Treasure hunting equipment?

[Waterloo50]

This is a photo of a few bits and pieces that I use when searching for artefacts, my metal detector is a Fisher F22, it's a decent detector and it didn't cost the earth (pun intended) the orange object is my GP-pointer, very useful for finding those small objects. I also use a small collapsing shovel and pick, the shovel is lightweight and is worn on my belt. Along with those items I also carry a magnifying glass, find bags, a small bottle of water to clean the finds. Occasionally I'll take a large magnet for river fishing. Of course I also have to look after myself and so I take food and a flask, depending on the weather I'll also take waterproofs, gloves and a backpack. I'm fortunate enough to own a couple of off road motorcycles which is very useful for getting across fields and reaching isolated places.
I'm wondering what others use when they head out for a day of detecting, I thought perhaps others might have some hints and tips.

 

[Seduzal]

Thanks for sharing this interesting photo.

 

[Waterloo50]

Thanks for sharing this interesting photo.

Thanks, it's an interesting hobby which gets me out of the house.

 

[Seduzal]

Thanks, it's an interesting hobby which gets me out of the house.

Never been but hopefully at this years CWT Vicksburg 2019 Tour I signed up to go with @ucvrelics.

 

[3rd North Carolina]

very nice

 

[FarawayFriend]

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This is a photo of a few bits and pieces that I use when searching for artefacts, my metal detector is a Fisher F22, it's a decent detector and it didn't cost the earth (pun intended) the orange object is my GP-pointer, very useful for finding those small objects. I also use a small collapsing shovel and pick, the shovel is lightweight and is worn on my belt. Along with those items I also carry a magnifying glass, find bags, a small bottle of water to clean the finds. Occasionally I'll take a large magnet for river fishing. Of course I also have to look after myself and so I take food and a flask, depending on the weather I'll also take waterproofs, gloves and a backpack. I'm fortunate enough to own a couple of off road motorcycles which is very useful for getting across fields and reaching isolated places.
I'm wondering what others use when they head out for a day of detecting, I thought perhaps others might have some hints and tips.

Are you allowed to just go for relic hunting or did you have to apply for a licence? Because I got a metal detector for Christmas, a pretty nice one, but what we did not know is that without a licence I may not use it - and to acquire that Licence there are various hurdles to jump over. I need to show up in person at our State authority to prove that I'm worthy to apply in the first place. If they think that I can be trusted because I'm a worthy Citizen without any previous crimes registered, I have to attend a lecture (which is already fully booked until 2022) then after that a practical course with my own detector. All that is to make sure that I will not destroy any important find or withhold my finds.
I do envy you - I would love to go relic hunting with mine, but I'm afraid that before I would even make it to the practical course, in 2030 or so, I will be too old to hold it!

 

[Waterloo50]

Are you allowed to just go for relic hunting or did you have to apply for a licence? Because I got a metal detector for Christmas, a pretty nice one, but what we did not know is that without a licence I may not use it - and to acquire that Licence there are various hurdles to jump over. I need to show up in person at our State authority to prove that I'm worthy to apply in the first place. If they think that I can be trusted because I'm a worthy Citizen without any previous crimes registered, I have to attend a lecture (which is already fully booked until 2022) then after that a practical course with my own detector. All that is to make sure that I will not destroy any important find or withhold my finds.
I do envy you - I would love to go relic hunting with mine, but I'm afraid that before I would evenmake it to the practical course, in 2030 or so, I will be too old to hold it!

No license needed although we do need to seek permission to search on private land, ancient sites are covered by the National Trust and a permit is required. We can detect on public beaches but not on private beaches.
To be honest, the best way to detect is on farmland and private gardens, most farmers are happy to let you detect providing you stick to their rules. Church yards are also okay but again it's something that requires permission. I'm currently awaiting for permission to search a farm in Dorset, the property has a couple of ruined Victorian buildings and a forest...fingers crossed.

 

[archieclement]

Farm fields are the best, everything is rearranged every year.

 

[UCVRelics]

Here in the US no license is needed but landowner permission is. Here in the South I don't hunt that much in the summer due to the heat and snakes. I'm currently digging in a CS parole camp that was where Vicksburg soldiers went to after their surrender. Right now the cotton is in the fields so no hunting till it is harvested.

 

[Waterloo50]

Here in the US no license is needed but landowner permission is. Here in the South I don't hunt that much in the summer due to the heat and snakes. I'm currently digging in a CS parole camp that was where Vicksburg soldiers went to after their surrender. Right now the cotton is in the fields so no hunting till it is harvested.
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Your post has just reminded me that one of the best ways to treasure hunt is to do the research, it's very important especially if you're focused on collecting from a specific time period. The kind of detecting that I do comes down to pot luck, I never know what I'm going to find. I could find artefacts from many different periods of history, I'm particularly fond of Roman artefacts although I've never found anything incredible, I've managed to find things like heavy duty roman nails and a few pieces of chainmail, coins are always a treat to find but most of the coins that I've uncovered have been Victorian.
If there's anyone out there that collects ring pulls from soda cans or empty shotgun shells then I'm your man..

 

[archieclement]

Your post has just reminded me that one of the best ways to treasure hunt is to do the research, it's very important especially if you're focused on collecting from a specific time period. The kind of detecting that I do comes down to pot luck, I never know what I'm going to find. I could find artefacts from many different periods of history, I'm particularly fond of Roman artefacts although I've never found anything incredible, I've managed to find things like heavy duty roman nails and a few pieces of chainmail, coins are always a treat to find but most of the coins that I've uncovered have been Victorian.
If there's anyone out there that collects ring pulls from soda cans or empty shotgun shells then I'm your man..

Thats why I prefer rural field sites, I mostly hunt where a camp, homestead, school, or in one case a college was the only thing every there. Most everything will be period with little modern trash, (here on a rural site shotgun brass from quail hunters)

 

[UCVRelics]

I do find my fair share of 12th Georgia buttons

 

[risha]

No license needed although we do need to seek permission to search on private land, ancient sites are covered by the National Trust and a permit is required. We can detect on public beaches but not on private beaches.
To be honest, the best way to detect is on farmland and private gardens, most farmers are happy to let you detect providing you stick to their rules. Church yards are also okay but again it's something that requires permission. I'm currently awaiting for permission to search a farm in Dorset, the property has a couple of ruined Victorian buildings and a forest...fingers crossed.

Good luck and keep us posted on your finds.

 

[risha]

Here in the US no license is needed but landowner permission is. Here in the South I don't hunt that much in the summer due to the heat and snakes. I'm currently digging in a CS parole camp that was where Vicksburg soldiers went to after their surrender. Right now the cotton is in the fields so no hunting till it is harvested.
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Awesome treasure trove!!!

 

[risha]

I do find my fair share of 12th Georgia buttons
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those are incredible. I live in NY so no CW battlefields here. How did you clean them?

 

[Waterloo50]

Not civil war related but I thought I'd post a couple of pictures that I took whilst I was visiting an Iron Age hill fort which is close to my home. I found quite a few shards of Roman pottery and a number of flint tools.
In the first photo (in the distance) you can see the outer defences of the Hill fort, the second photo shows shards of Roman pottery which dates to the early years of Roman occupation of Britain, after some research I discovered that the pottery shards are called Severn Valley ware, the shards are from large pots which were primarily used by the Roman legions.

 

[BillH]

I do find my fair share of 12th Georgia buttons

The 12th Georgia spent a lot of time tramping around here in SW Idaho too...