How about a sticky thread called "advice for new artifact hunters"??????

[archer66]

How about a sticky thread called "advice for new artifact hunters"

Here's what I'm thinking....

There are several guys who frequent this site that have a huge WEALTH of information and experience hunting artifacts. You hunt streams, rivers, fields, shelters, you dig/sift, you disc your fields. All parts of the country are represented from the NE to the southwest and all points in between. I think it would be great if you guys who have had a lot of success could post to the thread and discuss the following plus anything else you can think of:

--discuss legal issues with collecting in certain states
--etiquette....ask permission, don't trespass, don't steal your friends hunting spots
--techniques for searching fields
--how to narrow down which parts of fields are best to focus on first
--stream hunting tips
--digging and sifting techniques
--show pictures of preforms and blanks as opposed to finished products
--show flaking pattern examples and explain how they help identify point types
--show different hafting techniques
--how to recognize material worked by man rather than nature
--examples of different materials, quarts, flint types, hardstones

I know its a lot to ask but everyone is willing to give advice and share information so why not put it in one big resource??

 

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[Jonzer]

Re: How about a sticky thread called "advice for new artifact hunters"

Great idea.
I don't have much knowledge about point types but I have 21 years of searches.
My technique in hunting fields is to go to the center of a productive spot and walk in circles, corkscrewing out a few feet each pass.
This allows me to concentrate on the spot rather than walking the entire field back and forth in rows, which takes up a lot of time.
I do hunt entire fields sometimes just to see if I've missed a good spot, but most of the time I hunt places where I know where to look.
It took a long time to get a mental list of good spots. Only time and footwork can produce a good list.
What a great way to:
Relax
excercise
enjoy a facinating hobby
spend quality time with friends, family and children

(Sometimes relaxing isn't a option when you find a great point!)

 

[archer66]

Re: How about a sticky thread called "advice for new artifact hunters"

Creek hunting tips:

I'm far from expert in artifact hunting but I do the majority of my hunting in creeks and very little in fields. A lot of this is obvious but make sure to look in the water, on gravel bars, and in the sides of any cut banks. Gravel bars are especially good places to look especailly at bends in the creek. Check after each big rain because new stuff will be exposed. Go slow. You will notice that rocks and debris will tend to be naturally sorted by size....I spend a lot of time focusing on areas where there is a lot of gravel that is palm sized and smaller. When I come to an area full of fist sized or larger rocks I turn my attention toward looking for axes, nutting stones, hammer stones, etc. Go slow. As far as spotting points goes it's the same as in field hunting only you have a lot more to look at. Go slow. On big gravel bars I do a grid search moving slowly back and forth checking and re-checking where field of view overlaps. Also I generally start out on the downstream end of the creek and work upstream so that any mud I stir up doesn't cloud the water ahead of me. If I know I am in an area that produces artifacts I will spend 4-6 hours and probably cover less than half a mile of creek bed. If I have say 6 hours to spend I'll go upstream for 4 hours, then turn around and use the remaining 2 hours retracing my steps...it's amazing what a change in perspective can do toward allowing you to find stuff you missed the first pass. Be sure to check any seconday creeks that feed the creek you are focusing on. These may be nothing more than runoff ditches that are dry most of the time or they may be streams that are always running.

The farm I do most of my hunting on has 5 small creeks that all dump into one larger creek. The larger creek runs year round, the smaller creeks run most of the year, but almost dry up in the summer unless it rains. Off of each of the 5 small creeks are runoff drainages between ridges or coming off fields and pastures. I look anywhere that I see exposed rock...especially if some of that rock is flinty. I've found most of my points etc in the smaller creeks...possibly because there is less to look at in them and the artifacts stand out. The bigger creek most likely has many more artifacts in it but the water is deeper, there are huge sandbars and gravel bars that hide artifacts very well, and there is more leaf debris piled up on the gravel bars. Mostly though you just have to take your time, use a long walking stick to turn over interesting pieces, and don't neglect anything that looks like it might have been worked.

 

[DemonCatSpaceStar]

Re: How about a sticky thread called "advice for new artifact hunters"

I couldn't add more, you two I think have covered it!

Jonzer walking in circles might make people think there something wrong with me! (joking I'll have to give that 1 a try!)

8)
Phil

 

[Newt]

Re: How about a sticky thread called "advice for new artifact hunters"

Creek hunting tips:

I'm far from expert in artifact hunting but I do the majority of my hunting in creeks and very little in fields. A lot of this is obvious but make sure to look in the water, on gravel bars, and in the sides of any cut banks. Gravel bars are especially good places to look especailly at bends in the creek. Check after each big rain because new stuff will be exposed. Go slow. You will notice that rocks and debris will tend to be naturally sorted by size....I spend a lot of time focusing on areas where there is a lot of gravel that is palm sized and smaller. When I come to an area full of fist sized or larger rocks I turn my attention toward looking for axes, nutting stones, hammer stones, etc. Go slow. As far as spotting points goes it's the same as in field hunting only you have a lot more to look at. Go slow. On big gravel bars I do a grid search moving slowly back and forth checking and re-checking where field of view overlaps. Also I generally start out on the downstream end of the creek and work upstream so that any mud I stir up doesn't cloud the water ahead of me. If I know I am in an area that produces artifacts I will spend 4-6 hours and probably cover less than half a mile of creek bed. If I have say 6 hours to spend I'll go upstream for 4 hours, then turn around and use the remaining 2 hours retracing my steps...it's amazing what a change in perspective can do toward allowing you to find stuff you missed the first pass. Be sure to check any seconday creeks that feed the creek you are focusing on. These may be nothing more than runoff ditches that are dry most of the time or they may be streams that are always running.

The farm I do most of my hunting on has 5 small creeks that all dump into one larger creek. The larger creek runs year round, the smaller creeks run most of the year, but almost dry up in the summer unless it rains. Off of each of the 5 small creeks are runoff drainages between ridges or coming off fields and pastures. I look anywhere that I see exposed rock...especially if some of that rock is flinty. I've found most of my points etc in the smaller creeks...possibly because there is less to look at in them and the artifacts stand out. The bigger creek most likely has many more artifacts in it but the water is deeper, there are huge sandbars and gravel bars that hide artifacts very well, and there is more leaf debris piled up on the gravel bars. Mostly though you just have to take your time, use a long walking stick to turn over interesting pieces, and don't neglect anything that looks like it might have been worked.

You'll find many points following this rule.
Nice read!
Newt