Good spot?

Usa

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Feb 8, 2018
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Missouri
I have permission to detect an old road used by waggons and buggies in the 1880s .never yet detected. Should I detect the road itself or a few yards on either side?or somewhere else?
 
I would detect the whole thing including the ditch (if any) surrounding it. I would imagine people walking or riding the trail would lose items in the middle and also pitching things off to the side like they do with the modern beer cans. Maybe even take a look at topic maps and focus on the lowest elevation side for things that might have washed out in the direction of water flow.
 
I would detect the whole thing including the ditch (if any) surrounding it. I would imagine people walking or riding the trail would lose items in the middle and also pitching things off to the side like they do with the modern beer cans. Maybe even take a look at topic maps and focus on the lowest elevation side for things that might have washed out in the direction of water flow.

+10
 
This sounds like a long-term project. Take it slow, dig everything. Don't get discouraged if you don't do great on a certain day - there will be stuff there to find, you just don't know what it is yet! That would be the kind of place I would love, because I would always have someplace to search, and I'd never get completely through with it. If you can, find a topographical map. Look for flat areas next to the road, especially if there is a stream crossing anywhere you have permission to detect. Folks would sometimes stop to camp after crossing a stream.
 
Good luck. I am sure with that much of a permission it will be frustrating at times trying to locate the hot spots. Take your time and be patient with the signals.


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IMHO: It is a waste of time to detect randomly along old roads. Instead, your time is better spent figuring out where they stopped, camped, rested, etc.... Eg.: stage stops, etc.... THAT is where the fumble-fingers activity would have been occurring.
 
I have permission to detect an old road used by waggons and buggies in the 1880s .never yet detected. Should I detect the road itself or a few yards on either side?or somewhere else?

Hit it all, you never know where someone set-up camp, or had to answer the "call of nature". Just because there was nothing there, doesn't mean there was never any activity, plus you never know what took place there before records were kept. Many old roads sprung from Indian trails.
 
IMHO: It is a waste of time to detect randomly along old roads. Instead, your time is better spent figuring out where they stopped, camped, rested, etc.... Eg.: stage stops, etc.... THAT is where the fumble-fingers activity would have been occurring.

yes, also the large trees near the road used for pooping.
 
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