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View Full Version : Ghost town trek, and zoo hunt



Digger_O'Dell
05-16-2016, 12:09 AM
Hello everyone!
Friday morning I hade a first date with a really nice adventurous lady who suggested going detecting with me once I told her about the hobby. :wow:
Well, I decided to not make it TOO easy, and suggested trying to reach an old ghost town not far away that I have been dying to hit. So there were only 3 options to access the place-by boat, across a field and then down a cliff, or along the beach. We opted for thebeach, even though it was a mile plus walk from the beach access point at a nearby park. What we didn't know was that instead of an easy walk, in many places the bluff had slid downhill taking many trees with it out into the lake making nearly impossible passage. Well, we made it nearly 1/2 mile before we were forced to leave the beach all together and head along a relatively stoop bank with lots of thick brush. Luckily there were a lot of game trails and some open areas. The top of the bluffs that uaed to be farm fields are now high dollar homes for the rich folk, snd we fould that many of them had attempted to build stair cases or paths down to the beach (illegally, since it's an erosion protection area), and we found most of them destroyed by landslides.
At this time we decided to drop coil and detect along the way and see what we could find. But after about 2 hours of this, and still a half mile to go we decided to give up. The only thing I found was 8 shotgun headstamps.
I was able to later clean them up and check them on a database for approximate dates. Most were from 1914 to 1935 era, but one I found was a 10Ga shell from around 1887 to 1896! This tells me I'm in the right area, so now have plans to try another route soon to actually access the town's remnants. I have to give my date credit, she was a real trooper and enjoyed the heck out of it even though we didn't find much this time, and even suggested future trips together into the wilds. :yahoo:

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Sunday I had a couple hours before work to hunt so decided to stop at the old zoo and try a new area in hopes of silver or more Indians. Well, no such luck, but I did manage to find 8 wheaties this time around. It was tough once I found the new area must have been filled since i found more recent clad at 8 to 10 inches. But at least I think I'm getting a feel for the layout since it's such a huge park. There's always next time!
Thanks for reading, GL&HH!

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Digger_O'Dell
05-16-2016, 04:35 AM
Some pics of the area near the ghost town.

Looking North
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Looking South, direction I went
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Long way down!
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groundhog53946
05-16-2016, 08:57 AM
You gave it a good try! But I know you won't give up! Sounds like the lady friend might be a keeper as well

Sent from my XT830C using Tapatalk

Digger_O'Dell
05-16-2016, 09:08 AM
Yes, I'm thinking she was the best "find" of the day! :drool:

MangoAve
05-16-2016, 10:06 AM
Nice views. I think I woulda been ok to treck that passage. You shoulda seen what it was like on my nine mile hunt. Nice that you got some wheats. I cant believe in some 200 year old fields I am pulling up a 2012 dime at 3 inches deep and nothing more. wth happened to all the finds?? I don't think many knew about this place.

Digger_O'Dell
05-16-2016, 04:44 PM
Nice views. I think I woulda been ok to treck that passage. You shoulda seen what it was like on my nine mile hunt. Nice that you got some wheats. I cant believe in some 200 year old fields I am pulling up a 2012 dime at 3 inches deep and nothing more. wth happened to all the finds?? I don't think many knew about this place.

I have to laugh at that. I have been to very old sites and found modern clad, and I've been to new sites but find stuff that predates it be 100 years or more. Go figure!
As for the trek on "land", I guess I should have mentioned that it's all red clay mostly saturated with water. It's like walking on gooey stickey red play-dough

MangoAve
05-17-2016, 07:16 AM
As for the trek on "land", I guess I should have mentioned that it's all red clay mostly saturated with water. It's like walking on gooey stickey red play-dough

....Yeah. I got a pair of waterproof hiking boots that I've been using for detecting, yet I am adamant about not getting them dirty. My first summer I went by the north side of a reservoir trying to find the old road that was intentionally flooded. Somehow I was willing to go thru there with just shoes. I ended up losing one in the mud (well.. just came off in the mud). To my defense... it didn't appear that it was wet mud nearly 12" deep.

Digger_O'Dell
05-17-2016, 07:37 AM
I guess I should elaborate that this clay is bottomless. You stick and keep sinking. Nasty stuff!

aloldstuff
05-18-2016, 06:06 PM
What an adventure and your date was a real trooper. So, for your 2nd date how about renting a helicopter to get you to that town.....:lol:

Fire Fighter 43
05-21-2016, 02:41 PM
You are adventurous Chris, congrats on a good first date, she definitely sounds like a good one. WTG on the zoo hunt. I might have to join you there sometime, although I think I will pack more than just my detecting gear.

wisconsin digger
05-21-2016, 02:58 PM
I had not hunted the Zoo Park in 40 years and was going to head there Tuesday but I chickened out. You are right Jeff, Chris is adventurous. WD

Digger_O'Dell
05-21-2016, 04:53 PM
Thanks guy, and probably to my advantage to let the zoo keep its dangerous reputation-keeps out a lot of other detectorists. But honestly, the only problem I had there was from the park overlord who said digging wasn't allowed in the park. She scared me!

OxShoeDrew
05-22-2016, 04:26 AM
Rugged looking country Chris! I'm glad you found a new friend....does your wife know?:lol:

Digger_O'Dell
05-22-2016, 07:20 AM
Not wife, but ex GF. And yes, she knows! Lol. But yes, it's quite rugged once you pass the ledge