A question for the old timers?

MasonDixonMding

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30 years or so ago when they plowed the fields. How much stuff does the plow bring up? All of the fields around here are no tilled. Once I’ve covered a field and can’t find any more signals. I start thinking theres a lot more down there it just needs a plow.
 
One farm field I hit a few times the plowing hurts the finds. Metals like 1800s buttons were DEEP and you rarely can get them. But 2,000 year old stone arrow heads are on the surface and plentiful.
 
I'm not an old timer but I have hunted a field after a deep plow. I hunted it heavily before and found lots of coins and relics and the good signals were getting slim. We did a deep chisel plowing and disc back down. I really didn't find many more good targets afterwards. I have a feeling that plowing hides as many targets and it reveals. I think it will be better after the next harvest.
 
My experience has been plowing is a double-edged sword. It can bring goodies to the top, or bury them deeper.

The site of Fort Atkinson (1850-1857) is nothing but a worked field now. We have hunted it for about 40 years. Some 35 years ago I found what was the only coin for many years. A very nice 1839 half dime. We hunted it for many years after and found many buttons and musket balls. After a plow job just a few years ago my buddy found 1840 seated dime, and not 5 minutes later I found an 1835 capped bust half dime. Mine was basically on top of the ground. I got a signal, kicked the dirt, and saw a black disc slide across the ground.

Almost 30 years between the coin finds at the same location.
 
I'd be curious to see if a bigger coil (the 15 incher for my 'Nox is stupid deep on coins) would make a difference in these conditions or if one of the high dollar Minelab GP series detectors or the Garrett ATX (a buddy back in Florida had one and he was always digging way deeper signals than me with my Surf PI, and I dug some mighty deep targets in the water with it) might find deeper targets...
 
30 years or so ago when they plowed the fields. How much stuff does the plow bring up? All of the fields around here are no tilled. Once I’ve covered a field and can’t find any more signals. I start thinking theres a lot more down there it just needs a plow.

Northern Maryland fields haven't seen a plow since the 1970's save for the Amish with the advent of no till and finding crops grow just as well with a light discing to chop the corn stalks in the late Fall and herbicde the winter cover crop in the Spring and maybe some manure from the pit. With the cost of fuel now those fields will never see a plow again. Even with the rain lately getting down past three inches is a chore in fields now with the compaction over the last 50 years of no till. The grain drill will go through that hard ground to plant.
 
My experience has been plowing is a double-edged sword. It can bring goodies to the top, or bury them deeper.

The site of Fort Atkinson (1850-1857) is nothing but a worked field now. We have hunted it for about 40 years. Some 35 years ago I found what was the only coin for many years. A very nice 1839 half dime. We hunted it for many years after and found many buttons and musket balls. After a plow job just a few years ago my buddy found 1840 seated dime, and not 5 minutes later I found an 1835 capped bust half dime. Mine was basically on top of the ground. I got a signal, kicked the dirt, and saw a black disc slide across the ground.

Almost 30 years between the coin finds at the same location.

'My experience has been plowing is a double-edged sword. It can bring goodies to the top, or bury them deeper."

It also breaks up any halos of targets.
 
I guess it’s a case of the grass is greener on the other side. I’m still going to try to convince my neighbor to plow a small part of his field.
 
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