Amherst, Massachusetts area metal detecting

[buckster3257]

Hi all I was just wondering if anyone knew of any good spots to metal detect around the Amherst area in Massachusetts. Any info would be useful, thanks!

 

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[Tom_in_CA]

Hi all I was just wondering if anyone knew of any good spots to metal detect around the Amherst area in Massachusetts. Any info would be useful, thanks!

Not from that area, but .... just a thought: "Good md'ing spots" are like "good fishing stream holes". They're "good" so long as they don't get crowded by several more fishermen (or md'rs as the case may be). And even-worse-so: Since md'ing spots are not self-replenishing (assuming you were talking old coins, and not modern targets). Thus a lot of old-coin hunters tend to be "hush hush" on their good spots.

There's way to break into this vicious loop though. If you research and find a spot on your own, that gives up some choice-oldies, then you brush shoulders with the long-time hard-core guys in your area, then you'll notice they let their guards down and trade tit-for-tat then with site-tips. Otherwise the long-time hard-core will be less-willing.

Yeah I know it sounds like a snooty elitist snob loop, but once you "been there and done that", you'll understand. Ie.: you knock yourself silly finding choice spots, invite along anyone who wants to know "where's the good spots?". Then after a few years, you look back and realize everyone waited for you to do the heavy lifting of research and permission-seeking, while they wait around to get invited. So you begin to limit yourself to hunting with strictly a few others of like-minded homework-doers. Unless, of course, someone comes along with a site that seems like an equal trade of tips

 

[buckster3257]

Haha I like the way you think

 

[Javadroid]

You live in a great state for detecting, so go anywhere!!

Have you looked at the Massachusetts state forum on TNet? It's at Massachusetts

Good luck!

 

[Javadroid]

Haha I like the way you think

Tom in CA is a good one to follow -- he is wise in the ways of the coil!

 

[CASPER-2]

at one time - springfield to Amherst had the largest concentration of detectorists in the country
it had tons of dealers and a bunch of clubs - and there were tons of good spots -pounded to death
private property permissions
will be your best bet - most public spots been done to death - unless your gonna go for recent drops = new stuff
you got family - friends - co workers with old homes or farm fields - thats where to go

 

[Tom_in_CA]

at one time - springfield to Amherst had the largest concentration of detectorists in the country
it had tons of dealers and a bunch of clubs -...

Casper , I can think of similar spots which, for some reason, md'ing caught on in the early days of md'ing: 1960s, 70s, & 80's. And you're right: The *obvious* spots in those areas were pounded to heck. Hence pity the poor newbie who goes there now, and tries to eek out any more oldies from the obvious parks, schools, etc... Even the hard-core experienced guys will be doing good to get more oldies.

Thus the last frontier at such places is private yards, old-town urban demolition, or creative site-research that yester-year hunters might have over-looked.

My part of CA is one such place (a dealer here since the early 1970s, and hunters since even the 1960s). So whenever someone new gets into the hobby, they are picking up the exact same history books that we used 20, 30, and 40 yrs. ago And they promptly rush out to the defunct resort, picnic sites, adobe sites, parks, etc... that we did. Hence it's gotten so that I mostly travel now to find fresh spots. Some parts of CA didn't have the same pressure. Same might be true for the OP here.

 

[CASPER-2]

if you think outside the box - or get really lucky - I know guys making a few good finds -
old tree belts - as long as they are public - woods near colonial spots where you would drive by thinking - "theres no sign of life - so no good"
but any land near an old area - woods near an old school - kids I'm sure ventured in there
woods near an old swimming spot - people changed in there way back when
woods and over grow fields next to or across of colonial houses - where it looks like no one did anything - believe me they did 100s of years ago
just make sure you have permission - fields get turned over every year and we still find stuff that was missed - peppered spots
you got to go slow - you can get half dimes - trimes - 1/2 reales and cut silver others missed that swing to fast
good luck

 

[Tom_in_CA]

if you think outside the box - ...

And also depends on how much of a pansy a person is. I can think of utility district land (ie.: quasi public) or cow pastures in-the-middle-of-nowhere, that past hunters either A) saw a fence, or B) got a "no" (to their "pressing question"), yet nothing to have stopped anyone (casual-passer-bys = no-big-deal) from simply walking out to the site. But I guess some hunters need a "red-carpet rolled out for them". And can't stomach the thought of anything except easy sandboxes, parks, etc..... Hence I am sometimes shocked at what remains, once I drive outside my tri-county area.