Raise your hand if you've done this..

[garren]

Post stories or pics if you've ever used your tractor for relic hunting or if you've ever unearthed anything cool while using it.

I've always been into metal detecting, bottle digging, relic hunting, etc. The Kubota makes a great digging tool!

Some of you may have seen this post a while back when I took the tractor and box blade to a construction site where we had permission to scrape old house lots until new construction started:
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/kubota-owning-operating/117037-more-fun-uses-your-tractor.html

Here's some newer pics from a Texas ghost town dump that we were allowed to dig in.
My friend Chris and George are using electric sifters as I fill them with the backhoe. This particular ghost town has been hunted hard in the past with detectors. Its hard to find anything there these days. I was hoping the backhoe would net us some new finds but we didn't have much luck on that trip.

 

[DJ54]

I have a collection of horseshoes I unearthed, while repairing road slips here in Ohio. Most were work shoes that were lost, I assume when making the fills, when the roads were originally built with horses and slip scrapers.

Lord only knows how many were actually there, lost. These are just the ones I found...

 

[manganos]

No but I'm a relic hunter!!!! mytreasurespot.com is the place I spend my time for that hobby.

 

[bullbreaker]

The only relic hunting I've ever done was when I once chased a gal that was over 70.
Years young not MPH !

:laughing:

Boone



Garren : Thanks for starting neat thread,posts,pic's ! :thumbsup:

 

[ak9]

I own a small farm in w Pa . & in this lands history in the 1800s it was an access right of way for a coal mine.There were a number of old support bldings on this property for the mine. The previous owners used this land as a machinery/auto salvage yard up til the 1960s & then went to agr.With this said I find all kinds of stuff... bottles ,metal pieces of all sorts,even civil war items...I've been attemping to "clean" this property up since I 've owned it !( IE: my theads here relating to rim cruncher/ tire shears). About a week ago I dug up what appears to be an old train tressel piece from the mine? The damb thing weighed about 3 tons. :mur: . I guess years ago scrap metal had no value @ here so they burried it .
items found of Value other than scrap; 1913 silver dime ,1890s penny& other coins ,numerous pic ax heads from mine ,digging bars ,horse shoes, antique beer & soda bottles,tow chains & all the coal I could ever use ( they paved the access road with it)
ak9

 

[garren]

Neat stories so far!

I checked out the link Manganos posted and came across this news article -
Civil War cannonball kills Virginia relic collector - USATODAY.com -
Made me think about Boones post...just because they're old doesn't mean they're inert!

But on a serious note...that's a raw deal...who would've dreamed that thing was still live. I've dug up cannon fuse parts but never a whole cannonball. I'll think twice before throwing one in the back of the truck if I ever do!

Dj54 - I might come and see your horseshoes next time I'm visiting family in Chillicothe. I try to get up there once a year for the Circleville pumpkin show.
AK9 - I'm definitely putting you on my visit list! Sounds like you'll be diggin' relics till the cows come home!

Heres a couple more pics...
First pic is not treasure but still pretty cool. Relics embedded in concrete when I peeled up an old sidewalk with the backhoe. The pipe is actually part of an old iron bed.
Second pic is one of the cannon fuse parts that I found while metal detecting an old fort site...tube in the middle of the display.

 

[bullbreaker]

Neat stories so far!
Made me think about Boones post...just because they're old doesn't mean they're inert!

Garren Hope you and your Family having a great T-Day. :thumbsup:



I never said old, I said 70 years young. I did use word relic though.

I also in all honesty had to look up word inert.53 years young myself and didn't know what it meant.
BTW that "cougar" was worth the hunt.No dogs were used and didn't have to tree it !
Enjoying this(your) thread !

Boone

 

[hrcarver]

Have a john deere that likes to find deer antlers... with the tires.

Twice last spring

 

[Shooter45]

I accidentally unearthed a diamondback rattler hibernating in a terrace row one winter. He wasn't very happy.

 

[TripleR]

Neat stories so far!

I checked out the link Manganos posted and came across this news article -
Civil War cannonball kills Virginia relic collector - USATODAY.com -
Made me think about Boones post...just because they're old doesn't mean they're inert!

But on a serious note...that's a raw deal...who would've dreamed that thing was still live. I've dug up cannon fuse parts but never a whole cannonball. I'll think twice before throwing one in the back of the truck if I ever do!

Dj54 - I might come and see your horseshoes next time I'm visiting family in Chillicothe. I try to get up there once a year for the Circleville pumpkin show.
AK9 - I'm definitely putting you on my visit list! Sounds like you'll be diggin' relics till the cows come home!

Heres a couple more pics...
First pic is not treasure but still pretty cool. Relics embedded in concrete when I peeled up an old sidewalk with the backhoe. The pipe is actually part of an old iron bed.
Second pic is one of the cannon fuse parts that I found while metal detecting an old fort site...tube in the middle of the display.

Some really neat stuff.:thumbsup:

 

[Aquaman]

LOVE this post!! Keep up the good work and don't forget to send lotsa pics!!

 

[kebo]

I'm into metal detecting myself (have 4 different detectors) but have not come across any sites that I could use the tractor to help dig up. Most of the places I detect at are on other peoples property such as old home sites on the properties that my hunt club's lease, or where friends/neighbors don't mind me digging with a shovel. They might balk if I got a backhoe and started doing some serious digging!! Good thread though, I guess cause it peaks my interest since I share the hobby.

 

[garren]

I know what you mean Kebo! It's difficult enough to get permission to search with a detector and trowel...but then try telling them your bringing a backhoe :laughing:


Here's a couple of finds from a construction site. Although they are not the result of my machine. It was lucky opportunity and another persons machine.
This was a construction area that was being graded for a new grocery story after they razed an old grain silo. They had cut through an embankment wide enough to get machinery down to the level they were working. This cut was about 4 feet deep. I swung my detector a few times in this cut and found a Script I cuff button. Then nothing. I wondered what other civil war era relics were at this depth under the remaining embankment. My friend, a few yards away pulls up the tooth to a large dozer. A light bulb goes off in my head! I take the tooth and head towards the only dozer running on the site. When I got close enough for the operator to see me I held up the tooth. He came down and thanked me several times. He said the teeth were expensive and he didnt even know he had lost one. I told him about the button and asked him what it would take to knock more of the embankment down another 4 feet.
He asked "where do you want me?". I pointed to my friend a few hundred yards away standing at the cut. He said " I'll meet you over there." It only took him a few minutes to knock down another 30 or so feet of the embankment at a depth of 4 feet. We waved goodbye and started detecting. My friend found several mini balls and couple of coins from that time period. I ended up finding another script I button but this time it was the coat button.
This may not sound like much, but two script I infantry buttons in my part of Texas is a GOOD day!

 

[garren]

This is what poaching looks like in the treasure hunting community.

That's me in MY hole. You can see how my friend goes prone to sneak into the area. He then camouflages his action with idol chit chat as he casually flicks dirt from the side of MY hole until a large arrowhead pops out!

I had to cut him some slack though...it was his antiquated dozer that cleared the area in his neighbors peach orchard so we could start our holes.

 

[garren]

Some friends of mine have a dump site where they like to dig for bottles and relics. They decided it was time to bring in the backhoe so I was finally invited to the "secret site". I took some video with a new cam I got for Christmas so I'll post a link to it. It has a slide show of the still images at the end. If you dont like rock and roll you might wanna turn the sound down.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3C6svkO6ss]GoPro on the Backhoe Bottle Dig Test - YouTube[/ame]

 

[kebo]

Great video! That GoPro cam does pretty good. They should for the price! Did you all find any good relics or coins in the hole? Looks like you found some good glassware for sure. Did you use any metal detectors in the hole? I didn't see any so that's why I ask. Thanks for the sharing the "hunt" with us.

 

[garren]

Thanks Kebo. A couple of the guys found coins that day plus a token was also found. All from the 30's, nothing spectacular. No one used metal detectors and I dont think they ever have at that site. Its a long hike to get there and a metal detector would be to much to carry in. One oddity we found that day was a partial bridge with a few teeth left in it...yuk. Glad we didnt find the head that went to it! :laughing: