Combine Hunting, Fishing Trip With Metal Detecting

Have you ever came upon an old building, foundation or a big tree with carvings on it while you were hunting or fishing in the back country? I have, and I learned to bring my metal detector on my trips.

During a hunting trip a few years ago, we had four-wheeled it back into the hills of Southern Arizona. We were about 2 miles from the border of Mexico. Southern Arizona has a lot of history. Old Forts, Treasure Mines, Boot Hill, Tombstone.

Once we reached our hunting location, each of us went in different direction, looking for a good spot to wait for game.

I had hiked about two miles into the mountain when I came up on an old rock wall. This wall was made of"stacked" rocks about 1 foot high. I imagine it was taller at one time. It was about 15 feet long. I could not figure out what a wall was doing way out in this area. No visible road or trail. I decided to sit on the wall while I waited for game. So did a Rattlesnake. Scared the living day lights out of me. I think I was uglier than he or she, so it slithered away.

After about two hours and not seeing any game, I decided to poke around this wall. It became apparent this wall was actually a foundation of a possible line camp, ranch or part of a fort. Usually when you see old buildings in Arizona, you normally see corrugated roofing sheets, or wood of some type. This site had none of those details.

Needless to say, I did not have my metal detector that day. Using a rock I started digging around the wall. I came across an odd shaped piece of Iron. It was shaped like a "T" with one end of the top curled. I later found out what it was from an old rancher. It was a "Boot" cleaner. When the ranch hand was coming into the building they cleaned their boots off by running them over the T.

I have never gone back to that location with a metal detector, but it is marked on the map.

Over the years we have searched sights such as the old line camp. When searching around an old building such as a line camp, ranch house search around it. Most of these old timers would dig a hole outside by the building and pitch their trash in the hole. We have found some nice old bottles and other items in the trash hole.

If there is a fairly large tree close by, check it for past activity. Carvings, old rope hanging on the limbs. Might be a child used it as a swing. You want to search around the base. I remember doing one of our hunting trips, searching a long gone mining camp and a large tree next to the one of the buildings. Up about 15 feet embedded into the tree was an old License plate. The tree grew around the plate where only half of it was visible. You could not see the date. We left it there. I did not want to do any damage to the tree.

Look for fence post standing by itself. Miners use to use trees, post, walls to bury their items of value.

At the same location, we found old milk glass, square nails, old auto parts, old razor and few old coins. Research later indicated this mining camp shut down in 1935.

In summary, if your going on a hunting, fishing, pack packing or some other trip where there is an opportunity to find treasure don't forget to take your metal detector. For other treasure detecting tips and information please checkout Azmuletreasures below.

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