Virgin Site: How far would you travel?

[Deft Tones]

I recently went to a party for someone that was held at some campgrounds established in the 1950's. This park is 22 miles away and heavily used most of the year. I've thought it might be good spot to hunt, but I have closer options I thought would be just as good.

Well, right near dusk I pulled out the V3i with 5.3 coil to see how trashy the camp site actually was. I got the typical "nerd alert" comments from a few of the guys, and I promised I'd keep it quick. Some were still ribbing me and other guys started to express interest when I claim to find jewelry frequently. Scanning the ground around the fire ring it's loaded with trash and good targets both. I'm yacking and the group is too. I'm not really even concentrating on the signals. So I get the screwdriver and within 15 minutes popped two clad dimes, two copper pennies, and a mens gold wedding band. I dug no trash. Only cherry picking while calling the shots.

All that ribbing promptly ended when the ring popped out and I had already called it "ring" correctly. I was ready to hunt all night but called it quits wile I was ahead, and because didn't want to be rude to the host. Now I'm trying to figure out how far do I really want to travel to hunt other sites I suspect are virgin too.

How far would you travel to detect a virgin, or near virgin site for coins and jewelry?

22 miles might be my new answer...lol.

 

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[austin]

I went from San Antonio to London to hunt with a friend and buy stained glass and other stuff at antique stores. Everything got shipped home and didn't break and the detecting went well. Several old coins that I knew nothing about. Started spending summers in England. Even hunted what was left of Sherwood Forest and the woods outside of Inverness, Scotland. Airfare and my food was all I had to pay for. So I traveled a long way just for fun. Gave all the finds to my buddy and the only people upset were my bandmates and they just got a sub for the summer. Went home toward the end of August each summer to teach high school and college night classes. Was young and had money in those days. Now just old and tired...

 

[Carolina Tom]

I have made multiple trips from Charlotte to Philly & NJ... minimum one way run: 550 miles!

Longest one day trip: Charlotte to Manhattan and back to Parsippany NJ... over 800 miles!

 

[Deft Tones]

That's hardcore, I don't care who you are!

I'd have to be very sure a site was virgin before traveling that far specifically to detect.

 

[hvacker]

I drove 400 miles to Pie Town NM for a piece of pie.
I'm thinking of going down to the boot heal for a bowl of chili.

All depends on what you treasure. Sometimes it's all about the journey.

 

[Captain Caveman]

I travel more than 22 miles regularly. Distance isn't as much a factor for me as time is. I recently drove 3 hours to spend a weekend hunting with fellow TNetter tabman. I've also already talked to the wife about heading to NC to hunt with Carolina Tom; that will be a long trip from MS.

 

[Ammoman]

Im making plans to go from Greensboro NC to Atlanta GA. Its gonna be 5 hours there, 5 hours of hunting and 5 hours back. whooo hooooo..tripple nickle...my lucky numbers!

 

[aa battery]

we drove from cali to Idaho and my sister in-law is not a vrgin

 

[Carolina Tom]

I travel more than 22 miles regularly. Distance isn't as much a factor for me as time is. I recently drove 3 hours to spend a weekend hunting with fellow TNetter tabman. I've also already talked to the wife about heading to NC to hunt with Carolina Tom; that will be a long trip from MS.

Come on over CC.

I got to meet Loco-Digger in Pa. in April. He is coming to visit this weekend from Ohio! That's an 8 hour drive.

 

[Captain Caveman]

Come on over CC.

I got to meet Loco-Digger in Pa. in April. He is coming to visit this weekend from Ohio! That's an 8 hour drive.

Oh it's happening....it's just a matter of time!

 

[Davers]

I recently went to a party for someone that was held at some campgrounds established in the 1950's. This park is 22 miles away and heavily used most of the year. I've thought it might be good spot to hunt, but I have closer options I thought would be just as good.

Well, right near dusk I pulled out the V3i with 5.3 coil to see how trashy the camp site actually was. I got the typical "nerd alert" comments from a few of the guys, and I promised I'd keep it quick. Some were still ribbing me and other guys started to express interest when I claim to find jewelry frequently. Scanning the ground around the fire ring it's loaded with trash and good targets both. I'm yacking and the group is too. I'm not really even concentrating on the signals. So I get the screwdriver and within 15 minutes popped two clad dimes, two copper pennies, and a mens gold wedding band. I dug no trash. Only cherry picking while calling the shots.

All that ribbing promptly ended when the ring popped out and I had already called it "ring" correctly. I was ready to hunt all night but called it quits wile I was ahead, and because didn't want to be rude to the host. Now I'm trying to figure out how far do I really want to travel to hunt other sites I suspect are virgin too.

How far would you travel to detect a virgin, or near virgin site for coins and jewelry?

22 miles might be my new answer...lol.

I drove 160 miles each way to hunt with a fellow Tnetter back in May.

Heck I drive 20 + miles each way & many times much more while Scouting.

While I don't know your area , most campsites have been hunted (some much more than others) I believe you got Lucky as Heck finding the Gold Ring Esp with all the pull tabs & melted Aluminum in such areas.

That said , you never know till you check, to drive say 100 miles to a location , I would like to be 95% positive it's "Virgin".
But
That's just me .
I typed more but I was Cut off by the site & lost "Many Words". Oh Well I hate when it does that.
GL
Davers

 

[SuperShaun]

I have one I know of. I'll have to drive 2hrs to it but will be well worth it cause it's at my mom house. In a historic town

Keep swinging my friends!

 

[kcm]

It's 48 miles one way for us to just get a loaf of bread. Virgin site? What do you think??

Back in Texas, I used to drive 1.5 hours to work; a little longer when coming home, unless I intentionally stayed late to avoid rush hour(s). For a while my dad was driving over 3 hours each way. 22 miles? That's nothing!

 

[Loco-Digger]

I have driven from Ohio to Eastern PA to hunt a few days with my Bother-In-Law and other TN members (Scrappy, Treblehunter, Cjon, Eastcoasthunter21, Smittyman, CarolinaTom, KurtStuben, Bartek, and about 150 others). I just returned from Staten Island NY (hunted with the B.O.Bs, Eastcoasthunter21 & Scrappy). I am leaving tomorrow to hunt in NC with Carolina Tom, ToddLipe, Smittyman, SuperShaun, and maybe a few others. This is a great site where you can make good friends who share in the passion and have the opportunity to hunt in other regions. I even scoped out about 11 sites just in case they come up blank on where to hunt. All the sites I found are in the woods and had a house on the property back in the early 1907 according to topo maps.

 

[Deft Tones]

Driving for work is one thing, driving for pleasure quite another.

For work I wouldn't get to choose the destination yet all expenses are paid. For pleasure I get to choose where but expenses are out of pocket. But I get the drift.

Heck, when I was younger and single I'd drive 250 miles one way in the hopes of getting some sugar from a fine young woman I was hot on....geesh, was that ever dumb!

Perhaps I was lucky. I hope not, but I'm going to rent a campsite this summer or fall and cherry pick the place as much as I can in two days. I doubt I'd make it out of campground #6 as there are 30 some sites there alone, and the whole park is well over 1500 acres. A lifetime could be spent there swinging.

Some of you traveling hundreds of miles for a half-day hunt... what drives you to that? Lack of good sites near home? Potential to find things unavailable in your areas? Just to get away from it all? Friendships?

I guess I've never taken a metal detecting vacation. Maybe this autumn it's about time.

 

[Ammoman]

Some of you traveling hundreds of miles for a half-day hunt... what drives you to that?

A 2012 Ford Escape of course. But actually...i love road trips. It's a cheap adventure that creates awesome memories. Nothing like spending 100 bucks to find a nickel worth 2 cents!

 

[Loco-Digger]

Driving for work is one thing, driving for pleasure quite another.

For work I wouldn't get to choose the destination yet all expenses are paid. For pleasure I get to choose where but expenses are out of pocket. But I get the drift.

Heck, when I was younger and single I'd drive 250 miles one way in the hopes of getting some sugar from a fine young woman I was hot on....geesh, was that ever dumb!

Perhaps I was lucky. I hope not, but I'm going to rent a campsite this summer or fall and cherry pick the place as much as I can in two days. I doubt I'd make it out of campground #6 as there are 30 some sites there alone, and the whole park is well over 1500 acres. A lifetime could be spent there swinging.

Some of you traveling hundreds of miles for a half-day hunt... what drives you to that? Lack of good sites near home? Potential to find things unavailable in your areas? Just to get away from it all? Friendships?

I guess I've never taken a metal detecting vacation. Maybe this autumn it's about time.

There are a few reasons, of course having fun with friends who have the same passion for detecting are the main reasons, but if you want to dig colonial you ain't got many odds of doing it in Ohio, but in the 13 original states your odds improve.

The copper I dug in NY is toasted, but after a little electrolysis I believe its a Hibernia, and if that's the case, I am in the 1720's.

 

[Loco-Digger]

There are a few reasons, of course having fun with friends who have the same passion for detecting are the main reasons, but if you want to dig colonial you ain't got many odds of doing it in Ohio, but in the 13 original states your odds improve.

The copper I dug in NY is toasted, but after a little electrolysis I believe its a Hibernia, and if that's the case, I am in the 1720's.

I have never taken a vacation other than to visit family until this year. It is such a pleasure to hunt other areas, whether you dig a keeper or not. The memories are priceless.

 

[austin]

See, one of the things that I had going for me and I used it was that I am from San Antonio, Texas. To us, no big deal, but to a bunch of Europeans, their eyes light up and they almost yell ALAMO. They open their lives to you. Germans especially. Most of you don't know, but they fly here and are picked up at the airport and taken 40 miles NW to a little town called Bandera, the "Cowboy Capital of the World". They check in to one of the many Dude Ranches, then go downtown to the big western wear store, where they buy the whole outfit, from hat to boots. They ride horses, eat BBQ, are entertained by the country singer under the stars and have a hayride. There is usually a field trip to see the Alamo. And they pay big money for all this. Metal detect? No, unless they saw us at times along the river and marveled at our junk. Of course we let them help. Some even played golf if they stayed at a certain ranch. They loved it and it provides a lot of money to that community. Travel to have fun is great, if you can afford it. Find an Indian relic? Cool for us, a once in a lifetime experience for some. Virgin sight? Maybe, but who cares. Who hasn't dreamed of finding a nugget in that pan you are learning to use or a cob to have framed and wear around your neck? Area might have been hunted forever, but when you hit it, it's new to you. It's all virgin if you have not been there before. And incredible fun. And as they say, you only live once...

 

[kcm]

Has Bandera grown THAT much over the last 25 years?!?!? I remember missing it one time cause I wasn't paying attention.