Castineman1779
Sr. Member
The other day I made my 49th trip to Castine to the site of the ill fated "Penobscot Expedition " in my continued search for our American history. Yes 49 -70- mile round trips . That is over 3500 miles with an average of 4 to 6 hours a hunt. Since the 6th of April , my first day out between snow storms, found my second French Flur DE leis cannon ball that kick started my 23 rd year hunting this site . I call it my "Snow Ball" canon ball . That 6 pounder ball kept me motivated to what would be one of my best seasons finding relics, buttons and coins. As with the gold 1772 British guinea found in late May ,and indeed not on my bucket list, further kept me smiling those 38 miles one way. Last week I sat down with my calender that I use to record the dates and finds on and stated counting the ordnance coins and buttons found this season.
First please understand I am not bragging about my success and only if u have a good site the key to success , in my opinion , is to stay on the hunt and in time if the relics, coins and buttons are there u will find them my friends. I get the question often why after 23 years , with also a small army of relic hunters hunting there since the 1970s , why am i still finding history. The answer is this site is heavily wooded and difficult to hunt. Take a look at a pic i uploaded here to understand that. In many cases no doubt there are relics under downed trees, stumps and areas u just can't swing a coil in. So the answer is it will never be hunted out. The other answer for me why I am still pulling history from this ground is I go where few will, as Casper mentioned in a quote , and come home often giving my blood sweat and tears , literally from thorny bushes and hot days. It is still worth it at the end of a long hunt if what u seek u find. Castine is not for those that can't do the same. Others have come here after reading my posts or articles in Western Eastern Treasures . This is not my site only where I hunt . Come prepared to get skunked but also rewarded if u put in the time . Yes I have hunted lawns, open fields and sandy beaches where rarely does your coil bounce off a rock, tree stump or get caught in vines. Have gone thru I think 4 detectors in 23 years. This site , for those of u that want to hunt it takes time an a lot of effort to be successful. Not just a weekend hunt and Just my thoughts folks.
Tuesday I made my 49th trip to this site with two missions. One to find 3 more grape shots to make my total this year to 100. The second in search of my 9th cannon ball. I did did complete both with 3 grape shot, 2 pistol balls and 2 American mortar frags . All found in my first 7 hours on the hunt. Getting late thought a CB would not be found until I ventured into my old 74th REgt of Foot encampment area in my last 15 minutes and got a 7 reading in my Deus. I knew this was indeed a cannon ball , American but not the size. When diggings CB'S I like to dig on an angle to see the side of the dirt just fall away from the ball. It is a beautiful site to this old relic hunter and one I never get tired of now 72 cannon balls later. So 12 inches down that did happen to tell me it was a 4 pounder as it rolled out of the side f the hole. Now one thing I learned on Deus to tell me if a cannon ball is A brit of American ball is the number on the screen. I know that American balls r indeed inferior to Brits and often bog iron was used to cast them. Not so with Brit balls . ON a American the reading is a 7. Brits 37-40. So if u have a Deus and come across a REv WAr cannon ball u can take it to the bank if Rebel or Redcoat by the number . .
Well almost the end of my hunting season but u know i will still have a few more hunts in me. Maybe another "Snow Ball". LOL. Hey 9 is an odd number and if the relic gods favor me who knows could be a 10th ball waiting out there. The last pics of my 48 hunt the last week with some ord and a super rare pair of small iron sissors .Great form. . BTW the next to the last pic is what keeps me motivated. There will indeed be a season 24 long as this old 71 year old body holds out and I keep my Deus remote dry. Keep swinging that coil my friends and thanks as always fir looking. Gary
First please understand I am not bragging about my success and only if u have a good site the key to success , in my opinion , is to stay on the hunt and in time if the relics, coins and buttons are there u will find them my friends. I get the question often why after 23 years , with also a small army of relic hunters hunting there since the 1970s , why am i still finding history. The answer is this site is heavily wooded and difficult to hunt. Take a look at a pic i uploaded here to understand that. In many cases no doubt there are relics under downed trees, stumps and areas u just can't swing a coil in. So the answer is it will never be hunted out. The other answer for me why I am still pulling history from this ground is I go where few will, as Casper mentioned in a quote , and come home often giving my blood sweat and tears , literally from thorny bushes and hot days. It is still worth it at the end of a long hunt if what u seek u find. Castine is not for those that can't do the same. Others have come here after reading my posts or articles in Western Eastern Treasures . This is not my site only where I hunt . Come prepared to get skunked but also rewarded if u put in the time . Yes I have hunted lawns, open fields and sandy beaches where rarely does your coil bounce off a rock, tree stump or get caught in vines. Have gone thru I think 4 detectors in 23 years. This site , for those of u that want to hunt it takes time an a lot of effort to be successful. Not just a weekend hunt and Just my thoughts folks.
Tuesday I made my 49th trip to this site with two missions. One to find 3 more grape shots to make my total this year to 100. The second in search of my 9th cannon ball. I did did complete both with 3 grape shot, 2 pistol balls and 2 American mortar frags . All found in my first 7 hours on the hunt. Getting late thought a CB would not be found until I ventured into my old 74th REgt of Foot encampment area in my last 15 minutes and got a 7 reading in my Deus. I knew this was indeed a cannon ball , American but not the size. When diggings CB'S I like to dig on an angle to see the side of the dirt just fall away from the ball. It is a beautiful site to this old relic hunter and one I never get tired of now 72 cannon balls later. So 12 inches down that did happen to tell me it was a 4 pounder as it rolled out of the side f the hole. Now one thing I learned on Deus to tell me if a cannon ball is A brit of American ball is the number on the screen. I know that American balls r indeed inferior to Brits and often bog iron was used to cast them. Not so with Brit balls . ON a American the reading is a 7. Brits 37-40. So if u have a Deus and come across a REv WAr cannon ball u can take it to the bank if Rebel or Redcoat by the number . .
Well almost the end of my hunting season but u know i will still have a few more hunts in me. Maybe another "Snow Ball". LOL. Hey 9 is an odd number and if the relic gods favor me who knows could be a 10th ball waiting out there. The last pics of my 48 hunt the last week with some ord and a super rare pair of small iron sissors .Great form. . BTW the next to the last pic is what keeps me motivated. There will indeed be a season 24 long as this old 71 year old body holds out and I keep my Deus remote dry. Keep swinging that coil my friends and thanks as always fir looking. Gary
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