Woods Hunt Suggestion

[Yeki]

I have permission to hunt a 15 acre property with a home from at least the mid 1800's. I have dabbled only VERY briefly around the home and am planning on moving to the wooded area until next spring when I can tackle the home site in full force. Please have a look at the two pics bellow. The first is from 1937. The second is recent. Does this look to even be worth my time? Any of you seasoned woods/field hunters ever find anything good in an open area that never had any buildings? Wear lots of orange? LOL!

There is an old steam engine railroad track and a pond that was installed in the 50's or 60's. The rest looks like it was just field.

[NHKeith]

Any older site has potential.

Go detect your front yard, and find how many coins you find. Now go back in time to 1900 and imagine the same is true, there are always some coins lost, thrown, or forgotten about...

[Yeki]

Go detect your front yard, and find how many coins you find. Now go back in time to 1900 and imagine the same is true, there are always some coins lost, thrown, or forgotten about...

I'm siked about the front yard and around the building. It's the woods which seem to have been an open field at one time that I am wondering about. Is there still a half-way decent chance of something good being out there? I guess I'm just curious about what others experiences have been in such locations.

[mooncalfmetal]

The woods would seam to be good.

In the older pic there looks to be the remnants of a pond, top left, south of tracks. May have been a swimming hole!

I would try to find the old path as well.

Where the pond is now looks to have been there in the older pic, and the area to south looks steep. Be sure to look for the dump site.

Areas marked in green

[Johnny9Fingers]

Lots of potential! I have a similiar situation and I cant wait to get back with my new E-Trac in the Spring. Good Luck.

[allank]

wear orange also, and I would hunt the old fence lines and tree lines

[wtfisthat]

My guess is most of your best finds (coins/jewelery) will be in these 2 locations: the road going to the house and what looks like a road running the length of the property. Most of the foot/horseback traffic would have been focused in these 2 spots assuming they where roads in the 1800's. Of course getting close to the house is always good. They had to do something with the dirt from the pond, my guess is they spread it out in the field you can kinda see a contour that would indicate that.

[Yeki]

what looks like a road running the length of the property.

wtfisthat, that is the old railroad that runs along behind the property. The other road is the driveway. Not sure if there would be much by the tracks but you may be right about the driveway. You got me thinking about what may be there.

[dogbit]

Yeah I like the old driveway myself and would probably start there. The area that used to be fields, if they were farmed especially, should have some stuff. But if you can go back over and over again I'm sure it will be a nice productive spot for years to come. Just remember there's stuff out there, just need to put the coil over it.

[wtfisthat]

Oh, I'd skip the railroad unless there was a path along it. I failed to see the path the other person highlighted, that's worth checking out. Definitely hit the main driveway though. Have fun!

[R.I.Terry]

that pond was'nt there in 1937, but i bet those field that are now woods where worked long before 1937. there is potential every inch of those woods that where once fields. and there is always a hot spot. run your machine in all metal, and when you find a spot where there's a few or mabe a lot of targets even if there junk targets work those areas hard. dig all solid tones and get a feel for what is there. if your finding old brass and copper get ready your close. also try historic mapworks geneoligy of that area.

[Nitelord]

I'd say it looks promising. Those old paths had to be used for something. No way to tell, but hit it all.... Seriously, I'd hit the house first. Then work your way out to the areas, you think were most heavily used. Just my 2 zincolns... GL & HH

[Qball]

Yeki, that looks like a great site to MD. Remember this, anything can be anywhere. Get out there and put your coil to the soil. Happy hunting to ya!!

[LycomingWarrior]

Looks good. I know this area. Let me know if you need help

[Yeki]

Thanks for all of the suggestions! A lot of things to think about and now I'm siked to get at it! According to information at Historic Mapworks (thanks terryinr.i.), the land was owned by a "Merchant and Custom Miller, Wholesale, and Retail Dealer in Flour, Feed, and Saw Miller". This could at least be interesting. Funny thing is, I've lived in this immediate area my whole life and am finding out so many cool things. If I don't find much of anything, it's still been fun and educational!

Thanks for the offer LycomingWarrior! I'm going to have to go this one alone, at least for a little while. I want to feel the folks out and get them used to me being around before I bring anyone in.

[mikeothmer]

I would check where the Mailbox is and where it used to be. A lot of rural folks used to put money in the box to send letters if they didn't have a stamp.