Question

[boojagirl]

Yesterday I walked past the high school and saw the bleachers in the ball field and I wanted to go there and look around but I was'nt sure is there was someone I have to ask permission from or is that area a public place that anyone can go on?

 

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[jeff of pa]

it Depends on your Area.

It IS Public, But from what I underastand, Some Schools,
Don't Consider it open to the Public.

Ask at the Office, or Ask the Grounds Keeper.
Which ever you see first.

 

[Sandman]

Right, ask first and don't be seen with a shovel, just a screw driver and make sure no body could tell you were hunting there. Remove all the trash you find with the detector too. This will go a long way to you ever coming back.

HH,
Sandman

 

[boojagirl]

Thanks for moving this, I forget to do that, I will try going and asking in the office, (if it ever stops raining that is )

 

[boojagirl]

P.S. Actually I use a kitchen knife to dig with.

 

[catlord17]

P.S. Actually I use a kitchen knife to dig with.

A kitchen knife is potential jail time, as I understand it, depending on how long the blade is. Feel free tocorrect me if I'm wrong, but I'm not going totake any chances. For cutting plugs, I use a short paring knife, but if you learn how to go with only a screwdriver, you'll have it made. I get permission to dig much more often when I tell them I only use a screwdriver. The key is to leave no trace of having been there. My full digging kit consists of:

a hankerchief, for recovering ALL the soil I dig up, and covering my tools between uses;
a good spade;
a paring knife for cutting plugs;
and a 9" screwdriver.

Usually, unless I'm going to be digging deep tagrets in grassy areas, I just use my screwdriver.

 

[urbss]

I really wish I could pair up with one of you experienced guys and watch your techniques. I can't for the life of me understand how you can retrieve a target with a screwdriver.

I use a small (but heavy duty) gardening spade. (could that be considered a weapon? And even then, it is not always easy because the ground always seems to be very rocky.

 

[jeff of pa]

i use a Very Long Handled Scoop, for all areas Except where I may be
Watched too Closely.

Even when I'v been Snuck up on, and had a foot or to DEEP hole,
I havn't been Attacked for it.

The trick is Make sure when you place the Top back on, it dosn't look as bad as the 2 Foot hole

 

[Jeffro]

With shallow finds, it is easy with a screwdriver. You gently push the tip into the ground, "feeling" for something hard. Don't push real hard, or you'll scratch it. Then work the tip to the side of the coin, and gently pry it up. I dull the edges on my screwdriver with a grinder first. It's easy when you try it a few times, and theres almost no hole to repair!

 

[catlord17]

With shallow finds, it is easy with a screwdriver. You gently push the tip into the ground, "feeling" for something hard. Don't push real hard, or you'll scratch it. Then work the tip to the side of the coin, and gently pry it up. I dull the edges on my screwdriver with a grinder first. It's easy when you try it a few times, and theres almost no hole to repair!

Some good points here... screwdrivers are great for digging shallow targets in packed earth or medium depth targets in loose soil, but for deeper work, I just use it to pinpoint the target in the ground before I cut a plug. I usually don't try to recover anything deeper than a few inches with a screwdriver by itself.

Softening the angularity off the screwdriver's end (whatever it's called) by grinding it down is also a good idea. I hear that welding a small brass ball to the end is even better for preventing scratches, although I have never used it myself.

With practice you can distinguish rocks and glass from metal before you dig.

 

[EDDE]

a brass rod (5/8 ths?)cut to 6-9 inchs or so, glued(epoxy/jd weld works great) into a file handle, good coin probe careful not to bend it its soft!

 

[catlord17]

a brass rod (5/8 ths?)cut to 6-9 inchs or so, glued(epoxy/jd weld works great) into a file handle, good coin probe careful not to bend it its soft!

But I just bought the screwdriver! lol