Looking for arrowheads in Minnesota is something I do at the same time,if I'm out metal detecting a farm field,or anywhere out in the woods where one is not on to overly beaten of a re-landsacped area of undisturbed land.I look for arrowheads at the same time.
I'm bumbed that it's been many,many years since I've found an arrowhead.
When I was in the 5th..6th and 7th grade,I wast so interested in Indian Artifacts,that it was all I could do,to swallow up every book on the subject.
I was looking for arrowheads while the other kids went out to play baseball.
I was digging,and sifting though Minnehaha Creek,while the other kids were playing baseball.
When it comes to good locations looking for arrowheads.The only tip I'll give you,is where would you hunt in wait for an animal.
Near water is always a best bet when searching for Indian Relics.
Everything has been pretty much spotted,and picked up through the years.
Near water,and farm fields near water,and I'm talking a water source.
Near a swamp,or lowland where water gathering during a rainy season.
Lakes,creeks,and rivers.
If you're up in the northern part of Minnesota.Odds are the same animal paths,and trails to a lake,or source of water to get a drink in the early morning hours,are the same paths taken for generations.
Shorelines,animals paths to a water source etc.
The best spots to look around a lake.Look for the ideal spot to build your log cabin on level ground.The ideal campsites are the same on a lake.
Odds are when camping on a natural lake,or water source here in the state.Many in the past have as well,and like us they'd pick the best spot.
As far as which side of a lake..east,north,south,etc.Perhaps some enjoyed all locations through out the seasons.Where a north wind would be welcomed in the heat of the summer,or enjoying the breeze to keep the bugs at bay.
Where a camping spot level & comfortable,and believe me.There are alot of lakes here in the state,that are not over developed,that have vast clues to past Native American camps,and perhaps permenent residence at one time.You're camping where they did.
It's the developing,and landscaping done over the years.Not to mention what was exposed to the human eye that has already been picked up.
Logging itself,development etc..You'd be amazed how things have changed environmentally in the last 150 years hear.
Looking for arrowheads comes natural to those who can just identify them.Even from just a photograph from a book,it's in the heart.
I'll be updating this with more thoughts,and if anyone wants to share their Native American Indian Relic finds with us,please do so.
This is a facinating subject for so many of us.
Even if just an arrowhead,please share your story...:)
Monday, March 18, 2013
Saturday, March 9, 2013
Metal Detecting For Jewelry
When it comes to metal detecting for jewelry,make sure you test your detector at home with the jewelry you have on hand.
Even the most expensive detectors pick up alot of jewelry as a junk target.Don't ask me why,it's just the way it is with alot of the models out there.
Find a silver ring,and test how your detector picks it up.Watch the single you get.
Don't practice out in the field.Be knowledgable on what your detector's signals are before you get there.
Rings are the most troublesome for alot of us.
My metal detector seems to always pick them up as a nickle,that's because I always have my unit set up for coin shooting.
When I'm in jewlery mode,I just pick up to much dam junk.
Yes,at the beach I ocassionally use the jewelry mode when in the sand,because it's not to much overly a pain in the butt digging up potential targets in the sand.
In the parks however,I'm usually always on the coin setting.The reason why for that is,there has just been to many dam cans of beer drank over the years,not to mention cans of pop.Parks are a graveyard of pulltabs,and pulltabs in most all cases register as a ring in jewelry mode.
That's a problem when it comes to metal detecting for jewelry.You have to dig up alot of junk targets,unlike when you're in the coin setting mode.
With my detector in coin mode,I'm usually always 99% of the time correct when identifying a target in the ground.
In jewlery mode it's usually always 99% junk,and even the pro's in this game tell you,when it comes to jewelry that's just the way it is.
The great thing is,your detector will always let you know when jewelry is in the ground.You'll just have to dig up all the other trash to find it.
In many cases I refuse to have my detector set up in jewelry mode.It would be easier just escavating the ground with a screen & shovel.
Detecting for jewelry is just not my thing,but at times I do go out specifically ring hunting.
I usually do so after I've cleaned a location out of coins,and when I have no other place to go for the time being,then I resort to doing my best metal detecting for jewelry.
I actually find more jewelery while coin shooting,than when my detector is set for jewelry.
If a location is not to overly burdened with trash,then the jewelry setting aint so bad,but always have a mind set that you will be digging up alot of trash.
Even the most expensive detectors pick up alot of jewelry as a junk target.Don't ask me why,it's just the way it is with alot of the models out there.
Find a silver ring,and test how your detector picks it up.Watch the single you get.
Don't practice out in the field.Be knowledgable on what your detector's signals are before you get there.
Rings are the most troublesome for alot of us.
My metal detector seems to always pick them up as a nickle,that's because I always have my unit set up for coin shooting.
When I'm in jewlery mode,I just pick up to much dam junk.
Yes,at the beach I ocassionally use the jewelry mode when in the sand,because it's not to much overly a pain in the butt digging up potential targets in the sand.
In the parks however,I'm usually always on the coin setting.The reason why for that is,there has just been to many dam cans of beer drank over the years,not to mention cans of pop.Parks are a graveyard of pulltabs,and pulltabs in most all cases register as a ring in jewelry mode.
That's a problem when it comes to metal detecting for jewelry.You have to dig up alot of junk targets,unlike when you're in the coin setting mode.
With my detector in coin mode,I'm usually always 99% of the time correct when identifying a target in the ground.
In jewlery mode it's usually always 99% junk,and even the pro's in this game tell you,when it comes to jewelry that's just the way it is.
The great thing is,your detector will always let you know when jewelry is in the ground.You'll just have to dig up all the other trash to find it.
In many cases I refuse to have my detector set up in jewelry mode.It would be easier just escavating the ground with a screen & shovel.
Detecting for jewelry is just not my thing,but at times I do go out specifically ring hunting.
I usually do so after I've cleaned a location out of coins,and when I have no other place to go for the time being,then I resort to doing my best metal detecting for jewelry.
I actually find more jewelery while coin shooting,than when my detector is set for jewelry.
If a location is not to overly burdened with trash,then the jewelry setting aint so bad,but always have a mind set that you will be digging up alot of trash.
Saturday, March 2, 2013
Metal Detecting For Silver
Here is a letter sent in from a guy who just spends his time metal detecting for silver only.
Whether it's silver coins minted before the mid 1960's,or silver jewelry.This is all this guy detects for.
So lets here his story ->
Thanks for letting me share my metal detecting story.My story is not fictional.It's about why I metal detect for silver instead of messing around with the other stuff lost in the ground.
Silver gives off the best reading on my detector.A beautiful strong signal.
I'm trying to make a few extra bucks on the side,and spending time digging up pennies,or any other non silver change after the mid 60's aint worth it to me.Unless I get readings of an awful lot of quarters.
We all know what pennies are worth today,and I NEVER dig pennies up.EVER!
They are just that.One penny,and I aint bending over all day digging those dam things up.Your back would give out,not to mention even if you have rechargable batteries,you are spending more recharging than profiting.
With what money is worth today,these detector manufacturers should just exclude the dam things.
Don't try to debate that an old penny that's been in the ground 50+ years is worth anything.It's not.It's in such poor shape it's pretty much just that in value.
Silver coins don't deteriorate like copper in the ground.You can count on the silver coins holding a little more value when it comes to a collector value.
You'll find more silver jewelery and silver coins before gold.
Lets face it.We're in Minnesota.
If a person concentrated on specific targets.You'll pay off your metal detector alot faster,than digging every target your detector identifies.
Try going to a park,a beach,and tell yourself I'm only digging up ring targets today.
Then when you go back,just dig up the high value targets..That's quarters or better.
I go as low as dimes,and nickles too,but when you find a location that you're going to detect.Go big.
Go for the smaller crap after ya clean it out of the good.
People looking for gold,and other lost treasures here in this state is what those who sell metal detectors love.
Usually when I find a place to detect,or a place I can get away doing it.I start out big,and go for the silver coins,and quarters only.
The next time I go back,after I cleared it out of the high priority targets,I go for rings.
Yes,rings are a high priority target,but a person gets so many junk target readings when it comes to silver rings.
You have to spend a day digging up alot of crap when it comes to ring hunting.
Now here is one of the best metal detecting tips.
Get your hand on a silver ring.Throw it out in the yard,and test how your metal detector reads it as a target.
Do the same with a silver quarter & dime..Same as a nickel.
Know before hand how your detector detects.
There is alot of silver coins still in the ground to be found,and the same goes for silver rings.
Rings can be funny,because so many models of metal detectors pick them up as junk,or a low level rated target.
So like I said,get you hands on a couple silver rings.Then see how your detector registers them.You'll be very surprised at your readings.
The down side is a person ends up digging up a bunch of junk targets,but if you make a rule to only dig up the ring targets,you'll find more better days as value of a target is concerned.
Go for silver and high value targets only.
Jake in Mankato
Whether it's silver coins minted before the mid 1960's,or silver jewelry.This is all this guy detects for.
So lets here his story ->
Thanks for letting me share my metal detecting story.My story is not fictional.It's about why I metal detect for silver instead of messing around with the other stuff lost in the ground.
Silver gives off the best reading on my detector.A beautiful strong signal.
I'm trying to make a few extra bucks on the side,and spending time digging up pennies,or any other non silver change after the mid 60's aint worth it to me.Unless I get readings of an awful lot of quarters.
We all know what pennies are worth today,and I NEVER dig pennies up.EVER!
They are just that.One penny,and I aint bending over all day digging those dam things up.Your back would give out,not to mention even if you have rechargable batteries,you are spending more recharging than profiting.
With what money is worth today,these detector manufacturers should just exclude the dam things.
Don't try to debate that an old penny that's been in the ground 50+ years is worth anything.It's not.It's in such poor shape it's pretty much just that in value.
Silver coins don't deteriorate like copper in the ground.You can count on the silver coins holding a little more value when it comes to a collector value.
You'll find more silver jewelery and silver coins before gold.
Lets face it.We're in Minnesota.
If a person concentrated on specific targets.You'll pay off your metal detector alot faster,than digging every target your detector identifies.
Try going to a park,a beach,and tell yourself I'm only digging up ring targets today.
Then when you go back,just dig up the high value targets..That's quarters or better.
I go as low as dimes,and nickles too,but when you find a location that you're going to detect.Go big.
Go for the smaller crap after ya clean it out of the good.
People looking for gold,and other lost treasures here in this state is what those who sell metal detectors love.
Usually when I find a place to detect,or a place I can get away doing it.I start out big,and go for the silver coins,and quarters only.
The next time I go back,after I cleared it out of the high priority targets,I go for rings.
Yes,rings are a high priority target,but a person gets so many junk target readings when it comes to silver rings.
You have to spend a day digging up alot of crap when it comes to ring hunting.
Now here is one of the best metal detecting tips.
Get your hand on a silver ring.Throw it out in the yard,and test how your metal detector reads it as a target.
Do the same with a silver quarter & dime..Same as a nickel.
Know before hand how your detector detects.
There is alot of silver coins still in the ground to be found,and the same goes for silver rings.
Rings can be funny,because so many models of metal detectors pick them up as junk,or a low level rated target.
So like I said,get you hands on a couple silver rings.Then see how your detector registers them.You'll be very surprised at your readings.
The down side is a person ends up digging up a bunch of junk targets,but if you make a rule to only dig up the ring targets,you'll find more better days as value of a target is concerned.
Go for silver and high value targets only.
Jake in Mankato
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