Question for creek hunters

[Twistedsifter]

Hey guys, quick question. I’m working in Indiana, which is far from the terrain I’m used to and I’m feeling way out of my element. At home in Florida, I have a dry site on a friends land and we primarily (hence my name) sift for items. I have the pleasure of staying out in rural brown county, and I’m surrounded by rocky creeks. I went out one day last week, and found a busted tip but haven’t seen diddly since then, even random pieces of flint seem to be a needle in a haystack. What I’m wondering is, how do y’all pick productive creeks? Do y’all do research, or just walk every creek you see until something pops up? I’m doing the latter and plan on continuing until I refine my technique a little bit. Thanks everyone.

 

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[Out Of Time]

View attachment 1719135Hey guys, quick question. I’m working in Indiana, which is far from the terrain I’m used to and I’m feeling way out of my element. At home in Florida, I have a dry site on a friends land and we primarily (hence my name) sift for items. I have the pleasure of staying out in rural brown county, and I’m surrounded by rocky creeks. I went out one day last week, and found a busted tip but haven’t seen diddly since then, even random pieces of flint seem to be a needle in a haystack. What I’m wondering is, how do y’all pick productive creeks? Do y’all do research, or just walk every creek you see until something pops up? I’m doing the latter and plan on continuing until I refine my technique a little bit. Thanks everyone.

I don't know about how others do it, but for me, it's both research and pure hunting.
Research as far as I can, at least to put NA's in the general area, after that it's a cold search and often limited by access.
Around here you need to ask permission before hunting on other people's land and creeks.

Worth considering the characteristics of any given creek.
In my experience bigger creeks (even if seasonal) are more productive.
Especially when they start to meander and create beaches and sand bars, which is often when they level on reaching a valley floor (also where people tended to live).
Narrow, deep channels are hard search and harder still when they are heavily vegetated.

Artifacts can be found anywhere in a creek environment, along the flood lines, on gravel and sand bars, protruding from mud banks, stuck under boulders and cobbles, either dry or submerged.

But they are hard to find.

If you are used to hunting known productive sites, walking creeks might be frustrating as there are plenty of days you won't find a thing.
But if you love to be outdoors and you don't mind twisted ankles and wet socks (and you have belief) you can find amazing things.
It's not totally random either (which help with the belief).
Creeks are life to people and animals (dwellings, hunting and fishing) and they are the low point in any given landscape so things naturally gravitate into them.

I hunt creeks in northern California. I put in plenty of time and am often successful.
The creek out back of my house is ideal in it's characteristics.
It floods in winter and drys almost completely in summer.
It has banks alternating with beaches as it gently winds through the valley.
I've been searching the same mile stretch for several years and continue to find stuff.
Fresh material enters the creek every winter and the beaches rearrange themselves revealing things previously buried.

When I hunt a new creek I'm always optimistic and, if I find even a single flake of debitage , I'll persist until I find the artifacts that must be there somewhere.

The other day I searched six hours straight in a new site I though had promise. All I found was a single flake and a small complete point and nothing else.

It was a buzz finding that point and it felt worth it.



I move very slowly looking for colour and shape - another way research can help is to know local materials.

I'd rather search one beach well than five badly.

Good luck.

 

[Twistedsifter]

Wow, thank you so much for your awesome reply. The “belief” you described is crucial! I always try to remain optimistic. Training your eyes to look at tens of thousands of rocks without going cross eyed is where I’m struggling. I feel like I’m either going too fast or too slow. I’ll take a few steps, squat and scan, then move along. Like you said, persistence is key. As far as research, I usually just google the area I’m in along with keyword artifact, or Native American. Anyhow, thanks again for such an informational post, it is very much appreciated!!

Twistedsifter

 

[sandchip]

You said a mouthful about "training your eyes". It's a completely different animal from looking fields, and even veteran creek lookers will miss 'em. A buddy and I have looked for years and always call the other over when finding one before even touching it. Once in a while, you can practically be standing on it, unable to see the other's find that lies in full view. I showed this picture to a guy that deer hunts a good site that is showing some interest in arrowheads. It took forever and a lot of zooming before he finally spotted it, so don't feel bad, it'll come in time.

 

[Twistedsifter]

That is a nice one in that photo! Any photos of it cleaned up?

 

[Kantuckkeean]

I’m awful at creek hunting. I know that they’re there, but my eyes haven’t been trained for creek hunting I guess. I’ve walked several creeks looking for arrowheads... ephemeral headwater streams near traditionally cultivated fields leading to larger perennial streams. There are lots of rock bars and I even look in the eroding banks but I’ve found nothing to speak of. Mostly I go to be out in nature and many times I’m with the kids, so we’re always checking out frogs, snakes, turtles, birds and other wildlife and I teach them to identify various plants. That’s mostly why I go creek hunting. I always hope to find something nice, but if not, I’m not disappointed. If I were to go specifically for that purpose, I’d go to the creek that I mentioned in the other thread. There are walking paths nearby as well. My father-in-law has some nice stuff and he’s been living in the area and walking the fields his whole life. He thinks that there was a camp or permanent village in that area. Good luck when you go!

Kindest regards,
Kantuck

 

[sandchip]

That is a nice one in that photo! Any photos of it cleaned up?

Here ya go.

 

[sandchip]

This one was a little tougher, and although I had no idea what if was or if it would be whole, I was pretty sure it was flint and snapped a picture just in case. Wish I had more days like this one. Some of you have seen this one, so I apologize for the rerun.

 

[welsbury]

Cool you had your camera with you. Good example pics

 

[Target1972]

Good example of how rippling water distorts rock shapes.

 

[tomclark]

You should try hunting shell midden beaches. Good Gawd you gotta have the same "eye" to find shell amongst shell or anything else mixed in.

 

[sandchip]

You should try hunting shell midden beaches. Good Gawd you gotta have the same "eye" to find shell amongst shell or anything else mixed in.

I can only imagine!

 

[MAMucker]

Also, these regional creek walkers are experts (if there is such a thing). They have trained their eyes (over a period of years) to spot their native lithics amid a kaleidoscope of color in a heap of pebbles and stone.
There is nothing easy about it. Time and focus creates second nature.
I have a great eyes. But, my mind is drawn to the material I know.

The best advice is: Slow Down!

 

[rock]

I love the thrill of creek hunting you just never know what you will find. I look at the creek and if there isnt any gravel I dont bother. If there is gravel then I look at the cobbles to see what was the rock type they would of used. I can do all of this from the bank and know what I might find if I jump in. After that I read the creek as to where the high water mark is and look for the channel current trenches. As the creek rises and lowers the channels will change but if you know what to look for you can see them. The points will be in those sections. Good luck, rock