Does anyone else here do any "dirt fishing"?

[Bubba 460]

 

One of the reasons I wanted to move back to Virginia from Alaska, beside bass fishing, was to search for Civil War relics with a metal detector. I had started metal detecting for gold nuggets In Alaska and did okay finding nuggets as big as a Lima bean. But what really caught my interest was Civil War relics; I was making yearly two week trips to Virginia to search for them. I have found thousands of bullets, some of them where worth $300 apiece, uniform buttons (both Union and Confederate), belt plates, sword belt plates and other accoutrements.

 

[Jigfishn10]

Wow, awesome collection! Are you pretty much finding these in VA or are you going to different battle sites?

[Bubba 460]

Thanks. 

I mostly search along the last three days of the Civil War, approximately 35 miles. Where General Lee's Army marched from The Battle of Saylors Creek to Appomattox, where he surrendered to Gen Grant. At that time Lee only had about 25,000 men left and was surrounded by 125,000 union forces.... seemed like a good idea ~ surrender that is.

[Tennessee Boy]

Very interesting hobby.   I’ve enjoyed visiting some of the sites in middle Tennessee.  

[Bubba 460]

 

Yes it is a lot of fun, especially when you are in a good area where relics are present such as an old camp or skirmish area. To me the the swinging of the detector is like casting and the good "hit"  (detector response to a good target) is like the bass hitting, hence, "dirt fishing." Sometimes you get a dink (bullet) and sometimes you get a trophy ($3000 Confederate belt plate) ~ yeah, that will put a smile on your face!

[desmobob]

 

 

?

 

I have a Garrett Ace 250, a White's DFX and an XP DEUS.  

 

 

[Bubba 460]

 

 

I've  had the White's DFX since it came out

[jimmyjoe]

   Have you ever found anything related to the Old Copper Complex, also called the Old Copper Culture?     jj

[Bubba 460]

10 minutes ago, jimmyjoe said:

   Have you ever found anything related to the Old Copper Complex, also called the Old Copper Culture?     jj

 

 Nope, never have I think was was mostly in the Great Lakes area.

[jimmyjoe]

7 minutes ago, Bubba 460 said:

 

 Nope, never have I think was was mostly in the Great Lakes area.

 

   Yes, it was. Trading has been postulated. I was just curious. Thanks.         jj

[deaknh03]

I detect, love it. Pretty cool hobby. 

[BrianMDTX]

That’s a great collection. I always wanted to try that around Sharpsburg and Gettysburg when I lived in Maryland (not on the battlefields but surrounding areas). 

[N Florida Mike]

Ive never done it , but have really wanted to. Ive been a civil war buff since I was a kid. I know if I ever got started Id be hooked.

My brother in law is a long time relic hunter in the Richmond area. He once found a yankee ring at petersburg that had initials of a soldier from a NY regiment. He did some research, and found where the soldier was from. He was actually able to get in touch with his descendants and he presented the ring to them… 

He has given me some minie balls that i treasure..,

@Bubba 460 do you have a you tube channel ? I’ll subscribe in a heartbeat. Already watch aquachigger and some others .

Ive actually taken a battlefield trip with my dad that followed the area you mentioned ( the last few days leading up to appomattox. Saylers creek was one stop )

 

 

[Bubba 460]

2 hours ago, BrianMDTX said:

That’s a great collection. I always wanted to try that around Sharpsburg and Gettysburg when I lived in Maryland (not on the battlefields but surrounding areas). 

 

Thanks....

 

I had a Civil War relic wall for many years but in the end you can't take it with you. Wife did not want to mess with it if I kicked the bucket so I ended up selling most of it (wife would have just given it to the Salvation Army). Confederate relics, particularly "marked" Confederate relics are worth a substantial amount. That dug Confederate Staff officers coat button is worth $300. (photo)

 

All major battle sites are state or federal parks and relic hunting is not allowed. There are lots of other places to search such as march routes, skirmish sites, encampments etc... Of course you need to get permission first. Hundreds of thousands of troops in the field had to sleep somewhere every night ~ find those places and you'll find relics  I always liked finding an old stone chimney in the woods (photo) predating the CW. Found some nice things around them.

 

[Bubba 460]

6 minutes ago, N Florida Mike said:

Ive never done it , but have really wanted to. Ive been a civil war buff since I was a kid. I know if I ever got started Id be hooked.

My brother in law is a long time relic hunter in the Richmond area. He once found a yankee ring at petersburg that had initials of a soldier from a NY regiment. He did some research, and found where the soldier was from. He was actually able to get in touch with his descendants and he presented the ring to them… 

He has given me some minie balls that i treasure..,

@Bubba 460 do you have a you tube channel ? I’ll subscribe in a heartbeat. 

I follow aquachigger and a couple others.

 

 

Civil War relic hunting is very addictive. You can get pretty pumped when you make a great find. I have found several rare belt plates worth many thousands of dollars.

 

 YouTube?.. No, that's not for me, believe me when I say I write better than I talk... wife tells me not to talk in public. I have had head injuries and can fumble words pretty bad at times but thank you anyway.

[N Florida Mike]

I think about it a lot. There aren’t too many sites near me  but I know of a skirmish about 10 miles from me that has a creek going through it . The confederates were on the west side of it, and the union on the east. There were around 25 casualties total. I bet theres some stuff in the creek. The whole skirmish site is a wooded lot still, with a historical marker…