How deep should you dig?

[mikejr]

Hi guys, Ive just started getting into this new hobby after watching from the sidelines for years - what a great way to spend a few hours on a cool day!

My questions regards how deep is appropriate when digging in someone's yard, or other private property? I have obtained permission to hunt a couple of old college campuses, as well as a few ancient (for VA anyway) churches.

Well today I practiced in my parents yard, and needless to say I made a pretty big mess. I tried to use the "flap" method and it's not like I tore the whole yard up, but it was evident I had been there - this is what I would like to avoid. (I ended up finding a couple of bronze gutter circles (Berger Bros), a brass padlock, and a couple of aluminum arrows I lost as a child )

I've heard of people using long screwdrivers as their digging tool, but frankly I'm not sure how you would retrieve something larger than a coin with this method.

So what do you guys do when you have a nice hit 8" down in someones lawn? How deep do you dig?

 

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[Gypsy Heart]

Does your machine have a pinpointer? They really help not to dig craters!

 

[kierdan]

and a couple of aluminum arrows I lost as a child )

now how cool is that you dug up a memory

 

[Jeffro]

Most coins you will find in the upper 4 inches or so. If you use the long screwdriver, be sure and dull the tip with a file or bench grinder, no sharp edges....

A practical approach for deeper targets would be to cut a "slit" with a knife, widen your opening by pushing your trowel right to left, and dig on down, putting the dirt removed on a cloth for replacement. A hand-held pinpointer really comes in handy for this type of situation.

When your done, just dump the dirt back in, push the sides back together, and step on it. A little water doesn't hurt, either.

 

[bazinga]

I take my knife and dig a big, deep circular plug and pop it out of the ground. Then fill the dirt back in and stick the plug back in and step on it. But if the ground is dry then you are probably going to make a mess anways. Just wait until a few good rains and it will make digging and cleaning up much easier.

 

[Rodog]

Usually if the item is less than 3 inches i will pop it out with a screwdriver. If it is deeper a three sided plug will do just fine. Flip the plug over and recover your target then flip the plug back in the hole and dance a quick jig on it if you found gold or silver. Now i've heard that there are some hunters out there that can finese a dime out of the ground 6 inches and deeper with a filed down screw driver. I think this would take some serious practice and patience but would be worth it for those times you need permission to hunt a prestine lawn and they say they don't want there lawn all dug up. Show them your filed down screw driver and say I just pop them out of the ground.

Rodog

 

[Michigan Badger]

My questions regards how deep is appropriate when digging in someone's yard, or other private property? How deep do you dig?

Assuming you know how to properly dig in private yards, here are some comments.

Digging always...always causes some damage. Yes, even the very slickest coin/jewelry extracting technique makes a certain amount of "mess."

However, the amount of damage can be lessened by turning up the discrimination to rule out the most common trash in the yard. In most yards this means discriminating out gold and nickels. If your machine can detect a dime at 4 inches using this high discrimination setting you will sill find most of the goodies of any value.

Another trick is to hunt private yards only in the early spring when the grass is still dormant. The spot usually only looks ugly until about July or August.

I personally refuse to hunt immaculate yards.

Badger

 

[rcasi44]

I cut plugs with a sharp knife and cut deep. This way the roots in the plug are not cut. If the flap is shallow I would think you would be cutting or pulling out the roots when the flap is folded back. Never the less I have gone back and looked at spots I cut in a school field, not a lawn. As Badger said there is some damage. The plug is invisible but the grass has browned. It will probably be ok next year. Somebody posted pictures of this I just can't remember where. And old coins aren't in the first 4" here in NE Illinois. I've found one shallow V nickel this year. Rob

 

[Sandman]

For them deep targets that read high like silver, pinpoint it and insert a probe till it touches. This takes prictice to tell rocks form coins. I like a flat blade screwdriver and a Marine bayonet. The bayonet gets used to probe the nickle, pull tab targets as you could poke inside a gold ring a few times till you touched the edge. The bayonet fits inside just right to tell you it's a ring. It helps a lot to set any dirt an plugs you remove on a piece of cloth to make it easier to return all to the hole with less mess.

HH,
Sandman

 

[jeff of pa]

Everyone here gave Great Advice on Digging, So I'll avoid Repeating.

Now ;
What to do with the Excess dirt while Digging the Object.

Dirty Grass around the Spot also give Telltale signs of Digging.

When doing well manicured Yards, and you need to remove some dirt from the hole. Have a Piece of Plastic or Cloth to lay the Dirt on.
I carry a Coil cover with the one side cut off for easy Pouring. A Frisbee
would work also & be Cheaper.
However a Cloth Could be stuffed in your pocket instead of Carried between Digs.

This is Particularly wise In the Mornings & after Rains when
everything is Damp.

As far as how Deep.
I dig as Deep as I need to & only give up
if the ground turns too hard or if someone is watching me

My Preference is to Never dig a Hole I have to step into
in order to finish the Digging.
Arms Length is my Limit.

8" in front of a Home Owner or Grounds Keeper.

Also Always Dig with your Back to the House.

 

[Jeffro]

In answer to the question- not as deep as this guy


http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,38713.0.html

 

[JW]

When doing well manicured Yards, and you need to remove some dirt from the hole. Have a Piece of Plastic or Cloth to lay the Dirt on.


My Preference is to Never dig a Hole I have to step into
in order to finish the Digging.

The cloth for the dirt to keep it away from the grass is essential, cloth, plastic, frisbee, coil cover OR a piece of rubber mat is good too.

As for digging holes you have to step into... LOL! Thats for gold country...

HH

JW

 

[Spitfire Reddie]

Yeah awlay have something to put the dirt on ! I learned my lesson when i dug up a coin and couldn't hardly find it because it was lost in the grass around the hole !

 

[homebuyer]

I took my White's 4900D/ProPlus to a rural dry stream bed in South Dakota years ago and got a good strong beep. I dug several feet down, all the while listening to that strong beep, but I eventually had to stop so I wouldn't be late for class. That beep was strong all the way down. I've always wondered what it was. Anyone ever have a similar experience but kept on digging?