“What if someone has already been metal detecting on my property.”
We have been on sites that literally hundreds of folks have detected and had some incredible finds. The older the property is the better … metal tends to sink and the deeper things are the harder they are to find.
“Will you find everything and leave nothing unturned?”
Next to impossible. Detecting a small yard might take days. Even using the best detecting technology, there will still be items left in the ground.
What do you do with your finds?
Just to set the right frame of mind. It is EXTREMELY rare that we find anything of incredible value. However, we do often find things of historical significance. When we find items of historical significance they are given to the homeowner to preserve or to the local historical society. We are all history buffs and can normally provide context to these types of finds. Items we find that we can trace back to a certain individual (like wedding rings) we spend both time and effort to make happen. Many times we have returned items to children and even grandchildren of the people who lost them.
Are you insured?
We are all individually insured with an umbrella policy.
Do I need to pay you?
No. Unless it is a commercial undertaking (like helping find piping, electric lines, etc). We never expect any type of reward or compensation…however some beer and gas money is always welcome. Many times property owners insist that we keep finds or certain items – that is your choice.
When is the best time to metal detect?
We are pretty much slaves to the weather. Most of the team is flexible and can detect on both weekends and weekdays. In times of drought, the soil can become like concrete. Digging this type of soil is nearly impossible, wet and muddy soil does have its challenges but is doable. A nice partly cloudy Spring or Fall day after a light rain is normally ideal.
In this area Winter with only a few exceptions is not a viable time to metal detect due to the ground being frozen.
What do you do with the junk?
We normally find a lot of junk, especially on properties that have never been detected. All “junk” is carefully inspected, bagged, and properly disposed of.