Tomball Archeological Recovery Club

Metal Detecting or Treasure Hunting        by Ronny Reed       April, 2008

For five years, my weekend hobby has been metal detecting, or treasure hunting.  I inherited a large collection of US coins from my father in law and thought I could find more coins for the collection.  Although I have not found many of the “missing dates”, I did become hooked on the hobby.  There are three active metal detecting clubs in this area. I belong to the Tomball Archeological Recovery Club and the Montgomery County Artifact Recovery Club.  We meet monthly and compare “finds.”  We hold competition hunts several times throughout the year.

I have hunted playgrounds, school yards, home sites, Civil War battlefields, World War I military bases, beaches (including in the water), old Texas plantations and farmlands, Native American campsites, county fairgrounds and rodeo arenas, and my own backyard. I have found three wedding bands, a 14K gold - three diamond ladies ring, two gold class rings, numerous sterling rings, earrings and charms, a nine-shot .22 revolver  (fully loaded), two “live” .50 caliber machine-gun rounds, three Civil War “Mini-balls” (bullets), live and spent cartridges (many from neighborhood playgrounds), costume jewelry, over one-hundred Matchbox/Hot Wheels vehicles, hundreds of dollars in US coins, foreign coins ranging from Canada, to Guatemala, Pakistan, India, Great Britain, and Mexico, and lots of Coke pull-tabs, Corona beer caps and just plain junk.  For example, I have a six inch tall bronze Darth Vader. ??

The buried treasure, $10,000 diamond ring, and priceless gold coin still elude me…but it’s fun to find something long lost and wonder who and when.  Currently, I use two metal detectors: A Fisher Labs ID Edge for land and a Garrett Sea Hunter II for water.  Last summer, in Panama City Beach, FL, I found a pair of 3” disc earrings. Sunday afternoon, I found an earring with the Garrett, buried five inches deep, 15 yards inland on the beach.  The following day I found its mate, using the Fisher, buried three inches deep in three feet of water in the Gulf of Mexico over 25 yards from the first. 

Unless you have lots of time or want to be bored out of your skull, don’t get me started on the subject of Metal Detecting.  (Hey, did I tell you, we’re expecting twin granddaughters?)

METAL DETECTING

By Larry Payne

On the road to Leakey, Texas for a little R&R at a campsite on the Frio River.

I’m taking my detector so I can do a little coin shooting at Garner State Park. JUST JOKING! We know that all state parks are off limits to us horrible detectorists. Upon arrival, I asked the owner for permission to detect around the picnic tables. She replied, “No problem” and “good luck.” The next day I met our new neighbor at cabin #3, He was in the courtyard using his new bounty hunter. Robert and introduced ourselves as fellow detectorists and I joined him for a short time. His first target was in the middle of a new road that was hard as a rock. He proceeded to dig a large hole which he left uncovered. He then proceeded to dig several holes in the volleyball court, also uncovered. It wasn’t long before the owner caught up with us and informed me that she meant we could detect the trails and along the river but not the camping area. I then asked my new companion if he was a member of any clubs. His reply was “NO, I’m my own club! – I’m president and treasurer”. So you can see how one rogue Treasure hunter can ruin it for the rest of us. I did find $.62 before I was banned from the site.

PLEASE JOIN A CLUB AND LEARN HOW TO DETECT IN A RESPONSIABLE MANNER

Metal Detecting Code of Ethics

• I WILL respect private property and WILL NOT trespass without the land owners permission.
   
• I WILL NOT destroy property, buildings or what is left of ghost towns and deserted structures.
   
• I WILL NOT litter, always pack out what I take in and remove all trash dug in my search.
   
• I WILL leave all gates and other accesses to land as found.
   
• I WILL appreciate and protect our heritage of natural resources, wildlife, and private property.
   
• I WILL use thoughtfulness, consideration and courtesy at all times.
   
• I WILL abide by all laws, ordinances or regulations that may govern my search, or the area I will be in.
   
• I WILL fill all holes, regardless how remote the location, and never dig in a way that will damage, be damaging to, or kill any vegetation.
   
• I WILL report the discovery of items of significant historical value to a local historian or museum in accordance with the latest legislation.
   
• I WILL Be an ambassador for the metal detecting hobby. Be polite and informative to those who inquire about your hobby - you are the ambassador of a pastime we want to protect and we will be judged by how you act & respond.

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