Arkansas arrowhead hunting

[lsnipan]

Finding an arrowhead in my backyard has sparked my interest....well more like it sparked an obsession. I have always been a history buff, and I have spent weeks researching Indian history in Arkansas, and have found tons of info....but I cannot find any one story that tells of an exact location. There are so many rivers and streams in this state, I do not know where to start. I do not have a lot of time to spend hunting, so it is very frustrating to spend hours researching, and going to a few promising places...and then find nothing. I spent the entire weekend searching the White River along the area where the "bluff dwellers" were. Although I found a bunch of really interesting fossils (in the rock bluffs), I found no artifacts. I was just wondering if anyone may know of some good hunting grounds. I live in Fayetteville, AR (Northwest Arkansas), but I can drive for a couple of hours if it leads me to good spot! I keep finding these websites of people in Arkansas that have HUGE collections....but they never mention where they found them; or if they do say, it is very vague. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

 

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[Atlantis0077]

LOL,

Well some folks do tend to embellish their collections. Many is the time I have heard about these giant collections that turn out to be a dozen points in a cigar box, but there are a great many out there with fantastic stuff. Arkansas is a treasure trove of relics. Though I don't collect there, I have friends who do make an occasional foray north. I know the Murfreesboro area is great....Caddo Gap, the Caddo River and I believe its called Lake Greeson areas hold potential.

If Arkansas is like Louisiana, relics can be found in most any plowed field near a permanent water source..around creeks etc that flow year round and around permanent springs. I would say this though, much of Arkansas is national forest and park land...they take a dim view to "collectors" there. So be careful about where you look and who you share your information with.

There are collectors who will readily share there spots with you, but I find you will have to be pretty close friends with the majority before you can pry such information for their grip. You are on the right track though, doing research does help pinpoint potential places...also talk to local farmers and folks and see if you can stir up any interest. Hunting for any treasure, Indian relics included, always entails more looking than finding...don't be discouraged if you don't find that "pot of gold" on every trip, or your first one. The race is won by those who keep on keeping on.


Hope you find a hot spot. Gimme a holler when you do. One thing Arkansas has in its favor is wonderful lithic material.


Good luck

Atlantis

*a tip.....as I am closely associated with libraries myself, I suggest you go to the local library in your area....they normally know who collects in the general vicinity.....get to know them.....use the tools at your disposal.*

 

[lsnipan]

Thanks Atlantis! I just got back from Murfreesboro. Spent July 4 "digging for diamonds" (no, I did not find any). I also went to the Ka-Do-Ha Indian Village (in Mufreesboro) where there are a few excavated mounds. It was interesting. They had a little plowed area where you could surface hunt for arrowheads (no, I did not find any of these either!). Anyways, thanks for the info!

 

[Atlantis0077]

Morning Isnipan,

I also was suckered into the "lure of diamonds" at the crater, found nothing. I think if they do anything, they take a few small diamonds and seed the place occasionally to keep the masses coming back for more...lol

The Ka-do-ha Indian village is a neat place, but was coming a flood the day I visited, so didn't make the "find your own" spot. That is the home of Caddo Trading. (www.caddotc.com) They have an extensive collection of relics for sale on the net....high prices as well. What they do have going for them is a nice book collection....stuff you cant normally find in other locations.

Do they still have the sloosh miners on the edges of the crater of diamonds? When I was there, there were people with large screens with running water and holes dug 10 feet deep. I would imagine if anyone found any diamonds it would be those folks, but I thought it was dirty pool for them to be able to have such setups when the rest of us poor slobs were out there with our butts turned up to the relentless sun doing the surface collecting thing.

Happy Hunting,


Atlantis


It seemed like a good idea at the time, these folks seemed to be enjoying themselves, but I dont recommend it as a summertime activity.

 

[lsnipan]

Yes, they have places where you can pan your dirt in the water. I posted some info. on another forum the other day about my experience. LOL about it not being a summer time hobby (see the PS: in my post below).

I visited the "crater of diamonds" last week for the 4th of July. I did not find anything, but it was still fun. If you are thinking about going, I highly recommend that you read the book, "Genuine Diamonds in Arkansas" before you go (especially if you are traveling from another state just to go to the diamond mine). I bought it at a gift shop before I left. I have since read the entire thing, and am now very anxious to get back and try again. This book is a must have! Not only does it give you a very detailed history about the mine, there is some great information, great pictures, and very helpful tips. I have not read a book cover to cover since I was in college (and even then I was all about cliff notes , and I could not put this thing down. The guy who wrote it has practically spent his whole life hunting, and learning about the diamonds. It will really get ya motivated and is a great reference book. I will definitely have more confidence going into my next dig. You can purchase the book for $12 at www.diamondsinar.com .

Happy Hunting!
-L. Snipan

PS: It is VERY HOT in Arkansas this time of year, and there is NO SHADE on the field. It is also very helpful to hunt right after a good rain, which there is not a whole lot of right now. I am going to wait and go back in the fall!

 

[River Rat]

lsnipan,

Don't give up, plenty of Indian artifacts out there to be found. Atlantis gave great information, as always.

I too been to the Crater of Diamonds...found nothing. Indian Mound at Murfreesboro was very interesting.

Good luck!

River

 

[PBK]

I used to find a lot of points and scrapers, and occasionally larger items such as hoes, adzes, and even a celt or two on plowed fields along the Arkansas River and Mulberry River in W/NW Arkansas.

 

[choctaw rebel]

I live in the Texarkana area and have found a few artifacts along the Red River and small creeks north of Texarkana. Either Oklahoma or Arkansas. Take your pick.

 

[ronnk]

Hi,
Thought I would touch on both subjects that have come up here; I also live in Fayetteville and love to hunt for artifacts and have found a few in the Bella Vista area.

As for the, “Diamond State Park” I have found a diamond, I met an old man there that showed me the tricks of the trade. My find was quite small but there is a trick to finding them, next time I’ll spend more time there…

Hint for Indian artifacts in Bella Vista, get a book from the library about the area, drive down the road and compare the pictures you’ll see it all off of 540

 

[Neanderthal]

I too was humbled by Crater of Diamonds! I worked all day long and was all giddy when I took my meager finds up to the lil "booth" to get examined, only to have the girl tell me "That one is glass, that's mica, that one is quartz...that one is the bottom of a coke bottle". *sigh*.


Isnipan, Ronnk, I work for the Museum of Native American Artifacts there in Bentonville, Ark. You should drop by there sometime, if you haven't yet. I'm sure you'll get a kick out of some of the world class artifacts. Drop by sometime!

 

[Jayce]

I have hunted arrowheads in S.W. Arkansas for about 30 years. The creeks and bayous are always a good bet, especially on high bluff banks. Anywhere two streams converge is also usually very good. If you can find a recent logging clearcut near a creek it is always worth checking out. I have also found artifacts in central and northern Arkansas at various lakes, in particular Greeson, Dierks, and Degray. The Little Missouri River near Camp Albert Pike near Langley is also an excellent place to look.

 

[DirtyHandsCleanPoints]

Anyone still active from this thread

 

[ROCKHNTR]

I have found several around Columbia County. Mainly Broke points or Flakes. Found two complete pieces. I have looked around the glenwood when floating the caddo River but never had any luck. But I’m curious to see if anyone around southwest Arkansas has any luck these days

 

[edteach]

I live in NW Arkansas. I have found several nice complete artifacts and tons of castoffs and other man worked things. I was out on a seasonal dry creek bed yesterday and was run out by what I thought was some kind of hybridized killer bees. But it was in fact some very large horse fly's. these things are so big they sound like humming birds and are crazy fast. one hit me in the check so fast and struck so hard it was like someone shoved a burning knife in my chest. The pain was crazy. And that stupid fly was dive bombing me. I was hit several times as I ran away. One hit my jaw and it was painful for a day. I still have a large welt on the chest. These things are nasty. It hit me so hard I lost my glasses when I started to swat at it. I ended up going home and getting a heavy military poncho and grinding clear mask. that damn thing was trying again but the poncho and mask kept it from biting. As far as where to look any dry or seasonal creek bed is a good bet. I am going to one of the rivers in Bella Vista and do some wading to see what I can find.

 

[ToddsPoint]

I was chased a quarter mile by one of those things. I was walking the shore of a lake and went up a draw. He came after me and wouldn’t let up. I broke a branch off of a cottonwood sapling and swung it over my head to keep him off of me. A ran most of the way back swinging the whole way. I made it back to the camper and had to go inside until it left. I’ll have a can of flying insect spray if I go there again. The kind that shoots 15’.

 

[Older The Better]

Huh… there was one time something came flying out of nowhere hit my arm hard and ricocheted off and was gone a few seconds later it was like my arm was on fire and I felt sick for a few minutes and then it wore away, figured I got stung but whatever it was it didn’t even land, wonder if it was one of these things…