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Unsuccessful beginner, restarting interest, seeking advice

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  • Unsuccessful beginner, restarting interest, seeking advice

    Two years ago, I met a group of artifact enthusiasts at Warwick City Park (9/23/18). Got all excited, read Yeager's "Arrowheads & Stone Artifacts" and visited constructions sites, streams, lake shore s and fields here in New Hampshire. Tried to do "homework" and research. Went on 8-10 "hunts" but not a flake let alone a tool or point. Got frustrated. Time passed, Covid, etc. Now restarting my "bucket list" desire to find some artifacts to pass on to my kids. In early August I am travelling from NH to western PA to attend family event. It is hot summer with fields planted, lakes full, rivers down or drying. Here is question: What would be my most likely successful strategy? 1) bring a raft or canoe and travel along rivers and look for gravel bars, sand bars, look in water with rocks, not mud and stop at areas where a small stream enters, get out there an look more closely.... 2) look on edges of planted fields(with permission) or 3) suggest a plan or strategy
    I have 524 miles between southern NH and Clearfield,PA and a week to look. I have no sites, rivers, streams, fields or definite destinations. Just looking for some words of encouragement and perhaps a suggestion even as vague as PA vs CT vs NY, etc. I have read all the posts and understand the need for homework, and the ethics of looking , etc...Just has not worked out for me YET. Any words of wisdom or advice would be most appreciated.....Thanks....footgepp in NH

  • #2
    Good luck in your search for stone treasure
    NW Georgia,

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    • #3
      I remember meeting you that day in City Park. My spots are all essentially played out. People do still find stuff, but I’m long past spending hours for an average broken point, and lousy lithics to boot. Hopefully, someone from Pa can weigh in and help.
      Rhode Island

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      • #4
        Here's some ideas, but not guarantees. Your coming in at a bad time when most of the crops are now to high to be able to surface hunt. Clearfield is actually a fairly good area, and was once very rich in artifacts. I don't think they have all been found! The West Branch of the Susquehanna River flows around the outskirts of Clearfield, and there are fields there. Many are now gone due to development, but I'm sure there's some left. And every town near the river will have a travelable road named, " River Road. " And as the name implies, the road will meander along the river for a good distance, even out of town. Find river road, and follow it, and look for any signs of freshly plowed fields. Some fields may have late crops, or soybeans, with a fair amount of dirt still showing. Of course you then have to find the owner and ask permission. Or, to the east of Clearfield, there's the junction of Clearfield Creek and the Susquehanna River. You will have to search, but this should be a prime area for artifacts. If Clearfield Creek is low enough, you can walk the banks and gravel bars, and maybe get lucky. Or look for a " Creek Road " and follow it, looking for fields. Back water sites are plentiful in this area, but you would need to be familiar with the area first. So, stick to the river, and the junction of Clearfield Creek and the river. Also if you have time, you can ask any of the locals you see about artifact hunting. There's always someone who knows someone who knows someone else, and this can lead you in the right direction. Good Luck, if you find anything, post it for all of us to see!!!
        Last edited by pkfrey; 07-19-2020, 12:36 PM.
        http://www.ravensrelics.com/

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        • Hal Gorges
          Hal Gorges commented
          Editing a comment
          Yupp , ask the locals, especially if they know you’re only there for a week, some might give up a site for you, it’s always worked for me when I went from county to country...

      • #5
        I am a PA guy. I feel, with dedication and hard work, there are plenty of artifacts to be found in the Keystone State.

        Personally, I have not done well walking in water. However, I would rather do that than nothing.

        I would suggest rubber on road and odometer clicking trying to find that rare field that has exposed earth this time of the season.

        Good luck!

        Flint Eastwood
        northwestern Pennsylvania

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        • #6
          i like looking at the different pictures in the overstreet i.d. book with all the different places the artifacts were found and the area your talking about looks like its loaded with finds. i figure places across the nations are all the same you got good producing spots and spots that just spit one or two out ever once in awhile. these days most of your fields have been looked for years by old eyes that knew what they were looking for and the best producing spots are just about picked over. thats what pushed me to creek walking, now i won't even waste a hour in a field unless i'm board to death and the creeks are to high to walk. there is one type of area that i will look and thats a logging site where there is lots of clearing and ruts from big tractors. if i were you in the area your going to be in with all the streams i would be getting my boots wet. if you spend enough time in the creeks and walk slow enough you will trip over a arrowhead sooner than later. a lot of times i pick up some nice stuff right besides someones tracks. my guess, they were walking to fast or just trying to find that bigun laying on top of the gravel pile. you got to go extra slow , walk back and forth side to side and then do it again. look for flaking , shapes, color of flint. look so good your looking for tips and tangs not arrowheads. if you see a piece of tree bark in the water reach for it sometimes you draw back a arrowhead/spear/knife. and the most important thing if i didnt say it enough go slow and pickup everything . that big brown leaf laying just in the muck might be a clovis.
          Attached Files

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          • Jimsmith
            Jimsmith commented
            Editing a comment
            Love the photo....took me a while to find it. Guess I need to get out more often!🤔

        • #7
          looks like i do some digging if thats a trap there... ive scanned the same place 4 times and still find things... every time it rains or a field is plowed u got new hunting to do... i had my buddy stare right at a axe grooved and still not see it... until i moved it in dirt. you got scann and slowley remove things ... its all about location.

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          • #8
            the highest points in field are killer for me... the kanwak river here in st.albans is producing everyday ive looked... but it might take 20 scans before i pic it up.

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            • #9
              That's quite the good tip, rivers tend to keep stuff visible as they prevent dust and dirt building up over them most of the time, that's how many people find medieval artefacts in Western Europe, for example.

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              • #10
                I've noticed in my area they liked to live is the last good rise before a creek bend and especially the last good rise before a creek meets another creek or a river. Topo maps have been worth their weight in gold to me, it makes some spots stick out like a sore thumb... and another thing just because a creek shows a dashed line on a topo doesn't mean there weren't camps off of it, I avoided them for a while but eventually realized I was making a mistake. One of my best spots now is off a creek that stays dry almost year round.. I'll add a few screenshots to give you an idea of what to look for.. good luck.
                Attached Files

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                • #11
                  Good call dameionkyle. I, too, use topo maps. Valuable resource, right there. BUT, I use them on top of 35 years experience. May be overwhelming for a new guy, idk. I got my start from the kindness of a humble old timer that was selfless enough to share. In my opinion, that's gonna be your best bet.... if you can find one
                  Western Kentucky

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