Could it be done?

[GunClick Rick]

Has anyone ever tried to metal detect or do archeology on the trails that the pioneeers traveled on?I know there had to be times when they had to unload trappings or things they were hualing,even if some one passed they would have to bury them somewhere off the trails.I was born in Mojave and anytime i go back there i always look around and found a few pieces from old trunks and such,they could have even buried valuables if they had to in a hurry??? Ya think it would be worth the while?

[St. George]

People have done that since the old WWII Mine Detectors became available.

It's one of the reasons they publish all those metal detecting magazines.

Have at it.

Bring water.

Scouts Out!

[The Trinity Kid]

I know a feller outside of Chico what does that on the Oregon Trail.  He's picked up three 2' x 4' display cases full of various trinkets.  A bunch of lead bullets; conical, round, even some that were deformed like they had been shot.   A gold watch fob, once.  He found a blown out shotgun barrel, too.

--TK

[Major 2]

It's great hobby, there is at least 3 shows on TV's Discovery Ch. hunting artifacts.

A word of warning though...be sure to:

A. don't even think about detecting National Battlefield Parks.... it can get you 20 years. 
B. have permission ( writing is best ) to detect private Property, State or Federal land.
C. be sure of your boundaries.... serious legal issue.

You might find it different in the wide open spaces of the west, but back east, anywhere near a CW site you best heed the above !

I've found, old coins, buttons, a rough S&W Hand model 32/20 (Loaded with three spent an 1 live round )
I was invited to hunt, two 19th. century Seminole Indian Sites...Okeechobee battle site & a midden @ the present day Dolphin-Joe Robbie Stadium ( now Sun Life Stadium ) our found artifacts are now house at the HISTORICAL MUSEUM
OF SOUTHERN FLORIDA.

 

[Mogorilla]

My old boss used to do this as a hobby.  He would go around to old houses and detect around the old outhouses.  Sometimes he had to dig deep, but found interesting items no one went after they fell in.
Funny thing, growing up, the next door neighbor kid had a metal detector.  He and I had many adventures.  One with the detector, we got a real strong signal, right in the middle of my dad's strawberry patch.   We adjusted it to supposedly discriminate somewhat, but probably did it incorrectly.  Anyway, his dad and my dad came and looked.  Had dad's permission to carefully remove the plants, and as long as we returned it to original, go wild.   Well, big 8 x 8 tarp came out and a big square of plants removed.   Still getting strong signal.   kept digging, still getting strong signal (note, we did know where all the lines came in through our yard, that is important thing to do.)   Eventually we caught the interest of the neighborhood.  Soon, there were 10 men drinking beer cheering us on.   Luckily, i lived in a river town and we had topsoil for days.   Soon the hole was more than 5 feet deep, dreams of confederate gold, etc danced in our head even though it was Illinois.   Then we hit it.  There were 10 heads leaned over the hole as we cleared away the dirt from....... a coal bucket!   We looked up to see only one head, my dad.  "Get your a$$ out of that hole and fix my strawberry patch!"    Well, that was the last adventure with the metal detector.

[River City John]

Used to scour the subdivision in the hills east outside of Fredericksburg where Union army camped for several winters.

Gotta be careful you're not doing it on Government park land that prohibits that kind of thing. I know you couldn't dig anywhere around the Pony Express/ Oregon Trail park where Rock Creek Station is in Nebraska.

RCJ

[Delmonico]

LOL, John, funny you mentioned that, some where I have a badly rusted cut nail I "detected at Rock Creek Station several years ago.  When our tire guy gave it to me, I called Wayne fessed up to having it and offered to give it back. 

[Major 2]

LOL, John, funny you mentioned that, some where I have a badly rusted cut nail I "detected at Rock Creek Station several years ago.  When our tire guy gave it to me, I called Wayne fessed up to having it and offered to give it back. 

Understood, my wife has that nail detection option on her car !  Right rear always the right rear !  and seems always when it's NEW !

[Four-Eyed Buck]

Strange, my wife has the same thing. But, she's an equal oppertunity picker-upper