Just getting familiar...

[ezman604]

Yesterday the weather was fantastic. High near 60 here in West TN. The next few days the temp is supposed to drop below zero at times. So Sunday was THE day to get out and enjoy swinging. I recently purchased a Minelab X-Terra 705 and have only had a chance to swing in my yard to start the learning process. My brother has 23 acres of partially wooded undeveloped farm land that I have been wanting to sweep. It's within a few miles of the site of the Civil War battle site Parkers Crossroads. So it's possible there was troop movement on his land at some point. I'm hoping that anyway.
I loaded all of my equipment up and headed out for an adventure. I couldn't cover the whole property but jumped around a few spots. I had the 705 set to coin mode and preset 1 which blanks out iron. I had the threshold set high enough to hear the blanking in the headphones if I swept over something iron. Since I'm into digging history, I will dig even the blanked out items. This was my maiden voyage with this detector and was to be mainly my first real practice session. And also to shake off the cabin fever. LOL
I found some modern brass and a live rifle round. The area is great for deer & turkey hunting. I received a TID reading of around 40 and dug from the base of a young tree what appears to be a 12ga slug. I'm soaking it and will clean it for a better look. At another spot, I heard a blanking so I switched to all metal mode and pinpoint. I located a -6 reading target showing as 4-6" deep. I unearthed a small buckle that is also soaking to try and remove some buildup in an attempt to better identify if it is modern or vintage. But does the fact that it detected in the iron range say anything about the material? Or is it reading iron due to the mineralization and rust buildup on it?
I took a spiral notebook and logged each indication and what was actually dug and the depth. I want to keep a record of how close the documented readings match my actual finds. I also took some marker flags and planted them at several spots that I received iron hits that were 6" or deeper. I wanted to work the area just to get an idea of what may be there and will most definitely go back and dig the deeper iron targets when the weather gets more tolerable. But I learned a lot about the detector and expect to learn a lot more before hitting some more desirable spots.
I have contacted the mayor of my hometown to make sure there are no city ordinances or laws prohibiting detecting city property. I also wanted his permission personally in case any questions come up. We do have some old (around 1900) areas that are on city property. He responded he has no problem with me detecting and will also get advise from the city attorney to be safe. There are some historical marker areas nearby that I am checking with a different city mayor to get his permission to sweep. So I hope my research and practice pays off. I'm not looking to get rich, I just love finding and digging history. I will gladly donate any items to local museums should I have the privilege to unearth anything of significance.
Anyway, just wanted to post my preparations and hope to be back here to share with you some photos of productive days out sweeping. Until then...
SAFE & Happy Detecting!!!!
Dave

 

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[Tom_in_CA]

..... he has no problem with me detecting and will also get advise from the city attorney to be safe......

Are you talking about "getting permission" or "finding out if there's any laws that say no detecting" ? Because, no, you don't "need permission" if there were no law saying you can't. Ie.: if it's not a prohibited activity.

Think about it: If he had "no problem with you detecting", then that tells me there there must not have been any laws saying you can't. Or if there is (like if he had to consult with the city attorney, for pete's sake), then what does that tell you ? It probably means that if that mayor (and others like him) had simply been driving past the park and seen you, they'd probably have never paid any mind to you.

I just hope the "city attorney" doesn't drum up something he thinks/says applies (harming earthworms, harvesting and taking clauses, defacement clauses, etc...) to tell you "no". Because then what will have happened is that you'll be the latest victim of "no one cared till you asked".

 

[ezman604]

I hope that's not the case from his responses. They sounded positive to me. He wanted to check to make sure there wasn't something on the books already that he was not aware of. His other comments were that there shouldn't be any issues, we'll work them out and good luck. For me, I'd rather ASK permission than to have a city employee or LE roll up on me and advise me to leave and possibly confiscate what I've found and my equipment.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

.... I'd rather ASK permission than to have a city employee or LE roll up on me and advise me to leave and possibly confiscate what I've found and my equipment.

If you look up said rules for yourself, and find no rules/laws saying "no metal detecting", then .... how can you have your equipment confiscated? I don't get it. No one gets their "equipment confiscated" if there were no rule or law that you were breaking .

 

[SusanMN]

You are going to love your Xterra!

 

[ezman604]

Well, I'm certainly open to suggestions from those that have far more experience at this than I. That's one of the main reasons I joined here. Working 10 hours a day leaves me the weekends to try and research as well as try to get out and actually swing. Most public or government offices are closed on weekends. So I went directly to the source for answers. But you can see even the mayor has to ask if there's any reason why I shouldn't be allowed to sweep city property. I see the city ordinances online but I would have to read the entire document to possibly get an answer.
I've heard the comment many times that there are a few out there that ruin it for the rest of us by their practices. I just don't want to be accused of being one of "THOSE" folks.
And Susan, I'm loving it already.

 

[ezman604]

Now have official permission to sweep ALL city property. My only agreement was that any object under $200 in value is mine and anything over is negotiated between the city and myself. I also have permission granted to sweep all school property including the football stadium. That was an area I wanted permission to sweep. It is a OLD stadium and the secondary entrance is a narrow downhill sidewalk with grass on both sides. The ticket purchase was at the top of this sidewalk so I can almost be guaranteed to find some silver. And hopefully some old stuff.
There is also a hillside behind one endzone where folks for decades have thrown blankets and perched to watch the games. GREAT area to sweep. I'm stoked. Will most likely hit these spots this weekend!!!
And I also offered my detecting services to the city police department should the need arise to search an area for evidence. I received a nice note from the chief thanking me for offering the service. And he finished with "if there is ANYTHING the department could do for you, let us know!!!".

 

[releventchair]

Congrats on hunting and so much ground to hunt! Local mayor has visited for chats at local park. We have a history. I park in front of village works at times. Though they encounter me all around. Never asked permission,no one bothers me outside of the curious all whom have been well received. You asked and despite Toms fears you live to detect another day. A smile or short conversation if civil employees seek one,just a wave usually any more. Only question regarding my activities has been am I hauling out all dug trash, of course I am.
Small communities away from coasts are very different than the bizarre areas of this country where you can,t fart sideways with out upsetting the powers that be and involving strange thinking strangers. Here civil folk serve the community and open areas are for the public to enjoy. All parties know ,I do something stupid detecting not the only welcome that would be worn out. They know I do business in the village and detectorists compare notes and don,t cause issues with property or other guests.
Some one went wild cutting up large areas of sod and not securing it in an area of scattered big iron across street from village office. Surprised I did not get asked about that. Did find out who was cutting sod manhole cover size plugs in another park,leaving junk finds lay under them and sod loose and dying .He received a message and never mentions it when hes around. So far most people digging been leaving minimal sign and watch each others technique when comparing notes.

Happy hunting! Set a good example like I,m sure you will. Tidy diggs you can,t hardly find when you are finished,no big gaps for green growth to dry out. Don,t be afraid to check them a couple days later in sensitive areas if your near. I noticed some wilt in summer and leave some areas of village with scheduled activities I,m aware of alone a week before. Iron buckles may be a sign of horses or oxen .In time a shoe likely.

 

[Msbeepbeep]

Glad it worked out well getting the all clear to dig. Kinda seems the bigger the city the more complicated things get and the less common sense. Just my opinion, each place is different.