Coins, relics and a problem...

[OutdoorAdv]

My buddy and I got out Sat. for an all day hunt at an old house dating to the 1700's. My buddy found a 3 ringer. I found two Liberty Nickel's, 1907 and 1898. Also found two Indian head cents, 1874 and 1889. The Indian Heads were showing consistent VDI #'s of 43-48 on my v3i. Those were the first Indian Heads I had dug with this Spectra and they were showing lower numbers. The lack of high VDI signals at this site made me think that someone had already been there in the past.

And the "problem". We detected on Sat, got a nice hard rain Sat night which was good for the plugs. My buddy calls on Monday and let me know that sometime Sunday night an animal had removed 20 some plugs and did some additional excavating. These plugs were dug clean and firmly replaced. There was no trace. In all the years I've done this, I've never had any problems like this. We fixed them yesterday, and I get a call this morning... more were removed last night. I googled in some other forums and saw people saying that squirrels and raccoon's have been known to do this. Anyone else ever have this problem? Know of any solutions? Even though it was not directly our fault, this has most likely ruined our chance of returning to this property.

I've dug a lot of buckles, but not any like this one with two prongs. Anyone know what its from and how old it might be?

 

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[kuger]

Either raccoon or skunk.Coon's are notorious for being very curious.I had a call one time that something had rolled up a new laid sod lawn,and then threw dirt in the brand new pool!!I received this call from the Sherriff's dept. who had received the call as a Vandalism.The coons were curious as to what was buried under the sod and found that the water put on the sod had brought all kinds of worms up.They (coons)do not have salvary glands so must moisten their food to consume it....which they did in the pool!!

I beleive you two prong piece is part of a Shoe Buckle and may date to the Colonial era

 

[The Rebel]

Nice digs. That's a chape to a late colonial shoe buckle. Probably 1770's-1790's.

 

[releventchair]

Great hunt and site!.
I have had mule foot sized plugs raised, not many but some.
Were it not for concerns of our hunting it would be funny,are critters, (skunks had me going at one park) looking for grubs or what?
To me larger plug helps.
Were it to repeat at nite, maybe altering scent would help. A shot of mild dish soap or piece of dryer softner sheet. A cure needed for sure.

 

[OutdoorAdv]

Either raccoon or skunk.Coon's are notorious for being very curious.I had a call one time that something had rolled up a new laid sod lawn,and then threw dirt in the brand new pool!!I received this call from the Sherriff's dept. who had received the call as a Vandalism.The coons were curious as to what was buried under the sod and found that the water put on the sod had brought all kinds of worms up.They (coons)do not have salvary glands so must moisten their food to consume it....which they did in the pool!!

I beleive you two prong piece is part of a Shoe Buckle and may date to the Colonial era

I'm sure that was an interesting call... The "Sod Roller and Mud Fling'er" Strikes again! haha. Thanks for that info.

There were some paw prints that looked like a raccoon! We are hoping that they stop pulling these. Seems that no matter how firmly they are replaced, they are finding them and removing them. If there is anything left of salvaging our hunting permission, it is quickly dying every morning there are new plugs removed by these critters. Really stinks.

I was hoping colonial era on that buckle.

 

[OutdoorAdv]

Great hunt and site!.
I have had mule foot sized plugs raised, not many but some.
Were it not for concerns of our hunting it would be funny,are critters, (skunks had me going at one park) looking for grubs or what?
To me larger plug helps.
Were it to repeat at nite, maybe altering scent would help. A shot of mild dish soap or piece of dryer softner sheet. A cure needed for sure.

Thanks for the soap idea. We were going to try black pepper or cayenne. Soap would be bitter and probably more effective. I'll let my buddy know.. he is heading over to fix this second round of evening damage.

 

[kuger]

...not sure if it would kill the grass but moth balls may work(they do with skunks)Soap may kill the grass......

 

[Erik in NJ]

I've had plugs pulled by animals at a few sites over the years in northern NJ--I try to go back to properties to check the plugs when I can because of this. I also warn the homeowner that this may happen and assure them that I have been very careful in replacing my plugs. I think bigger plugs will help, but not sure what the solution is. I'm also not sure what animal is doing it, but I assume either raccoon, skunk, or squirrel or a combination thereof.

 

[Fatty]

I'd set up a game camera to actually see what is actually causing the damage,might help in the future.Can you peg the plugs?Maybe drive some sticks or wooden dowels into the plugs so they can't be lifted.

 

[Erik in NJ]

I'd set up a game camera to actually see what is actually causing the damage,might help in the future.Can you peg the plugs?Maybe drive some sticks or wooden dowels into the plugs so they can't be lifted.

I have thought of possibly pegging the plugs too. Chop sticks may work well to peg the plugs. Never tried it though...

 

[OutdoorAdv]

I'd set up a game camera to actually see what is actually causing the damage,might help in the future.Can you peg the plugs?Maybe drive some sticks or wooden dowels into the plugs so they can't be lifted.

We're pretty sure its raccoon(s) based on the prints in the dirt. That's a good idea about trying to stake them down. We are going to try some cayenne and maybe a lite spray of soap, if that doesn't do it we might have to try staking them. We dug a lot of plugs and only a little over 20 got pulled Sun night and "quite a few" were uncovered last night... still not sure of the count yet from last night. If it was one or two plugs I wouldnt be too worried... but this critter is destroying the yard! At this point the plugs that were pulled have been left out in the sun to dry... I'm not even sure they will make it.

 

[WHADIFIND]

If there is anything left of salvaging our hunting permission, it is quickly dying every morning there are new plugs removed by these critters. Really stinks. I was hoping colonial era on that buckle.

Ya know, I think I would rig a camera with night vision to capture through the night. That way you can be sure of the culprit. Also, if you try different scents to keep them away, you might could see their reaction and know what might work best. I'd heard that a really strong oil of mint would work. Their noses can't handle very strong smells. Raccoons, that is, don't know from skunks. LOL

If all else fails, leave behind one of Grandma's Crispy Batter Coon Pies. Maybe they'll get the hint.

HH!

 

[Kodiak43351]

My chocolate lab was removing plugs from my yard I was thinking it was raccoons till I caught my dog doing it.

 

[bighoss1975]

Armadillos. They do this to me when I detect my lawn. My solution, .22 rifle and/or 12 gauge no. 6's.

 

[OutdoorAdv]

Just got the official count and 14 more were removed last night. They have all been replaced with cayenne pepper. We are hoping that stops all these from being pulled up. It's a beautiful house and yard... with this second round of destruction we have decided that we cant detect there anymore.... at least not with this raccoon problem. That's assuming that we are still welcome back there!! The plugs that have gotten pulled have sat out in the sun all day before we can get back there and at this point they are all brown. If more get pulled up tonight, I will head over there and try the "chopsticks" idea and stake them down.

 

[Rawhide]

Live trap, and peanut butter sandwiches. Relocate the beast. They carry rabies and we have been told about a out break of plague, so wear gloves and help the lil guy(s) along.

 

[pippinwhitepaws]

gloves will not stop the plague...fleas carry the plague to you...
wear a few drops of pennyroyal oil on shoes, shirt sleeves, hat...avoid contact with skin.

 

[Kodiak43351]

Just got the official count and 14 more were removed last night. They have all been replaced with cayenne pepper. We are hoping that stops all these from being pulled up. It's a beautiful house and yard... with this second round of destruction we have decided that we cant detect there anymore.... at least not with this raccoon problem. That's assuming that we are still welcome back there!! The plugs that have gotten pulled have sat out in the sun all day before we can get back there and at this point they are all brown. If more get pulled up tonight, I will head over there and try the "chopsticks" idea and stake them down.

Good luck but if it continues put a salt block near buy and they will forget about those plugs long enough for them to get solid again

 

[Erik in NJ]

Are you cutting your plugs with a flap? If you are not, I think it's going to be much easier for animals to remove them. I'd also make them at least 6" - 8" in diameter. You may want to water each of them after carefully replacing them back in the ground. Also don't dig if the soil is very dry and there's no chance of rain in the near future.

 

[OutdoorAdv]

Are you cutting your plugs with a flap? If you are not, I think it's going to be much easier for animals to remove them. I'd also make them at least 6" - 8" in diameter. You may want to water each of them after carefully replacing them back in the ground. Also don't dig if the soil is very dry and there's no chance of rain in the near future.

Some with flaps, but most without. I'll cut more with flaps in the future now. All were about 8" in diameter and deep, solid plugs. Its odd I've never come across this animal thing before. We had a break in the dryness here and we were getting rained on while detecting... then a huge storm that night and another this morning. I try to head to the woods or fields when its dry and stay out of yards. This rain was perfect for the plugs if they hadn't sat outside the holes in the sun! Ha