is called a circular pattern. If you are on a large beach, just go to the center of the beach, and when you locate your first target begin a circular pattern, you won't have to step over a foot every time, because the circle size increases as you go around.
I used to go to the beach and walk fast and try to cover as much area as possible, this is called "random searching". Then one day we took a friend with us, and he detected the whole time in a 3 ft by 3 ft area. I couldn't believe it.
Later when we compared finds, I had found practically nothing! and he had a whole handful of change just from that 3x3 area.
1. First, there is a straight pattern. A straight pattern is where you start from the high beach line and walk toward the low tide line, then you step a foot over, turn around, and walk back up to the high bank line where you started, and continue doing this for as long as you want to detect. Go slowly, and try to overlap your swings.
2. The second pattern is similar to the straight pattern. It is a sideways straight pattern, where you detect sideways at the high bank line, turning after you go 12 feet or so, stepping a foot over, turning, and overlapping your swings as you work your way back, and down to the low tide line.
3. The third pattern is called a circular pattern. If you are on a large beach, just go to the center of the beach, and when you locate your first target begin a circular pattern, you won't have to step over a foot every time, because the circle size increases as you go around.
I used to go to the beach and walk fast and try to cover as much area as possible, this is called "random searching". Then one day we took a friend with us, and he detected the whole time in a 3 ft by 3 ft area. I couldn't believe it.
Later when we compared finds, I had found practically nothing! and he had a whole handful of change just from that 3x3 area.
