Griding for a search - general question... How ?

[FrankG]

I'm probably not the only one curious about how various people grid for a search so I thought I'd ask in a separate topic. I've never gridded myself except for making some guidelines lines in the sand at volleyball courts. I typically like to use the lines on a soccer or football field as a general guide as well.

So as a learning experience, I'm wondering about the mechanics how different folks grid... i.e. do you use something like a chalk line or string or scribe some sort of lines in the ground? How large an area do you typically grid at a time and how small/dense do you make the grid. That sort of info would be helpful.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Anonymous]

And I run "lanes" from one point to another, flip around and move over to run a new lane parallel to the first, and slightly overlapping. If I'm on a marked sports field like a soccer or football, then I'll just use the lines on the field. If the area is enclosed by a fence, I'll often sight over/through the fence and the landscape in the background to keep my lanes straight.

A few years ago, I started using markers to keep my lanes straight. First, I was using sticks that were laying around. Then, I started using some golfballs. Now, I use bamboo stakes with small strips of red ribbon tied to the top. I like using the bamboo as they aren't metallic and don't give a signal. Many times I've practically skewered a coin with my stake, and didn't know it until I swung the coil close to the stake.

To mark my lanes, say I'm working a pattern east and west, and moving north one lane each time I flip around. The first lane, I'm headed east. Since when I flip around, I'm going to turn 180 degrees to my left, so I'll swing the coil to my left, and plant a stake on the outside of my coil on the left-hand side. I'll then run a lane as straight as possible, until I'm going to turn around. When I turn around, I'll try to line myself up as closely as possible so that the edge of my new lane, on the left side, lines up with the stake I've already planted. Now, I'll plant the second stake. Since I'm now facing west, but will flip around to my right, I plant the second stake on the outside of my swing on the right side. I now have my new lane bounded. If I think I'm getting out of the lane, I'll just look forwards and back, making sure the left side of my swing lines up with the left flag, and the right side with the right flag. It's not perfect, but it does work. I've used this to mark lanes in a baseball outfield, as well as cover fields over an acre in size.

Once I run the pattern to completetion, I can and will run another pattern, at 90 degrees to the first one. Oftentimes, I will do this at a different time of year, so that the soil conditions have changed.

Dragging a scoop in the sand will also work, as will following your footprints. I've had one "competitor" tell me that he knew what my search pattern footprints looked like, and if he hit a spot that I had obviously just searched, he'd go somewhere else

If you're in the water, well, good luck. I've been water hunting for years, and I have yet to figure out a fool-proof method for marking a search pattern, especially when there are other folks using the swimming area.

 

[therick]

I make sure that I overlap every sweep and go really slow so that everything is "picked up". One other method I have used is very simple and just requires two pieces of string or rope in whatever length that you decide. Take two pieces of 1/4 diameter rope, let's say 100 ft. long for simplicity. Lay them on the ground, parallel to each other about 3 ft apart. Start at one end and slowly sweep between the two ropes making sure that you overlap each sweep. When you get to the end, leap frog one of the ropes over the other creating a new 3 ft. path to search. Continue this pattern until the area you want to search is covered. This is very simple to do and does not require a lot of tools or expense.

therick

 

[Martin(Qc)]

In the water, i drag my scoop topside down... creating a small line in the sandy bottom. If water is clear enauph i can see it. Otherwise i just take a focus point on the horizon and walk straight to the point, then i try to get a point 3 feet apart... not an exact sience. On dry land I drag my shovel crating a line and use that as a reference point. Even with this system, i often find stuff i simply didn't get right on the line.

 

[coastwise]

on wet n dry sand i use aurvey flags, i start by placin one in n ground then take 20 pacesn place another, i have 2 corners now then i step of bout 40 pacesn place 2 more for the other corners, i work the enclosed area n get all the trash out then i go over it like a fine tooth comb,when i finish that area i just move 2 corners another 40 paces n start again


coastwise

 

[Goldringer]

I purchased a couple of those driveway reflectors from Wal-Mart. The ones that are mounted on a 4 foot long, 1/4 inch dia. fiberglass rod. I removed the reflector and tied on pieces of glow, survey marker. I cut the rods into 1 foot long lengths so I had plenty with just two reflector rods. These work great underwater or on land and are easy to carry. I don't use the reflectors, just toss them in the trash.

It can be a choir to keep kids and even adults from pulling them off the bottom of popular swimming areas so don't put them too far away. Just move them along as you progress. I like to work 50 foot or shorter paths.