How would you approach searching this site? (pics included)

[tehinternet]

This site is in upstate NY. There's been native Americans (various tribes) in the general area in the 1600-1700's. There's an Indian burial ground about 1 mile from here. Then settlers started moving in during the late 1700's onward in this area. This general area (more than just this lot) had many buildings, but it was still about 10 miles from the main city, so rural even back then. Then in the 1920's to 1950's it was turned into a large park and the buildings went abandoned and were eventually removed. This lot appears to have stayed independently owned for a little longer into the 1970's before becoming park property and buildings removed.

Here are many maps and aerials of this site: https://imgur.com/a/1y1sPHN

I am new at the hobby, but have been practicing with my detector and have pulled up some clad and even a crappy childrens/teenager ring (all on a different property). But I am still new and this lot keeps throwing me off. I'd like to think there's at least one coin here somewhere. In my searching around where I think the barn and house where I keep pulling up metal lids, mid 1900's glass, and ~1970's crushed pop cans. The damn cans keep appearing as 10 cent to dollar coins on my detector and it's getting tedious digging them. Also, due to the size of the cans, they've been trickier to pinpoint leading to larger holes and making a simple plug usually not possible. Luckily this spot is closer to wooded and less manicured lawn, but I’m still doing what I can to leave no trace.

Based on how much metal is here, I think I'm on unsearched property and metal detectorists are drawn to move obvious areas in the park to search. Or previous searchers looked in different areas on the lot, used high discrimination, or gave up as I am contemplating.

Anyway, I don't think I have the patience to dig everything. I have my discrimination pretty low and I'm pretty much ignoring nails, but digging everything else.

With all this said I don't think I have the time to pull all the metal near the house/barn area.

If you were on this site and new what I know, would you take a different technical approach with the detector? Would you search elsewhere on the property?

Thanks.

 

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[pa-dirt_nc-sand]

Looks like a site with potential. I would hunt a radius of about 30’ around the spot you ID’d as the home. If areas have a ton of modern cans, go ahead and avoid these concentrated trash areas.(these are difficult areas to hunt even for experienced detectorists) You should be finding old brass horse tack, buckles, circle rings, maybe old brass utensils and wheat cents. If you are not finding anything like this expand your search to around the driveway and barn area. If you are only finding modern trash, then the site was hit heavily before or the ground was graded and time to look for a new site.

 

[Rookster]

Welcome to Tnet from Mississippi.

 

[dfallis1]

Sounds like this is a trash littered area. There is nearly no way around the trash signals. Alumn, caps, and foil all can sound like coins. If you have the patience and think its actually worth it. Take the time and clear a area that you think has potential. After removing most modern trash on top could reveal artifacts underneath. Been there done that in NY before. Every lot has lots of trash.

For any new permission that is a large farmland I usually start with large grid patterns until I start to hear iron. IRON is great evidence of a homesite. At this point slow down and start gridding tighter. Before you do any of this, use some common sense. Where would you put the house? Check the hilltops. Are there any odd depressions? Close water source/spring?

 

[tehinternet]

Thanks for the replies guy. One thing I just noticed after posting, is maybe the possibility of an outhouse about 50' south of the house. Also, in the center of the property near the bottom 1/3 of it, there appears to be another small structure, per the 1960's and 1970's imagery I posted.

I was so focused starting at the large structures, I didn't even notice these blips, nor what appears to be trails running through the property back then.

I'm planning on hitting those soon for some sanity of not hearing the detector go off every 3 feet.

 

[tehinternet]

Check the hilltops. Are there any odd depressions? Close water source/spring?

I agree with griding it off and taking my time. As for the houses/buildings, I'm pretty sure I have them located based on old maps/aerial imagry. In general they on high-ish ground, but near the road. No odd depressions or foundations remaining. I'm not finding anything like a well sticking out fall-time imagry. The area is pretty overgrown, so the only things I can spot are where buildings were, and maybe some trails.

 

[tehinternet]

If areas have a ton of modern cans, go ahead and avoid these concentrated trash areas.[.....] If you are only finding modern trash, then the site was hit heavily before or the ground was graded and time to look for a new site.

Sorry, I wasn't clear on the trash I am finding. It's all 1970's pull tab cans or older. Or old rusted lids and unknown metal stuff probably also from the 70's or older. I am thinking it's not been hit because of the 1970's cans. I doubt people were roaming around the site with metal detectors before then.

Also, I say this is a park, but consider it a large nature preserve about the size a small town. There are so many more attractive sites to hit than this if one didn't put in much research work into it. Even if others did research, there are a lot of potential places to hit in this park. Or I could be wrong and this is still a good learning experience.

 

[tehinternet]

You seem like the type of guys that like updates. So, with the new though process of looking for outhouses and what appeared to be a small outbuilding at one time on the southern 1/3 of the property I went detecting there quick on my lunch break. There was much less junk this time. I did 4 digs, turned up two old pull tab cans, a pull tab, and this: https://imgur.com/gallery/TYe2NiF

Not sure what it is, but it's the first find that isn't rusted out junk or cans. It was nice to find 'something' besides junk. In this instance, the can litter is a promising sign, because it makes me think there was something once standing at this point. Because it wouldn't make sense for someone to be hanging out here drinking if there wasn't something there.

Well, I guess I have a plan for this weekend. Grid off this new area, and then try to follow the old trail back to the house.

 

[Loco-Digger]

I'd hit it during the colder months so much of the vegetation will be dormant and you will have less ticks to deal with.

 

[nomad 11]

let me just offer this 411 to ya. metal detecting is for people with patience. if you not a patient person throw your metal detector in the garbage. or offer it up to some body here on the forum. i've dug 10,000 gold rings in my time and still not considered rich. dang those false tones and readings. you'll get used to it over time. trust me. lots of people here say lol ? to me i perceive that as lots of luck. dang i gotta get me a good luck charm. my best to ya.

 

[Dannycoco]

I’m in upstate N.Y.. Need a hunting partner?

 

[Inspector]

Welcome to Tnet from upstate NY