Oh, it can get hot, such as what we are heading into this week, but it's dry, with a low humidity, and USUALLY not too many bugs to deal with. You're holding off until "favorable" relic hunting weather in November, but "Out West" we have to deal with freezing conditions by then, in some places in some years, and hot, blistering sun in the middle of summer. When I was younger, healthier and felt invincible, I often worked some desert ghost towns day-long in the middle of summer.
Those days are long since past, but I can still enjoy what time I can devote, and when it gets too hot, night hunting is the way-to-go. I've been night-hunting such places for about thirty years during very hot times, and often, in milder-weather winters, I can still get in some detecting time in my favorite relic hunting sites. Glad I am not banished from having fun due to weather, bugs and critters. I wish you could have come on over Nevada way last month and join us on some serious relic hunting as that might have been enough enjoyment to help last you for a few more months. Might have been a good taste of a different level of trash to deal with, and definitely fine examples of why avid searchers of such sites depend on smaller-size search coils.
JinFL said:
Hey Monte,
Don't forget to tell us how deep your coins were...LOL...
Well, we worked this ghost town in March and it was virtually ideal conditions with a lot of open dirt that was very easy digging. I was able to "toe scuff" most of my targets, just like I have a good 75% of the time in all of the old town sites, homesteads, pioneer and military encampments, and other such places I hunt when the ground is loose and workable. That's because the bulk of the coins, trade tokens and 'keeper' artifacts are generally in the upper three-to-four inches. Usually there is no disturbance or ground change to displace them.
In March I nabbed a 1900 Indian Head 1¢ [size=small](at 1½")[/size] and a 1909 Barber 10¢ [size=small](that was 'toe-scuffed' at ½" to 1")[/size], as well as a Trade Token [size=small](from almost 3" deep)[/size]. Another trip in April and it had a little bit of short, weedy vegetation and the ground was tougher to work in and not loose and manageable. We were both skunked on that visit.
On Thursday we both got toasted. We couldn't hunt the more open plowed field area because there was ample rain in April and May and the vegetation was too dense and too tall. Thus, my FORS CoRe & 7X11 DD took a break on the back seat. A lot of the open area where some businesses, hotel and houses used to be was also rather overgrown and that hampered our success. The bulk of my hunting was done with my Racer w/the small '
OOR' coil, and Gregg used his Racer's with either the '
OOR' coil, or occasionally the 5½X10 enclosed DD.
On the travel to get to the ghost town I made a stop to buy an old-time favorite detector, only to find out he had two favorite models to sell, both in 10-out-of-10 condition, too! These are old favorites that have provided me the some of the best success in the many ghost towns an d other old sites I've hunted in most western states so ..... I kind of had to mount my favorite SMALL coil on one and use it for a while. It was coincidental, but that was the unit I had in-hand when I found the two trade tokens in the top of the photo below. One was 'toe-scuffed' at about ½" and the other required my Lesche Digger to break up the hard, compacted dirt and pry it out at about 1½".
I used my Racer and '
OOR' coil to find a few small artifacts, but that day the pickin's of interesting small targets was pretty dismal. Gregg's token and pennies were also in the upper 3", I'm sure, and the Barber dime he spotted on top of the ground. That happens more often than people might think. You can check out the posters on my Relic & Old Site Forum who made the ghost town trek to hunt three of them in Nevada, the two oldest dating to 1868 and 1869, and see how deep their coins, tokens, Chinese Cash coins, and neat small artifacts were found. I can assure you, that while I do find deeper targets at times, most of them aren't because there is usually not much reason for them to get deep in the first place.
JinFL said:
I know you laugh at us in the east when we worry about depth, but heck, it is what it really is.
I know, and I don't doubt you or the others who are avid detectorists and have learned that in some instances, desired targets have been buried beneath erosion or a lot of fallen leaves and other vegetation, and we can't forget plowing and other forms of activity. I've been in touch with quite a few Relic Hunters from the East and South East since the latter '70s and we've had plenty of discussions regarding "depth of detection" with regard to coins, tokens and buttons on up to larger-size artifacts.
I've found some deep targets myself, but ... for me and most of the sites I hunt, depth isn't the issue as much as being able to deal with very abundant trash, both ferrous and non-ferrous.
JinFL said:
Have a good hunt.
J in FL (aka Tom/Dick/Harry)
We did, considering the amount of newer vegetation, the hard ground, the hot day we had. We are working on a plan for September to go camp out close by a few old town sites in September and try to put in 3-to-5 days of detecting. If you are getting bored awaiting November's arrival, you're welcome to come on out and join us. and bring the detectors and coils you think you'll feel most comfortable with. Maybe you can have a good hunt, too?
Monte
Trade tokens are almost more desirable finds at ghost towns then coins, although coins are certainly welcome finds as well.