Parks and tot lots?nn

[lacey333]

I am in broward county and the beaches around here just havent been producing like I had hoped. I have recently heard they were sanded in pretty heavy last year and we still havent lost much of it. I really cant travel more than an hour away right now so I'm planning on hitting some of the older parks in the area.any tips, suggestions,strategies, locations, etc. would be greatly appreciated! I bought a lesche digging tool today from several recomendations and can't wait to break it in! Thank you in advance for your knowledgeable answers and HH!

Mike

 

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[m bryan]

Dig every signal........

 

[Hunt4Fun]

Hi Mike,

Sand or wood chip tot lots are no problem. However, it sounds like you have little to no experience cleanly recovering targets from turf. If that is the case, take a look at these two videos.
http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,355262.0.html
http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,104544.0.html

Then take a look at this thread paying attention to target recover advice.
http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,344126.0.html
As stated in the thread, a good electronic pinpointer will help you a lot.

I strongly recommend you practice these techniques in your own lawn. When you get to the point you can make a turf recovery leaving little to no trace of a dig, then go to the public parks.

I really am trying to help. Leaving messy recovery spots can lead to detecting bans on public property.

Bob

 

[dogpound]

when i hit playgrounds or tot lots i first hit the normal goto spots....around swingsets and play equipment (for moms lost rings), trees (these are good shade areas for pocket spills), and if there is a ballfield in the park i'll hit that, then i'll detect along walking paths, paths towards bathrooms or pavillions and then if i have time i'll sort of stray away to the outskirts of the park and look for areas that most people wouldn't really think of hittin in the hopes of older targets. most of the parks around my area have been hit pretty hard so i usually hit those parks after busy events like carnivals or car shows.

 

[Smudge]

And don't pass up those dirt/grassy areas around basketball courts. Those can really produce.

 

[boogeyman]

If you're hunting a sand tot lot don't forget under& around the benches and a straight path from the benches to the play equipment. Moms & Dads jump up & run to pick up junior when he does a face plant from the swing. If you have the time, sit back & watch where the kids seem to congregate and the paths they follow. Next time you hunt that park you've got a pretty good grip on where to start. If the park has basket ball or volleyball the benches or tables close by are pretty good spots people throw their coats down, and alot of times they take off their bling and put it in their pockets, only to drop it when they're done.

As stated above use your lawn to learn.

 

[andy from de]

I would think it wouldn't be a good idea to hang around a school when it's in session. On weekends and when school is out during the winter wouldn't be a problem, just dont go digging holes in their yards untill you can do it without killing the grass or leaving a divit or a lump. A good tool makes a big difference, which you said you have. Something to probe in the ground really helps to, then you dont have to dig as much. I took an old phillips screwdriver and ground the tip to a point, It works pretty good. Happy hunting. AA

 

[lacey333]

Thank you all for the input. My dad had taught me how to cut a plug so as not to kill the grass and leave no trace of my presence. Unfortunately I live in south Fla. where there is no such thing as grass! The sod as they call it is what we in N.H. (where I was born) call weeds! LOL! It is almost impossible to cut a proper plug in this crap but the good thing is you cant kill it either! Anyway, again thank you all for the input and suggestions.


HH,

Mike

 

[Slugrusher]

Hi Mike,

I'm in Boca. Don't have a detector yet but will get one this week. Regarding the beaches, that is NOT an understatement. The city's from Boca down through Pompano replenished late last year 2009 and early 2010. They dumped untold metric tons of sand from the deep onto the beaches. In Boca it extended the beach 100 yards. And as usual after the $5,000,000.oo cost mother nature is again taking what belongs to her back.

I met a few guys two weeks ago on the Boca beaches. They haven't had much luck anywhere but around the volleyball courts.

Good luck in the parks.

 

[Sandman]

Hunt4fun said it all about recoverly methods. I get nervous when someone says Leche digger. In turf I only use a screwdriver and pop out the shallow coins. A digger is for the weeds on a farm or woods, not in a park.
Most parks are hunted to death and are covered with lots of junk to mask good targets. Using a small sniper coil quickly pays for itself by being able to move between the pieces of trash that you don't want to retrieve. If you have a screen you can cherry pick and only dig the dimes and up. Course this way you lose most gold rings but don't make a mess digging pull tabs either. Depends on how much fun you want to have.

 

[boogeyman]

The way I look at using tools like a lesche etc. is kinda like carpentry, you can use the best tools in the world but if you don't have practice and experience you're only gonna make birdhouses and book ends, not fine quality cabinets. Better to practice in the sand so you can concentrate more on signals & pinpointing than making a careful recovery. One step at a time will build confidence and good techniques.

 

[Bum Luck]

They're a good place to learn, and usually have benches, water fountains, and such nice things.

Learn your detector, by listening, or as I call it "watching with your ears". Then dig it all so you can learn.