Detecting around old cellar holes

[fadetoblack]

Sorry if this has been answered before but I did a search and didn't find anything specifically on how to detect around them once you find them. I have found a few and it seems its loaded with nails inside and outside close to the cellar hole itself. I have a bounty hunter tracker 4 so if there is any specific advice you have on that detector when using around cellar holes it would be great. So far I have the sensitivity on high and just dig the really good hits when it seems like the area is nail laden and I dig them all when I get more
Away from the cellar hole and there are less nails. Found a cool copper bracelet from the 1934 Chicago worlds fair today :-) maybe I am doing all I can do and this is just the nature of cellar holes...

 

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[hunter_46356]

The nature of any hunt site with a lot of trash targets should directly affect how you hunt. Depending on what you are looking for, relics or coins, should be considered when hunting. You could set your detector to discriminate everything but coins and sweep the area. Then go back and keep reducing the discrimination looking for relics of the lesser metals on a the next hunts. Or do just the opposite and start with the relics and move to coins. The advantage of this would be you could more than likely be removing targets, trash or otherwise, that could mask good targets. Or you could just did everything.

 

[fadetoblack]

Ok. I'll try that next time I'm up there. Would the sensitivity effect what targets that I'm looking for? Does the sensitivity just effect the depth? It's pretty hard to dig every hit when the ground is loaded with nails. I think they just let it rot or burned it down. I've heard that they burned them down to get as many nail back as they could being that they had to hand make every one, making them valuable items.
Thanks for the help !!

 

[hunter_46356]

Sensitivity will affect depth, I'd run it as high as you can to get as deep as you can. This will obviously affect the number of targets you BH will give you. If the place is as trashy as you say it is I'd do a recon with discrimination around 11 or 12 O Clock and sensitivity high. I have a BH 101 and a 505, your Tracker V probably falls some where close to the 101. With no VDI screen all you can do is count on the tones received. Silver will give you a nice clean, clear high tone that should be repeatable with a 90 deg. swing to your first swing. I have not had the opportunity to detect Cellar Holes but have detected very trashy areas. It's tricky but can be done. Don't get disappointed, You will dig Trash. One good find will be worth it all. Good Luck Hunter.

 

[mark v]

I love cellar holes! They are few and far in between for me but I have always found lots of neat things detecting the few that I've found. Digging old rusty iron is just part of the deal when detecting cellar holes. There is one near me that I've been detecting for over a year. I can detect around it for days and days and not find a thing but then once in a while I find a real nice item. Be sure to detect under any brush that's nearby. It's tough but chances are the brush wasn't there when the place was in use and the brush is keeping people away from the targets. Go slow when you are in a lot of iron and you can sometimes hear the good targets mixed in with the iron.
Good Luck.

 

[fadetoblack]

I plan on getting a better detector in the future but for now the BH iv is doing well. Probably good practice to get used to the tones and all that stuff. Next purchase will be a pinpointer!! I agree that cellar holes are cool. I have permission to hunt this one as long as I "put the rocks back" and I don't plan on moving any of those. It's handy that there is no lawn to contend with so I can go right at it with the spade. It was built with brick I think because it is all around the place. Actually there are 2 buildings. I have found a couple of ox shoes so I'm sure one was a barn. I have next week off from work so I will keep at it. Going to the library tomorrow to maybe find some info on the place :-)
Thanks for the help!!