Tips on Digging in Frozen Ground?

[freemindstuck]

Hi,
I was wondering if anyone has any tips or specific tools for digging in frozen ground? I hate doing it but do it anyways when it warms up a bit and I'm going through detecting withdrawel. I'm thinking about trying to build a battery powered heated spade. Has anyone else tried this?

freemindstuck

[Ill Digger]

What type of ground are you referring to? A nice front yard of someones home? A city park? Or are you planning on hunting in the woods or a plowed field?
If the ground is frozen solid ,like it is here, I wouldn't recommend hunting either of the first two I mentioned. \ But a field or woods would allow you to use a bigger shovel . As for the heated spade I don't think I've seen or heard of one of those If you build one let us see how it turns out. :: You might be onto something. :->

[del]

if your not worried about being a bit messy and the ground is only frozen to about three or four inches depth i use a small hatchet , it works very well to chop out a plug of dirt.

[Evan]

If your not concerned about making a mess, I use a pick axe to get to some of my finds...

[milco]

I lurk on this forum and wait for you to chop thru with your hatchet to find the goods and post your finds! Then I just dream about warmer days! :->

[Ytcoinshooter]

I have used a 3 chisel and 3lb hammer when I was nuttier. My hunting partner on one frozen day was a fellow club member named Ray. Ray actually was (and still is) crazier than me. He used a BUTANE TORCH rofl to heat the ground before digging. This was over 20 years ago but i couldn't resist adding it to this thread. Im sure Del knows who I'm referring to and to this day the story comes up for a laugh at club meeting. The site held held enough silver to make fighting the frozen ground worthwhile. I'm glad Ray didn't cause a fire!
I still have that chisel, but these days I usually hit the shoreline beach sands to satisfy my mid winter detecting itch.
HH-Bruce

[ChrisinCT]

For me anyway the effort it takes to break through several inches of frozen ground just is to much work.

About a week ago Lee and myself found a park where one high section only had a 1/2 of frost while all around the ground was concrete.

Before discovering this I assumed all open grounds were to be frozen solid. You need to drive around checking different areas of parks maybe you'll find the same. Look for areas where it gets full sun all day.

Good luck

[ssserena]

one tip look around for green grass that's were to go right now its not much but in the great north we have to use our imagination

[redbird]

Dont bother digging its not worth the aggravation, but if you are in the frozen tundra go in the woods, the leaves tend to keep the ground insulated and your able to dig with ease

[wswhiting]

if your not worried about being a bit messy and the ground is only frozen to about three or four inches depth i use a small hatchet , it works very well to chop out a plug of dirt.

Thanks for the tip Del. I tried a hatchet yesterday and it worked quite well. Only one inch of frost to pound through!

[POKIE73]

i think that i will just wait good luck seems like more work than fun dennis

[del]

Thanks for the tip Del. I tried a hatchet yesterday and it worked quite well. Only one inch of frost to pound through!

your welcome , just to clarify ....

I would never use one in a park or manicured lawn (unless it was Coinnut's yard ) as it makes an ugly mess thats hard to replace without noticing but out in the woods where you just have to fill your hole and don't have to be pretty and neat .

[coinnut]

Wear some eye protection too. Them chunks of dirt hurt As for my yard, a couple of holes would be an improvement

[sonofdust]

In the past I've used a cordless drill and a wood bit to get past the frost.
HH.
sod