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Question regarding detecting location

Would forest preserves be considered a good place to go metal detecting? The way I look at it, the area has been around for who knows how long, and isn't disturbed by the public too much. I understand areas that are constintly grazed by the public are good for jewelry, etc. But I'd like to find coins that I wouldn't be able to already find in my pocket lol. Just looking for some opinions. I just purchased the Garrett ACE 250 recently, now I'm just waiting for the 7 months of Chicago winter to be over so the ground is thawed. Thanks for any input!

Comments

  • Most forest lands are owned by the state. I know in my state it is against the law. The only exception I think is beach land east of the dunes (East Coast). Welcome to Metal Detecting. It is very frustrating for me to find areas that allow metal detecting. I bought the same machine you have last year and have basically run out of places to detect. I seldom post here because of this fact, but once the weather breaks I'm going to renew my search efforts. While I think the Ace 250 is a great machine for land detecting, It somewhat lacks near the salt water and I don't want to invest in a more expensive machine for what few times I go to the beach. I have recently been looking in the lost and found ads, historical researching, and my next endeavor is to procure a site via pay to detect. Here is a good site to read about regulations and other things.


    Story about metal detecting
  • I once got caught metal detecting in a state forest and they told me that i could register at their station but whatever I found I would have to give them. They wanted to confiscate my shovel.
    imageimageimage
  • rickoricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Use old maps (i.e. Sanborn) to find locations of old settlements deep in the forest... they were there... then go search those areas. They are too far back to attract attention and no one, not even the rangers, go that far off the beaten track unless required. Cheers, RickO
  • davbecdavbec Posts: 321 ✭✭
    I've found over 90% of my old coins in the woods.
  • Hey thanks for the input guys! Just like ricko pointed out, the location that I would be going to is about a 30 minute walk into a forest preserve, so I doubt rangers would be around. My buddy who goes there just for the exercise told me theres an old house foundation deep within it, so I'd start there and just work my way towards the entrance.
  • ClosedLoopClosedLoop Posts: 1,077 ✭✭✭
    what if you worked for the state. image
    figglehorn
  • Hi Internet Junky, Have I got a spot for you.

    Go out to Rockford Ill. Specifically, Cherry Valley. Google the 5000 block of Rotary Road, cherry Valley Ill 61016. Probably only 1.5 hour away. You should see the Road - Rockford Rotary Forest Preserve. Bingo - Forest Reserve, just like you wanted!

    The place was an old Boy Scout/Rotary Camp in the 1930s through 1950s. I lived very nearby when I was a kid. There was a pool with a poolhouse/changing room. The pool has since been filled in from what I can tell, but if you look closely you can still see the location (east of the Rd) in the open glen amidst the woods. Think of all the coins that spilled out of the pockets of those hyperactive 11 year old boys changing into their swim trunks to go in the pool or the nearby river!

    I used to pull out depression glass from the dump and give it to my mom.

    In fact, this picture looks like the draw where the dump was:

    http://www.wcfpd.org/Preserves/RockRotary.cfm

    another pic of the draw:
    http://www.kishwild.com/illinois/winnebago/rotaryroad/RR7.php

    The pool was in an open meadow between the draw and the hill.

    Ah, the treasure hunting days of youth...

    Good luck, please respect the place, and let me know what you find - I would love to hear about it!
    www.CoinMine.com
  • fcfc Posts: 12,793 ✭✭✭
    against the law to metal detect in state parks in NH. i do not do it.
    i normally go to public parks or parks that have public beaches.

    in general, if i am not sure it is alright, i do not goto that area.
  • jmski52jmski52 Posts: 22,853 ✭✭✭✭✭
    When I was a kid, we would go to the high school's football field the next day after a game and search under the bleachers and around the concession stand. Very rich hunting grounds, if you know the locations of some old facilities.
    Q: Are You Printing Money? Bernanke: Not Literally

    I knew it would happen.
  • ask a farmer , he is going to plow it all up anyway so if you get there beforehand he shouldn't mind. There is one near me along the Kennebec River that has a long history of Indian and settlers alike that have camped and actually lived in the vicinity. I understand arrow heads can be seen easily after the snow has melted away too.
    "If I had a nickel for every nickel I ever had, I'd have all my nickels back".
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