Changing My Hunting Tactics For 2011

[E-Trac-Ohio]

I've decided to change my style of hunting tactics this year - so far it's working out well - got eight silver coins since the first of the year - a 1942 Walking Libery Half - a 1901-S Barber Dime and six Mercury Dimes.
When I went to a site last year I would just dig any good target - this year when I go to a site for the first time - I'm only digging CO - 44 to 47's.

I plan on hunting this way if time is limited or if the site is so far from where I live - that I know I won't be able to come back. If I can get back to the site - I'll dig the lower number targets when I return - until the site has been thoroughly covered. I know that this style of "Cherry Picking" hunting is nothing new and I also know that I have been and will be - walking over a lot of Indian Head and Wheat Cents - but personally - I'd rather find one old silver coin - than a dozen Indians or few dozen Wheat's !

HH --- Mark

 

[NebTrac]

Good luck in your search of silver Mark. I will say this. I've had a number of worn, deep (6" +) barber dimes and my only seated come in like a wheat penny. Looking forward to your silver finds. I'm like you though, I dig a lot fewer "iffy" signals if I know I won't be back to that spot for a long time or ever.

NebTrac

 

[filo]

The very worn coins do come in a lot lower than you would expect. Other times when you have a coin spill with a penny and dime or some other combination of coins, the numbers will be very off. This has happened to me a number of times when I did not expect to bring up silver. As long as you know you might miss a few, cherry picking can be rewarding -- especially on unhunted sites. Good luck!

 

[E-Trac-Ohio]

Thanks for the tip on worn silver coins coming in at lower numbers !
Don't get me wrong - I really like Indian and Wheat Cents - it's just if time is very limited or it's only going to be a one time visit to the site and theres a larger area to cover - the time spent digging multiple copper targets - could cost you a nice old silver coin. Also, sites that get hunted this way will tend to leave some older coins for the next guy that comes along.

Good luck to everyone this season ! --- Mark

 

[Ray-Mo.]

n/t

 

[Jack Flynn]

Heck I only dig 39 co and above all the time now, well I'll dig a 12 or 13 co also for the nickel's

 

[Dr.Bill]

On my quick lunch hunts at work I do a lot of cherry picking . Then on weekends I take my time and dig a lot of different targets.

HH all

 

[E-Trac-Ohio]

Yes, I do go a lot by the target depth too - old coins are not always deep - but deeper is usually a good thing.

 

[Jason in Enid]

Yep, adjust your tactics to fit the situation.

Even if I can go back to a place, I often cherry pick the first hunt. It gives me an idea of whats there, amount of trash, etc. Successive hunts will be for a wider and wider range of conductive targets.

 

[UtahRich]

I will do similar things if the situation calls for it. Sometimes, I don't have the opportunity to be what I would call 'thorough' so I have to be selective.

In these cases, I usually skip targets that I think are Zinc pennies (shallow and 12-37, 12-3, and shallow targets that I think are clad. I usually dig quarters or what I think are quarters and deeper targets. A lot of what I skip has to do with where I am hunting.

Best of luck to you this year.

Rich (Utah)

 

[onemore]

Let's see... two 1877 and a 1909-S IH, a 1909-S VDB and two 1914-D wheats, numbers of Fat IHs and Flyin Eagles...

Yup, please... keep doing what you are doing!

 

[wvrick]

Interesting information, I'm trying the smaller coil, the 6x8 right now, and ordered a x-5 to hunt threw the trash.

HH Rick

 

[E-Trac-Ohio]

"Onemore" has a very good point - theres a good chance your missing a lot of great coins but only digging CO 44 to 47 - A Flying Eagle Cent trumps a lot of silver coins for sure !
The Two Cent coin I found last year came in as a very solid FE 12 - CO 40.
I like all old coins - but for now - I'm going to just look for silver on the first pass - then go back and dig all the other good targets - until I feel the area has been covered.
Of course - if you can only hunt a place one time - I would dig all the good targets.

HH --- Mark